Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Cymbalta. I want off it. Nurse told me to wean myself off...so I skipped one yesterday and by the end of the day....say around 8:00 pm I was having brain swooshes and my skin was crawling. Woke this morning feeling fine...but it is my day to take one. About an hour after I took it I began to feel weird. Oh how I would love to go cold turkey, but I best not. I only ever intended to take it until my divorce was final. Who could know it would take 6 months for a simple divorce. HA! Also, my weight loss. I lost down to 112 at one point, up to about 116 this a.m. Total lost is around 25-28 pounds in a very short time. I lost most of it before I started Cymbalta....I'm hoping to keep most of that weight off although I could easily go back up to 120-125 and be ok. Anyone have any experience with any of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 maybe instead of skipping days you can cut them in half and only take a half dose? If they are capsules and not tabs, can you get a Rx for a lower dose to work on weaning off them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I haven't btdt, but I wonder... could you split the pills in half, then in quarters, etc. Rather than skipping one day, lowering the dose might have less of an impact. Lol, posted the same time with the same advice, oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I agree about reducing the daily dose rather than every other day. Did your nurse give you any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 I agree about reducing the daily dose rather than every other day. Did your nurse give you any suggestions? I haven't called her back to tell her about the brain swoosh. The pills are capsules so I'd have to take them apart and all that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I haven't called her back to tell her about the brain swoosh. The pills are capsules so I'd have to take them apart and all that...... Perhaps, as someone mentioned, there's a weaker dose you could get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Perhaps, as someone mentioned, there's a weaker dose you could get. Yes. I am taking 60 and there is a 30 available. I can call on Monday and get the doctor to call it in for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Yes, start will going to the lowest available dose but at some point you may have to break open the capsule and ration out the little balls inside. Your dr should be able to diredt you plus there are lots of resources on the board for just such a thing. Good luck with this and if it gets to rough put it off until the divorce is over. Your body can only handle so much stress at one time. The weight lose my be due to stress as well. I went through the same thing and two years later I am only back up to 10 -15 pounds over my lowest wieght which is still much lower than my normal weight. It has been two years now so I am not really if it will ever end up the same as it was. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I won't lie to you...for some people, those meds are HARD to stop. My last bout with stopping Lexapro was enough to make me never take it again. Expect to be sick/feel like crap as you come off. It is normal. Brain swooshes, dizzyness, nausea, fatigue, brain zaps, feeling like you are in a "fog" - all normal. Scary, huh? As for your weight loss - when I got divorced, I lost 54 pounds. I did gain some back, but not all. I got remarried, had my second child, and then my dh moved here before I could follow. During that time, I lost another 50 pounds - I went from a high 178 from having the baby to 128 and a size 6 in 2 mos. My point is, stress makes some people lose weight and I think that is normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 I won't lie to you...for some people, those meds are HARD to stop. My last bout with stopping Lexapro was enough to make me never take it again. Expect to be sick/feel like crap as you come off. It is normal. Brain swooshes, dizzyness, nausea, fatigue, brain zaps, feeling like you are in a "fog" - all normal. Scary, huh? As for your weight loss - when I got divorced, I lost 54 pounds. I did gain some back, but not all. I got remarried, had my second child, and then my dh moved here before I could follow. During that time, I lost another 50 pounds - I went from a high 178 from having the baby to 128 and a size 6 in 2 mos. My point is, stress makes some people lose weight and I think that is normal. Good to know that it might be hard to get off of....weird how I felt better this morning BEFORE I took it than I did after. Oh and factor in I am menopausal (blood tests confirm) and some of these symptoms are from that. I think. I have a cabinet full of Estrogen that my doctor wants me to start (he wanted me to start it 3 months ago), but I don't want do that until I am off of this stupid Cymbalta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 As for your weight loss - when I got divorced, I lost 54 pounds. I did gain some back, but not all. I got remarried, had my second child, and then my dh moved here before I could follow. During that time, I lost another 50 pounds - I went from a high 178 from having the baby to 128 and a size 6 in 2 mos. My point is, stress makes some people lose weight and I think that is normal. Yes, the weight loss is my general reaction to stress. My appetite just goes away. It was so bad in May when this all started that people were practically hand feeding me. Thank God for good neighbors and good family. I would love to keep most of this off though. I feel great being thin! (oh and my friend told me it is God's way of preparing you for the next man) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 ((Scarlett)) I was on Cymbalta and went off it last year. It was terrible. After a day I was getting those brain zaps, nausea, fatigue. I actually tried a couple of times to wein myself off, but I couldn't take the symptoms. Finally, I just started taking half doses and it took about a week to get past the worst of it. I had to wait for a week I didn't have to work because I couldn't even leave the house. Scary to think my body was addicted to that crap. Now I'm on Effexor for mild/moderate depression, and if I skip a dose I have the same symptoms. About the weight loss, I can't help you there. I have the opposite problem. Good luck, dear, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I won't lie to you...for some people, those meds are HARD to stop. My last bout with stopping Lexapro was enough to make me never take it again. Expect to be sick/feel like crap as you come off. It is normal. Brain swooshes, dizzyness, nausea, fatigue, brain zaps, feeling like you are in a "fog" - all normal. Scary, huh? As for your weight loss - when I got divorced, I lost 54 pounds. I did gain some back, but not all. I got remarried, had my second child, and then my dh moved here before I could follow. During that time, I lost another 50 pounds - I went from a high 178 from having the baby to 128 and a size 6 in 2 mos. My point is, stress makes some people lose weight and I think that is normal. Second that about the meds being hard to wean from. I ran out of Effexor a few months ago.....I went five days without it, and I thought I was going to fall over on my face -- the sweats, the dizziness, the weakness. And I second the suggestion that you not try to wean until the divorce is final --maybe you shouldn't put any more stress on yourself right now.