Anyone have advice dealing with withdrawal symptoms while switching from Cymbalta to Lexapro? This does not feel good. I'm dizzy, like my head is under pressure and kind of throbs when I turn my head or move my eyes too fast. I'm feeling very moody, going from happy, to crying, to pissed off pretty quickly. I can barely speak a coherent sentence and feel like it is a real effor to talk to anyone. Feel on the brink of tears pretty constantly. I was taking 60 mg for fibromyalgia but started having worsening depression, so my doctor lowered the Cymbalta to 30 mg for four days and then two days with nothing, then started on 10 mg of Lexapro. When I told him about the trouble I'm having he said I could stop the Lexapro, wait a day or two and go back to the 30 mg Cymbalta for a bit, then try again. But I don't know if I want to have to stop, go back to the Cymbalta, then possibly go through this again in another week. Any suggestions? Maybe I'm through the worst of it and just stick it out?
Cymbalta Withdrawal Symptoms Suck?
- Asked
- 3 Jun 2012 by goofgirl
- Updated
- 20 July 2018 (9 weeks ago)
- Topics
- cymbalta, lexapro, depression, fibromyalgia, withdrawal
Added 4 Jun 2012:
Update: I broke down and took a 30 mg of Cymbalta tonight. I just can't go on feeling this way, even for another couple of days. I don't want to talk to anyone, and I don't eve want to be around my 17 month old daughter. What a horrible drug! Guess I'll stay on tow lower dosage for another week, then try the Lexapro again. My concern now is that if 30 mg will be enough to keep my depression at bay, which is why we decided to make a switch to begin with. If 60 mg wasnt cutting it, I'm afraid to think of how I'll be at only 30 mg, but we shall see. I appreciate the feedback so far. Thank you!
Added 17 Jul 2012:
Update as of July 17: I've been off of the Cymbalta completely for almost 2 weeks and taking Lexapro now. I still feel a tad dizzy on occasion but it seemed easier this time. I ended up going on disability leave from work for a while, so the lack of the additional work stress may of helped with the transition. What yucky stuff. And I don't feel any different with my fibromyalgia pain, which is why I started it in the first place! Sometimes I wonder if any of these drugs are even worth taking with all the other problems they cause. Oh well, I'm not as depressed as I was, so I guess something is helping!
Responses (18)
One of my worst experiences with medications was with Cymbalta. My doctor was able to help me transition with Valium therapy. Maybe you should ask your doc if he/she can assist you (I would not recommend you suggest Valium though, let the doc come up with their own solution). Hope this helps.
What you are describing is called withdrawal, & for that reason my doctor won't prescribe cymbalta at all. Please read the following paragraph taken from the prescribing information on Drugs A to Z at the top of the page, & have another talk with your doctor about loweing your dose more slowly if he will. I wish you the best & hope you get to feeling better soon...
Withdrawal of Therapy
Possibly severe withdrawal reactions (e.g., dysphoric mood, irritability, agitation, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, sensory disturbances, anxiety, confusion, headache, lethargy, emotional lability, insomnia, hypomania, tinnitus, seizures); avoid abrupt discontinuance of therapy.1 Taper dosage gradually and monitor patients for possible withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing therapy.1
I missed a dose this past Monday because I was so busy with my son's dinner dance and I am still feeling horrible. I cannot believe that a medicine that is supposed to help you can make you feel so sick and out of your mind. I am seeing my psychiatrist on Monday so I can start weening off of this medication. I haven't felt like myself for some time and it's gotten really bad recently & after reading all the different posts about Cymbalta I am sure it's the medicine. I have turned into a green eyed monster! Thanks for your posts and I'll check back in again to update how my weening process is going.
I have taken many antidepressants, pain meds, Lyrica over the years, but Cymbalta was the worst for withdrawal. I found a website that suggested opening the capsule and removing a few beads at a time over the course of many weeks. When I was down to less than 30 mg per day, I started with half my Lexapro and gradually increased one while decreasing the other. It was a long process, but easier than "cold turkey".
Thanks for your comment, sounds more or less how I was able to finally stop it, now on Lexapro. I'm thinking it was easier this time because I've been off from work and don't have that extra stress going on. It was fierce and I wish they would make it clear when prescribing it how difficult it may be to stop.
