Cymbalta Withdrawal Occurrence

[celestia]

Hey Cymbalters,

I split this post out from our somewhat generic Cymbalta thread (thank you Miss Bianca) because we've kind of tossed it around, Cymbalta withdrawal, but that I know of I'm the first to report definite withdrawal effects.

Stupid snafu between pdoc and pharmacy and apathy on my part left me in a sudden state of abstinence for 4 days after 2 mos of daily use.

It happened this week. I took my last pill Sunday, knowing my appt. was Thursday. I fucked with the pharmacy to to avail to get me a refill so I wouldn't have a gap, but my doctor insisted he wrote 2 refills. Anyhoo, so the first couple of days I was more emotional, more vulnerable, even a bit weepy. But by Wednesday night and yesterday, I was having brain shivers and bowel evacuation. Shakes, visual disturbances. Not fun.

Fortunately all these things corrected themselves right away when I took my pill yesterday. Reminiscent of Effexor. Blargh.

FWI, HB

[Velvet Elvis]

I had a similar thing happen to me one time.  When I come off it, it's going to be a long, slow taper.

It's the only time med discontinuation has made me hallucinate.

[Sunshine]

I've gone without it for two days on two ocassions. The first I was on 60 mg, the second I was on 30 mg. You'd think I wouldn't have noticed the dip when on such a low dose, but it was no different than skipping the two 60 mg doses.

No hallucinations or bowel evacuations for me... brain shivers/zaps and general feeling like shit... yep.... been there, done that. Xanax withdrawal was easier than that!

I'm not looking forward to the discontinuation, either. And I'd really like to get off the stuff.

[Anne]

Well that sounds just awful.  It sincerely makes you question what we are doing to ourselves, doesn't it?  It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. 

I missed 2 days worth last month (a Friday and a Saturday), and by Sunday morning, I was in pretty bad shape; nausea, shakes, diarrhea, very dizzy and a killer migraine.  I took my Sunday dose, but it took the rest of the day and into Monday to feel straightened out again.  By Tuesday, I was finally okay.  I have NOT missed a dose since then, and I am notoriously bad with remembering to take medicine.

Cheers!  Glad you're feeling better -- bet you won't do that again, will you?

[kthreekids]

This worries me as well. Going off Lexapro was hell for me. Actually going on it as well was 1 million times worse than cymbalta for me. It does make me wonder what w/d will be like.

YUCK!

I am pretty bad about pill taking too!

YIKES...glad you are feeling better and thanks for the heads up!

Kel

[revlow]

I may be real sensitive. My doc is having me titrate on to Lamictal, and lower my Cymbalta. When he had me go from 30 mg. of Cymbalta a day to 30 every other day, I had the same old brain shivers instant withdrawal I'd had back when I'd been on Effexor if I missed a dose. So I started pill dividing. My doc now has me at 30 mg every 4th day, and to avoid any hideous effects I instead divide the 30 mg into 4 capsules, one per day. (Yes, a hassle...but if it keeps me from having herky-jerky, feverish sleep, well worth it.)

An old hand here previously gave me this link on using the "Prozac Bridging" process to discontinuing Effexor: http://www.bipolarworld.net/Phelps/ph_2005/ph1354.htm -- this might be helpful for getting off Cymbalta as well?

As for me, my doc is having me stay at this approx 7.5 mg. a day rate for the time being. I did print out the "Prozac Bridging" article and gave it to him last week, so if we get to that point (if he wants me to DC Cymbalta alltogether) we can discuss using this method.

BTW, I know I'm very lucky. My doc actually reads the stuff I bring in, and likes that I do this. I know...it's rare: a doc who actually treats this whole process as a partnership!

[Bianca]

HB, Can you give us an update to your DC?