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My Journey of getting off 30mg Cymbalta

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Posted 5/8/2012 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
Day seven 530pm. Feeling very emotional and having anxiety but mostly the anxiety is because of my never ending acid reflux.
Posted 5/8/2012 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
I saw something on TV the other day from Dr. Oz. He said to take a few sips of Aloe Vera Juice after you eat to help with acid reflux. Might be worth a try for you, certainly can't hurt you!
Posted 5/8/2012 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
DAY EIGHT!

Doing good today. Still have brain zaps but they are not coming nearly as often and are definitely decreasing. Anxiety levels have been feeling normal today although it seems that my anxiety kicks in in the late afternoon, so we'll see what later today brings. Other than that....doing pretty good!

BRONCO: I don't really know what the side effects are on the Prozac. I am sure that what would be side effects fo me might be different for the next person as everyone reacts differently to the medications. I just know that on Prozac I felt great until he tried to bump me up to 60 mg which set off the acid reflux. I guess my body just cannot handle much in the way of these meds whether it be Prozac or Cymbalta. Because both times, bumping up higher than 30 mg caused problems for me.
Posted 5/9/2012 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
I hope this morning finds you dealing with less withdrawal and anxiety. Hope you had a good night. I go back the Dr. the 16th and I think I'll ask to go back to 30 mg of Cymbalta. I was really hoping for good things from this med. After this experience I'm ready to deal with the anxiety. My anxiety got better since the onset but I hit a point that I couldn't get past. I do smoethings in my life differently and some things I don't do at all anymore. I have made progress with the things I do differently and was ready to try the things I gave up doing but the side effects are almost as debilitating! I'm not sure the trade off is worth it!
Posted 5/9/2012 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
DAY NINE!

Oh my goodness...I can't believe it's already day Nine!!! Time is just going by so fast anymore. Anyhow, I am still feeling pretty good. The brain zaps are still with me but they are tolerable. I seem to notice them more when I am working at my computer - it must have something to do with trying to focus on the screen or something. I can easily deal with the brain zaps. They are lessoning.

My anxiety was really not bad yesterday. I am noticing though how much the Cymbalta was helping with my nerve issues (caused by Lyme Disease). Anyhow, in the evenings while I'm relaxing and watching TV, I get this weird feeling in my left leg. I describe it like this: It's like an electrical wire that gets turned on in the nerves in my leg and then it goes all the way of and down my leg....like a buzzing-vibrating type feeling. Then, all the sudden it's like it starts turning all the nerve endings in my entire body.

I'm having a really hard time with trying to reason why this happens. Is it anxiety bringing on this problem - even though I am feeling no anxiety when it starts - or, is it related to my lyme disease and when this starts, it causes my anxiety. I believe it might be the latter. I know that Cymbalta is also prescribed to diabetics for neuropathy. If I go back on this medication, it will be because it helps with that. I never needed antidepressants before my lyme disease sympstoms started.

Anyhow, I will be getting IV Antiobiotics here in a couple of weeks to treat my lyme. I am hoping that that will lesson the nerve issues that I am having because I cannot even explain what this feels like. It's very very uncomfortable. Not painful - but when it happens, I almost feel sick to my stomach because it's like all my nerves are vibrating or eletrifying...I just don't know how to describe this.

Well.....I think for stopping cold turkey I am doing fantastic. This has not been as difficult as I thought it would be.... Hopefully, that will continue.

BRONCO - Personally, I would call your doctor and see if you can cut down to the 30 mg now. I would not wait. The longer you are on the 60mg, the more time for withdrawal...you know what I mean.

Sorry about rambling about my nerve issues....
Posted 5/9/2012 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Carrie, I already know what he is going to tell me. It's only been 4 weeks today since going on 60 mg and he said I need to give it at least 8 weeks to see if it's going to work. I will probably go the distance then reduce to 30 mg and if that's no good then I'm going off. So far today is a better day, yesterday was horrible. I felt very disconnected from everything. I just felt numb to all my surroundings, no emotion. I could not function very well yesterday and was scared to drive so I didn't.
Sorry about your nerve issues. I don't know much about lime disease.
Posted 5/10/2012 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
Day nine 1020pm report

Had a great day. No anxiety or real nerve issues! Yay!!! Still having a few brain zaps but not very often.
Posted 5/10/2012 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Carrie,

I am glad to read you are doing well and I suspect you are near the end of your withdrawal period.  I think keeping a diary of your journey here has been good therapy for you as well as helpful to the members of the A & P forum.

I wish you continued good luck.

Posted 5/10/2012 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
DAY TEN

Having brain zaps today and very fatigued, however, I took an Aciphex pill (for heartburn) last night and for some reason and I know this sounds weird, but I think that that is what is causing my fatigue today...I don't know.

But, other then that, all is good! Anxiety is in-check, mood is in-check....

