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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cee on October 3, 2009, at 15:59:21
Hello people
It has been about three months since i stopped cymbalta wow what a hard journey. i have bad anxiety and buzzing feelings all over my body I think this has to do with my withdrawal or my old anxiety is just coming back . Does any body have any insights it would be apreciated
god bless
cee
Posted by floatingbridge on October 3, 2009, at 17:25:06
In reply to cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by cee on October 3, 2009, at 15:59:21
> Hello people
> It has been about three months since i stopped cymbalta wow what a hard journey. i have bad anxiety and buzzing feelings all over my body I think this has to do with my withdrawal or my old anxiety is just coming back . Does any body have any insights it would be apreciated
> god bless
> cee
>Hi Cee,
Gosh, I find it hard to say which it could be. Your discomfort could be from both. My effexor withdrawal took months--like 3 or more. I was unfortunately very sensitive to withdrawal--maybe you are too. Are you med-free now? What are your current symptoms like? Do you have any med back-up or therapy?
Best to you, my dear
fb
Posted by bleauberry on October 3, 2009, at 17:32:51
In reply to cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by cee on October 3, 2009, at 15:59:21
I don't think any researchers have any insights into this post-AD or withdrawal thing. There are plenty of ideas from various people.
Personally I believe that these drugs, reuptake inhibitors in particular, somehow change certain aspects of the nervous system chemistry to where it can't revert back to where it was very quickly, and sometimes not at all. Something was changed. What exactly is that something? That's the frustrating part...no one knows. And then some of the original symptoms may be mixed in with that, creating a bizarre new scenario.
So when we seek psychiatric treatment, it is much trickier and riskier than the prescribing doctor is going to say or admit. My opinion.
Unless you are ready to jump back into the psychiatric arena right away, I would point you in the direction of the following, in order of preference:
Albizzia Julbrissin
Free & Easy Wanderer
An Shen Buxin
Siberian Ginseng
St Johns Wort
Rhodiola roseaAnd I would experiment with tiny doses of 5htp, GABA, tyrosine, DLPA, one at time...again, tiny doses at first...you are sensitive right now...and possibly combinations after you know what each does on its own.
I visit other forums where there are some very difficult people to treat with serious depression and anxiety issues. Theirs are based on Lyme or mercury or thyroid/adrenal. No matter, depression is depression. Tough cases are tough cases. The above mentioned substances are ones that passed with flying colors in terms of people that find them helpful or curative and in terms of ratings at patient rating sites. Many of those people had been on at least a half dozen psych meds prior.
Prescription or not, I feel nearly ALL medical treatments are EXPERIMENTAL. Just because something like Cymbalta is FDA approved and prescribed by some guy who's been to 12 years of schooling doesn't do a thing for what that drug will do...good or bad...in any particular person. For a few people, Cymbalta is a miracle. For others, a nightmare. Same with all meds.
I realize you were just looking for some insights into what this prolonged withdrawal thing is. I just wanted to give you some hope. If there is value in what has worked for others in your shoes, there is an abundance of hope.
Posted by floatingbridge on October 3, 2009, at 17:42:47
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by bleauberry on October 3, 2009, at 17:32:51
I wanted to add to Bleauberry's post that many people are treated with cymbalta for chronic pain conditions. I think these meds are pretty powerful and when withdrawn can leave a deep-seated sense of feeling awful on all fronts--Physically, mentally, emotionally. Hang in there and take care of yourself.
fb
Posted by Phillipa on October 3, 2009, at 21:38:07
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal » bleauberry, posted by floatingbridge on October 3, 2009, at 17:42:47
It covered up back pain didn't know I had. But went to another ad immediately and of course had the benzos. So no withdrawal for me. But I agree that once you take an ad your brain does change forever. Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on October 4, 2009, at 5:38:51
In reply to cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by cee on October 3, 2009, at 15:59:21
> Hello people
> It has been about three months since i stopped cymbalta wow what a hard journey. i have bad anxiety and buzzing feelings all over my body I think this has to do with my withdrawal or my old anxiety is just coming back . Does any body have any insights it would be apreciatedI think its a combination of both.
SNRIs are notoriously hard to come off of, so reducing them the most slowest way practical is the best way.
Admittedly with Cymbalta that would be only lowering by 20s if you were at 60-120mg.
Effexor, I'm not sure about.
And yes, the withdrwawal plus the vacuum it creates, can bring back the anxiety or depression that was there in the first place, compounding the situation.
But that doesn't mean Cymbalta is a bad drug for people -- for some it really works well. It did for me for a while.
