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Vanora - Coming off Cymbalta


Vanora

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Who is Brian Harvey?

 

Vanora, I've told you what I know about Lamictal.

 

Lamictal is not a drug to take any time you want. If you're going to take it, take it the same time every day and at the same dose. Of course you became anxious again, it wore off. If you're going to give it a try, you need to take it consistently.

 

If you take too high a dose, it may make your symptoms worse. You may notice I suggested starting at 1.25mg http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2256-vanora-coming-off-cymbalta/page__view__findpost__p__22216

 

Please don't ask me any more questions about drugs you find on the Internet. I'm very uncomfortable with the way you experiment with these drugs. You will NOT find a pill you can take that will fix you immediately.

 

I don't know anyone in the UK other than David Healy who has any knowledge of treating prolonged 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.

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Altostrata, I will not ask you anything further on drugs. I was referring to Prof. Brian Harvey lead author of "Harvey 2003 Neurobiology of antidepressant withdrawal", I do apologise if I have got this information wrong. In fact I want to apologise to you in general. Yes, I'm constantly asking you about anything that might help me. I don't want to experiment with any drug but I do want to continue living. I do believe that if I don't have some kind of intervention soon I will have no other option but to take my life. I hope and pray that this will not happen. One way or another this will be my last post. I wish everyone who has contacted me the very best in their withdrawal from antidepressants. Vanora

1979 put on Clomipramine.
Failed attempt to withdraw from Clomipramine started on Seroxat 1992.
1997 Effexor replaces Seroxat after failed withdrawal.
2011 fail to withdraw from Effexor despite combined use of Prozac and Seroquel. Started on Cymbalta.
Anxiety not resolved by Cymbalta so taper off by 28th March 2012. Left on 10mg Buspirone and 1 quarter of 5mg Diazepam.
Anxiety at times very severe. 19th May take my first half of a 5mg Lamictal.

As of 5/11/2013, off all psychiatric drugs. Doing better but hope for more healing yet.

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Vanora,

I've just now read of your ordeal. I'm so sorry that you are suffering so terribly. I had some anxiety when I was tapering, but not to the extent that you and others are describing. That sounds horrendous. Is the shaking you mention due to anxiety or a body tremor? Im probably not wording that properly - I hope you know what I mean.

 

Please keep posting here. I've talked through my life story with this group and it's been helpful in getting me through rough days and also sorting things out in my mind. I was on all classes of drugs for depression over almost 20 years and never worked through things in therapy. Now it's all hitting me in the face as I try to reassemble my life. I feel like Humpty Dumpty!

 

I know it's tempting to try new drugs to calm down the mess we're in and the research makes every drug appear to be the wonder drug. I try to remember that SSRIs, imipramine and Cymbalta were (or still are) described that way in the literature despite all of the suffering they have caused. My thought is to not add in anything new and use what has helped you in the past to get through this time and until Dr. Healy can weigh in. The fewer new things, the better. Sometimes we do have to take something. I am very isolated and lonely and the free time wreaks havoc with my thoughts.

 

Please hang in and keep chatting here.

Barb

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Hi Vanora....

 

So sorry that the anxiety has not abated yet. I think that the anxiety is a combination of several drug WD's. Effexor/Cymbalta/Prozac/Seroquel. It's not just one drug, it's at least four, all hammering away at you.

 

If you need the benzo take it and don't feel ashamed. You are in a bind and need relief. I hope the Imipramine starts to work. If it does you can rest and stay put on the Imipramine and the benzo. Once the anxiety settles, you can get some sleep and try to get back to normal again.

 

Just keep posting - it helps relieve some of the stress.

 

Hugs

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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  • 1 year later...

My last post told you that I couldn't take any more and that was indeed the case. I took an overdose. Next thing I know I am in the local psychiatric hospital where I was prescribed a new antidepressant along with 20mgs of diazepam and 10mgs of Zolpidem (my psychiatrist told me that the latter could be stopped at will). This all happened in the summer of 2012.

