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alejirbag: Can't stable again on Cymbalta


alejirbag

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Thank you for your thorough answer. I did my best to make this bridging work, hoping to find right balance.

 

Yes, I'm aware that it would be the best not to add any drugs, and stay on 30 mg of Cymbalta if it is possible. I really don't want to add anything if i don't have to.

 

I'm currently feeling bearable, except for the eyes problems that is driving me crazy. Other symptoms are bearable now. My question is what to do if/when symptoms become horrible?

2 days after I stopped using Prozac, I got horrible withdrawal symptoms and pain, and that is the reason I took 1.25 mg of Lexapro. Today I decided not to take Lexapro, because I can't endure this horrible situation with my eyes. If tomorrow again horrible pain and withdrawal symptoms start, I really don't know what I will do?  :(  

I fully agree that the best solution is not to add any drugs, but what to do with those horrible symptoms? :(

Cymbalta

  • 03/2014 - 03/2015 - Deanxit, Cypralex 10mg and Clonazepam 1mg (all prescribed for foot pain), stopped Deanxit and Cypralex cold-turkey, got mild withdrawal symptoms
  • 06/2015 - 09/2015 -  due to neck pain (caused by cold-turkey above) I got on Cymbalta 30mg for one week, after one week up to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - in one week lowered my dose of Cymbalta from 60mg to zero. I got severe withdrawal symptoms and got back to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - two weeks later I was feeling stable and started to lower my dose again to 30mg. 3 weeks later severe withdrawal symptoms started again
  • 10/2015 - I got back to 60mg of Cymbalta and I still have severe withdrawal symptoms.
  • 03/2016 - Started tapering 1% per week, for 4 weeks
  • 04/2016 - After 4 weeks, and 4% off stopped tapering due to unbearable symptoms
  • 06/2016 - Started switching Cymbalta to Fluoxetine
  • 07/2016 - Switched half-way, stopped at 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 mg of Fluoxetine. Couldn't continue with bridging due to severe eyes problems, caused by Fluoxetine.
  • 08/2016 - Stopped taking all drugs due to Serotonin syndrome

Clonazepam

  • 03/2014 - 04/2016 - 1 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 07/2016 - today - 0.5 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 08/2016 - stopped Clonazepam completely due to Serotonin syndrome
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The symptoms should settle down after a while. I don't know how long that might be. I'm sorry about that, almost everyone on this site is having bad symptoms from drugs, everyone is in the same situation.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.
 

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Although I have stopped Cipralex that didn’t help to “force” me back to withdrawal state. So additionally next days I had to stop (cold turkey) 30 mg of Cymbalta trying to relief   eyes symptoms. Stopping Cymbalta caused 1 withdrawal symptom: electric shock sensation. I tried 1 mg of Cymbalta ( only 1 mg!) during 2 days what would stopped electric shock sensation but again worsen eyes jerks so I have stopped and that 1 mg!!

 

It has been 2 weeks since I stopped taking Cymbalta and I don’t have any withdrawal symptoms at all, I am in the state of opposite hell, I’m in the state of extreme stimulation and eyes horror (I’m not able to focus, my eyes are moving involuntary; going left-right followed by extreme eyes pain, eyes pulsation, eyes burning sensation and extreme headache). It has been 2 weeks since this started, I haven’t slept for 10 days- nothing, I’m in terminal stage of physical exhaustion and at the same time extremely stimulated.

 

Trying to add any kind of benzo (Diazepam, Clonazepam, Xanax) helped me to get some sleep but next day eyes problems are even worse. I’m in the worst possible state of agony, that I couldn’t even imagine it exists. My whole body is hurting from the sickness in my eyes. I feel so sick that I feel like I have high temperature that I don't. Even when I added benzo and slept few hours, I woke up completely not refreshed, like I haven’t sleep at all. I feel like my eyes will explode.

 

I can’t understand how it is possible that so small dose of Cipralex was able to put me in this horrible condition. I feel like adding the Cipralex has completely blocked Fluoxetine’s way out of system. I have visited ophthalmologist but he didn’t see anything unusual. Is it possible that I’m having serotonin syndrome? (Hunter criteria: ocular clonus + agitation). Ophthalmologist did not see with his 'finger test' any nystagmus, but I feel constantly, 24 hours per day that my eyes are going to the right side and then back when I want to focus on something.

