How to get off Cymbalta without going nuts!!!

gayleforce1 · 07-31-2007, 10:17 PM

Hi cysters, I have read sooo many message boards where people are literally suffering while they come off Cymbalta. I was also one of those and if you'll bear with this lengthy message, I can tell you how I did it. I was on Cymbalta for about a year for depression/anxiety. I had terrible side effects that I dealt with for a long time, but thought it was better than the alternative. However, I left for a trip to visit my dad for a few days one time and forgot my meds at home. After only missing one day, I began having brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, etc... It was miserable. We cut our trip short and I came home and laid in bed for a day and half waiting for the cymbalta to kick in. It was then that I knew I needed to get off the meds. It was very scary that I depended on it that much and was absolutely useless when I missed it. So, I began to try and wean myself off. NO LUCK!!!! I felt terrible and always went back because I couldn't handle the side effects. Finally, I made my mind up I was going to do it. I had weaned myself down to 30 mg from 60mg. As soon as I started halfing my dose, I began the side effects again. I was so scared that I would never get off this medicine. It was then that I went on some message boards and saw the agony of others trying to get themselves off the medicine. I would read of people still having withdrawals 3 months after stopping the medicine. I remember crying to my husband and thinking I was stuck. He emailed my doctor and expressed our concerns. This is how I finally got off of Cymbalta. First and foremost, it was all my prayers to God. My doctor had tried before as I did myself with no luck. It wasn't until I took this to God in prayer and completely turned it over to him. He worked such a miracle through my doctor. So first, I would suggest that you PRAY!!!! Next my doctor prescribed me two weeks worth of prozac. I know, this sounds crazy. I continued to take my cymbalta along with the prozac for 1 week. I then completely stopped the cymbalta and continued the prozac for an additional week. Once I stopped the cymbalta, I didn't have one withdrawal symptom. I thought it had to be too good to be true. Then, when I finished my 2nd week of prozac, I was expecting the worst. NO WITHDRAWALS!!!! I have been off of Cymbalta now for over a month and it has been soooooooo easy!!! I am so thankful to God for getting me off the drugs. I will never take cymbalta again!!! I feel so set free now!!! If you are trying to get off of cymbalta, talk to your doctor about prescribing you two weeks of prozac. Take it one week with cymbalta, then stop the cymbalta and take the prozac one week by itself. Then, YOU'RE DONE!!!! If this only helps one person it will be so worth it!!!!

God bless,
gayleforce1

J9827 · 08-02-2007, 03:00 AM

I dont take it for depression/anxiety even though I do have if from having PCOS and being FTM but I get loads of migraines and tension headaches. At first I was one lexepro but it stopped working after a year. Then tried around with different mends to stop the headaches. I finally started cymbalta and it takes the headaches away. I do notice if I miss a pill the headaches come right back. From my understanding you are never to just stop taking meds. You have to talk with your doctor first and work out a plan.

gayleforce1 · 08-04-2007, 10:57 PM

I'm certainly glad to hear that it's working for you. The point of my post however was to only encourage those who are trying to get off of it. I do agree, you should always work with your doctor to get off of any meds. That's exactly what I did on several occasions. He tried to wean me off of them slowly, with no success. It wasn't until he weaned in conjuction with the prozac. Again, I would never try to talk anyone out of taking their meds. This is only to give those who are going through the unbelievable withdrawals some hope. God Bless!!

rosyvegn · 08-17-2007, 11:45 PM

I have been wanting to get off Cymbalta for a while but had the same problems you did after not taking it one day. The withdrawals are horrible! The doctor hasn't helped and i'm on the lowest dose of 30 mg. I am going to try getting off it the way you did. Thanks a bunch Gayle!!! You may just have helped at least 1 person!!!

onetallmommy · 08-19-2007, 11:56 PM

I am so glad to see this thread! I am currently trying to wean off of Cymbalta. My dr. prescribed me 30 mg. for a month (I was on 60 mg. originally) and then wants me to go off. Today I am feeling so nauseous and have a horrible headache. I previously tried to go "cold turkey" off of the 60 mg. and I was soooo sick. Apparently, the 30 mg. isn't treating me too well either. I'll stick with it for several more days and see how I feel. If I still feel yucky, I will call the dr. and ask about the prozac. Thanks for the advice!