 

Antidepressants no longer work for me in fact they make my anxiety worse and that includes things like St Johns Wort and Valerian. So minus the antidepressant I embarked on a long taper from the benzo. When I reached around 4mgs of diazepam my symptoms became very bad, in fact it was a long hard struggle to get to that figure. The list of benzo related side effects is long: hypercussia, light sensitivity, nausea, constipation, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, insomnia, etc, etc. I wish so much that I had never taken a benzo because my life has become unbearable. My only excuse is that I was in such a vulnerable place, I would have taken anything for peace of mind except rationality went out the window.

 

When I reached the low levels of the diazepam I found sleep virtually impossible due to extreme anxiety spikes. It felt like I had malaria with bouts of hot and cold, trembling, and teeth chattering. I stupidly gave up on the diazepam thinking things couldn't possibly get worse and very quickly I required emergency help. Instead of getting the help I required I was diagnosed as suffering from anxiety/panic and with that I was dismissed. Kicked out of the hospital with no where to go but home. Diazepam has become something I cannot do without but it has lost its potency and appears to rev up my anxiety. If I stop it completely then a fire storm of anxiety hits my mind. Cognitively speaking, everthing is a blur.

 

I truly believe that I am undergoing two withdrawals. The first from over 30 years of antidepressant usage, the last being Venlafaxine, and now diazepam. Unfortunately, my psychiatrist believes that this is merely a manifestation of my original illness some 30 years ago and regards me as a "difficult" patient. She has offered me anti-psychotics (I have never been diagnosed as psychotic), Lithium ( I am not bi-polar), ECT, and Pregabalin, which I tried and it did ease my anxiety but left me terribly depressed and with pronounced amnesia. I cannot see how any of these treatments will benefit me and they may in fact make me worse off. Dr healy was consulted about my case and suggested Sumatriptan but this was rejected for technical reasons, something about the drug not being licenced for my condition. Who knows whether this would have worked. Either way, I cannot escape my 30 years of antidepressant use and the label of being "mentally ill". Yes, I have suffered from depression and social anxiety but I do believe I could have managed my life without antidepressants that left me overweight, lethargic, nauseated, and with significant cog fog.

 

Now my psychiatrist will rarely take my calls. I cannot leave the house because my anxiety is in overdrive. I barely wash. Eating can leave me nauseous and I often dry retch. The moral of my story is that I did not heed Altostrata's advice by refusing further psychoactive drugs. I have no idea where I can turn to for help but I feel that the way I have been treated by the psychiatric community has been appalling and lacking in compassion. I feel have I no access to redress as who is going to believe me a person of dubious mental health. Sorry if I have been a pain in the past, I was just so scared and I still am. May you all be well or as well as can be expected.  Vanora

1979 put on Clomipramine.
Failed attempt to withdraw from Clomipramine started on Seroxat 1992.
1997 Effexor replaces Seroxat after failed withdrawal.
2011 fail to withdraw from Effexor despite combined use of Prozac and Seroquel. Started on Cymbalta.
Anxiety not resolved by Cymbalta so taper off by 28th March 2012. Left on 10mg Buspirone and 1 quarter of 5mg Diazepam.
Anxiety at times very severe. 19th May take my first half of a 5mg Lamictal.

As of 5/11/2013, off all psychiatric drugs. Doing better but hope for more healing yet.

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  • Administrator

Very sorry to hear you've had such problems, Vanora.

 

I agree you are probably suffering from combined withdrawal syndromes. I know your suffering is extreme, but people do gradually get better from this. Please hang on.

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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Thank you Altostrata. I take heart from your words of encouragement.  Vanora

1979 put on Clomipramine.
Failed attempt to withdraw from Clomipramine started on Seroxat 1992.
1997 Effexor replaces Seroxat after failed withdrawal.
2011 fail to withdraw from Effexor despite combined use of Prozac and Seroquel. Started on Cymbalta.
Anxiety not resolved by Cymbalta so taper off by 28th March 2012. Left on 10mg Buspirone and 1 quarter of 5mg Diazepam.
Anxiety at times very severe. 19th May take my first half of a 5mg Lamictal.

As of 5/11/2013, off all psychiatric drugs. Doing better but hope for more healing yet.

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Vanora, I am just so sorry. I have been thinking a lot about you, but am so on the run this weekend. My first thought would be to encourage you to post a lot here...we may not have wisdom for you, but it will be read as a little step back into the world. Hmmm, do you say Hugs in Scotland!? Here's one for you! Meimei

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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