I think I'm going to make it!!!!
Posted 5/11/2012 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
I think you are going to make it also. Good for you!!!
Posted 5/11/2012 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
Day ten at 10pm
Day was pretty good but in late afternoon and this evening - lots of anxiety and emotions. Also sound sensitivity again tonight and just running on a short fuse. Oey vey.

I do not know why it seems to kick in around five to six pm. I guess maybe coming home, gotta make dinner for the family and just stuff like that. Feeling very emotional. Why why can't I just be normal and healthy???? Waaaa. Oh- brain zaps still there too but again - they are lessening.
Posted 5/11/2012 6:29 AM (GMT 0)
Day ten 1130pm

Oh boy. Having a really really bad night. Can't get to sleep because of anxiety and horrible anxiety legs. I seriously think that I will have to be on something to control the "nails on chalkboard" type horrible feelings in my legs and feet from the Lyme I am very upset right now.
Posted 5/11/2012 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Day Eleven 915am.

REALLY rough night last night with the neuropathy feelings in my legs. I had to take .5 mg of xanax just to get my nerves calmed down. When the leg symptoms kick up, my anxiety goes through the roof. Today, I'm having buzzing feelings in my scalp too.

Whenver I take more that .25 mg of Xanax, I feel very very depressed the next day and that is where I'm at now. The bummer is that today is my 27th wedding anniversay so I really hope that I snap out of this soon.

I wish I could understand all of this. I want my life back before all the lyme/anxiety crap started. Just four years ago, I was the perfect picture of health. How did this all happen.....
Posted 5/11/2012 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still not going to go back on the Cymbalta but I'm now saying that I may have to go back on it because of the neuropathy in my legs.
Posted 5/11/2012 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Carrie,

I am sorry to read you are having a rough time and hope you were able to get some sleep last night.  I think perhaps it is time to talk with your Dr. re your symptoms as remember you do have Lymes so you may have multiple problems you are dealing with and not all medication withdrawal sx.

I do know what it feels like to be extremely upset and wonder if things will never smooth out so know I am thinking of you and take some big deep breaths.  Keep on talking with us.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt

 

Posted 5/11/2012 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Day eleven 215pm

Doing better despite having had one of the worst nights I've had in a long time. I agree with you skirt that what I am experiencing may not be all the cymbaltas fault if even any of it is. It just plain sucks though. I am still staying off the cymbalta until I get my digestive system in order. I am supposed to start if antibiotics soon so I pray to God that it helps with my nerves.

I now see how much the cymbalta was helping with that. My hope is that I go on the abx and then the nerve issues resolve. If. Of, I will definitely go back on the cymbalta because I just cannot live like this.

Anyhow thanks for being there. This is all so crazy. I'm thankful that u am feeling a little better so that me and my hubby. An go out Nd enjoy a nice dinner for our big day.
Posted 5/11/2012 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
These iPhones are twisting my words but I'm sure you can read thru the typos. Ha ha
Posted 5/11/2012 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
Carrie,

Good to know you survived the night and I hope dinner goes well.  I so agree anxiety, depression and anything that messes with our head stinks majorly !  My day has been bumpy and I have No idea why.  My head hurts from trying to figure it out.

Good thing we can come here and share and support one another.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt

Posted 5/12/2012 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
DAY TWELVE

Well, despite one of the worst nights I've had night before last, yesterday ended up being a great day. Felt good and happy. Today has been pretty good too. I've had buzzing in my left foot all day - but that's the Lyme talking, not the Cymbalta.

Anyhow, just wanted to report that I'm doing well and having a good couple of days! Brain zaps..still there but much much fewer.
Posted 5/12/2012 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Carrie,

You are going to make it yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah !   High Fives to You !

Kitt

 

Posted 5/14/2012 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
DAY THIRTEEN (YESTERDAY - MOTHER'S DAY)

Had a Fabulous day yesterday!!!! Was very busy yesterday with the family and other family joining us for brunch so I wasn't able to post yesterday.

No anxiety or anything yesterday..great day.

Actually, one thing I noticed is that I'm still having these brain zappy things. My husband was upstairs and he said something to me. I was down stairs. When I tilted my head to look up, it causes a brain zap or a funny feeling in my eyes. However, at the early stages of the withdrawal, I would get the brain zaps just by walking....so lots of improvement there but they still are there. I guess it's going to take a while for that to get better.

Also.....I THINK....I THINK that the acid reflux might be getting a little better too (knocking on wood right now. I say I think because I'm occasionally taking a zantac when I drink a glass of wine or something because of fear of the acid reflux although, I'm find that I'm not thinking about it as much. This last weekend was very busy for me because my 27th wedding anniversary was Friday night and the Mother's Day yesterday... We'll see... I have an endoscopy scheduled for May 24th so I'm not going to take anything from now on....

