☼ Scallywag: Cymbalta - skipping doses didn't work, time to taper

[scallywag]

Was out for a walk tonight. Lot's of Pokemon hunters out and about.

[AR2003]

Hi Scallywag

 

I just wanted to pop in and say well done on your taper with Cymbalta. From experience , I know full well what it is like.

 

Unfortunately , my first experience : I was ct from it at quite a high dose (I think it was 60 mgs) by a senior reg psychiatrist. My own doc was on holidays. He put me on Valium. About 3 weeks later . I was put back on it and increased up to 120mgs. About 3 months later I tapered from it slowly. I did what you are doing. Counting beads. Oh myyyy ... I used to scream to high heaven back then . Why oh why me !!!

The insult at having to count these miniscule beads.... But I did it. And so will you. You are doing so well.

 

You were first to respond to me here on SD and I really appreciate it. Thank you.

.

I hope you're day is going well. I know what you mean about the Pokemon craze. My daughter has just discovered it too !!!

[scallywag]

Hi AR, thanks for having a look at my intro and for posting. My initial reaction at counting the beads, especially when my 60 mg caps had around 550 of the little critters, was "You have got to be kidding!" That is best said in the tones that John McEnroe used after a call he didn't like.   Now it doesn't bother me as much.

 

Day 10 on 14.6 mg: Boring is good. Problem with burning sensations on the sole of one of my feet continues but I'm finding ways to manage it.

[savinggrace]

You know, Scallyway, I think it was Karen who said our mysterious symptoms seem to choose a part of the body to settle on.  Yours seems to be the bottom of your feet.  Burning feet...ugh!

 

Mine is my chest.  I wake up frequently during the night with electric shock like feelings in the middle of my chest; sometimes its crushing pain like I am having a heart attack.   It only happens at night or when I am sleeping and always in the exact same spot.  After having my heart checked months ago, I have learned to chalk it up to withdrawal.  I wonder where it is going to happen next...

 

Grace

[scallywag]

Day 20 on 14.6 mg:  My taper is as boring as it gets. I hope that continues. Thinking about a cut after tomorrow (21 days).

 

Grace:  I've been thinking about your comment since I read it a week ago. Last night I remembered that as a child -- 6 or 7 years old -- I had a problem with the skin on the soles of my feet. Treatment was petroleum jelly at night and then cover with plastic baggies/wrap and socks. It could well be that I have some kind of vulnerability there. If that's the case it's not surprising that a w/d symptom would show up. 

[savinggrace]

That makes sense, Scallywag...about your feet.  I remember someone on a benzo board years ago that was off benzos but talked about the pain in his feet constantly.  I often wonder how long that took to resolve as I lost touch with him.

 

I just looked at your tapering rate since January.  It doesn't really look like something that would be advised here at SA. Well, the skipping doses part anyway. Did that catch up with you? Is that why you started the 10% cuts of current dose?  Seems like your body is letting go of this Cymbalta pretty easily if you describe a 10% cut as boring.

 

Grace

[scallywag]

Grace: Yes, I started skipping doses inadvertently and then figured "Why not continue?"  When I mentioned to my doctor's replacement (she was on a maternity leave) that I was thinking of discontinuing, he recommended skipping days. Absolutely not what's recommended here!

 

I was at the point where I skipped three days between doses, e.g. take it on Monday, then next on Friday. I started getting mild withdrawal lightheadness and then mild nausea a few hours after taking the next dose. Once  I re-established daily dosing, the nausea went away and most  other symptoms resolved within a month. Insomnia took a bit longer.

[savinggrace]

Aah thanks. Skipping doses, while it seems like a faster, easier route eventually catches up wth most.

[scallywag]

Day 26 on 14.6 mg: I decided to hold for another week. Seems to have been a good choice -- the burning skin on my foot has weakened.

[scallywag]

Day 2 on 13.2: I reduced dosage yesterday 10% from 14.6.  I notice that I'm now safely below 25% of my original dosage (60 mg). Definitely worth celebrating the decreased demand on all those liver enzymes that metabolize Cymbalta.

[herewego]

So happy for your success scallywag!

[brassmonkey]

Congratulations Scally-- getting down to 1/4 of your original dose is quite a milestone, well done.

 

((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))

[nz11]

Way to go SW.

[tntd]

So happy for you. I hope your taper continues to be "uneventful"

[downtongirl]

Congratulations...way to go!

[elbee]

Thumbs up!

[Wishes19]

Yay!!

[scallywag]

Hi thanks everybody!  It's a cool milestone and also amusing (to me) that I didn't notice it for weeks.

 

Day 6 on 13.2: no gnus is good gnus.

