AuntJenny Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Per my doctors directions I started tapering off of 90mg daily Cymbalta. Tapering schedule: Aug. 5 - 7 60mg Aug. 8-11 30mg Sept. 22 - 12.5mg seroquil I have been experienced every symptom possible during my withdrawal from Cymbalta except death. Brain zaps/headaches have subsided but still have sweating, fatigue, short periods of heart beating fast and hard while inactive, sore eyes, nausea and others. My psychiatrist of 12 years will not return my phone calls so I am now seeing another psychiatrist that my therapist recommended. She prescribed 10mg of Prozac but I feel like this is a bandaid and not a solution so I told her I am not going to take it. On my next visit she gave me the option of taking seroquil 12.5mg to help with "racing thoughts" and I started taking it last night. I am also taking 10mg of Ambien daily which she said I should cut down to 5mg. She is not the original prescriber of the Ambien. I take 25mg Adderall XL daily for ADD. Drug history Antidepressents from 1995(?) Prozac Luvox Others I can't remember 2012- Aug. 2015 Cymbalta 2009(?) - present 25mg - 35mg Adderall 2009(?) - present 10mg Ambien Per doctor tapered off 90mg Cymbalta starting Aug. 5 - 7 60mg; Aug. 8-11 30mg; Antidepressents from 1995(?) Prozac, Luvox & Others I can't remember. 2012- Aug. 2015 Cymbalta; Sept. 17 - prescriped 10mg Hydroxyzine as needed for anxiety Sept. 22 - 12.5mg seroquil; 2009(?) - present 25mg - 35mg Adderall 2009(?) - present 10mg Ambien Link to comment
AuntJenny Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 I do not believe that my doctor titrated me off cymbalta correctly but the fact remains that I have been off drug for 1.5 months and it has been debilitating at times. At this point should I start 10mg Prozac to just get me back to job interviews or should I ride it out. I can probably go another month without working. My psychiatrist has prescribed 12.5 mg of Seroquel increasing to 25mg after 3 days for my anxiety. Per doctor tapered off 90mg Cymbalta starting Aug. 5 - 7 60mg; Aug. 8-11 30mg; Antidepressents from 1995(?) Prozac, Luvox & Others I can't remember. 2012- Aug. 2015 Cymbalta; Sept. 17 - prescriped 10mg Hydroxyzine as needed for anxiety Sept. 22 - 12.5mg seroquil; 2009(?) - present 25mg - 35mg Adderall 2009(?) - present 10mg Ambien Link to comment
Nomoreheadmeds Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 hi 'auntjenny' someone will be along to advise you soon. I wish you well Sertraline 100mg amytrip 60mg diazepam 4mg (and when needed) since late 90's.Reduced all meds over 6 wks (too short) last doses 13 wks ago.Still having withdrawals.I would have done it differently 5th august 2015 reinstated 5mg amytripiline.increased to 10mg amtrip 9th sept 2015. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 23, 2015 Administrator Share Posted September 23, 2015 Welcome, AuntJenny. Yes, you are suffering Cymbalta withdrawal syndrome; you tapered too fast. When did you last take Cymbalta? Usually, a reinstatement of a small dose of Cymbalta, such as 10 beads from the capsule, will reduce withdrawal syndrome. See What is withdrawal syndrome? About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization Tips for tapering off Cymbalta (duloxetine) However, your new psychiatrist is not completely off-base. Many doctors will substitute Prozac for an antidepressant that is difficult to quit. Often, this works, but sometimes it does not. Reinstatement of the original drug is somewhat more reliable. The Seroquel will make you dopey. You are physiologically dependent on Ambien; cutting your Ambien in half will probably cause rebound insomnia and other withdrawal symptoms. It's possible the Seroquel might compensate. But it may not. We advise a slower tapering of Ambien. You've been taking a psychiatric drug cocktail for a long time. When you go on and off psychiatric drugs, your nervous system becomes sensitized, particularly if you've had adverse reactions such as withdrawal syndrome. Responses to other drug become unpredictable, so it's impossible to predict what will help and what will hurt. How did the Seroquel affect you? That is not a drug you want to stay on for a long time. Please put ALL the drugs you take in the Drug Interactions Checker http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and copy and paste the results in this topic. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Hudgens Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Aunt Jenny, at some point in my tapering of Effexor I went too fast and got terrible withdrawal symptoms like yours. I reinstated and they stopped. Then I did a slow taper over 4 years and did much much better. I'm now 11 months post-taper and still doing fine-in fact, no withdrawal at all at this point. Sept 12th 1992-began taking Imipramine (50mgs) for panic attacks. Stopped Imipramine after 4 months (cold turkey). 7 months later experienced "mysterious" bad flu-like symptoms, although, without upper respiratory problems or fever. Because of this and a day of panic attacks, was put on Prozac (20mgs?) for 2 months and then, when that didn't work-was put back on Imipramine, plus Xanax 1 mg (4Xdaily)-October 1993. March 1999-switched from Imipramine (50mgs) to Celexa. 2008-switched to Pristiq for 3 months, then back to Effexor XR (after bad reaction to the Pristiq). Sept 1st 2010-Switched from Effexor XR (75mgs) to Effexor Generic (solid form) in preparation for taper. Nov 15th 2010-Began tapering from 75mgs Effexor Generic. January 13th 2014-.06mgs April 17th 2014- .03mgs May 11th 2014- .02mgs Ended taper October 31st 2014 Oct 4th 2015-11 months post taper and completely back to normal! Link to comment
AuntJenny Posted September 25, 2015 Author Share Posted September 25, 2015 Altostrata, I have been off of Cymbalta for 45 days. I had a pretty good day yesterday but I attributed it to the seroquil I started two days ago. Today/am I am nauseous but plan to push through and mow the lawn. Maybe sweating will help? Per doctor tapered off 90mg Cymbalta starting Aug. 5 - 7 60mg; Aug. 8-11 30mg; Antidepressents from 1995(?) Prozac, Luvox & Others I can't remember. 2012- Aug. 2015 Cymbalta; Sept. 17 - prescriped 10mg Hydroxyzine as needed for anxiety Sept. 22 - 12.5mg seroquil; 2009(?) - present 25mg - 35mg Adderall 2009(?) - present 10mg Ambien Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 25, 2015 Administrator Share Posted September 25, 2015 I have no idea. Some people find strenuous exercise makes them worse. Generally, we don't recommend taking other drugs for withdrawal syndrome. Reinstatement at a low dose is more reliable. How do you feel about being on a drug cocktail? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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