ZAP! (ow) My ZORCH! (ow) Brain ZOLT! (ow) hurts!

[technogiggle]

Been doing a gradual taper off Cymbalta. Gradual as I can. I know the zaps are caused by this. Short of a near-infinite slope off the med, is there ANYTHING that I can take that softens the blows? Fruit Bat Drool? Lizard tongue in a White Wine Sauce? Tomato Juice?

Anything?

ZORCH! (damn...)

[GroovyGwen]

I don't think anything works except more of the drug. If you are doing a gradual drop off it shouldn't be that bad. We're talking a week at least if not multiple. Are you doing this under doctor's orders? If so, make a call and maybe they can adjust the amounts.

[beetle]

This is purely use at your own risk advice but I don't think it would hurt you much to try...

I have stumbled across a few places on the internet that suggest taking some benedryl to ease the zaps. I don't know how much you take or how often. I imagine you'd be OK following the package directions.

So, as long as benedryl doesn't confilct with any other meds you're taking, why not try it.

I never tried it. I went off of Effexor and it really wasn't that bad for me. Sure, I felt crappy for a week or so and had the odd shivers/shocks all over my body but... I just dealt with it.

Let us know if you try it and how it works.

[beetle]

If you're working with a pdoc to taper and the symptoms are really just too much for you to take, you might ask him/her about adding prozac while you taper cymbalta. I have heard of people doing this. Supposedly, you clear yourself of the Cymbalta while the prozac keeps your discontinuation symptoms in check and then you taper off the prozac, which is supposedly easier to quit with less distress. Your mileage may vary.

[technogiggle]

If you're working with a pdoc to taper and the symptoms are really just too much for you to take, you might ask him/her about adding prozac while you taper cymbalta. I have heard of people doing this. Supposedly, you clear yourself of the Cymbalta while the prozac keeps your discontinuation symptoms in check and then you taper off the prozac, which is supposedly easier to quit with less distress. Your mileage may vary.

thanks.

I've heard that B6-B12 MIGHT help. benedryl is an interesting choice. I'll check into this

the prozac thing, being another ssri, goes against the notion of washing out of SSRIs to prep for possible MAOI implementation. I'd rather take my lumps (zaps) than prolong the washout.

I guess I'm looking for things like fish oil, supplements (except st. john's wort), and the like.

[beetle]

This references a few things:

http://depression.about.com/od/copingskill.../withdrawal.htm

[Artemisia]

I don't know what Cymbalta pills look like, but maybe it'd be possible to split them? If it's a standard pill pill then you could buy a pill-splitter (available at pharmacies) and use that for accuracy...

I had a terrible time getting off Effexor. Divvying up the smallest dose was the only thing that made me able to survive that period...

[technogiggle]

I predict I'll be sleepy and my pee will be darker...

16:40 Pacific and I just dosed w/ 50mg of benedryl and two Costco/Kirkland B-50 Complex tabs (each tab = B1 50mg, B2 50mg, B6 50mg, B12 50mcg, and other yummy pee-enriching goodies)

Have been getting mild to moderate brain zaps every 1-5 minutes all day.

Will check in later.

btw I have a stash of Cymbalta 20mg that i will be weaning to, then using 1/2 caps (there are little round balls of sunshine and flatulence inside,) so I can dump (or just swallow) 1/2 of the contents for a 10 mg dose.

ah, to be free...

******************

My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.

- Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.

[technogiggle]

I predict I'll be sleepy and my pee will be darker...

16:40 Pacific and I just dosed w/ 50mg of benedryl and two Costco/Kirkland B-50 Complex tabs (each tab = B1 50mg, B2 50mg, B6 50mg, B12 50mcg, and other yummy pee-enriching goodies)

ok. i fell asleep. but the zorches calmed down. they did not go away entirely, but they DID soften.

this is good news since I use cymbalta @ bedtime and their numbers increase as I approach bedtime and my next dose. I can just use the eye-of-newt, i mean, benedryl/B complex combo 2 hrs before bedtime and maybe quell the shocks.

i'll try that tomorrow.

off to the land of nodd, again...

zzzzzzz

[beetle]

I predict I'll be sleepy and my pee will be darker...

16:40 Pacific and I just dosed w/ 50mg of benedryl and two Costco/Kirkland B-50 Complex tabs (each tab = B1 50mg, B2 50mg, B6 50mg, B12 50mcg, and other yummy pee-enriching goodies)

ok. i fell asleep. but the zorches calmed down. they did not go away entirely, but they DID soften.

this is good news since I use cymbalta @ bedtime and their numbers increase as I approach bedtime and my next dose. I can just use the eye-of-newt, i mean, benedryl/B complex combo 2 hrs before bedtime and maybe quell the shocks.

i'll try that tomorrow.

off to the land of nodd, again...

zzzzzzz

I'm glad that you can at least take the edge off of it.

Benedryl usually knocks me right out. I have used it in the past as a sleep aid. So, I imagine had I tried to use it to ease the discontinuation symptoms it might have worked by just forcing me to sleep through it.