I have been doing the same thing. I am now down to about 10-15 granules and I'm hoping I'm off of this wicked medicine by next week! :)
My doctor just recently cut me off completely off Cymbalta... And did not put me on another antidepressant but upped my Seroquel... I guess the antidepresants are worsening the Bipolar... Anyways I have been off of Cymbalta 3 days, and lets just say electric shocks, Stomach cramps, and nausea are not fun! I agree with the Cymbalta withdrawals being a hellish affair... I saw somehwere online it can take 1-2 weeks or more before the side effects go away... I was taking 60 Mg of Cymbalta and now I am just on my mood stablizers but they sure don't help minimizing these side effects i am having. Its nice knowing I am not the only one experiencing this!
Just an update, I weaned down to about 3 mg by opening the capsules & removing granules. I took my last dose on July 17th and had some severe withdrawal from days 4-8. By about 2 weeks of no Cymbalta, my symptoms were gone. I'm so thankful to be off this medicine!! Good luck to those of you who are coming off of it. I will tell you that I drank a lot of Gatorade & took fish oil for the brain zaps. I also took advil and anti-nausea/dizziness medicine.
Thanks Beckela for your helpful update and I am happpy that you have survived the ill effects of withdrawing from Cymbalta... I am going to take your advice and drink plenty of water, Gatorade and take the fish oil because those brain zaps are witch if you know what i mean... I have been sleeping many hours the last few days because of the way I have been feeling thanks again and I will patient and hopefully my body will go back to normal sooner than late! Thanks again! :) Take care
Gosh, I must be one of the few people who found Cymbalta to be a dream psych med. I just didn't get the benefit of pain relief which other people had reported as a "side" benefit. I was on cymbalta for many years without so much as a hiccup. The max dose I was on was 120mg... but the weight issues were awful. Then we tried to go down to 90 to see if I would still have the same benefit but not the cravings. From their we tried 60mg and that is where I stayed and didn't have any more cravings either. Only two drugs ever worked for me. Parnate was the first (MAOInhibitor) and I was on this one for many years and no trouble with the dietary restrictions and then Cymbalta. When I came off of Cymbalta... I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal from cymbalta: I have been on 30 mg. for only about 6 months now. I used to take 60 mg. but that was years ago. I was started right out on 30 mg and never eased up to more like before and that concerned me. Reason being, the doctor only had 30 mg samples. I went to get my script refilled and it was 95 dollars, or 45 for a week supply. I didn't have it so I just stopped cold turkey. I had been getting it through a mail order script place from my husbands work and it wasn't that much the first time.
I never knew what "brain buzzes" were until this time coming off of it. It has been 8 days since I have had a pill and it is just getting worse every day. I just didn't make the connection until yesterday when the world started spinning out of control.
I stopped taking it around mid July after weaning down to about 3 mg's and the worst of the withdrawal lasted about a week. Start taking fish oil (about 1000-1200 mg), it will help with the brain zaps and if you can, take some OTC anti-dizziness/nausea medicine (cvs has there own brand, so it's less expensive). I also took Advil when I could to help with the flu like symptoms. There are some OTC remedies for depressions and anxiety if you feel like you still need to be on something; St. John's Wart and 5-htp for depression and also Sam-e. I also take Nerve Tonic (it's all natural) sometimes when I have anxiety and it works well. Good luck and hang in there!
Oh and one more thing, drink lots of water and especially lots of Gatorade, it will help to flush the medicine out of your system & also help with the withdrawal symptoms as well
Anyone who has complained about getting off an SNRI medication such as Cymbalta or Effexor always goes off of it way too quickly. Going from 60 mg to 30 mg, then 4 days on the 30 mg, then off altogether? How are the doctors so ignorant about the time it takes to taper off very gradually? That's how people get the wrong idea of how terrible the withdrawal is. Three of my friends and I have all tapered off Effexor very gradually, and none of us had any problems.
(Except in my case, the depression came back. After a month of bad depression, I went back on it. And that was my evidence that my psychiatrist was right that I needed to be on it for the rest of my life.)
Trust me, I would have weaned myself off of this had I known I wasn't going to be able to afford it when it came time to refill it. Not sure why it was so cheap the first time I filled it but maybe the doctor had some kind of discount thing she did for me. I feel beter today, still not completly right but I know it is getting better every day.
