![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by granny9 on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:56
I was given cymbalta 60mg 1 a day to help with chronic headaches and want to discontinue. Have been taking only 6-7 weeks--Will I have the same withdrawal symptoms? Will I need Dr. to help manage the withdrawal? Thanks for your help.
Posted by Phillipa on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:56
In reply to cymbalta withdrawal, posted by granny9 on November 19, 2007, at 13:06:38
I didn't have withdrawals but go to 30mg first. And check check the withdrawal board. Phillipa
Posted by rskontos on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:56
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawal » granny9, posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2007, at 20:03:29
I don't mean to intervene here but to go from 60 to 30 is a 50% drop and most people suggest to drop only 10% when tapering. Since you can't cut a capsule in half you could get a 20 or 30 mg. capsule from your doc or open the capsule dissolve all the beads and drink say 90% of the glass and do that until you feel ok and then drop another 10% again until you feel ok etc. I took a 30 capsule with a 20 for a while until my symptons improved then I went to two 20's etc....once I got to 20 I started taking out the beads 5 at a time and throwing them away and putting the capsule back together. I think it helps withdrawals if you have another med to take in its place. I did not. My doc offered I refused. Cymbalta did a number on my system gastro etc so I wanted to free from all AD's for awhile. It does help the side effects to have something in its it place so I would recommend a doc's help. rk
Posted by bleauberry on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:57
In reply to cymbalta withdrawal, posted by granny9 on November 19, 2007, at 13:06:38
Most doctors are seriously flawed in their knowledge of just how torturous antidepressant withdrawals are. The worst ones for withdrawals are Effexor, Paxil, and Cymbalta. They are all bad, but those three more so.
A good rule of thumb is to reduce dose by 10% every week or two weeks. You may need to go slower, or in smaller increments than 10%, or you may find it tolerable and be more aggressive. It varies from person to person.
A capsule of Cymbalta is filled with tiny beads which are enteric coated so each bead dissoves in your intestines and not your stomach. Stomach acid destroys them. For custom size dosing, approximately 9 to 11 beads equals 1mg. Take your custom sized dose put back in the capsule, or mix it in something soft that doesn't require chewing, such as applesauce, pudding or ice cream.
You can try to reduce dose from 60mg to 30mg and see what happens. You will likely feel something major is going on. That is the fastest way to get off if you can bear it. But for a smoother journey, though still not completely smooth, create your own custom sized doses and go down in small steps over a stretched out period of time. Those brain neurons need lots of time to adjust. The smaller the steps, the less shock, and the less discomfort you will feel.
As you get closer to zero, tiny steps down become large steps. For example, going from a 10mg dose to a 5mg dose is a 50% decrease in dose. That's a big step. As you get closer to zero you can start eliminating 1mg every few days or so.
If at any time after you have completely stopped you are having totally intolerable reactions, go ahead and take some more. Maybe a couple milligrams or whatever. Just enough. You might even feel like a junkie needing a fix. Then resume your journey getting off. Don't let a temporary stall frustrate you. Keep your eye on the goal but don't be in a major hurry to get there.
Basically, low and slow. Small steps. Or do it the doctor's way and see if you are ok with that. If not, you are now armed with the knowledge you need.
Withdrawal reactions are especially exaggerated when withdrawing from a drug that works on norepinephrine, like cymbalta. People experience a whole scattered wide array of symptoms. Some annoying, some downright scary. No one will get the same symptoms. Some of the more common ones are insomnia, nervousness/anxiety, brain shocks or brain zaps (hard to describe, feels like someone plugged your brain in the wall socket for a second), nausea, flu-like symptoms to where you can't be sure if you caught the flu or you are feeling withdrawals (it is withdrawals), feeling dizzy or unsteady, confused or foggy headed, headache, bodily aches and pains.
Some people withdraw with not much problem at all. I hope that is you! You've been on the med a couple months which is a whole lot better than a couple years. But a couple months is still plenty long enough to have caused many brain and bodily changes that will have to be undone as you get off the med.
Posted by Phillipa on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:57
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawal, posted by rskontos on November 20, 2007, at 12:01:10
Rk I just don't get withdrawal symtoms from any of the ads. Just stopping them and I feel much better. Go figure. Phillipa
Posted by rskontos on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:57
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawal » rskontos, posted by Phillipa on November 20, 2007, at 18:44:06
Phillipa you were luckier than I. Mine were horrendous for me. Hardest thing I ever did! I wound up in ER. rk
Posted by Phillipa on November 21, 2007, at 10:33:57
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawal, posted by rskontos on November 20, 2007, at 19:37:06
The cymbalta didn't do a thing for me or depression but after off it had back pain the cymbalta must have taken care of. I wonder if it means that with no withdrawal proof that the med won't work for you was on over three months so strange. But I'm wierd. Phillipa
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.