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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by HEART~ on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
Hey guys,
I have been on 40mg Cymbalta for about 7-8months. Well over time I seemed to get worse, everything became worse for me, I felt ill mentally and physically. Not being able to think and feeling like I was moving in slow motion at times, having heavy limbs, being sedated, being irritable and just nasty and mean to people. I have been having feelings that something is just not right, you know how you know deep within yourself that something's not right and your body knows it. Well this is one of those! Something is just not right with this medication. Damn. Has anyone had side effects like these?I took just 20mg today and I don't know what the heck is going on but I feel good today. Have not had to lay down 30times like normally would have, I can think clearer, not moving in slow motion and I overall I just feel better. (I am in no way saying others should do this)I worry what tommorow may bring for me in terms of my mood and physical feelings though. What do you guys think? From what I have read on the boards here most people have experienced w/drawl symptoms hours after not taking it. Here I feel good. I will see how I feel in a few days and may add Wellbutrin. Anyone who has tapered off Cymbalta or has gone through or is on Cymbalta or anyone who can offer me some words I would love to hear from you.
Posted by Phillipa on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by HEART~ on June 19, 2006, at 13:38:48
I've always felt better getting off of an antidepressant and I had no trouble stopping cymbata just stopped. Love Phillipa
Posted by HEART~ on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less » HEART~, posted by Phillipa on June 19, 2006, at 15:46:49
> I've always felt better getting off of an antidepressant and I had no trouble stopping cymbata just stopped. Love Phillipa
Hi Phillipa,
What are you on now?
Posted by Phillipa on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by HEART~ on June 19, 2006, at 15:48:52
Luvox l50mg lamictal starting out at 50mg now and valium 20mg and synthroid. Cymbalta made me twitch badly couldn't wait to get off of it. Love phillipa
Posted by blueberry on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by HEART~ on June 19, 2006, at 13:38:48
Whenver I didn't feel well on an antidepressant, I have always felt better in the 1 to 4 day timeframe after reducing the dose. But then I revert back to my baseline and the good times are over. It's nice while it lasts though. Hopefully you'll feel better at a lower dose and it will stay good.
Posted by lymom3 on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by blueberry on June 19, 2006, at 18:20:24
Cymbalta withdrawal made me a basketcase...crying all the time etc but I haven't ever had any withdrawal symptoms last more than 10 - 14 days or so and I just focus on that. No matter how crappy I feel, I know that it's just temporary.
Posted by Phillipa on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by blueberry on June 19, 2006, at 18:20:24
Blueberry are you afraid of meds like I am . Always experience side effects when no one else does. So that the relief you feel when you go off them makes you feel much better psychologically and then it wears off and depression is back again? Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less » blueberry, posted by Phillipa on June 19, 2006, at 21:33:10
Exactly. The issue of fear of meds is a big one with me, and my doc points it out all the time. She says I'll never get well if I don't take therapeutic doses. But I tell her I can't ever get to therapeutic doses because they either make me suicidally worse along the way or give me really bad side effects that are very crippling. I seem to get intense side effects even at miniscule doses, and side effects other people never get.
> Blueberry are you afraid of meds like I am . Always experience side effects when no one else does. So that the relief you feel when you go off them makes you feel much better psychologically and then it wears off and depression is back again? Love Phillipa
Posted by CEK on June 23, 2006, at 0:06:07
In reply to Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared **less, posted by HEART~ on June 19, 2006, at 13:38:48
Finally, I found someone that got mean and nasty on Cymbalta too. I thought I was the only one. I started on it at 30mg for a month and then went up to 60mg for two and a half months. I called it quits on my own. I didn't have the fatigue like you mentioned until I finally had my nervous breakdown while on it. My husband hated me on the Cymbalta. I got so opinionated about everything and if something ticked me off I was quick to let everyone know about it. I was not calm and passive on it like I was when I was taking Effexor. I was just the opposite. Everything that aggrevated me at work and at home that I had been putting up with because I had to had finally got to me. People were no longer protected by my Effexor. I was ready to quit my job and leave my husband and just tell the world to f off. My irritation turned to anger then to rage and I felt out of control. I felt like I could literaly hurt somebody. I'm 32 years old and am too old to be punching my boss in the face or a coworker or my husband. My sence of self control was gone. The depression was still there but was coming out as hate. After a bad day at work and then coming home to more crap, I snapped. I got really mad, hit my husband,threw things at him, cussed him out and left. After sitting with my mother for a couple of hours trying to calm down, I left her house and began to drive home. Something was definitely wrong. I couldn't drive over 40 miles an hour and felt so weak and heavy feeling. I couldn't think. The fight in my was over and I lost. For the next 3 days I remained mostly a vegetable in the deapest depression. I couldn't remember lots of things and found it hard to put words into sentances. I felt like I was moving under water. Then the suicidal thoughts kicked in. I was even hearing voices telling me to do it and how. I finally got checked into the hospital. The pdoc there actually wanted me to stay on the Cymbalta. She said it was a good medicine and that it was just outside influences that caused me to get this way. I told her of the side effects I was having and the rage and she still made me stay on it. I had blisters on the back of my mouth, couldn't pee, night sweats, headaches, swelling in my legs and I can't remember what else but she thought it was the med for me. Two weeks after coming home from the hospital and very suicidal again, I said screw it. I'm not taking it anymore. Cold turkey. I had heard that the withdrawl symptoms could last 2 weeks but I said so what. The first 4 days without it I felt wonderful. Better than I had in a long time. Then day 5 the buzzing in my ears started. Day 6 the bawling spells begain. I cried constantly for no reason. Then by day 7 when I was literally shaking all over and felt like I was going to lose my mind and couldn't stop the crying and was ready to cut my own throat, I went to the doctor. Of course my GP was out of town that week and I had to go to a local clinic. The doctor there tried to make me taper down and write me a script for 30mg of Cymbalta. I refused. I went a full week without it and I didn't want it back in my system ever again. After going rounds about it she finally gave me 100mg of Zoloft to take until I could see my regualar doctor. She told me to take one a day. I had never taken Zoloft before, but I decided that I would take 2 a day as bad as I felt. Somehow I calmed down a bit. I finally got an appointment at a mental health clinic in town that doesn't have pdocs but nurse practicioners that prescribed the meds and she stopped the Zoloft and put me on Lithium. It seemed then that the withdrawl symptoms started again, which I had to just ride out on my own. If I would've been smart and tapered off of the Cymbalta I know it wouldn't have been so bad. Don't let the first few days without it fool you, the bad stuff is waiting around the corner if you end up stopping cold turkey. Good luck.
Posted by HEART~ on June 23, 2006, at 13:25:54
In reply to Re: Tapering off of Cymbalta and scared *Heart, posted by CEK on June 21, 2006, at 17:53:20
Many thanks to everyones responses I appreciate it. Ok weird happenings...Tapered down to 20mg and if you have read past posts I felt great when reducing Cymbalta, well my concern is that feeling heighented abit.... 3 days after lowering dose I had become overstimulated, I guess that would be the correct word to use. Also been very easily annoyed and irritaed at times. I just cannot figure out if it is a result of feeling better or there is another issue going on with me as I have no true diagnosis. I am thinking BP here but really have no way of being sure. Of course I understand to answer this question is very difficult too. Why would I become manic or hypomanic {If i am using the terms correctly}after reducing the Cymbalta. Any thoughts welcome.
This is the end of the thread.
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