[LexAnger]

Good sign getting down rather quickly without bad bump!

Congrats to the true milestone!

[manymoretodays]

Hi scally.  Stopped by your journal and I will be back.  I especially want to read the links on blue light that you posted.  I am a bit tired now as I just completed a survey link.

 

I am very sorry for your loss of the love of your life........I wish I knew a better way to put that........

 

Congrats from me too on the 13.2mg. success!

 

And thank you.  For being here and for sharing and moderating.

 

mmt

[scallywag]

mmt: Thanks for reading and posting.

 

Day 10 on 13.2 mg: TLDR version: (too long, won't read) It pays to track and rate your symptoms AND to review your notes.
 
Full version:
 
I've been rating symptoms every day but I haven't been paying attention to trends or patterns. I've been feeling a bit "flat" the last week or so. Messing about in my Excel file to open up a symptom row for feeling flat, I noticed something. Just a cursory glance at my notes revealed that I've been rating my lethargy as low-medium for several weeks.
 
Looking at the likely suspects for this and reviewing my calendar, I was at a family celebration in July and indulged in a few glasses of wine. If I recall correctly, I've also been meeting friends for a pint every 2-3 days since. In all probability, booze consumption is not a good idea.
Given what I feel and what I've read about drinking while taking or tapering SSRIs, not to mention the guidance that moderators have given other members, I'm shaking my head and rolling my eyes   ... and moving forward ...

 

I'll be testing my hypothesis by holding my dose longer this time, 6 weeks at least, and by abstaining from alcoholic beverages at least until I've been off Cymbalta for a few months.

[savinggrace]

Hi Scalliwag,

 

The honesty of this post is so refreshing and even commendable! I can tell you from personal experience, that until 3 years ago I "allowed" myself one drink/ week; maybe 2 if it was a wedding or something. I was tapering faster then as well. (Valium)

 

I think about this a lot as I know alcohol acts on GABA receptors, but it did make tapering easier in the short run. I finally got honest with myself a little more than 3 years ago and have had one drink in 3 1/2 years, (the night my grandson was born). If it is healing we are trying to achieve, it is not going to happen with alcohol. God knows I have wanted to relieve my symptoms w/ alcohol more than once, but is a very slippery slope and with my already troubled liver and family history, I can't risk it. I know I can never drink again. I do miss that social part of life though. I don't miss the alcohol or crave it; just the life that allowed it.

 

Thanks for sharing,

Grace

 

Thanks for sharing,

[scallywag]

Thanks Grace.

 

You wrote: If it is healing we are trying to achieve, it is not going to happen with alcohol.

 

Two thumbs up. I'd give more if I had 'em.

[manymoretodays]

Hi scallywag,

 

Got my sample size of biotene..........and will continue to do my coconut oil on gums.  Apparently the biotene is fairly cheap and a good mouth rinse as well.  My dentist thought.......sure, could be..........a bit of dry mouth contributing to cavities.  So for today......my dentist and I, well, we are not so old........we are getting wiser.

 

Have a most excellent weekend. 

 

mmt

[scallywag]

Day 17 at 13.2: I'm relieved to think about holding and surprised at that relief.  It sure is odd when I think about the urgency I felt 4 months ago. No new symptoms, just the old familiar ones -- occasional sleep problems, the burning on the sole of one foot, some lethargy & lack of motivation. Though less than ideal or "perfect," it's all tolerable and manageable.

 

Counted the beads for 10 more doses. So bleeping tedious, that.

[scallywag]

Day 22 at 13.2 mg:  No new symptoms and the previous ones seem to be slowly resolving. Gotta admit it: I like holding at a dose, especially when I've already made up a week's worth of doses. It's as much a "no-brainer" as just peeling open the foil pack of manufactured doses.

[elbee]

Good news scallywag!

[scallywag]

Thanks elbee!

 

Day 25 at 13.2 mg:  I'm probably going to stay at this dose for another 10 days, making it 5 weeks at this level rather than 6. I'd like to shift my sleep pattern so that I'm tired earlier and wake up earlier. Today I'll go for an evening walk, stay off the computer, and start a melatonin "reset."

 

Random observation: I was responding to another member's post and instead of entering "Cymbalta," I started to type "Cymptoms."  Made me LOL.

[manymoretodays]

Well.......important update on the biotene stuff........ha, ha..........just killing time until I start yet another DVD movie.  This one called "Genius".........the description looked okay.  I finished the sample.  It's alot like this other natural kind called "Jasons"..........it kind of bubbles up when you gargle and swish with it.   Sooooo...........as I am almost out of the sample I went to my regular grocery store to get some more..........it's pricey stuff too.........the biotene...........I guess it's cheaper at Wallmart so will do the Wallmart thing one of these days.  Anyway.........I got a spray instead of the mouthwash and will do that for awhile.  Time will tell I suppose.........if no cavities in a years time I think I can say it's successful.

