Omlett with Cymbalta

[omlett]

I'm withdrawing from Cymbalta for two years now. On 5 beads now, and it's incredibly hard at times.

 

I got Cymbalta when i was coming off of Clonopin 4 years ago. ..as a"help". I don't like popping pills but I was so underweight and anxious. Well weight problem has been solved and now I'm slightly overweight:(

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Omlett.

 

Have you been reducing bead by bead? When did you start? How much were you taking at the beginning?

 

Have you had withdrawal symptoms all along or did they start at a particular level?

[omlett]

I was on 60 mg Cymbalta two years ago..and i was dumb enough to ask my doctor to taper off of it.

He made me a two!!! weeks taper plan and said bye bye to me. I have had brain zaps, panic severe vertigo and all kind of stuff.

The scariest thing I got suicidal thoughts which I never had before in my life. I went back to Cymbalta and after a while I got stabilized. Then I decided to taper off at my own pace and that's what I doing right now.

I'm reducing my dose very slowly and I never followed plans and percentages. I usually go down by 5 beads in every month.

 

I have had symptoms all the way down mostly body aches and menthal stuff like obsessing on thinghs and my hypochondria kicked off.

[omlett]

Here I'm again

 

It was a relatively nice day...well started like one. I took my five bloody beads and started to work then afternoon suddenly intrusive thoughts has been set up their tent in my head. Even when I had a meeting with someone my mind started to wonder all around. I was meditating a bit after my lunch and it got better, not much though.

 

Since I'm got under 30 beads I'm obsessing about my health and googeling all kind of illnesses

It's really tiring .

 

Anyways I stick to my taper plan and let's see what happens.

 

Cheers

[Rhiannon]

Omlett, most people find that when they get right down to the end of a taper, on the really low doses, something changes and they have to slow down that last bit a lot.

 

You may want to consider actually slowing your taper down. Think of it this way: If you're taking 30 beads, one bead is 3% of the total, but if you're taking 5 beads, one bead is 20% of the total. So your cuts are much bigger now.

 

Since you can't cut by less than one bead at a time, I would consider giving yourself longer holds, more time in between cuts. (However, if Alto or one of the other people more experienced with Cymbalta than I am suggests something else, listen to them instead.)

 

I know that when you're so close to the end it's extra frustrating to have to slow down. But you WILL get there.

 

I would suggest holding off for a while and just taking a break to see if things stabilize for you.

 

Congratulations on your taper and on your intelligent decision to reinstate and do a reasonable slow taper! Way to go! You're inspiring.

[omlett]

I will definitely hold this dose for a while Rhi as I don't want to end up feeling very bad.

I had the C/T experience before and it's a big NO NO for me.

 

I often wonder how I will feel drug free as I have long history of panic and GAD..but hey here I'm on 5 beadsand doing just as great or crappy as on 60 mg. So it should be OK

 

By the way I started a Paleo my diet a week ago in the hope I can loose my excess weight and so far it's going well. For years I considered myself as a vegetarian and thought how healthy I'm, but apparently something wasn't right. My skin became so pale, my hair started falling etc. Let's see if protein intake will bring any changes. So far I feel OK.

 

Another day in work and and I have no anxiety whatsoever...however my hypochondriac obsessions are surfacing time to time.

 

- O

[Altostrata]

My skin became so pale, my hair started falling etc. Let's see if protein intake will bring any changes. So far I feel OK.

With vegetarian diets, there is a real danger of low B12, which is found only in animal products. These are symptoms of low B12.

 

You may wish to make an effort to eat red meat for a while, to boost B12.

[omlett]

Thanks Alto,

 

I didn't know about meat and Vitamin B12 relation I will definitely eat some steaks and other meats from now on in moderation.

I know vitamin B12 higly effects the nervus system, but I never looked into details.

 

On vegetarian food i was always kind of hungry and craving food especially sweets. On Paleo I don't eat much, oonly some lean meats with vegetables and I feel full, but I don't want to speak too soon.

 

The reason I decided to come off of Cymbalta that I became numb and lost all my motivations to excercise and do other fun stuff.

 

I will stay on 5 beads for a while as I feel great at the moment.

 

Cheers

- O

[Altostrata]

Low B12 can definitely make withdrawal more difficult, as the nervous system is less resilient. It needs B12 to function well.

[omlett]

Well another day still on the same dose and feeling well however I having a rough time adjusting the Paleo diet - bouts of diarrhea and stomach aches in the morning. Probably from the pumkin seeds.

 

Also I have had some down time in the morning not troubling at all but still uncomfortable. Rage and short temper became my problem since on the low dose.

 

I have looked into B12 insufficiency, thanks Alto to bringing it to my attention.

 

Have a nice weekend to everyone.

 

- O

[omlett]

I feel relatively well however I having awful nightmares. That's for sure a sign of WD.

