MartinvHS: my journey to become free of duloxetine / Cymbalta

[MartinvHS]

I am a 60 year old male (with PhD in biochemistry) who has been using Duloxetine for depression for 10 years (60 mg/d). Before that I was on Effexor for 3 years. I also have been hypothyroid (hashimoto) for 30 years, but that is stable (150 micrograms/d T4).

Otherwise I am fit and healthy and after retiring from science a few years ago my wife and I now own and operate a flower farm in Australia.

I have wanted to stop cymbalta a couple of years ago because I have been feeling well, but I felt I have become highly dependent on it (on the very rare occasion when I forgot a dose in the morning, I could feel it by the evening). I also felt that my GP recommendation to switch to 30 mg/d for a few weeks and then quit was not going to work, so I felt trapped.

 

Then over the last year I developed orthostatic hypotension and irregular heart rhythms and I actually fainted (broke my nose in the fall) and ended up in a cardiac ward in hospital for a few days of observation. I now have a heart monitor implanted but I have not had a repeat incident even though I have episodes of ectopic heart beats. This incident has made me research known side effects of cymbalta more seriously and I have found reference to orthostatic hypotension and irregular heart rhythms in this context.

 

I also have various other annoying ailments which I now wonder if they are side effects from long-term use of cymbalta. Frequent and difficult urination and poor emptying of bladder, excessive sweating, stubborn  modest overweight (BMI 26), sleep disturbance, Inability or delayed ability to ejaculate and possibly reduced libido (?).

 

So I decided in the past few weeks that I really need to come off cymbalta and I started seriously researching online how to do it. Soon I came across the tapering method, so I designed the following schedule:

 

My capsules contain 444 micro beads (plus or minus a couple). I had guessed that phasing them out in 150 days might be safe enough and so I planned to reduce the dose by 3 additional beads every day. So -3 beads on day 1, minus 6 on day 2, minus 9 on day 3 etc. down to zero beads on day 150! I was going to do this (laboriously further down the track) by bead counting. A great plan so I thought and I was excited to finally free myself from the cymbalta shackles.  

 

But now on day 4 Of my taper I have already come unstuck!! My daily dose is down only 2.5% (1.5 mg)  And I already have major withdrawal symptoms: Blistering continuous headaches, cold sweats, weakness, very poor sleep. So back to the drawing board. For now I have gone back to the full 60 mg dose and I will start again in another week or so.

 

So I went back online and after hours of reading came across very useful patient sites. Thanks to those I now realise that I may have to take as long as 2 years to taper off Duloxetine.  If only I had known this when I started with AD. A long journey ahead of me but I want to become free of Duloxetine and I hope my heart health issues will improve.

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by ChessieCat
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[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, MartinvHS.  I'm glad you found your way here.

 

Please add a drug signature, including 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 and dose.
• 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.

We recommend tapering by no more that 10% of current dose every four weeks.  Some have to go more slowly.  A safe taper using our recommended rate will take longer than two years.  I know it is difficult to wrap one's mind around how long it takes to taper safely, but you have already experienced what can happen when you go too fast.

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

This link is specifically about tapering Duloxetine/Cymbalta:

 

Tips for tapering off Cymbalta (duloxetine)

 

Here is some information on the withdrawal symptoms you experienced.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions, post updates and connect with other member.

[laydefish]

Hi & Welcome to the Group!

 

[Giulietta]

Hi! Welcome to the group. I'm new here myself and being on my taper for 6 months.  I have been using compounded liquid duloxetine - and I just learned that liquids are not extended release. This has made my journey from 20 to 9.75 mostly unpleasant - particularly in the afternoons and evening - and I have a long way to go.