 

Is there any, but any way to speed up process of these drugs leaving my system? Regarding worsening eyes symptoms when adding benzo, my doctor think it is also anticholinergic stimulation of my system and I was suggested to try Exelon 1.5 mg tomorrow morning which I’m really reluctant to take.

Any kind of advice would be more than welcome.

Edited by scallywag
added paragraph breads

Cymbalta

  • 03/2014 - 03/2015 - Deanxit, Cypralex 10mg and Clonazepam 1mg (all prescribed for foot pain), stopped Deanxit and Cypralex cold-turkey, got mild withdrawal symptoms
  • 06/2015 - 09/2015 -  due to neck pain (caused by cold-turkey above) I got on Cymbalta 30mg for one week, after one week up to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - in one week lowered my dose of Cymbalta from 60mg to zero. I got severe withdrawal symptoms and got back to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - two weeks later I was feeling stable and started to lower my dose again to 30mg. 3 weeks later severe withdrawal symptoms started again
  • 10/2015 - I got back to 60mg of Cymbalta and I still have severe withdrawal symptoms.
  • 03/2016 - Started tapering 1% per week, for 4 weeks
  • 04/2016 - After 4 weeks, and 4% off stopped tapering due to unbearable symptoms
  • 06/2016 - Started switching Cymbalta to Fluoxetine
  • 07/2016 - Switched half-way, stopped at 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 mg of Fluoxetine. Couldn't continue with bridging due to severe eyes problems, caused by Fluoxetine.
  • 08/2016 - Stopped taking all drugs due to Serotonin syndrome

Clonazepam

  • 03/2014 - 04/2016 - 1 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 07/2016 - today - 0.5 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 08/2016 - stopped Clonazepam completely due to Serotonin syndrome
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  • Moderator Emeritus

alejirbag:  The symptoms with your eyes and sight are probably caused by the sudden drop in Cymbalta
 
The drugs leave your system quickly. After 7 days there is
- less than 1% of your last Cymbalta dose in your system. 
- about 16% of your last Cipralex dose in your system.
 
The fact that drugs leave quickly is probably the cause of your symptoms. Your brain and CNS (central nervous system) have adapted to the presence of the drug.  When the drug is stopped, the brain and CNS have to adjust to a very drastic change. 

 

You wrote:

Although I have stopped Cipralex that didn’t help to “force” me back to withdrawal state.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Are you talking about when you stopped Cipralex in 2014?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Link to comment
  • Administrator

alejirbag, can you see a neurologist?

 

Your nervous system does not get along with these drugs and is in a state of uproar. A neurologist may be able to help calm dysautonomia.

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.

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I have visited neurologist, and he said he can't see anything unusual and said to go back to my psychiatrist and discuss with him my therapy.

Of course I have been to see my psychiatrist and he confirmed my eyes are moving right-left involuntary, but he don't have any proposal except to add Benzo. 

I have tried to add Benzo for a little bit relaxing and to catch some sleep, but after that my eyes are even worse. 

Is what I'm having serotonergic hyper stimulation? Is it serotonergic hyper stimulation actually a serotonergic syndrome?

 

Many thanks for your help.

Cymbalta

  • 03/2014 - 03/2015 - Deanxit, Cypralex 10mg and Clonazepam 1mg (all prescribed for foot pain), stopped Deanxit and Cypralex cold-turkey, got mild withdrawal symptoms
  • 06/2015 - 09/2015 -  due to neck pain (caused by cold-turkey above) I got on Cymbalta 30mg for one week, after one week up to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - in one week lowered my dose of Cymbalta from 60mg to zero. I got severe withdrawal symptoms and got back to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - two weeks later I was feeling stable and started to lower my dose again to 30mg. 3 weeks later severe withdrawal symptoms started again
  • 10/2015 - I got back to 60mg of Cymbalta and I still have severe withdrawal symptoms.
  • 03/2016 - Started tapering 1% per week, for 4 weeks
  • 04/2016 - After 4 weeks, and 4% off stopped tapering due to unbearable symptoms
  • 06/2016 - Started switching Cymbalta to Fluoxetine
  • 07/2016 - Switched half-way, stopped at 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 mg of Fluoxetine. Couldn't continue with bridging due to severe eyes problems, caused by Fluoxetine.
  • 08/2016 - Stopped taking all drugs due to Serotonin syndrome

Clonazepam

  • 03/2014 - 04/2016 - 1 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 07/2016 - today - 0.5 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 08/2016 - stopped Clonazepam completely due to Serotonin syndrome
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
  • Administrator

No, you get serotonin syndrome when you're taking a drug, not when you're off it.

