☼ Amira

[Amira]

Hi all,

 

P.s english is not my first language

 

 

I started taking 30 mg cymbalta back in june 2016 due to having panic attacks, OCD and depression.

 

During the past 2.4 years things have been really amazing and i got so much better.

 

in june 2018, i broke up with my fiancee, and in october i decided that i will stop the Medicine. I stopped in october 2018. And at the same time i left my job and become unemployed since then.

 

I did not slow taper, took a 30 mg pill each two days for two weeks and then stopped completely under the supervision of my phsyicatrist.

 

I have experienced brain zaps and dizziness which stayed for only 2 weeks and then went away, however, i have been living in hell since then, i have suicidal thoughts, severe depression, panick attacks, feeling of hoplessness and what really concerns me is heart pounding and extreme sensitivity to sounds and light.

 

i need your advice, it has been now exaclty 3 months sine i stopped taking cymbalta. Should i return to it again and taper slowly and in a safe way? If yes, please advice me how to taper given that in mu country the minimum dosage we have in pharmacies is 30 mg.

 

Thanks,

 

Amira

 

 

 

[Shep]

Hi, Amira.

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.

 

On 1/31/2019 at 4:20 PM, Amira123 said:

i need your advice, it has been now exaclty 3 months sine i stopped taking cymbalta. Should i return to it again and taper slowly and in a safe way? If yes, please advice me how to taper given that in mu country the minimum dosage we have in pharmacies is 30 mg.

 

Yes, you may wish to reinstate. Please read through this thread on reinstatement: 

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

However 30 mg is likely too high a dose to go back on since it's been 3 months since you were last on that dose. As you'll read in the reinstating thread I linked, your nervous system is now de-stabilized, so you'll want to choose a lower dose to start. 

 

I'm not that familiar with Cymbalta, so I'll ask the moderators who are what they would suggest.  In the meantime, here is some information on withdrawal to read over, as you have time.

 

Tips for tapering off Cymbalta (duloxetine)

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain

 

Healing from antidepressants. Patterns of recovery video (4 minutes)

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

You may find some helpful information to handle your symptoms here: 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements, as many members report their nervous systems are simply too fragile to handle them. However, magnesium and fish oil tend to be calming to the nervous system and many people report they do help. Please only add in one supplement at a time and at a small dose. For more, please see:

 

 King of supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 As you provide more information, we can better guide you in reinstating and provide other information, as well. 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Shep
add additional links

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Amira.

 

Do you have any Cymbalta left? I would take 6 beads out of the capsule right away. Please let us know how you're doing.

[Carmie]

Hi Amira, 

 

How are you doing?💚

[Amira]

Update:

 

Unfortunately, I am still having the same withdrwal symptoms, sleeping has improved alot but what is concerning me the most is the dark suicidal depression, unable to feel any positive emotions( love,joy, positivity,happiness..etc), anxiety and 24/7 fear

i am now 15 months off(drug free) i managed to get a decent job at the 5th months of withdrwal but to be honest it is very hard to keep a job while experiencing withdrwal especially i deal with clients most of the time, i am thinking of quiting my job and stay at home untill i recover completelly from the w/d. Please remember me in your prayers  

[Amira]

I forgot to mention that i did not reinstate. I went cold turkey in October 2018 and i did not takr any antidepressants since then

[Altostrata]

Hello, Amira.

 

It is a good sign that your sleep has improved. You could still try perhaps 6 beads of Cymbalta or continue to support your nervous system in healing without drugs. This will be very slow and gradual, as you have seen.

 

Please read

 

A lot of people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see
https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

[Amira]

I will never ever touch a drug again . I pereger to stay clean and wait 

[Amira]

Hi guys, this is an update, i am feeling slow improvment

[Shep]

Thanks for the update, Amira. Glad you're improving. 

[Amira]

AsSalamu Alaikum ( peace be upon you),..

 

This is a quick update( not a sucess story yet) 

 

sorry for any writing mistakes  

 

I had a feeling today to come here and leave an update. Because personally, i like to read other people's progress during my darkest hours. It really gives me some comfort and peace of mind

 

 

I am not 100% healed. But something in my brain happened on the 19th of March, i cannot exactly  put my finger on it, but i felt lots of improvments, and i will give you examples (( i have more enegery now, can sit and complete a task, read or watch something on youtube wihtout being totally overwhelmed by fear and brain fog). Don killian description on his journey is simillar to mine, "a door opening slowly"

 

 

This journey has given me a chance to sit quitely and think about lots of things in my life

 

There were lots of things in my life i took for granted before. For example, a good brain which is not altered by chemicals, physical health, feeling content and sane, praying and really FEEL the prayer, feeling full spectrum of emotions and conneting to other people. Although i come from a family with a background in medicine (PHD,.. and stuff, which is another story), But i have completely lost my trust in the medical community. and i am now more carefull about what i put into my body.

