![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Time on April 1, 2007, at 23:10:50
I was taking 20mg of cymbalta for nearly 18 months. I decided to get off the medication because I felt it was not working and I could no longer stand the night sweats. I tapered off down to 10mg a day for 1 week and then ~5mg a day for another week. I have been off the drug completely for nearly 4 weeks and I'm still suffering from side effects. My primary concerns now are (1) by breasts ache like I have mastitis and (2) I am so full of rage. Is there someone reading this who has successfully passed the withdrawal stage? How long did it take you? Does anyone know of some good scientific literature I can read that will help me understand what I am experiencing? I need to find myself again before this begins to seriously effect my relationship with my husband and child.
Posted by Lexxor on April 2, 2007, at 23:12:37
In reply to Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Time on April 1, 2007, at 23:10:50
> I was taking 20mg of cymbalta for nearly 18 months. I decided to get off the medication because I felt it was not working and I could no longer stand the night sweats. I tapered off down to 10mg a day for 1 week and then ~5mg a day for another week. I have been off the drug completely for nearly 4 weeks and I'm still suffering from side effects. My primary concerns now are (1) by breasts ache like I have mastitis and (2) I am so full of rage. Is there someone reading this who has successfully passed the withdrawal stage? How long did it take you? Does anyone know of some good scientific literature I can read that will help me understand what I am experiencing? I need to find myself again before this begins to seriously effect my relationship with my husband and child.
Wow, I have several concerns. 1. the therapeutic dose of Cymbalta for all three of it's indications is 60mg. No wonder it wasn't working. 2. Cymbalta only comes in 3 strengths: 20mg, 30mg, and 60mg capsules, how were you able to safely take 10mg and 5mgs? 3. Have you ever been screen for Bipolar disorder? Not diagnosing, just concerned about the rage. 4. Please! Talk to ANOTHER doctor, because I think someone seriously underdosed your meds for way too long. Be safe and good luck.
Posted by Joe Bloe on April 4, 2007, at 1:59:50
In reply to Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Time on April 1, 2007, at 23:10:50
I disagree with the previous post on several issues.
First things first, I noticed a very strong pro-Cymbalta bias in Lexxor's tone. A little research on Dr. Bob's website shows irrefutable bias by poster toward every Eli Lilly product. Check for yourself, just in the last week, all glowing comments on Eli Lilly products and strong bias always in favor of continuing Lilly meds, against class action lawsuits against Lilly, etc.:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070402/msgs/746448.html
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070402/msgs/746430.html
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070402/msgs/746452.html
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070402/msgs/746458.html
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20061224/msgs/746440.htmlFurthermore, the attempt to associate your rage, a common effect of SNRI withdrawal syndrome, with you being possibly Bipolar is false. Now, perhaps you are bipolar and you have rage all of the time. But from what you say in your post, the rage is directly related to SNRI withdrawal. Search the web and Dr. Bob's site for Effexor and Cymbalta withdrawal stories and you will see that 1) it is not bipolar, but withdrawal syndrome and, 2) you are not alone.
Lastly, it sounds like you have made up your mind to get off of this substance after taking it for quite a long time. Also, while I do not know why you were taking this drug just as the previous poster does not, I'm assuming that you have good reasons for limiting your dose at 20 mgs (not to mention that literature shows people can be treated for MDD at 40 mgs). For example, just because the suggested dose for OCD treatment with Prozac is 80 mgs doesn't mean I could ever handle the side effects of that dose. If my assumptions are right: 1) that you and/or your doctor have a rational reason for limiting the dose to 20 mgs, 2) that it has run its course and it may be time to try another treatment.
Cymbalta is an SNRI - and like Effexor - one of the most difficult drugs to withdraw from! You have to be very careful withdrawing from this stuff. It is a serious matter. There are even anecdotal reports of suicides resulting from withdrawal. This is a serious drug that should not be prescribed lightly, (sorry Lilly).
Please look around this website and learn as much as you can. There are several things that can help you get off of this substance in a much smoother manner if it has been deemed that Cymbalta is no longer necessary. In fact, most of the advice for SSRI withdrawal (for drugs such as prozac, Lexapro, etc.) also applies to SNRI withdrawals.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Withdrawal | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.