I was started on Cymbalta on 4/9/10 for neuropathic pain. (I have peripheral polyneuropathy) Due to the fact that Cymbalta made my fine motor tremors worse, my neuro decided to wean me off of the Cymbalta together. According to him, Cymbalta can aggravate fine motor tremors causing them to become worse. I was on Cymbalta 60mg per day so the plan was to go to 30mg a day x 7 days then 30 mg every other day for 3 doses and then stop. Followed doctor's orders to the letter!! Last dose was 6/4/10. Well, yesterday I woke up feeling ok. Had my morning coffee and jumped in the shower. What happens after that.......is anybody's guess. In the shower I started crying, which quickly turned into sobbing. Every square inch of my body was in pain. I was nauseous, shaky and my head kept jerking to the left. I could not pull myself together. I finally went to the local ER because of the pain and migraine. BP upon arrival was 157/92. WAY too high for me. Probably due to the pain. I was assessed by the doctor (in between bouts of sobbing and curling up into a ball because of the pain). He eventually ordered Ativan 2 mg and Toradol 30 mg po. The ativan helped calm me down but the Toradol, not so much help. They called my husband, who was 135 miles away working, to come to the hospital. After the toradol, they gave me 1 mg of Dilaudid SQ. They also had me talk to a social worker. At first I was kind of insulted. But let me tell you, that lady was a god send. She gave me a new twist on the way I could think about things, different coping skills and assured me that it was OK to allow myself to have bad days. Today I have a little bit of a lingering headache but things are much better. I for one will never take this medication again. Not saying that it doesn't serve a purpose, just not for me.

I am sorry that happened to you... It is always terrible when it gets so bad that you need to go to the e.r. I hope things continue to improve for you.

Mere

Wow! that is just about the worst thing I have heard so far on these boards.

But there are people on the net who have had long term, difficult withdrawal from this drug. There are YouTubes about it even.
Some have lasted 6mos or longer.

Don't feel personally at fault. These new drugs, the "designer drugs" pushed by drug companies on doctors and unsuspecting patients, alter the neurotransmitters in the brain. When removed, there are sometimes severe consequences. Often these are more severe the longer you have taken it, and at higher long term doses.

You were smart to go to the ER. Best to get checked out and have some medical evaluation so you don't have another medical emergency that is unexpected.

If you need a little ironic laugh, even if it is a strange "laugh" watch this YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1OE...eature=related
For some reason it remains apt regarding this drug. (I think the dog is responding to the clarinet in the music...but that is not the total impact the video has !! ) That music is somehow representative of what happens to people on Cymbalta IMO!

I hope you are feeling better now. Once you are weaned off, consider some l-tryptophan daily to help you realign your neurotransmitter, serotonin. The norepi...that is separate, and may respond to another thing, which you may not need. Let some time pass and if you need the other, PM me.
500mg of l-tryptophan at night to start, up to a gram a day. That may really help. Some doctors use it to get off SSRIs.

I am also weaning off cymbalta, I have not noticed my pain levels going up, but I had a weird feeling in my head in the evenings when I was taken the 30mg. Yesterday was the first day I did not take it the night before and I felt weird all day, head spinning and when I was standing I was worse (is this vertigo) I did not go out as I was afraid I would pass out. I also was nauseous at times. I took it last night and felt ok today. I do not take it tonight so I will see how I feel tomorrow.

Is this withdrawal or is this a symptom the cymbalta was masking.

Has any one else had these feelings when going off this drug and how long is it going to last as I am not sure how long I can handle this feeling.

Mrs. D: Thank you for your words of encouragement. You always take time to reply and share your words of wisdom. God Bless you for that. As far as feeling better, I am. Finally got over the worst of the headache today and life appears to be "good" once again. All I can say about that day is "that wasn't me, and the sooner it leaves my memory, the better!! Once I get home this weekend I will go to the health food store and get the l-tryptophan. Just out of curiosity, it seems that I remember something about that being pulled off the market several years ago, or some big hullabaloo about it. I know people were using it for sleep but just can't recall all of the info on it. Anyhow, off to Cleveland Clinic on Monday and then leave for California on Tuesday for a week and a much needed vacation. Will post how the trip to CC pans out. Have a good weekend everyone!! And the YouTube video is priceless. Gave me my laugh for the day!!

Many years ago a Japanese company supposedly had some contaminant in their process. This was never proven however, and many think the whole thing was put up by Eli Lilly who had just released Prozac. If you search the net you'll see.

The spike in the gas chromatography studies was called substance X. (or something like that).

Tryptophan has returned. I use the NOW brand. I find 500mg plenty for me, and it has some good anti-anxiety effects for me when I need it.

SSRIs (Cymbalta is part SSRI)...keep the serotonin the synaptic cleft and it doesn't get recycled. So the cell stops making it. I think the withdrawal is the low levels of serotonin present, and taking the tryptophan precursor helps restore normal functions.

Low serotonin often means low melatonin. So if you have sleep problems, consider taking methylB12 too...it is the specific cofactor in making melatonin from serotonin.

Usually the other neurotransmitter norepi, is is better supply.
The precursor for it is tyrosine but I think most people don't need support for that. Tryptophan doesn't get thru the BBB as easily as other amino acids. So take the tryptophan away from a major protein meal, and perhaps give it a boost with a bit of candy/etc. This helps tryptophan get thru faster.

Using 5-htp is also an option, and less is needed (usually only 50 or 100mg at bedtime). I don't do well with 5-htp and get irritable from it. The tryptophan is much gentler IMO.