Has anyone tried weaning off Cymbalta (duloxetine)?
Question posted by Floridagirl62 on 16 March 2016
Last updated on 25 March 2019 by Ilovecalifornia777
I have been on various SSRI/ SSNRIs for about 15 years. I took Effexor (it's generic equivalent) for a few years. Then my doctor switched me to Cymbalta (it's generic - duloxetine), which I have taken for a few years. I started all of this due to general anxiety. Many things have changed in my life over the last 15 years and I am ready to try life without meds. At first I tried skipping doses, which is not good. Duloxetine has a very short half life and skipping doses is like stopping and starting the drug over and over again. Within a day I was having brain zaps and was very irritable. I heard about people opening the capsule. Mine is a 60mg capsule. Easy to open. Every one has exactly 12 little beads in it. Easy to handle. I thought they would be smaller! With my doctor's consent, I have started taking out one bead a week to taper off (I am saving them though). 12 beads means it should take 3 months. I am only on week 2, but no withdrawal symptoms so far.
If this does not work, I may have to taper even more slowly. I also have a benzodiazepine (tranquilizer) to help me sleep. My doctor said I can take half a pill during the day if I need to for anxiety. I have been remarried for almost 4 years. My husband has never known me without meds. But he accepted me for better or worse! He is ready to ride this out with me and help me monitor my progress. I will give it my best shot. But if I turn into a bitch wife, I will go back on the meds!
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3 Answers
IL
Ilovecalifornia777
25 March 2019
Generic is different
60 mg or 30 mg pills has smaller beads than name brand
Generic 5 beads = 1mg
Votes: +0
BR
brokenheart12
24 May 2016
Look at the "How long will I be going through Cymbalta withdrawals?" posts. There is a lot of advice and warnings about how to ease the Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms. It is also helpful to know what to expect in the withdrawal process for both yourself and your husband. It is very beneficial to have someone to help you through it.
I hope that helps.
Votes: +1
EV
evelynrose
16 March 2016
I m in the middle of weaning off of Cymbalta after having been on almost two years 40 mg. I am doing the bead counting method and am down to 6 mg. I was able to go from 40 to 30 with not too many side effects but 30 to 6 mg has taken 4 months and I feel like death with the drop of every bead. It worked great for anxiety but I would never have gone on it knowing the side effects to get off. I have previously weaned off paxil, zoloft and many others . Cymbalta withdrawal is totally different. I have added 50 mg zoloft and trileptal to stabilize me thru the withdrawal and it is still hell. I am anticipating another 2 months to get to zero and will then have another 2 months of withdrawal probably after that!!
Votes: +1
FL
Floridagirl62
17 March 2016
Thanks for the warning. I am doing OK right now. Each bead is 5 mg and I am on the second week. So I am down to 10 mg from 60 mg. I may start to feel more effects as my dosage gets lower and lower. I may need to ask my doctor to add something to help me like Zoloft or Prozac. I hope not. Because then I will have to wean off of that medication as well. I hope you start to feel better. Keep me posted so I can know what to expect in my journey to get off of this medication.
EV
evelynrose
17 March 2016
My experience has been 1 bead 5mg, is too much to remove once you are lower than 30 mg. I am literally removing a bead a week. You have to get the pills that have a lot of the little beads and not the larger 5 mg ones The side effects sometimes don't kick in until after 2 weeks. There is a FB page for people going through withdrawal that is excellent. Best of luck to you. I hope it is easier for you.
FL
Floridagirl62
24 May 2016
You are right. When I was down to 15 mg, which is three beads in my capsule, I noticed more extreme side effects. I actually stayed an extra week on the 15 mg because of that. I am now into my second week at 10 mg. I saw my family doctor yesterday, and he told me to continue doing as I am doing. I have been saving the extra beads and I told him that I feel I need to slow down as I get closer to the end. But the beads are no smaller than 5 mg. I do not want to refill the prescription because I have changed insurance and it is very expensive now. I do have A lot of leftover Effexor ( generic ) that I was taking before Cymbalta. I was taking it three times a day, not the time release capsule. I saved the Effexor, so if I knew the equivalent I could switch over to the smaller beads inside the Effexor capsules and do a slower taper that way. The way you are explaining.
