![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by butterflylori on January 25, 2006, at 23:04:45
I am on day 4 of coming off Cymbalta I could not take the foggy feeling in my mind anymore my doctor is switching me to Wellbutrin. He had me cut my 60 mg dose to taking it every other day to then taking it every 3 days for 9 days and then stop. I am ok when I am at home but if I go anywhere I feel incredibly dizzy and like I am going to fall over. I cant focus on anything. Does the Benadryl really help with the dizziness and fogginess? I am a single mom and I am trying to cope. any ideas will be great.
Posted by yxibow on January 25, 2006, at 23:23:54
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by butterflylori on January 21, 2006, at 20:52:33
> I am on day 4 of coming off Cymbalta I could not take the foggy feeling in my mind anymore my doctor is switching me to Wellbutrin. He had me cut my 60 mg dose to taking it every other day to then taking it every 3 days for 9 days and then stop. I am ok when I am at home but if I go anywhere I feel incredibly dizzy and like I am going to fall over. I cant focus on anything. Does the Benadryl really help with the dizziness and fogginess? I am a single mom and I am trying to cope. any ideas will be great.
Benadryl would only add to the fogginess definately, if you're someone who reacts to it by falling asleep which most people do. Not sure on the dizziness factor.
Cymbalta has a half life of about 12 hours give or take and reaches a full level in your body in 3 days. If you cut Cymbalta cold turkey, which I am not suggesting, it would be gone in about 12 x 5 hours or say close to 2-3 days.
So the taper sounds like day 1, 12 hours, gone in 3 days, day 2, etc... It is an odd taper off instead of using 20mg capsules and slowly coming off, but it does seem to match the plasma level dosing. It should be gone by 9 days by that calculation, which means one just really has to tough it out I guess unless you want to suggest to your doctor to prescribe 20s to cut from 60, 40, 20, etc.. but that's probably more expensive.
Keep in mind that in some people with anxiety and OCD Wellbutrin will exacerbate it, but it sounds like you're more on the depressive side of things ? If so, Wellbutrin is an allright drug of choice, it is stimulative.
All the symptoms just sound like ordinary withdrawal and fluctuations in serotonin and norepinephrine levels. If its truly that uncomfortable, I would taper more slowly.
Posted by jonquiljo on January 25, 2006, at 23:23:54
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by butterflylori on January 21, 2006, at 20:52:33
This taper is WAY too accelerated.
Posted by Racer on January 25, 2006, at 23:24:52
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by butterflylori on January 21, 2006, at 20:52:33
That doesn't sound like an appropriate taper schedule to me. As someone else mentioned, Cymbalta has a half life of about 12 hours, so what you're describing is more like going cold turkey and then boosting your levels only to go cold turkey again.
The dizziness, etc, is typical discontinuation from the SNRIs, and the best way to avoid it is to taper slowly. That doesn't mean skipping days, though -- it means taking less of the drug every day.
I'd ask your doctor about getting some 20mg capsules, and then tapering by taking two a day for a few days, then one a day, and then stopping. If that's not an option, several people here have discussed taken the capsules apart and taking the pellets inside.
Good luck.
Posted by butterflylori on January 25, 2006, at 23:24:52
In reply to Re: Cymbalta » butterflylori, posted by yxibow on January 21, 2006, at 23:19:41
Thanks for the advice I am on day 5 so that means I should be almost done with the withdrawal right? I think if I am over the middle I really dont want to take any more. I have been on several anti depressants for the past 8 years and this one is the worst withdrawal I have ever gone through. Just thought I would share that.
Posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 23:24:52
In reply to Re: Cymbalta, posted by butterflylori on January 22, 2006, at 19:15:43
A few pellets mixed in food don't chew them could help with the last few days. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by butterflylori on January 28, 2006, at 23:37:02
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by butterflylori on January 21, 2006, at 20:52:33
ok I still am having problems with being light headed and a little dizzy is this normal? I have not taken any Cymbalta in 11 days.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Withdrawal | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.