The newest one, Savella, milnacipran, is the first one officially approved for Fibromyalgia and CFS too I believe.I'd like to hear people's experiences about it.
Cymbalta is currently used for such conditions which don't quite fit in other spectrums and is helpful for the pain of some people with those conditions.
Neurontin is also used as well, alone or in concerto, for neuropathic pain. (Lyrica too)
-- tidings
Posted by floatingbridge on October 4, 2009, at 13:20:27
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal » cee, posted by yxibow on October 4, 2009, at 5:38:51
> The newest one, Savella, milnacipran, is the first one officially approved for Fibromyalgia and CFS too I believe.
>
> I'd like to hear people's experiences about it.
>
> Cymbalta is currently used for such conditions which don't quite fit in other spectrums and is helpful for the pain of some people with those conditions.
>
> Neurontin is also used as well, alone or in concerto, for neuropathic pain. (Lyrica too)
>
>
> -- tidings
Hi Jay,I've heard some negative feedback here re: Savella, but I'm interested too--I think I may have some kinda' cfs thing going on. Cymbalta worked for you?
fb
Posted by 49er on October 4, 2009, at 18:43:26
In reply to cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by cee on October 3, 2009, at 15:59:21
> Hello people
> It has been about three months since i stopped cymbalta wow what a hard journey. i have bad anxiety and buzzing feelings all over my body I think this has to do with my withdrawal or my old anxiety is just coming back . Does any body have any insights it would be apreciated
> god bless
> cee
>
Cee,Even if you tapered slowly (10% of current dose every 3 to 6 weeks, 3 months is a very short recovery period. And of course, if tapered more quickly as most people do, then it is going to take awhile for withdrawal to go away.
49er
Posted by yxibow on October 5, 2009, at 0:37:36
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal » yxibow, posted by floatingbridge on October 4, 2009, at 13:20:27
> Hi Jay,
>
> I've heard some negative feedback here re: Savella, but I'm interested too--I think I may have some kinda' cfs thing going on. Cymbalta worked for you?
Ahh... (yeah, I don't have CFS.. had a therapist who did go through fibromyalgia I believe)... I am interested in Savella too as an antidepressant and for other purposes, but so far my psychiatrist hasn't really heard anything much about it.
Cymbalta worked for me at a different time in my illness -- I don't know if it would be a good choice now or not. Eventually it wasn't clear that it was helping depression -- although I did feel a lift at 80mg and eventually went to 120mg.It's unclear in psychiatry that 120 is any better than 60, but perhaps for some people.
-- tidings
Posted by bleauberry on October 5, 2009, at 21:36:25
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal » floatingbridge, posted by yxibow on October 5, 2009, at 0:37:36
Just a followup on comments about Savella.
I personally liked it. I mean, what could possibly work when ECT fails? Well for me that was Savella. Probably part of the Lyme complex, but my urinary stoppage was so severe I could not continue with Savella. Other than that, I am a fan.
I have seen at least two cases here that did not go well with Savella, just to keep it in perspective.
At another forum there were people who were actually in the clinical trials, a few of them on Savella for up to 12 months. The overall message from them was that even though there might be a hint of improvement in pain, fatigue, and depression, within a couple weeks, the real good stuff didn't start to happen until the 3 month mark. For one person it was 9 months, but he was so happy he stuck it out. I think Savella somehow causes longterm beneficial readaptations within complex systems involving the adrenals, thyroid, and immune system. It was not uncommon for people to feel more tired before feeling improvement, almost like a healing crisis of some kind.
To put withdrawals in perspective. My withdrawal from Savella after 4 weeks on it was about the same as the withdrawal from being on Cymbalta just 3 days. In other words, sure, I could tell it was an AD withdrawal, but it wasn't crippling and it was over in a couple days. I don't know why Savella is so tame in that regard while Cymbalta is so mean.
Posted by cee on October 6, 2009, at 12:23:01
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal » cee, posted by 49er on October 4, 2009, at 18:43:26
Dear 49er
thanks for your info ,did you have a long withdrawal with cymbalta. how long
cee
Posted by 49er on October 6, 2009, at 17:34:05
In reply to Re: cymbalt - long withdrawal, posted by cee on October 6, 2009, at 12:23:01
> Dear 49er
>
> thanks for your info ,did you have a long withdrawal with cymbalta. how long
> ceeCee,
I never was on cymbalta, thankfully.
I started tapering 4 psych meds in 2006 and am now down to Doxepin. Unfortunately, I am suffering severe rebound insomnia and have hit a standstill at 4mg.
49er
This is the end of the thread.
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