So sorry to hear about your financial reasons. I don't know why the doctor didn't change you to another anti-depressant in the same class as an SNRI so that you wouldn't have to go through withdrawal. Plus, if the Cymbalta worked, another SNRI should also work.
If you don't get as good relief from the different anti-depressant, Effexor is an SNRI and now comes out in generic much more cheaply. And if you have insurance, you can get the brand name for about $4.00. Just go to the website for Effexor to find out.
I'm withdrawing from Cymbalta, the only thing that has helped my has been my ambien. I take a half during the day when I really shouldnt but it helps a little. Doctor wants me to take Effexor instead of Cymbalta daily. No way. One poision for another, thats insane.All these side effects I have to deal with now, sure dont need another batch. These drug companies must be faking their studies.
I started Cymbalta 9 months ago 60mg/day for fibro pain and fatigue. Almost immediate results. In this 9 month time my 21 year old son attempted suicide by jumping from a bridge, he spent 3 months in the hospital and I couldn't have done what I did in that time without Cymbalta. It kept me at an even mood.
After things have gotten better I started noticing in the last couple of months extreme joint pain. My physician increased my dose to 90mg/day. I'm 46, not overweight, except for the 20 lbs I put on since going on Cymbalta! So I didn't feel I had any reason for the sudden onset of pain in my joints. I have read some posts of possible muscle damage after being on Cymbalta. Which started to concern me, plus the increase from 60 to 90 put me in bed at night by 8:30 pm. And falling asleep at my desk at work at 2:00 pm.
I discontinued use of Cymbalta "cold turkey". I did it and it is what it is.
My last dose was 12/24/12.
I'm on Day 9 of no medications including Cymbalta. I'm still having a few brain zaps, not as intense as they were last week. I find they show up more when I'm trying to focus either on watching tv or computer work. Seems they are more related to my eyes and they are my reminders of where I have been and where I am going. I'm still having intense muscle pain, but my energy level is way up there, I noticed on Day 8 it just shot up there. I thought I was going to pay dearly today, Day 9, so far so good. I've dropped about 7 lbs, of the much needed weight to lose, since I gained 20 being on this med. I've not had the food cravings I once had being on the drug. I've been able to be more mindful of my eating. I don't know how to describe it. It's just different. Mood swings have gotten better in the last couple of days. I've also been able to be more mindful of what was shooting out of my mouth. Nausea is gone. Yeah!
I have been off Cymbalta 30 mg for 8 weeks and still having withdrawal symptoms. I had brain zaps and nausea, joint pain and just plain sick all over. Feeling useless and crying all the time. Bright sun hurts eyes. Sinus infections, swollen glands under neck. My face hurts and have ear pain. Brain zaps are gone. Still cry. Sinus infections are awful, won't go away. I don't know when this will ever go away. The longest 2 months ever. My blood pressure increased drastically. Been doctoring for that since I came off. Had to increase medicine to double what I was taking. going to the doctor every two weeks. Yeast infections too. The withdrawal from Cymbalta has affected my entire body. My doctor never told me I would have these problems. Never felt that great on the medicine. I was on it for several years. I wish I would have been educated on the side effects ,etc of this horrible drug. I am self employed so thank goodness I did not and no not have to go work daily. This has got to get better. Is anyone else experiencing the withdrawal for this long???
Yes, Cymbalta is a nasty drug to quit. I started taking it after my ruptured disc to relieve the neuropathy symptoms. It did help me get to sleep and dampened the neuropathy symptoms. Of course it did not cure the nerve irritation, but after nearly seven years, and varied types of therapy I felt that I could try to get off the Cymbalta. I weaned myself down to 30 mg a day, but just last weekend I forgot to pick up my samples at the doc and went the entire weekend without the drug. Bad idea! After four days I have many of the same withdrawal symptoms that others have mentioned: Very emotional, head feels congested, dizzy, brain zaps (although very few), sick all over, stomach upset, weird dreams (not nightmares). No one told me at the get-go that there would be these kinds of withdrawal symptoms. On balance, if I knew then what I know now, I would have gone a completely different direction in treatment. So, my question: Has anyone successfully gotton off Cymbalta and how long did it take?
I am the original poster. I quit Cymbalta again and the withdrawal wasn't nearly as bad the second time. I haven't taken it for about 10 months or so. It can be done. Like a lot of people har said, the doctors who are prescribing this stuff really should tell you before you start taking it that there is a withdrawal process. It's clearly very hard on a lot of people!