 

You are experiencing withdrawal syndrome.

 

The symptoms should settle down after a while. I don't know how long that might be. I'm sorry about that, almost everyone on this site is having bad symptoms from drugs, everyone is in the same situation.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.
 

 

Did you try fish oil and magnesium? They can help take the edge off symptoms.

 

Neurologists are familiar with drugs that calm the nervous system, such as anti-seizure drugs. See One theory of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome

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
  • 2 weeks later...

When I wanted to switch from cymbalta to fluoxetine,one of the main symptoms I developed was feeling of extreme stimulation.Although I have stopped everything one month ago, this stimulation is still here and it is worsening in attacks. I feel like I took thousands of milligrams of stimulation drugs,I want to jump out from my skin, it is situated in my down part of the body,it doesn't relife with moving although I can not stand still,I am running from one room to another trying to find relife, at that moments I am extremely sensitive to any sound,touch, everything around me is to much for me, I cry,scream,want to die and that moment just to make it stop, I want to hit my head into the walls.It is moment of complete lose of control. It is constantly here,only sometimes go to the level of been able to survive the day. Mostly at that days when stimulation is better,my physical withdrawal symptoms go up.

 

I am trying to understand what is happening.Is this akathisia induced by antidepressants, but why is worse and not better one moth after stopping drugs?? Its hard for me to experience this stimulation as withdrawal because I developed this stimulation when I added Fluoxetine.

 

Is it possible that I still have fluoxetine in my body? But it should decrease already and this akathisia should be at least decreased not the opposite.

 

Doctor wants me to try with Lamictal after I send him your post, or with Gabapentin...He said it's withdrawal,modulation problem...but I am so confused :(.. Lamictal is not treatment for this stimulation/akathisia/manic state that I feel,or am I wrong?

Edited by scallywag
inserted paragraph breaks

Cymbalta

  • 03/2014 - 03/2015 - Deanxit, Cypralex 10mg and Clonazepam 1mg (all prescribed for foot pain), stopped Deanxit and Cypralex cold-turkey, got mild withdrawal symptoms
  • 06/2015 - 09/2015 -  due to neck pain (caused by cold-turkey above) I got on Cymbalta 30mg for one week, after one week up to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - in one week lowered my dose of Cymbalta from 60mg to zero. I got severe withdrawal symptoms and got back to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - two weeks later I was feeling stable and started to lower my dose again to 30mg. 3 weeks later severe withdrawal symptoms started again
  • 10/2015 - I got back to 60mg of Cymbalta and I still have severe withdrawal symptoms.
  • 03/2016 - Started tapering 1% per week, for 4 weeks
  • 04/2016 - After 4 weeks, and 4% off stopped tapering due to unbearable symptoms
  • 06/2016 - Started switching Cymbalta to Fluoxetine
  • 07/2016 - Switched half-way, stopped at 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 mg of Fluoxetine. Couldn't continue with bridging due to severe eyes problems, caused by Fluoxetine.
  • 08/2016 - Stopped taking all drugs due to Serotonin syndrome

Clonazepam

  • 03/2014 - 04/2016 - 1 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 07/2016 - today - 0.5 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 08/2016 - stopped Clonazepam completely due to Serotonin syndrome
Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

alejirbag -- The amount of fluoxetine in your body now is very low, one month after your last dose. Some people experience a period of feeling perfectly well for days and sometimes weeks after stopping an SSRI like fluoxetine or Cymbalta (duloxetine). Then the CNS (central nervous system) starts to make adjustments because the drug is no longer present.

 

This discussion helped me understand what's going on when we stop an antidepressant (and when we start one)

 

How your brain responds to psychiatric drugs - brain remodelling

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

I spent almost a year in horror of withdrawal symptoms trying to get off Cymbalta. I had probably 15-20 symptoms on daily basis.

