I think I am going to go off Cymbalta 60 mg.

I pray I don't go into the bad depression, and crying and in bed forever.

Yet, I figure the Lamictal with keep me stable, the klonapin will help with anxiety and the Trazadone is also a AD but used for sleep.

Maybe then I can see by process of elmination that the Cymbalta AD is the reason for my decrease in sexual desire.

That's my plan.

I am not going to tell my p-doc, since I don't have to see her until April.

Nikko

Nikko

You have to go off Cymbalta VERY-VERY-VERY slowly or you'll get horrible withdrawal symptoms that can last for MONTHS.

I've written about this before: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ighlight=taper

Cymbalta and Effexor are chemically the same drug. Some people who taper actually have to open the pills and take a few granules out during the taper process.

I've gone into horrendous withdrawals after just 7 days of not being able to get my Effexor XR prescription refilled. DO NOT COLD-TURKEY CYMBALTA!!

I'm telling you, Nikko, you'd give up ever having sex again to not have to go through what that withdrawal feels like

Love and hugs.

Barb

I too went off Cymbalta and it nearly killed me. Ohhhh it was terrible. Expect bad diahreea if you do it cold turkey. Cymbalta did not effect my sex drive. Usually its the mood stabalizer that effects your sex drive. Good luck but be careful

I jsut read that welbutrin has the least sexual side effects of antidepressants.
I read that the way to taper off meds is to have small reductions in dose over weeks at a time.
say like 5-10% every 2-3 weeks.
You would need for your doctor to write scripts for your lower doses of cymbalta.
What do your therapist/counselors say about your desire to do this?
or is this something you are jsut thinking about?
bizi jsut worried about you.

I remember tapering off klonipin...I really did not have any side effects.
There are some folks who don't have side effects when they taper off slowly.
I think that you are right...the lamictal has anti depressant qualities....so maybe that would be enough protection for you.
It is worth a try... with your pdocs blessing!
bizi

Dear Nikko,
I second and third what others have said about a slow taper.
Here is what Crazy meds suggests:

http://crazymeds.us/cymbaltaDosage.html

http://crazymeds.us/discontinue.htm


The other suggestion is to talk to your pdoc about taking a few days of Prozac. You can switch from Cymbalta to Prozac and then stop the Prozac. Prozac is much easier to go off of.

Definitely check with your pharmacist and your pdoc.
Good luck. I hope you feel better after this.

Mari

cymbalta is also good for GAD generalized anxiety disorder. I only take half the dosage you take. I wonder if that is why I am constantly fighting depression. Did you check to see if cymbalta lowers your libido?
Bobby

Oh crap......I don't have any Cymbalta left, and they won't refill them for another week or more.

See, my mom takes Cymbalta and has to pay for it. So, when she runs out, I let her take mine, because I get mine free through Cope. We are both on the exact same dosage 60mg.

Now I don't have the money to have her's refilled until Wednesday. I will call for her to get some until I get my SSDI on Wed.

I'm so confused.

Hugs all.............Nikko

need to go back and re-read these posts....

Doesn't your Mom get a monthly Social Security check?? She should have Medicare Part D drug coverage and also maybe something from Medicaid for help with the drugs. Most women don't get a Social Security check that's large enough to disqualify for some sort of Medicaid assistance. She might not be eligible for total assistance, but, she might be eligible for something -- especially, help with the drugs.

Get yourself some pills ASAP. By Wednesday, you're gonna be suffering.

BIG HUGS (and love).

Barb

To do the taper you can ask your pdoc to call in 20mg pills, 90 pills for one month with instructions to take 3 a day. That way you can then taper and still have enough if you need to go back up. does that make sense...
bizi

She won't want me to go off them, unless they are replaced with something else, which I don't want to start something new.

I don't have one for tonight. I will be ok. I can't really get in touch with my p-doc, unless I call her private cell.

I have to figure something out.

Nikko