My wife had the same horrible withdrawal experience coming off Cymbalta. She had no warning that withdrawals would happen and especially no warning about how hard and intense the WDs will be.
She ended up very slowly tapering down the meds. She had to still feel the withdrawals sometimes during the taper but when her WDs got too unbearable she would always go back to her last dose of Cymbalta and re-started the tapering from the last dose she felt OK with. The key was dropping the dose by about 25 % every 3-4 days and sometimes trying to dose every 48 hours instead of 24 hours. She was pushing it as much as possible and always until the WDs became unbearable, she would than go to the last decreased dose she was OK with. Than she woudl only take that dose every 48 hours and if she felt OK she would drop another 25% and go to taking it every 24 h. Once stabilized she would take it every 48 hours and drop 25% again.
The withdrawal symptoms of this drug is not fun. I am an alcoholic living in recovery for near three years. I have been taking Cymbalta for about two years now. Five days ago I stopped taking the drug due to the fact that I may lose my insurance and will not be able to afford it. Brain "zapping" dizzy, uneasy, can't sleep. I did not think i would have to go through this type of detox again in my life. If your doctor has other options, you may want to consider them.
If I had known about the withdrawals I would have never even tried Cymbalta. I've taken it for over seven years for depression, and the withdrawal is almost unbearable. The almost constant feeling of being on the verge of bursting into tears doesn't mix well with the extreme dizziness, nausea and diarrhea. I'm barely able to work, and that's only because my office is in my home. No way I could function in a rigid, professional office environment going through this.
Hi there, I am coming off of cymbalta as well. I have been prescribed Wellbutrin along with the cymbalta. I went off of it (the cymbalta) because of hot flushes that were coming every 15 minutes, 24/7) The brain zaps were awful. After 4 days of not being on it, I gave in and took a 30 mg capsule. Meanwhile my pdoc has increased my wellbutrin. I only take the cymbalta when the withdrawal gets bad. I get the brain zaps and also extreme nausea and diarrhoea. I thought my increase of Wellbutrin was helping, and 6 days went by with no cymbalta, although I noticed withdrawal in the evening of the 5th day. I thought I could "duke" it out, but no. I had to take 30 mg. ANd even at that was having severe nausea later that afternoon. Not able to eat at all. I just don't understand how, I can be fine after 5 days, and then "need" to dose myself again. Weird. I'm hoping the days of "giving" in the withdrawals get further apart.
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I, too, call this one of the worst experiences of my life. I'm on my 7th week, not taking Cymbalta. Oh my gosh, the dizziness, upset tummy, brain zaps, not being able to think, work or talk was very frightening. NO DRIVING! HANG IN THERE! I had to reach way down inside myself and just keep striving to achieve my goal. I knew this had to end. I, once again, can function. Not perfectly, but it keeps getting clearer. I do have to stop and take a nap in the afternoon. My symptoms were very similar to being seasick, 24 hours a day. Don't stop eating though. Don't give up. There should be advertisements, tons of information on this medication BEFORE you go on it. Now, this medication really helped me. I did need it. Every life crisis there ever was, except losing a child to death, I went through. I needed this medication. HOWEVER, there should definitely be warnings about when you do not need it any more and stop taking it. I was under the watchful eye of my doctor.
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However, he didn't even know of the withdrawal symptoms that normally occur when you not only stop taking this medication, until me. When you lower the dosage, which is when I starting get the withdrawal symptoms, it all begins. Luckily, I own my own business, therefore, I could pretty much work my own hours. Another maddening symptom is not being able to withstand noise, TV, too much stimuli or stress, and just feeling like you cannot participate in life. I pretty much stayed in bed, a lot. It does help to have an understanding spouse, which I did not. Dispite even that, I made it! I'm proud of myself. Just a little of those old feelings throughout my days now. I do know, I need to just go and lay down for a bit when this happens. Helps immensely. Good luck to all of you. Hang in there. There is a good life after Cymbalta. Be patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself. It will be okay.