Anyhow, everything is good! I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it!
Posted 5/15/2012 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so glad to hear you are coming out on top of the withdrawal. Gives me hope if I decide to do this. I have a Dr. appointment Friday and still not sure what I'm going to do. Maybe go back to 30 mg or try to get off. My wife wants me off because of the side affects, but they are getting better, and she has already been through so much with me. I am 62 years old and thought I would have to live with the joint pain I had the rest of my life. That's the upside to Cymbalta, I haven't felt this pain free in a long time. That was an unexpected benefit. Don't want to go back to the pain but not sure I can live with a few of the side affects if they don't go away!
I am currently on Cymbalta 60 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg, Diazepam 5 mg. Metoprolol 25 mg twice a day for my heart rate and blood pressure, Pravastatin 20 mg for cholesterol. I have coronary heart disease and had open heart surgery 2.5 years ago. I had a stent put in back in 2004 then in June of 2009 I had two more stents put in. That's when the depression and anxiety set in. I was on the table 4 hours awake for the procedure and they almost lost me twice. They put in what they call kissing stents and after the first one was placed it would move when they tried to place the second stent. They cut off the blood flow to my heart muscle twice and brought on a heart attack. I begged them to put me out and cut me open and do bypass but he said he would lose me if he didn't keep going. The local wore off in my groin where they place the catheter and they kept having to change that. Finally for the last 30 minutes they gave me morphine for the pain but I still felt like I couldn't get enough air because of the decrease in blood flow. After recovery they told me there was a 30 % chance the stents would fail within 12 weeks. I felt like a walking time bomb not knowing if I was going to drop dead of a heart attack any day. I went back to work but never felt like I recovered fully. That's when the anxiety and depression started for me. It took 13 weeks for the stents to fail and they opened me up and did a triple bypass. I thought that would be the end of my problems and I would finally be fixed but the anxiety and depression got a little better but never completely went away. I have been living my life differently since. Some things I do differently and some things I won't do anymore because of the anxiety. I know exactly what you mean when you say you want to go back to the way life was before all this happened. I went back to work for 10 months after the surgery but just couldn't get beyond the anxiety so had to quit.

Post Edited (bronco59) : 5/15/2012 6:21:55 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/15/2012 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
DAY FIFTEEN!!!!

WOW....still feeling good. I have had soooo much energy, it's unbelievable. I really am starting to feel like my "old self" again with regards to how much energy I have. I do notice that I'm not able to unwind and fall asleep like I did with the Cymbalta, but I do sleep pretty good once I get to sleep and wake up feeling pretty good. I am having a lot of body pain today in the neck, knees and feet. But, I am not attributing that to the Cymbalta. I think it's more of the way I slept and some other things (maybe lyme too).

Anyhow, Bronco...I am so sorry to hear of all your troubles. I know that I most definitely have health anxiety and it all started three or so years ago when my gallbladder was giving me issues. Only, they never tested my gallbladder and told me I had gastroparesis for five months before finally making a valid diagnosis. I couldn't eat, I was miseralble with acid reflux that NOTHING would touch day in and day out, I was so bloated I couldn't sleep...ugh..it was horrible. Since then, when anything goes wrong, it sends me into terrible health anxiety and I have a very hard time hearing and trusting what doctors tell me. It really took a toll on me. Before that, nothing bothered me....

Anyhow, I missed a day of reporting but I've been so busy with work and stuff that I did not have time to sign in and report.

Still having moments though when if I strain my eyes to any extent or look sideways or something with my eyes, I get this brain zap feeling. But other than that, all is good! I did have a little anxiety last night but it passed.

I hope this lasts...there is a fear that this is all only temporary and that the anxiety and stuff might come back worse.... Trying real hard not to worry and think about that.

Have a good day.
Posted 5/16/2012 11:42 AM (GMT 0)
I know what you mean about medical anxiety. My Cardiologist's office is in the hospital and I get anxious just pulling into the parking lot.
I have made up my mind to at least ask to be reduced to 30 mg when I go to the Dr. Friday, then at some point I will ask to taper off. Did you have any problems going from 60 to 30? I appologize if I asked this already.
Posted 5/16/2012 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bronco:

No, I had no problems at all going from 60 to 30. My anxiety was horrible while on 60 mg so for me, it was a huge relief getting off the 60mg....

DAY SIXTEEN
I was having some anxiety yesterday...just feeling high energy level anxiety if that makes any sense and anything was setting me off. Kind of feeling that way today too I can already tell. I'm very busy with work right now - I have my own business and I'm just feeling a lot of stress from it. I think the stress of having my own business now for 24 years has really taken a toll on me. I'm also feeling very emotional - like I could cry at any time.

Does everyone in the world feel like this? Also, I'm going through menopause and have lyme so I don't know what the heck to think of all this and sort out my feelings.... Hopefully, this day will get better.... Just having a so, so day so far and it's only 945am.
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