Bethann · 08-27-2007, 07:14 PM

The key to most of these types of drug is to step down slowly, in consultation with a psychiatrist--there is a 15 mg. dose of cymbalta, no need to jump from 60mg to 30 right away, stepping down more slowly minimizes discontinuation syndrome. Most anti-depressents either have more in-between doses than people realize or can be split in half safely (but always check with a doctor first).

LadyNaomi · 08-28-2007, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gayleforce1

Hi cysters, I have read sooo many message boards where people are literally suffering while they come off Cymbalta. I was also one of those and if you'll bear with this lengthy message, I can tell you how I did it. I was on Cymbalta for about a year for depression/anxiety. I had terrible side effects that I dealt with for a long time, but thought it was better than the alternative. However, I left for a trip to visit my dad for a few days one time and forgot my meds at home. After only missing one day, I began having brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, etc... It was miserable. We cut our trip short and I came home and laid in bed for a day and half waiting for the cymbalta to kick in. It was then that I knew I needed to get off the meds. It was very scary that I depended on it that much and was absolutely useless when I missed it. So, I began to try and wean myself off. NO LUCK!!!! I felt terrible and always went back because I couldn't handle the side effects. Finally, I made my mind up I was going to do it. I had weaned myself down to 30 mg from 60mg. As soon as I started halfing my dose, I began the side effects again. I was so scared that I would never get off this medicine. It was then that I went on some message boards and saw the agony of others trying to get themselves off the medicine. I would read of people still having withdrawals 3 months after stopping the medicine. I remember crying to my husband and thinking I was stuck. He emailed my doctor and expressed our concerns. This is how I finally got off of Cymbalta. First and foremost, it was all my prayers to God. My doctor had tried before as I did myself with no luck. It wasn't until I took this to God in prayer and completely turned it over to him. He worked such a miracle through my doctor. So first, I would suggest that you PRAY!!!! Next my doctor prescribed me two weeks worth of prozac. I know, this sounds crazy. I continued to take my cymbalta along with the prozac for 1 week. I then completely stopped the cymbalta and continued the prozac for an additional week. Once I stopped the cymbalta, I didn't have one withdrawal symptom. I thought it had to be too good to be true. Then, when I finished my 2nd week of prozac, I was expecting the worst. NO WITHDRAWALS!!!! I have been off of Cymbalta now for over a month and it has been soooooooo easy!!! I am so thankful to God for getting me off the drugs. I will never take cymbalta again!!! I feel so set free now!!! If you are trying to get off of cymbalta, talk to your doctor about prescribing you two weeks of prozac. Take it one week with cymbalta, then stop the cymbalta and take the prozac one week by itself. Then, YOU'RE DONE!!!! If this only helps one person it will be so worth it!!!!

God bless,
gayleforce1

Are you feeling any better?

luvbug00 · 09-03-2007, 09:02 AM

I stopped taking Cymbalta, decreasing from 60mg a day to 30 then everyother day. Within a week I was off completely. I was taking in in conjunction with Prozac 80mg. I had to stop it because it's a black label drug for people with liver diease and/or disorders.

I hope you are doing ok!

helpme1973 · 06-03-2009, 04:36 AM

i am new at this and am scare of what to write. I have suffered from migraine headaches all of my life as well as depression. I never put the two together until I started reading on this web sit/blog? I have been on so many medications for my migraines it is just crazy. the Dr.s say i inheritable them for my mother. i am 36 years old now and still get them! i have taken almost every drug in the book I.E topamax, inderail, maxalt, relpax, imatrex just to name a few. I have beeen on cymbalta for about 2 years now and my insurance has run out. I need to get of the drus I do not thi9nk it has really helped with my headaches??? I really need to know what may or may not work for me???? If I miss a does of my cymbalta I get such bad brain zaps it is unbearable. I was reading that pozac may help get off the cymbalta?? what will help with the control of migraines?? any answers would help?? my Doctor's think I am kiding when I tell them that nothing is working for my migraines. Can anyone help me???? At this point I am on 30mg of cymbalta, amd take miginal for my headache if that does not work I have to go in and get a shot for the pain and nausea and sleep it off

Bethann · 06-15-2009, 01:53 PM

An SSRI (which prozac is) may help with your migraines--it is a documented benefit for some patients. None of them helped with mine, on the other hand, so it's not a guarantee.

As for going off cymbalta, the key to avoiding problems is to do it slowly. I am in the process of going off, and my psychiatrist has me dropping from 60 to 40 for a week, then 20 for a week, then off.