Weaning off Cymbalta is terrible

  • This is the worst!! I am already on Wellbutrin (staying on it) and added Cymbalta about a year ago as i had bad depression and sadness as my father was sick and passing away. Now i'm weaning off Cymbalta due to the other side effects like exhaustion and lack of libido! I'm taking 60 mg 3X's a week and 30 mg the other days per my MD. But today started the nausea, headaches and moodiness

    I was wondering if anyone had any experience or tips for this sort of withdrawal? Thanks!
  • Yes- one thing that helps is to take a low dose of Prozac for a week- otherwise the side effects of getting off Cymbalta can last a super long time- months. I tried it and it almost immediately stopped the side effects and after a week on the prozac I stopped cold and I had no more problems. Good luck!!
  • Thank you for that information. I was hoping the Wellbutrin was enough to help me wean as i take 400 mg/day.
  • Oh My! I know that everyone has a different experience with each med. But holy crap- coming off Cymablta was like getting off heroine for me! (I'm guessing!!)

    I was on 200MG for over a year, along with small does of prozac. We didn't feel it was working and even my prescriber acknowledged that it was worsening my weight gain.
    If I forgot my AM dose of Cymbalta...by 1pm I had sucj sever vertigi, I could not drive myself home-I was particulalry sensitive so weaning was rough.

    My prescriber wanted me to move to Wellbutrin. SO we began by decreasing at 50mg each week.
    DID NOT WORK! It took almost 6 weeks to come off totally and in the end I ended up opening the capsules and slowly decreasing the amount of granules in each caplet-thus making even lover doses. This sounds crazy but I read it elsewhere and it was the only was I didn't feel violently ill.

    The prozac should help and perhaps your MD wants to up it just during the weaning stage of Cymbalta? I wish you much luck!!
  • Just beginning to wean off Cymbalta to Celexa, I plan to go slow. I usually do not have problems changing but the SNRI's are difficult. Wish me luck.
  • Hi! I registered just so I could post this. I weaned off of Cymbalta in July and according to my dr., my symptoms were "very severe". But I made it. I've never experienced illegal drugs but from what I've read, it seems very similar to a narcotics withdrawal. For me, anyway.

    It lasted the entire month of July. The brain zaps were the worst. I overheated all the time. I was seriously confused at time -- I didn't know where I was, I was afraid to drive. I'd constantly break down and have either anxiety attacks or serious bouts of depression. BUT ... there's hope! Here's what helped me ...

    1. Drinking TONS of water.
    2. SLEEP. Your body recovers in your sleep.
    3. Eating healthy ... basically, your body is angry with you. So try to put as many good things into it as possible.
    4. Move slowly. Sounds weird, but I got so many more "zaps" when I was walking quickly or turning my head.
    5. If you have a great support system, use them. I relied heavily on my family during that time.
    6. Don't give up. Tell yourself that your life will be better once you get through this.

    Good Luck, Everyone!
  • Talk to your doctor. He should help you. This crap is SO hard to quit! They should tell you when you get the first prescription, but they don't!
    Go there and kick some ***, ask for help. He should give you prozac or something else to help you in this. Complain, women don't complain often enough
  • To me it sounds like too much too fast. The weaning process should be very gradual and very slow. Like reducing by 10-25mgs for at least a month before reducing again. I'd rather take more time than experience brain zaps and worsened anxiety. JMO.
  • I tried to reduce the dosage and OMG it was insane. I almost got fired from my job for outbursts of inappropriate anger. That was after just 2 days! I immediately went back up to my usual dose.

    Has anyone else found they seem to build a tolerance to it after a couple of years? I have been feeling so depressed since last fall and I cant seem to snap out of it. I take 120 mg a day currently