 

Thank you for reading this note, i promise you once i reach the other side i will let you know InshaAllah. Remmember: " The only way out is through"

 

 

[Shep]

Thanks for the update, Amira. 

 

Because you're feeling better, I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol ☼ to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering.

 

Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I hope you will add your story to our Recovery Success Stories eventually!

Edited April 20, 2020 by Shep
added information

[Glosmom]

Wonderful news, @Amira123!!  Thank you for coming back and sharing your improvements and words of wisdom. Wishing you continued healing, Glosmom

[manymoretodays]

Hi again Amira, @Amira123  here's some stuff on Acceptance, and fears.  Including Claire Weeks, who many have found to be of help.  I believe she recently passed, and is kind of old timey, but understands the nervous system sensitivity,  that many of us experience,  while healing, once off the meds/drugs.

And best, mmt

 

We strongly encourage members to learn and use non drug coping techniques to help get through tough times.

 

Understanding what is happening helps us to not get caught up with the second fear, or fear of the fear.  This happens when we experience sensations in our body and because we don't understand them we are scared of them and then start to panic.

 

This document has a diagram of the body explaining what happens in the body when we become anxious:

 

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf

 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

Audio FEMALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Audio MALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

dealing-with-emotional-spirals

 

Dr Claire Weekes suffered from anxiety and learned and taught ways of coping.  There are videos available on YouTube.

 

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

 

Resources:  Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg:  Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying)

 

On 4/27/2017 at 12:03 PM, brassmonkey said:

 

AAF: Acknowledge, Accept, Float.  It's what you have to do when nothing else works, and can be a very powerful tool in coping with anxiety.  The neuroemotional anxiety many of us feel during WD is directly caused by the drugs and their chemical reactions in the brain.  Making it so there is nothing we can do about them.  They won't respond to other drugs, relaxation techniques and the like.  They do, however, react very well to being ignored.  That's the concept behind AAF.  Acknowledge, get to know the feeling involved, explore them.  Accept, These feelings are a part of you and they aren't going anywhere fast. Float, let the feeling float off as you get on with your life as best as you can.  It's a well documented fact that the more you feed in to anxiety the worse it gets.  What starts as generalized neuroemotinal anxiety can be easily blown into a full fledged panic attack just by thinking about it.

 

I often liken it to an unwanted house guest.  At first you talk to them, have conversations, communicate with them.  After a while you figure out that they aren't leaving and there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.  So you go on about your day, working around them until they get bored and leave.

 

It can take some practice, but AAF really does work.  I hope you give it a try.

 

[Amira]

@manymoretodays i have seen her name here and on BB but never had the chance to read her techniuqes, i will have a look on that. Thank you so much

[mustafa]

ازيك يا اميره 

مبسوط جدا انى لقيت حد من مصر 😂

انا مصطفى بقالى هنا فتره يعنى خبره هبقى معاكى وهساعدك 

لسه ماقريتش موضوعك هقراه 

انا بجد مبسوووط جدا ⁦♥️⁩⁦♥️⁩

[Amira]

@mustafa اهلا بيك يا مصطفى  تحيا مصر 😄 

[mustafa]

1 minute ago, Amira123 said:

@mustafa اهلا بيك يا مصطفى  تحيا مصر 😄 

وانا بقرا جمله ( انا مصطفى معاكو هنا) جه فى بالى فيلم الناظر لما كان بيقول انا عاطف كنت معاكو فى الفصل 😂😂😂

تحيا مصر والشرقيه 😂

[Amira]

@mustafa 🤣🤣

[Amira]

Just a quick question to the moderators and the old folks who recovered from this withdrawal:

 

are these symotoms common? And are they reversible?

 

deterioration of cognitive functions: reading, interpretting what people say, gathering and processing thoughts, learning and focus, memory

apathy, lack of enjoyment and feeling genuine emotions, feeling dead inside like a zombie

Despersonalization, derealization and confusion

 

 

This is a thought that i have to fight everyday, I have this thought that i am the worst case and i will be the only one who will not recover, is this it self a symptom of the withdrwal?