[technogiggle]

I'm glad that you can at least take the edge off of it.

Benedryl usually knocks me right out. I have used it in the past as a sleep aid. So, I imagine had I tried to use it to ease the discontinuation symptoms it might have worked by just forcing me to sleep through it.

well my tactic will b as follows:

B vitamins BID, benedryl @ bedtime. We'll see how this goes. tonite am taking the step from 30 to 20 mg, so i'll be jonesin' for 'mo tomorrow nite as I arrive in the Great Basin.

nothing like driving 600 miles with a head full of volts...

[lysergia]

i would like to second (third or fourth?) the idea that while off-label, benadryl did assist me greatly with the brain/body zaps while tapering effexor. the zaps and random "jerks" were especially troublesome the first time i withdrew from the drug. the second time tapering, i was also titrating on lamotrigine and had almost no zaps at all (could be coincidental).

i hope your symptoms have eased, as i remember how particularly hellish it was to discontinue effexor the first time.

- d

[technogiggle]

OK here's a partial, entirely SUBJECTIVE list of things that make brain zaps better or worse:

DO: Drink water, take it easy physically, try benedryl at bedtime (or anything else that improves sleep), and B-Complex supplements. Watching low impact movies can help you be distracted. take long baths. a glass of wine helps, too. stay on a low-stimulus schedule.

DON'T: physically exert yourself, stay up late, go to higher altitudes, listen to loud music, multitask, drive 1500+ miles and move all of your belongings to another state. don't make serious decisions. no type-a behavior (no skydiving, motocross, paintball, you get the drift)

REMEMBER: be monitored by by your pDoc. S/he should override anything i've listed here.

anyone else care to contribute?

[technogiggle]

OK, more AnecData:

I don't think B-Complex does ANYTHING, but the combo of Benedryl and Klonopin does help.

it's just sedation.

What I do have to add is that withdrawal also includes BODY ACHES AND PAINS!

ironically, I started a new job as I taper off cymbalta. this means that I went from sedentary to very active almost overnight. WOW am I sore.

Am told that just as Cymbalta has analgesic effect when you take it, it does the opposite when you stop. I feel like I've run a marathon.

Keeping it at bay with ibuprofen, but them bones ain't what they used to be.

if you are considering starting Cymbalta, BEWARE...

It has provided legitimate relief for some, but the withdrawal is to behold. damn!

[SashaSue]

FWIW, Cymbalta withdrawal isn't always so bad. I've gone on and off Cymbalta twice with no trouble at all.

[lysergia]

it's just sedation.

i have to disagree that it's just the sedation factor. i'm not sure exactly why benadryl eased the zaps for me. but i do know that over the course of a month, i tried several sedating drugs to help stop the severity: clonazepam, dramamine (which is extremely sedating for me), seroquel, zyprexa, and even small doses of dilaudid (i was THAT desperate to get the zaps to stop). all those drugs are sedating. none of them helped even a little. only the benadryl did, and it doesn't really make me sleepy either .

all anecdotal still, but so's the sedation theory.

[Artemisia]

it's just sedation.

i have to disagree that it's just the sedation factor. i'm not sure exactly why benadryl eased the zaps for me. but i do know that over the course of a month, i tried several sedating drugs to help stop the severity: clonazepam, dramamine (which is extremely sedating for me), seroquel, zyprexa, and even small doses of dilaudid (i was THAT desperate to get the zaps to stop). all those drugs are sedating. none of them helped even a little. only the benadryl did, and it doesn't really make me sleepy either .

all anecdotal still, but so's the sedation theory.

Well, Benadryl has some SSRI-type effects (and you shouldn't take it while you're on your full dose antidepressant)... Same with Tylenon PM because the PM part of it is Benadryl's active ingredient (diphenhydramine HCl)...

[Artemisia]

Well, Benadryl has some SSRI-type effects (and you shouldn't take it while you're on your full dose antidepressant)... Same with Tylenon PM because the PM part of it is Benadryl's active ingredient (diphenhydramine HCl)...

Or at least Tylenol PM made me pretty damn drowsy when I accidentally took it while on my regular dose of Effexor...

[rowen]

I discovered the Benadryl melty strips today. They were on ultra-mega-super-sale at my friendly local Big Box store, so I grabbed a pack. Still having brain zaps, but it feels like I can think more clearly.

[technogiggle]

OK, some dates to consider...

I started cymbalta in May 2007

at some point I was as high as 120mg cymbalta plus 900mg of neurontin (morontin)

I was laid off mid Dec 2007. I became VERY sedentary then until about the 1st week in apr.

from sept 2007 to date I gained 35+ lbs, I blame the morontin most.

(I also got REALLY stupid on morontin. sigh.)

when the possibility of moving to a new city became real, I decided to d/c cymbalta.

3/19/08 - 3/22 50mg, down from 60

3/23 - 3/25 40mg

3/26 - 3/28 30mg

3/29 - 3/31 20mg

from 4/1 - 4/7 I opened my 20mg caps and poured out pellets bit by bit.

