Quitting Cymbalta

[sleepyhead]

That's my next challenge. I'm at 60 mg. a day for about 1 yr. This isn't substance abuse but I've heard one can have some bad reactions. True?

[formergolf99]

'Google' it. It seems to be a beast to come off of.
Best,
Golf

[Lizrox]

How to Stop Taking Cymbalta: Your doctor should be recommending that you reduce your dosage of Cymbalta by 20mg a day every five days if you need to discontinue Cymbalta, if not more slowly than that. For more information, please see the page on how to safely stop taking these crazy meds. You shouldn't be tapering off Cymbalta any faster than that unless it's an emergency.

So if you're at 60mg a day you take 40mg a day for five days, then 20mg a day for the next five days and you're done. You should be able to get 20mg samples from your doctor if all you have are 30mg or 60mg capsules. If you are at 60mg and have a bunch of 30mg capsules and have the time to discontinue more slowly, go down 60mg to 40mg to 30mg to 20mg.

As golf said google the withdrawal symptoms. I think there are many; but if you are tapered the right way you really shouldn't suffer.

Liz

[mikiglen]

ah that sucks.
i just restarted and am on my first week of 30
prozac is a bitch to come off of, too, in case anyone is taking that one

[Alycia]

I am just starting welbutrin, and I hope that isn't hard to get off of. Wow, I have so many addictions and don't want no more but I want help with the depression. I guess, I'll handle that when I get there!

[sleepyhead]

God, I know what you mean, Alycia. One day at a time, one drug at a time. I had no idea that an anti-depressant was something that you would suffer withdrawal from.

[t_a_n_y_a_]

Originally Posted by sleepyhead

God, I know what you mean, Alycia. One day at a time, one drug at a time. I had no idea that an anti-depressant was something that you would suffer withdrawal from.

It's scary when you think about it. I would say my withdrawals from zoloft were maybe even worse then when I was detoxing off valium

[sleepyhead]

I spoke to a shrink and since my Cymbalta is not time released I can open it myself and take a little bit less every week. I'm down to about 25 mg. a day now. This cr*p that never even worked will be my next thing. Then I have to research Paxil. My shrink told me that's also a difficult one to get off of. After the Oxy, Hydrocodone, Methadone, coke, blah, blah, blah....I'll just keep on truckin' as they used to say.

[igetallnumb]

Originally Posted by sleepyhead

That's my next challenge. I'm at 60 mg. a day for about 1 yr. This isn't substance abuse but I've heard one can have some bad reactions. True?

Oh my god my doc just gave me Cymbalta to take and im starting at 60mgs! Cause I was on Zoloft and was having "brain zaps"
How is it on this stuff?

[sleepyhead]

Well, I Googled it and read all sorts of scary stories about how the withdrawal lasts for months and brain zaps are a part of it. My new thing is to ask my dr.'s about the withdrawal from drugs that are not narcotics. We assume that because it isn't that it's okay but all one has to do is type in "the name of the drug "and "withdrawal" and they'll get all the info they need. Talk to your doc, Numb!

[igetallnumb]

Originally Posted by sleepyhead

Well, I Googled it and read all sorts of scary stories about how the withdrawal lasts for months and brain zaps are a part of it. My new thing is to ask my dr.'s about the withdrawal from drugs that are not narcotics. We assume that because it isn't that it's okay but all one has to do is type in "the name of the drug "and "withdrawal" and they'll get all the info they need. Talk to your doc, Numb!

I will for sure. Im too scared to take it because I feel like I will become even more emotionally unstable then I am now.

[Sav]

Originally Posted by Alycia

I am just starting welbutrin, and I hope that isn't hard to get off of. Wow, I have so many addictions and don't want no more but I want help with the depression. I guess, I'll handle that when I get there!

I'm sorry to tell you this, but I've been reading some real horror stories from people who are detoxing from welbutrin. Maybe you should switch before it's too late...?

Question: These are all anti-depressants, right? I thought these drugs were'nt physically addictive. Is that incorrect? Or is this simply a mental withdrawal?

I'm planning to use one for one I come off my taper, but I'm getting scared as hell by all the negative feedback I'm getting about them.

[sleepyhead]

Hi, Numb!
Maybe you should talk to your doc before you stop taking it. How long have you been taking it? I started at 30 and went up to 60 then decided to get completely drug free. It's going to take a while. Anyway, don't just stop. Let me know what you're going to do if you have a minute.
Sleepy

[igetallnumb]

My doctor wants to have me monitored for a week till the drug enters my body and levels out.
I still don't want to take it.

[sleepyhead]

It's your decision in the end. I recommend reading those forums just so you're being pro-active. Maybe it's what you need for whatever ails you but I think the doctors have a responsibility to forewarn us.

[igetallnumb]

Originally Posted by sleepyhead

It's your decision in the end. I recommend reading those forums just so you're being pro-active. Maybe it's what you need for whatever ails you but I think the doctors have a responsibility to forewarn us.

he does and never did ... the pharmacy did that

[Sav]

Yeah, we are, unfortunately, on our own with this kind of thing. I've yet to meet a doctor who was really informed or honest about the drugs he was giving me. Forums like this are the only place to get truly accurate information.

[igetallnumb]

Originally Posted by Sav

Yeah, we are, unfortunately, on our own with this kind of thing. I've yet to meet a doctor who was really informed or honest about the drugs he was giving me. Forums like this are the only place to get truly accurate information.

amen to that

[liveweyerd]

All of these work on the seotonin neurotransmitters. So, yes if you suddenly stop and change the chemical balance in your brain, there will be affects.

I would not just decide I didn't need anti-depressants on my own. Well, I have done it before and I found that my depression is a progressive illness and each time I became sicker. The last time I was so bad off that I learned to accept my dx and my need to correct the chemical imbalance, the organic dysfunction in my brain, same as if I had diabetes which is also a chemical imbalance.

These are not drugs of abuse. There's no immediate effect or buzz.

The only one I have heard of junkies liking is prozac.

This is my esh

[Sav]

Originally Posted by liveweyerd

All of these work on the seotonin neurotransmitters. So, yes if you suddenly stop and change the chemical balance in your brain, there will be affects.

I would not just decide I didn't need anti-depressants on my own. Well, I have done it before and I found that my depression is a progressive illness and each time I became sicker. The last time I was so bad off that I learned to accept my dx and my need to correct the chemical imbalance, the organic dysfunction in my brain, same as if I had diabetes which is also a chemical imbalance.

These are not drugs of abuse. There's no immediate effect or buzz.

The only one I have heard of junkies liking is prozac.

This is my esh

That sums it up. It's hard to comprehend the length of suffering that goes along with waiting year(s) for your body/brain to readjust to a state of normalcy. I read in fiction novels about characters who when they go through anything like this, they have them half the time up in the mountains for a year or two, suffering and working through it, milking the goats, feeding the chickens, etc...

It's a daunting process to face. And they make it sooooo easy to just give up and take the meds. Why suffer when you can be fine now...especially if you may NEVER be "normal" again???


My worry is their seem to be a number of drugs being offered as anti-depressants that end up having barbituates or something equally bad in them. To go through all the trouble of getting off your drug of choice, just to be given something to "help you"... and to end up addicted unknowingly all over again to something prescribed to you... the despair that can bring is crushing.