 

sorry for being negative a bit

 

Any contribution will be appreciated

[Amira]

I also forgot to add : feeling completely detached from the world, like observing the world from glass room, unable to connect to anyone or anything

[Amira]

It is like i need some kind of reassurance

[Erell]

45 minutes ago, Amira123 said:

are these symotoms common? And are they reversible?

 

deterioration of cognitive functions: reading, interpretting what people say, gathering and processing thoughts, learning and focus, memory

apathy, lack of enjoyment and feeling genuine emotions, feeling dead inside like a zombie

Despersonalization, derealization and confusion

 

 

Unfortunately, yes these symptoms are quite common : lot of people here go through them.

If you take a look to the 'Symptoms and selfcare" section, you'll see testimonies, and also great coping skills. I invite you to take a look and try some tools

 

 

45 minutes ago, Amira123 said:

 

This is a thought that i have to fight everyday, I have this thought that i am the worst case and i will be the only one who will not recover, is this it self a symptom of the withdrwal?

 

I think a lot of people have this thought too in acute phase. Symptoms can sometimes be so intense, it is hard to believe others can understand the hell we go through.

 

Plus, I believe thoughts like "I will never feel better, I will never heal", catastrophizing thouhts are actually a WD symptom.

good news is : all the testimonies show it does get better. Slowly, gradually, but we do heal 

Take care ❤️

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by Erell

[Amira]

@Erell Thank you for your reply i appreciate it ❤️ Stay well

[mustafa]

3 hours ago, Amira123 said:

It is like i need some kind of reassurance

You are on the right way,

It only takes time, as i was told, long time and longer than we all hope and wish.

You made alot of progress, keep going and take care amira. 80% of the process depends on your courage and the only evidence is success stories.

Take care 😘.

..................................

[Amira]

@mustafa this is a journey that we never wished to take. but here we are, fighting each day untill we reach the other side. happier, wiser and content. We will do it one day inshAllah  ya Mustafa💪🏼

[Amira]

@Altostrata  Hey Altostrata, Does the half life of the drug, class of drug( SSRI,SNRI) matter in regards to the length of the protracted withdrawl?

[Altostrata]

No, the half-life of the drug you went off is ancient history if you have PAWS.

[Amira]

Thank you Alto @Altostrata is there any way we can report what happened to us and the symptoms to drug companies, FDA, WHO?  I understand this is billion dollar industry and they dont care about what we say anyways, but people are dying from this, and the ones who live are living miserable lives, losing jobs, social life, and their self respect. this is no joke!

[Altostrata]

 

You may also wish to make a report to the responsible agency in your country.

[Amira]

Thank you Alto @Altostrata

[Amira]

Assalamu Alaikom ( peace be upon you)

 

 

20 Months off Update ( Cold turkey)

 

Areas of improvment: since month 17 or 16 ( can't remember) 

 

Physical activity no longer put me in a long wave, i have more energy now, but still i have to listen to my body, and i have an alarm that tells me whento stop ( electric charges in area of heart). So whenever i have these charges i stop whatever activity i am doing and so they go away eventually

 

Restlesness, Akathisia and fear

Very good improvments in regards to these 3 Symptoms

 

Quality of sleep has also improved, i no longer wake up with electric charges running through my body

 

decreased body pain, skin also improved

 

 

Symptoms that are still there:

Cognitive functions : ability to focus, read, understand 

short term memory still bad

bad concentration

anhedonia

Emotions numbeness

inability to feel joy, happiness, ...etc

Despersonalization

some physical symptoms

 

i experience windows and waves pattern, during the windows the symptoms are less intense, but not back to my old self

 

 

i will keep you updated as soon as i see more improvments

[Amira]

I have also found that changes in female hormones, consuming sugar and caffeine tend to increase the intensity of symptoms

[Amira]

Sensitivity to sounds has also improved

 

sorry for any typos 

[Altostrata]

Thanks for the update, Amira.

 

Are you having heart palpitations or skipped beats?

[Amira]

@Altostrata Excuse me but i do not know how to determine the difference between them, but mine is like my heart is beating faster with a feeling of electrical charges throughout the body especially in the left side around my heart. And it comes with weakness in my whole body, arms, especially my left arm. Most of the time now after the recent improvments the beats and charges are silent, but they can be triggered when consuming caffeine, sugar or with alot of physical acitivity, and sometimes they can happen without a reason. I remember having feelings close to these when i was a teenager, i went to get my heart checked, and it turned out to be healthy. What do you think?