 

I was fighting all night with crocodiles, tigers and all kind of wilde animals. Also experienced a dream in the dream. Very strange

 

I'm still amazed by the effects Cymbalta having on my mind and body. How come that some people don't experience withdrawal at all when they stop AD-s - it's beyond my imagination. I have found something from Razzle which explained that.

 

" I wanted to share that I did a lot of research on withdrawal and why some of us are so severe. Dr. Keri Buck's lab at Oregon Health Science University (I think it was around 1996) first discovered that genetics were the determining factor in sedative/hypnotic tolerance and withdrawal (steroids, benzos, alcohol, barbiturates). It was later found that all drugs that alter brain function have a genetic link to how fast and how much neuroadaptation we incur.

 

Some people can have their nervous system bathed in numerous chemicals and have no structural or biochemical changes occur. Others of us a few doses are enough to destabilize the system."

 

 

Paleo goes well, GI troubles are almost gone...

 

cheers

 

- O

[Altostrata]

Very true. All of our reactions to everything are, at the bottom of it all, determined by genetics.

 

A doctor suggested to me that the people who suffered the worst iatrogenic effects from psychiatric drugs were those whose nervous systems were most plastic or adaptable.

 

The positive side of this is that if your nervous system is so adaptable, it will adapt again.

[Dorian]

Hi Omlett, I've been on a Paleo diet for over a year and it was the best thing I ever did for my health. Hope you are having success with it. Am just discussing tapering off Cymbalta with my shrink after taking it for two years. Long story short, discovered that I'd had severe sleep apnea for at least 25 years, got a CPAP machine and haven't felt this well since I was eight! It's amazing how chronic lack of sleep can screw up your body. I feel a little racy at times which is why I want to lower my Cymbalta. I'm on the maximum dose (120mg) and am spooked after hearing how hard it is to discontinue. I don't want to be on it for the rest of my life! My dr. is supportive but not often available for app'ts although she's very prompt to answer emails. I see her every two months or so.

I'd love to hear how you're doing with both your tapering and the Paleo diet.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Dorian. Yes, 120mg Cymbalta is a very high dose. Please start an Intro topic for yourself with some of that info so you can track your own progress when you decide to taper.

[omlett]

Hi Dorian,

 

Unfortunately I had to give up the strict Paleo becausei t has messed up my period..so at the moment I'm on a flexible Paleo diet.

 

Reducing the Cymbalta is so far so good it's third days since I have taken my last bead....Apart from a mild headache and a bit of dizziness it's ok.

 

My first 3 attempts to get off was so horrific so hopefully this time after a whole year of tapering down I will bell symptom and pill free.

 

120 mg of Cymbalta is quiet a lot but it's doable to get off of slowly.

 

Good luck and let me know how it's going.

 

- O

[Dorian]

To Alto - I`m working on it. Frankly, reading how difficult Cymbalta is to get off, I'm on the fence about trying it. What I don't get is this: if the withdrawal symptoms are so severe, how do you tell if the misery you're going through is due to withdrawal or because you still need to take antidepressant meds? You can be pretty depressed and non-functional without being completely suicidal. OTOH, I'd really like to see if I can do with a smaller dose but the way I felt when I tried to reduce by 30mg (major anxiety attacks, irritability, lack of concentration, trouble sleeping, etc.) really scared me. Anxiety is a major concern. I have Lorazepam, which helps, but don't want to become dependent on it, either. I guess I'm still wondering if I'm ready for this journey.

 

To Omelett - Sorry to hear you had trouble with the Paleo diet. Were you eating full-fat, some fruit, and some dairy? I think, especially for women, those are crucial. My own experience convinced me that white sugar and white flour are seriously detrimental to good health, in any quantity. The substitutes (sweeteners and whole grains) are not that much better. I hope you'll be able to find a version of the diet that works for you. Best of luck.

[omlett]

Hi Dorian,

 

My Paleo was very strict.. no dairy at all no wheat no sugar and no sweetener..therefore I had to bend it a bit to make it more suitable for myself. The first two weeks was miserable, diarrhea, nausea...etc. Then you know the sugar and carb cravings kicked in and I was so stressed out all the time.

Now I eat goat cheese and to satisfy my sweet tooth I need to drink diet hot chocolate..I know it's rubbish but still..

 

I see you're from Toronto ..I used to live there a while ago in the Bayview area - loved the city.

 

Regarding to Cymbalta..well 2 years ago after a drastic drop I became suicidal and it scared a crap out of me. I got major panic attacks and vertigo on the top of that. I couldn't sit in a car...not to mention drive. I had to updose to 60mg and start to taper again very slowly. I often questioned myself what if I need AD what if i have chemical imbalance which apparently I don't have.

 

Fingers crossed this time I win;)

[Altostrata]

Dorian, psychiatric drugs change the way your nervous system works so profoundly that it's much more likely you would have withdrawal symptoms rather than relapse when you reduce dosage. While some symptoms of withdrawal may be called psychological, they occur in clusters that are quite distinct from any psychiatric illness.