 

Long walk today with neighbor M.  Nice lady.  New friend and support type person.  She gets all this.........she's a lawyer too.  Always grateful for new friends.

 

Tough day today.  Finished 2 days of training........peer stuff...........and I guess my expectations were too high about the whole thing.  Anyway........now I have to figure out some way to teach it and hopefully find a partner to do so with..........all those employed for money as peers here seemed to be all buddied up already or had the confidence to do the teaching(and then 8 week support group) on their own.........maybe not.........I am not so hard to find if someone wants to do it with me.  Feels like a burden tonight though........how I will meet that commitment...........and I will find a way I am sure...........and do what I signed on to do........to get the CEU's and stay certified.

 

Just jibbering.  Sometimes I get so damn lonely I still cry in short bursts.  My pet cat is here and a fine comfort.  And dear son checked on in.  And I even have a new friend.

 

So that's the biotene update and review.  And a bit more.......

 

manymoretodays

 

I look forward to tomorrow.     Thank you for all your kind help.

[Mammoth]

Hi Scallawag - How's your taper going these past few days? Are you still at 13.2mg? 

 

I have a question for you - also posted on my thread in more detail. When reducing the Cymbalta dose by 10%, is it 10% by milligram or 10% of the beads? Isn't it the same thing? So if I take 90mg, would I not have the compounding pharmacy make a dose of 81mg? So they would reduce the number of beads to get 81mg? 

 

Thanks!

 

Edit: I saw your answer on my thread. Wasn't sure you would see my question, so posted it here as well. Thanks so much!

[scallywag]

Day 36 at 13.2 mg:  Saying goodbye to this dose and welcoming a dose reduction to 11.9 mg tomorrow.

 

I'm glad to be solidly out of the wave of low mood and energy that I was experiencing during August. It's an odd thing with my waves of emotional & cognitive symptoms: my recognition occurs once I'm out of it, "Oh, I was in a wave." When I'm in it, it's just the way things are. The paradox of cognitive symptoms: I'm supposed to use cognitive capacities to notice deficiencies in cognitive capacities.

 

In my notes I keep track of the bead count, which has been 119 and starting tomorrow is 107. The actual dose is less than 11.9 mg, maybe 11.5, because I'm choosing to divide by 9 instead of 9.28. I suppose I could have used 10 beads/mg it would make dose estimations easier. Not going to change horses midstream.

[tntd]

Good luck Scallywag,

 

I hope this cut goes well for you. I'll be thinking about you.

 

Hugs and healing

[SkyBlue]

 

I'm glad to be solidly out of the wave of low mood and energy that I was experiencing during August. It's an odd thing with my waves of emotional & cognitive symptoms: my recognition occurs once I'm out of it, "Oh, I was in a wave." When I'm in it, it's just the way things are. The paradox of cognitive symptoms: I'm supposed to use cognitive capacities to notice deficiencies in cognitive capacities.

 

 

Hi Scallywag!

 

I'm dropping by to say hi and to follow your thread. 

I totally understand what you wrote earlier on this thread about holding! And about the urgency you felt previously. A few months ago I was thinking, yeah, just keep pushing, get this out of my system -- now I'm actually listening to my body and trying to treat it well! 

 

And yes, recognizing it as a wave *after* the wave has passed. Totally! ! ! ! 

 

I saw on another thread that you mentioned using light therapy. Could you say a little more about it? I have a light box

and starting in the fall going to use it more regularly. 

 

I see you're from Canada -- do you ever watch Corner Gas?? I love that show!

[scallywag]

I discussed the light that I use in this post of my intro. I usually sit in front of the light for 20 - 40 minutes in the morning while I eat breakfast and during my read and reply time on SA.

[SkyBlue]

Cool, thanks. 

[scallywag]

Day 8 of 11.9 mg: No news is good news; boring taper is boring.

 

I had an extreme histamine reaction last weekend to something at my father's house -- nose running like a fire hydrant and puffy, itchy, watering eyes. Good thing it happened on the morning I was leaving. After I left the house, I went immediately to a pharmacy bought an antihistamine, loratadine, and took 1 dose of it. There's no way I could have driven 2-3 hours home with my eyes the way they were. It's taken a week to get to the point where each eye gets itchy only once a day. YIKES! I'll try to figure out what caused this reaction the next time I'm visiting.