I just off Effexor and onto cymbalta. I had extreme sweats and hives with the cymbalta . I was taking this because I have lost my entire family including my only child. So when my dr learned I had hives she took me off the cymbalta cold turkey. I cannot believe how bad the withdrawal is. I am afraid to even go out. Thank you for your post as I was wondering how I could feel so sick. Now to just get through this
To Zetalana, I am so sorry for your loss. Really, I am. I cannot remember if I ever got hives taking Cymbalta, but oh my gosh, the sweating was horrible. I still have that symptom, although not as bad. Really hoping that goes away. Again, Cymbalta really helped me and I would be willing to go through the withdrawal again, because it really helped me. But it was definitely not easy to do. I found that doctors just really do not know of the withdrawal symptoms and I was glad to see other stories of what they went through. These sites really helped me. I can finally say, I'm on the upward side of life after Cymbalta. Hang in there and please, don't dispair. These on-line support groups let you know you are not alone and that there are others struggling, too. I found that very helpful. Take care.
CYMBALTA WITHDRAWAL, THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!
I hope someone who reads this can help. I was taking 60mg and the med did a flip on me, I started experiencing horrible side effects. My GP gradually reduced me to 10mg and then I stopped completely, this was about 8weeks ago and I'm still struggling to get through each day! I have lost the ability to organise and problem solve and I'm constantly light headed/feel like I'm in a fog. Have been taking valium/diazepam to reduce anxiety and recently requested to see a psychiatrist. He increaseased my valium to help and has suggested my metabolism may be extremely slow but couldn't give me a certain answer. Please if anyone else has experienced this hell for as long or longer, let me know so I can be hopeful it will end. Any advice or info appreciated, many thanks.
I'm 7 weeks off cymbalta. Still suffering the after affects. I've been on antibiotics for over 2 weeks for sinus infection and swollen glands under neck. Hot flashes haven't gone away. Nausea so bad some days. Ther should be warnings about this drug when coming off. Also have had to triple my blood pressure medicine for high blood pressure. This has been the summer from hell. I'm 70 years old and hate myself for going on this drug several years ago. I was on 30mg a day. Don't know how anyone could withdraw from higher amounts. Don't know how much longer I have to go through this. One of my doctors said some last 6 months.
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I have been on 60mg of Cymbalta for over 4 years. I knew I would be losing medical insurance with the year, so I began to do a long term weaning off of this drug. I went to 30 mg for 3 months without a problem. I then went to 20mg for 6 weeks without a problem. Then I was told to go to 20 mg every other day and that turned out to be a complete nightmare. The ups and downs, headaches, dizziness etc... I decided that this would only prolong my misery, so I stopped completely. This was three weeks ago and my symptoms were horrible, the brain zaps, dizziness, loss of balance, inability to think, fatigue etc,,, so I decided to try 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), also known as oxitriptan (INN), is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin from tryptophan.). After taking 5-HTP for a day I felt remarkably better (but still not normal).
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I took one bottle of it and thought I would stop taking it to see if it actually helped or if the side effects of Cymbalta withdrawal had just gone away. WOW, what a mistake that was. Within 12 hours, my symptoms had returned full blast and I felt absolutely horrible. So, I stopped at the store and picked up another bottle of 5-HTP and within 12 hours I was feeling better. This morning I forgot to take my morning supplements, including 5-HTP, and I was an absolute emotional mess with headaches, dizziness, inability to think etc... I took my supplements and within a few hours I felt better. I felt it necessary to share this, because 5-HTP has helped me get from a point of being non-functional to functional. I do not feel great, but I can smile and participate in life until this nightmare passes.
I was previously on Zoloft for many years and getting off of Zoloft was not easy, but no where near the nightmare that getting off of Cymbalta has been.
God bless and good luck to all of you.
I was glad to find out that what has been happening is withdrawal symptoms. I didn't know what was going on. Brain zaps, mood swings, restlessness, extreme anger, hard to get words out, etc. After at least 5 yrs I told my Dr. I wanted off. He's been weaning me off. After 30mg 2x a day I went to 1 a day, then after 2 weeks, 1 every other day, then every third day, now I'm working on every 6+ days. Right now day 6 gets kinda hellish (still each tab is 30mg). I'm going to try to stretch it out a few more days. I wish there was stuff I good get at the store to help with the withdraw symptoms and a local support group. The one thing driving me crazy right now is that my 14yr old son cut himself at work (nothing I could've done to stop it happening, and it's a minor cut on his leg) and I'm not only blaming myself but I'm obsessing about it.