4/8 d/c

TODAY: 4/21 the shocks are no longer uncomfortable - just a nuisance.

BTW the shocks are the last of the side fx to leave. within a day or two of no cymbalta i no longer suffered bloating, gas, and Kyoto treaty-violating flatulence.

5/1 is the appt w/ the new pDoc. will ask him to consider lithium and an ssri of his choosing - just not effexor.

my probable dx, accd. to DSM-IV-TR:

A. Mood reactivity (i.e., mood brightens in response to actual or potential positive events)

B. At least two of the following:

Significant weight gain or increase in appetite ("comfort eating")[3]

Hypersomnia (sleeping too much, as opposed to the insomnia present in melancholic depression)

Leaden paralysis (i.e., heavy, leaden feelings in arms or legs)

Long-standing pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity (not limited to episodes of mood disturbance) that results in significant social or occupational impairment

C. Criteria are not met for Melancholic Depression or Catatonic Depression during the same episode.

atypical depression. I'm the poster child for all of the above.

anyone have advice on which ssri I should consider w/ lithium?

I will post a new thread asking this question, but will check this one for your ideas.

PS look @ my signature for the meds that didn't work, and consider this when you recommend and ssri.

thanks!

[Guest Guest]

Hi,

I have been having brain zaps while coming off of Lamictal and Klonapan. The zaps are terrifying. I find that caffeine can make it worse. I am off of both meds and are looking into alternative medicine for options to ease my depression and anxiety. My naturopathic doctor (he's not really a doctor, so take my advice with a grain of salt) gave me a few blends of magnesium and calcium supplements along with amino acid enzyme-pills that ease break down of amino acids. I have found that my zaps are less severe, and I think--I think--less often. I was having the zaps several times an hour and I think I average about one an hour now.

I recommend that you try Magnesium Malate or Malic Acid. I don't know what dosage, but if you can find a reputable naturapath in your area, tell him/her that your central nervous system is going haywire from years of synthetic drugs and that you are withdrawing. Also, your adrenals are probably going crazy as well, resulting in fatigue with a racing mind. Ask your naturopath if he/she can give you cortisol negating herbs.

I will let you know how my journey goes. I am trying natural meds after 20 years of synthetic pharm. I am not sure if it will be enough, but I am trying to combine herbs with acupuncture and massages. Expensive, but with about as much efficacy as antidepressants, in my opinion.

[Artemisia]

tell him/her that your central nervous system is going haywire from years of synthetic drugs and that you are withdrawing. Also, your adrenals are probably going crazy as well, resulting in fatigue with a racing mind. Ask your naturopath if he/she can give you cortisol negating herbs.

I hope you realize that not all "natural" substances are good for you. There's plenty of all-natural toxins... If the "synthetic" vs. "natural" distinction is the only criterion you use for choosing medicinal substances, then you're likely to make yourself very sick.

I think magnesium and other salts have already been suggested as a way to reduce the "zaps."

There's plenty of crappy medical doctors, but I doubt that naturopaths believe most of what they're "selling."

[SashaSue]

tell him/her that your central nervous system is going haywire from years of synthetic drugs and that you are withdrawing. Also, your adrenals are probably going crazy as well, resulting in fatigue with a racing mind. Ask your naturopath if he/she can give you cortisol negating herbs.

I hope you realize that not all "natural" substances are good for you. There's plenty of all-natural toxins... If the "synthetic" vs. "natural" distinction is the only criterion you use for choosing medicinal substances, then you're likely to make yourself very sick.

I think magnesium and other salts have already been suggested as a way to reduce the "zaps."

There's plenty of crappy medical doctors, but I doubt that naturopaths believe most of what they're "selling."

I think most naturopaths probably do belive in what they're selling, but that doesn't make any of it any safer or more likely to work as advertised.

[Guest sickupandfed]

I'm withdrawing cold turkey from cymbalta. the first 3 days were great, 4th day nausea hit, brain zaps began, headaches began, nightmares began, intense sadness began. All have continued through day 7. I'm going to try benadryl, hope I can stay awake long enough to work. I'll never, never take another anti depressive drug again. what agony.

[null0trooper]

I'm withdrawing cold turkey from cymbalta.

That's normally a bad idea. For the few antidepression drugs that do have a notable discontinuation syndrome, that's the best way to make sure it happens.

I'll never, never take another anti depressive drug again. what agony.

Even if all ADs worked alike and had the same risks/side effects (They don't), the agony you're talking about is still a forseeable outcome of how you chose to stop the medication.

[cynic]

Usually when I'm going through withdrawal I stock up on Ambien and make sure I sleep as much as I possibly can, even if I have to take an Ambien during the day to knock me out.

It's NOT A GOOD IDEA, but it worked for me to an extent.

[Guest boyaka2000]

Take 3 st jonhs wort a day for 12 weeks... will get rid of the zaps.

The zaps are just your body adjusting back to it's real, depressed self. Take some SJW for a while and enroll in some real psychotherapy, its the only actual CURE.