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 First, I cannot believe that any health care professional would allow you to self wean yourself off of Cymbalta. I was on Effexor XR 75 mg for 3 years. It is a very powerful SSNRI. If I would have know this, I would have NEVER agreed to take it. Well, I decided to get off of it. I started to wean at the end of July, and it is now October. I am STILL getting brain zaps, dizziness, and tingling in my lips and hands. These anti-depressents can be very dangerous if not weaned properly. I was on 37.5 for weeks, and when I stopped, it was HORRIBLE. And this was piggybacking with Wellbutrin which is what I am on now. Please be very careful with self weaning. Ask a Dr for a pill form, or if that cannot be provided, to provide you with another medication(such as Prozac) to help you get off.(Prozac has a very long shelf life so weaning off of that is so much easier) and Prozac tends to ease W/D symptoms. One more thing, take Bonine. You can get it over the counter(It is like Dramamine but stronger) and it will help with the brain zaps(swooshes). I lived on Bomine for 6 weeks. And most important, please take it easy, and be very careful driving. Best wishes:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 First, I cannot believe that any health care professional would allow you to self wean yourself off of Cymbalta. I was on Effexor XR 75 mg for 3 years. It is a very powerful SSNRI. If I would have know this, I would have NEVER agreed to take it. Well, I decided to get off of it. I started to wean at the end of July, and it is now October. I am STILL getting brain zaps, dizziness, and tingling in my lips and hands. These anti-depressents can be very dangerous if not weaned properly. I was on 37.5 for weeks, and when I stopped, it was HORRIBLE. And this was piggybacking with Wellbutrin which is what I am on now. Please be very careful with self weaning. Ask a Dr for a pill form, or if that cannot be provided, to provide you with another medication(such as Prozac) to help you get off.(Prozac has a very long shelf life so weaning off of that is so much easier) and Prozac tends to ease W/D symptoms. One more thing, take Bonine. You can get it over the counter(It is like Dramamine but stronger) and it will help with the brain zaps(swooshes). I lived on Bomine for 6 weeks. And most important, please take it easy, and be very careful driving. Best wishes:grouphug: Wow. Thank you. I will be careful. I am so tempted to go cold turkey....but I want to be wise. Thanks all. Good to know I"m not nuts. I don't know why I agreed to go on it in the first place! I guess when I went to see my doc mid June for STD testing, everyone was acting like I was a basket case....I couldn't eat, didn't want to eat, couldn't sleep.....but hey, isn't that a normal reaction when you discover your entire marriage has been a lie? I so wish I had toughed it out without the drugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Wow. Thank you. I will be careful. I am so tempted to go cold turkey....but I want to be wise. Thanks all. Good to know I"m not nuts. I don't know why I agreed to go on it in the first place! I guess when I went to see my doc mid June for STD testing, everyone was acting like I was a basket case....I couldn't eat, didn't want to eat, couldn't sleep.....but hey, isn't that a normal reaction when you discover your entire marriage has been a lie? I so wish I had toughed it out without the drugs. You weren't acting like a basket case - your reactions were completely reasonable considering what you were experiencing. I had the same reaction 19 years ago (I think they put me on Elavil) - I weighed less than a hundred pounds when it was all over, BUT I had held it together (with the meds) and came out of it a million times stronger than I ever thought I would. About the Cymbalta: No cold turkey! I thought I was going to have to be rushed to the ER when I ran out of Effexor --AND...... do not even think about second guessing the meds and toughing it out without them. The meds prescribed today ARE strong yet they work SO subtly we don't think they are working and we think we can just stop taking them and it's no big deal. That's why the huge reaction when we all of a sudden stop them. Stress is a huge thing and affects us in so many ways every second of the day --and it affects us in long term ways. You have a little boy who you have to be there for :) and you are absolutely right to take whatever steps you need to take so you are strong and healthy for him and you and your wonderful life together. I know how difficult this is -- take one day at a time and do alot of deep breathing -- the longest part of the journey is already behind you. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Good to know that it might be hard to get off of....weird how I felt better this morning BEFORE I took it than I did after. Oh and factor in I am menopausal (blood tests confirm) and some of these symptoms are from that. I think. I have a cabinet full of Estrogen that my doctor wants me to start (he wanted me to start it 3 months ago), but I don't want do that until I am off of this stupid Cymbalta. Cocoa powder is a great help for me. I don't know if I'm menopausal yet, but at my age, it's going to happen within the next 5-7 years based on family history. I make a drink with it with water & a small amount of sugar 3-5 times a day (more cocoa at that time of the month which is still regular). However, if you can have milk, you could make hot chocolate with milk, but I'd avoid the mixes due to all the sugar and other things that might be in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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