Advice for Stopping Cymbalta

Hello!

I'll try to make this to the point. I know if you're in the midst of a withdrawal, you don't feel like reading a book!

I successfully stopped Cymbalta cold turkey this past summer (June 2016). I'd been on 60 mg for nearly 6 years, since I was 24.

It helped for the first few years. I'd been put on it for anxiety and slight more swings-nothing major. It still helped the anxiety but started causing more problems. I developed depression, weight gain, acne, headaches, withdrew from friends and family, lost motivation and no energy. I was sleepy all the time.

I decided one day to stop and haven't taken it since. Luckily I am a teacher and was on summer break, because I wouldn't have been able to work the first few days.

Honestly, what helped me the most was praying and staying positive. I was scared because I'd read the stories online about coming off of it.

Day 1: Morning/Day: Not too bad-extreme sweating, severe dizziness, a bad headache

Night: Panic attack, emotional

Day 2: Extreme sweating and dizziness, diarrhea started, no energy, very emotional

Day 3: Less sweating, diarrhea, severe dizziness, no energy

Day 4: Almost no sweating, severe dizziness, diarrhea

Day 5: No sweating, diarrhea better, still very dizzy

**By day 5, I was much better and mainly just dealing with the dizziness

The dizziness took about 1.5-2 weeks to go away completely. It started getting better each day after about day 5. The weird dreams and night terrors started about two weeks after I stopped taking it. That lasted about 2-3 weeks and then stopped. -I noticed I was much more sensitive to allergies and cigarette smoke for about 2 months after stopping and then that went back to normal. I had twitches at night for a couple of weeks as well. I was pretty emotional for about two weeks or so and then back to normal.

About a month and a half after stopping indeceloped terroble anxiety. It was sudden and I'm still dealing with it about 4 months later but it's gotten better. I am much more irritable and moody now too. I was not dealing with anxiety or moods like this before taking Cymbalta so I know this is an effect of the medicine. -However, I'll never take prescriptions for anxiety ever again.

Here's what helped me get through the withdrawals: I made myself do he teadmill everyday for the first two weeks for about 20-25 minutes. I drank a lot of water, Gatorade and green tea daily. I took B12 and Gingko Bilbao daily. I took very hot baths every night. I made myself get up, shower, eat, clean the house etc. about every hour I would make myself get off the couch and do something for. A few minutes. The longer I sat still the worse I felt. Getting up and moving helped. I tried to work on little projects if I was sitting, like painting. I watched a lot of movies to keep my mind busy. But the main thing is I prayed, stayed positive and talked to my mom daily.

Later, I added in the following supplements for about a month to help me get back to normal: Calm PRT, St. John's Wort, 5-HTP, Vitamin C, Fish Oil, L-Theanine, Stress Formula by Sunset, DLPA and drank chamomile tea at night a few times.

Please know that you can get off of this!!! God bless!!!

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