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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by joe f on December 13, 2013, at 22:47:33
has any one had serious problems withdrawing from cymbalta
Posted by Phillipa on December 13, 2013, at 22:51:38
In reply to cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 13, 2013, at 22:47:33
No honestly was easy for me. I switched back to luvox at that time if memory serves me correctly. Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 14, 2013, at 1:53:03
In reply to cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 13, 2013, at 22:47:33
> has any one had serious problems withdrawing from cymbalta
Not personally, but some people have, the symptoms are similar to Effexor withdrawal eg. dizziness, anxiety, vivid dreams and strange sensations in the head, sometimes like little shocks. Not everyone is affected of course. A feeling of dizziness is probably the most common symptom.
If you have difficulties in withdrawal eg. going from 60mg to 30mg to nothing, the dose will need to be reduced more slowly. Do not do alternate day dosing, it is not a suitable method for short half-life drugs like Cymbalta.
The issue is usually (relatively) simply overcome by reducing down to 30mg per day and then opening the 30mg capsules and tipping some beads out in order to reduce the dose more gradually. The number of granules taken can be reduced every few days or so, according to how you feel. The capsule itself is simply a coloured gelatin shell. The granules inside are specially coated and should not be crushed or chewed - swallow whole.
If you are transferring from Cymbalta to a related antidepressant such as Effexor or an SSRI, the withdrawal symptoms will probably be considerably reduced when the replacement drug is started, and such gradual reduction may be completely unnecessary. If you are not going to be taking any related antidepressant in place of Cymbalta, gradual reduction is advisable, unless you've only been taking it for a couple of weeks (eg. because it didn't suit you). If you've been on it for many months or years, and plan to stop antidepressants completely, the withdrawal should be done over at least a month, possibly more, unless Cymbalta needs to be stopped more rapidly due to some serious side effect.
Hope this is informative.
Posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 9:02:04
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 14, 2013, at 1:53:03
I would go to 60 to 30 for a week then switch to another...or my dr would just stop Cymbalta and start me on another
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 14, 2013, at 10:08:00
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 9:02:04
> I would go to 60 to 30 for a week then switch to another...or my dr would just stop Cymbalta and start me on another
OK, well than may be fine, depending on what you take in its place. What is it likely to be?
Posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 10:50:35
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals » joe f, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 14, 2013, at 10:08:00
ZOLOFT-LEXAPRO OR TRY VIIBRYD AGAIN
Posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2013, at 19:05:49
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 10:50:35
A friend that had liked viibryd and did okay just recently went off it as he couldn't take a higher dose and did not feel well. So I guess it's not getting the rave reviews they had hoped for. Phillipa
Posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 21:12:08
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals » joe f, posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2013, at 19:05:49
when I hit 40 did not feel well either...not sure 20 was enough though......does not seen to be the next blockbuster ssri...phillipa -have you used lexapro
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 15, 2013, at 10:21:02
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 14, 2013, at 10:50:35
> ZOLOFT-LEXAPRO OR TRY VIIBRYD AGAIN
OK, well they will suppress withdrawal symptoms to some extent, but you may still experience some eg. vivid dreams.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 15, 2013, at 12:08:42
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals » joe f, posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2013, at 19:05:49
> A friend that had liked viibryd and did okay just recently went off it as he couldn't take a higher dose and did not feel well. So I guess it's not getting the rave reviews they had hoped for. Phillipa
Few ADs which are commonly tried after the failure of others get rave reviews. The probability of response to successive trials of ADs goes down with each trial eg. pts who do not respond well to the first two ADs they try often don't respond that well to other ADs either. Of course, there are many many exceptions, it's just a general pattern.
Posted by Phillipa on December 15, 2013, at 20:16:24
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals » Phillipa, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 15, 2013, at 12:08:42
This was just an add on takes requip, desipramine, ambien, abilify. Can't remember the others. Was a poster here years ago when emsam came out. PJ
Posted by bleauberry on December 17, 2013, at 5:05:31
In reply to cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 13, 2013, at 22:47:33
Yes! Problems, big time.
Cymbalta is one of the nastiest ones to try to get off of. Why that is, I don't know.
I had pretty bad withdrawals, scary actually, from just one week on the stuff. And it had been making my depression so much worse. Nothing good to say about that drug, except that I do have a friend who takes it for fibro and she likes it for helping with pains.
The best way to withdraw is to empty the capsule, count out 10 beads which equals 1mg, and then make custom doses to slowly come off the drug in tiny steps. Swallow the beads whole in apple sauce, yogurt, pudding, anything that can be swallowed without chewing. This way you can go from 20mg to 19mg, and so on, instead of 20mg to 0. That way, the eventual withdrawals are tamer, milder, and more tolerable.
Posted by Elanor Roosevelt on December 21, 2013, at 21:32:27
In reply to cymbalta withdrawals, posted by joe f on December 13, 2013, at 22:47:33
Fear. I lived in a state of fear until I went back on. Now staying on until I can figure out what's next.
Posted by Phillipa on December 21, 2013, at 22:45:33
In reply to Re: cymbalta withdrawals, posted by Elanor Roosevelt on December 21, 2013, at 21:32:27
Elanor so you like Cymbalta? Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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