 

So I tried to bridge to Fluoxetine. I added 20 mg of Fluoxetine to 55 mg of Cymbalta, and every 5 days I was decreasing 5 mg Cymbalta. Also I was added Benadryl, Clonazepam to relief withdrawal. And then after a month of overlap period while I was on 20 mg Fluoxetine + 30 mg Cymbalta (plus 1-2 pill Benadryl occasionally and 0.5 Clonazepam) I have jumped from withdrawal state to high serotonin state. I become agitated, subfebril, absolute insomnia, sweating and the main symptoms eyes-ocular clonus (my eyes were moving constantly to the right side), with horrific burning pain of the eyes, eyelid twitches.

 

Doctor said oh, this is side effect from Fluoxetine, stop using it. And I did, what put me immediately after 2 days in severe withdrawal state.

 

Doctor said then to add 1.25 mg Lexapro, I did and then horror happened. Immediately few hours after adding that small dose of Lexapro every withdrawal symptom has stopped and again I have jumped into high serotonin state with same symptoms like few days before. I stopped immediately that 1,25 mg of Lexapro- no relief , I stopped and remaining 30 mg of  Cymbalta -no relief, I had to stop and 0,5 mg of Clonazepam because at that moment even that stimulates my serotonin receptors somehow.

 

I took me 2 weeks after stop using everything to jump again into withdrawal state. The symptoms were horrific, I ended in ER because I have developed electric shock sensations of heart (yes heart) what made me tachicardic-bradicardic and fainting every few minutes first nights. First 2 months I have spent in withdrawal state, but not constantly-I have days with withdrawal symptoms and then days where I would jump again into some high serotonin symptoms. I saw that as-ok, every day my serotonin will go more and more down until I come the point of complete withdrawal state.

 

But no, after 2 months of exchanging up and down symptoms, I jumped again into high serotonin symptoms, and the worst one-eyes. My eyes are hurting, burning to the level of 24 hours of crying and screaming, unable to focus picture, extreme tension of eyeballs-everything I had in serotonin syndrome state.

 

I am unable to eat, sleep, I am getting hot flashes into my head, I am really subfebril (37.5°). I am on my knees, my every blink is hurtful. I don’t know how many doctors I have called and asked and all the time I am getting the same answer-it is impossible if you didn’t take any drug to go into high serotonin state. I didn’t take anything, not even a supplement since serotonin syndrome happened. I am so desperate that I want to take some blocker of serotonin just to stop this agony I am into last 2 months. I cannot find any similar case report. If anyone have any suggestion, advice please write me.

Edited by scallywag
merged from new intro topic started; added white space

Cymbalta

  • 03/2014 - 03/2015 - Deanxit, Cypralex 10mg and Clonazepam 1mg (all prescribed for foot pain), stopped Deanxit and Cypralex cold-turkey, got mild withdrawal symptoms
  • 06/2015 - 09/2015 -  due to neck pain (caused by cold-turkey above) I got on Cymbalta 30mg for one week, after one week up to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - in one week lowered my dose of Cymbalta from 60mg to zero. I got severe withdrawal symptoms and got back to 60mg
  • 09/2015 - two weeks later I was feeling stable and started to lower my dose again to 30mg. 3 weeks later severe withdrawal symptoms started again
  • 10/2015 - I got back to 60mg of Cymbalta and I still have severe withdrawal symptoms.
  • 03/2016 - Started tapering 1% per week, for 4 weeks
  • 04/2016 - After 4 weeks, and 4% off stopped tapering due to unbearable symptoms
  • 06/2016 - Started switching Cymbalta to Fluoxetine
  • 07/2016 - Switched half-way, stopped at 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 mg of Fluoxetine. Couldn't continue with bridging due to severe eyes problems, caused by Fluoxetine.
  • 08/2016 - Stopped taking all drugs due to Serotonin syndrome

Clonazepam

  • 03/2014 - 04/2016 - 1 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 07/2016 - today - 0.5 mg of Clonazepam daily
  • 08/2016 - stopped Clonazepam completely due to Serotonin syndrome
Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

aljirbag: I'm sorry to read that your symptoms have become much, much worse recently. All I can offer you is hope that these painful symptoms end soon. Do your best to breathe deeply.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Link to comment

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