 

Omlett, how did you go off your last 5 beads?

[Dorian]

Thank you, Alto, for that information. I have to do more research. Considering how many anti-depressants I've been on and the number of decades involved, I've been very lucky in terms of side effects. I do wonder how many of my other issues (erythema nodosum, allergies, migraine, fibromyalgia, rapid weight gain, severe sleep apnea, etc.) have been affected by all the drugs I've had to take. Changing my diet to one freer of chemical additives and engineered "food" made such a difference in my overall health that withdrawing from as many drugs as possible seems the next logical step. I'm grateful to have this forum with so much information.

[omlett]

"Omlett, how did you go off your last 5 beads?"

Over the last 3 months reducing very slowly. I stayed on 1 bead for one week then I thought It doesn't really make sense anymore and stopped taking it.

Even getting off of this ridiculously small amount taking it's toll. I couldn't sleep last night well, and having headaches and some vision disturbances..it's like a hangover. This time much better than with my previous attempts..though.

5th day and counting...

[tezza]

Hi Omlett,

 

A belated welcome to you. I'm sorry you are having a hard time. These drugs are very powerful in those of us whose brains have been remodeled!

 

Thankfully, our brains will once again remodel back to a good state. We have to hang on to that hope!

 

If you could add your history in a signature, it would be very helpful.

 

Just follow these instructions:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Thanks,

 

Tezza

[Altostrata]

If the withdrawal symptoms get worse, you might "do over" your time on the last bead for a month before you go off it.

[omlett]

Thank you Tezza,

 

I have updated my signature.

 

Seems like I'm getting better it's a 6th day and the dizziness and the headache gone. I don't want to speak too soon...but all in all now it's good

[omlett]

Thanks for your advice Alto...this time the WD not too bad no brain zaps and out of body sensations which have caused panic attacks.

 

I'm almost sure it's not over yet and I will getting surprises but at the moment I feel good.

 

Not counting the bloody beads every morning just fantastic

[omlett]

Hi just a quick update. Yesterday was a bit rough with headache dizziness and worrying about things, today much better though.

 

I really waiting for the spring as the weather here is horrendous. Right now it's snowing and -1 degree brrrrr.

 

I continue taking fish oil and vitamin D and it seems to be helping .

 

Cheers

 

-O

[omlett]

Happy Easter to all!!!

 

13 days since my last bead of Cymbalta and feel absolutely normal..my BP start to going back to the right range.

 

I have had some emotional issues in the last couple of days. I kept thinking of my first dog (Pam) I cried a bit and it felt so good.

 

Since i started AD-s 5 years ago I have had troubles with my hair - dryness, thinning, dullness. For the first time in five years my hair is different...bouncy and have more volume.

 

I'm just kind of happy at the moment and wish everyone the same.

[basildev]

That's great news Omlett!

 

Happy Easter to you too.

 

May your health and happiness continue x

[tezza]

Hi Omlett,

 

I'm so happy for you, this is great news! May you continue in the happiness you have found!

 

Happy Easter to you, too!

[omlett]

Hi Everyone,

 

It's been more than a month without cymbalta and doing fairly well.

 

After Easter I have had very stressful time at work and in my private life..but bounced back and life is great again. I don't take medications at all NONE..NADA and just a thought of this make me feel happy.

 

Love you all and wish the best for you

 

- O

[Altostrata]

Congratulations, Omlett! When you have time, we would love to see your addition to the Recovery success stories forum.

[omlett]

No success story for Me yet Alto.

 

I just got hit with a wave of extreme anxiety yesterday and couldn't sleep at night. It's extremely frustrating as I felt really well..

 

Then I've read about delayed WD symptoms and got really freaked out.

 

Fingers cross it will pass

[Altostrata]

Let's give a cheer for feeling well. Too bad about the wave.

[omlett]

Second bloody night with 3 hours sleep..At around 1 AM I started to watch Shameless and around 2 I got really sleepy..but the sleep didn't happen.

 

Than i had to take out my dog and I got so sad I started to cry....

 

I'm so exhausted but i have to go to work.

[Altostrata]

Did you see our topics about sleep in the Symptoms and Self-care forum? There are some tips that might help.

 

For example, I find if I take a tiny amount of arginine when I wake up around 3 a.m. (quite frequently), it sometimes helps me sleep again. This will work for a few days, then stop. After a week, it will work again.

[omlett]

Thanks Alto, for always taking time to answer me. I will try arginie but I the moment I bought sleep aid and night quil...let's see how it's working.

 

I think as was on a very low dose for a very long time I having delayed WD symptoms. I have had them before and it's the same. Extreme anxiety very tense muscles, and pains. I know if I get a good night sleep I will bounce back..

 

cheers,

- O

[Altostrata]

How do you get along with magnesium? It can be very good for tense muscles.