Posted by tennisplayer on March 20, 2008, at 15:33:03
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Troy Tempest on March 16, 2008, at 14:40:01
> I was on Cymbalta for about 2 years, up to 90mg. I came down to 60 for 6 months, then 30 for 3 months, then 15 for a month. It was okay until I came right off it - a month of misery and almost 3 months before I really felt free of it.
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> Take it VERY slowly! You might be lucky and have mild or no withdrawal effects, but then again...
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> TT
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> > I have been on cymbalta for a year and a half. They have moved me up to 120mg! I'm tired of the automatic push to a psychiatrist that I get when I go to see any new doctor or hospital, etc. It doesn't work anymore anyway so I'm going off of it. I've heard of the horrid withdraw, but have yet to see anyone on as high of a dose as I am on. I'm only 22, I'm not bipolar, I was only supposed to be on it temp after I had a really bad car wreck and became semi depressed. As I've read through the threads it's almost like I'm having some of the withdraw symptoms (that I was about about to be tested for MS for) and I haven't even gone off it yet, it makes you wonder. Any advise? I don't know if I should just do it, make my own capsules and then tell my doctor afterwards, or if I should tell her first.
> > Any suggestions on any of this?
> > Thanks
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>The slow, extended taper followed by Troy Tempest seems to be the safest thing to do. This is the only antidepressant or drug of any kind that has given me the severe withdrawal symptoms once I quit it completely, but they have been very severe. You will be able to make it through that time though. It is not unbearable, especially when you know you will get to the end of it. I am now free of those withdrawal symptoms completely. It took me 4-1/2 months once I completely quit the Cymbalta, and I had tapered over a two month period before that. What really surprised me was how much it affected appetite, blood pressure, cholesterol level, as well as the mental and emotional aberrations. I believe the antidepressants which not only inhibit serotonin reuptake but also inhibit norepinephrine reuptake cause the most severe physical and mental withdrawal problems. I think Effexor falls in this group, and possibly some others. Good luck. You will make it and you will be so glad. Not that I don't still have some problems, but at least I don't sleep 16 hrs a day like I did when I was on it, or interact hostilely with people and have sky high blood pressure like I did when I tried to come off it. Every day I see new ads for candidates to take experimental antidepressant drugs. I wonder if any new theory has been introduced or if they still operate on the chemical imbalance theory, which doesn't seem to be true, or at least the way that they are trying to change that imbalance doesnt work at this point any better than placebo tablets work.
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poster:tennisplayer
thread:466069
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20080220/msgs/819025.html