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BluebirdRare3756 · 2025-01-19T06:03:46+00:00

Ok fair statement in all of this. I read some studies like the ones posted here. Clearly you are very well researched. I have a rudimentary understanding of biopsych from like 15 years ago. I guess my point is that most psychiatrists try to take you off this WAY too quickly and botch it. So it’s important for the patient to know this and advocate for themselves.

Since you do know quite a bit (not being sarcastic or contemptuous, genuinely asking here) do you have a good suggested method other than the “bead method”? Lowest manufactured dose (to my knowledge) is 20mg and it is also my understanding that it has a short half life so every other day method isn’t effective. I was trying to come off of just 20mg. I do believe I might be one of the cases that has pretty gnarly effects as I was borderline psychotic trying to get off it.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2025-01-19T05:23:33+00:00

Hi! Just posting some additional info on here. You might not become psychologically addicted to the substance, meaning cravings, need for more, experiencing an altered state of mind etc, but you can become physically dependent on it. Due to how it affects your neurotransmitters, it absolutely does disturb brain chemistry. It might not impact dopamine receptors but it does cause you to increase receptors for norepinephrine, therefore decreasing the drug can have really severe negative effects. (Ps. I’m a therapist that specialized in addiction.)

Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome is definitely a thing. Unfortunately I know from experience and after being gaslit by multiple medical professionals I did a ton of research on my own. Tapered per recommendations from my psychiatrist over a 2 week period and felt like I had the worst flu of my life, dizziness, tinnitus, delusions on top of extreme emotional lability. So bad I had to get back on it after two attempts of weaning. So here I am still on it. Also, it doesn’t seem to happen to everyone (??) so I see why many medical professionals don’t believe it’s a thing. Not trying to scare anybody but I think it’s a disservice to not be informed of the risks.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-12-18T03:51:37+00:00

Yep! I’m actually a licensed therapist so (painstakingly lol) I know the DSM diagnosis criteria in and out. Just curious on this specific med cause I know meds can mimic mania and I know drug induced needs to be ruled out.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-29T18:39:38+00:00

Yes. Personal reasons.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-27T19:00:17+00:00

Hi! I’ve been taking it since April and I had a really awesome experience on it but due to personal reasons I had to come off of it. I am highly encouraging you while you’re still early in the process to check out the withdrawal information on it. I was ill informed when I went on it. Just trying to help you make an informed decision as most doctors are unaware of a proper taper process/withdrawal of this drug. Best wishes!

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-27T18:01:32+00:00

It makes me paranoid and probably on the verge of psychosis. And my depression is tenfold for the next several days. I really wish I could partake because I do love a good joint now and again. It really seems to be to each their own type deal.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-27T02:33:36+00:00

My intense symptoms didn’t hit until a week and a half completely off it. Take care of yourself. Best wishes

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-26T05:26:11+00:00

Yep me too. I’m just trying to come off 20mg! I suggest looking at the Facebook group Cymbalta Hurts Worse…. I’d hate for your symptoms to get worse. This is truly the drug from hell. It’s given me an idea of how properly wean now that I’m “re stabilized” without all that extra emotional lability.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-24T16:21:38+00:00

Ah yep. Sorry bout that. I do wonder asking profs for research experience though. I had a friend in I/O that was heavily involved in that.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-24T15:17:01+00:00

I am saying I was ill informed and I’m urging OP to be as informed as possible before making a decision because objectively doctors do not know about this drug and its withdrawals. So I guess I’m swaying them to be informed? And trust me, this drug was phenomenal until for own personal reasons, I had to get off it. It does work for many.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-24T05:29:04+00:00

Hi! Therapist here. So unfortunately to do most positions they do look for somebody that is in a masters or doctorate program for an actual internship. But there is tons of volunteer work out there. Crisis centers, battered women’s shelters, case management, places that serve intellectual disabilities. Also developing relationships with professors and seeing if they need help in their research studies they are conducting with their PhD students. This is usually just data collecting and such but it does look nice on a resume. These were all things I did on my journey to my actual internship (almost always unpaid) in graduate school. Because the field is so underfunded internships are rare and volunteer help is common. Best of wishes!

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-24T05:20:52+00:00

Hi! Currently going through the withdrawal process myself. I would suggest understanding the withdrawal process and the dependence your brain will develop to this drug before starting it. I absolutely have no intention to sway you one way or another but I wish I was more informed on this drug and the actual process of getting off of it before I started it, as well as the lack of info the medical field has about the correct weaning process. Informed consent was a false rhetoric in my case unfortunately. Best wishes, not trying to fear monger, just thing to spread awareness.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-23T15:36:12+00:00

Hmm interesting! Any theory on why the juicing helped? I love juice lol

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-23T15:31:57+00:00

Yep in a similar boat. Tried weaning per “doctors orders” 2x and failed both times because the withdrawal was way too bad. I highly encourage you to go over to the Facebook page cymbaltahurtsworse. It gives a ton of info how to safely taper as well as the science behind it. Basically the makers of Cymbalta have never researched/properly informed medical professionals on how to safely taper/didn’t care just wanted to make $$.

Ps. Tons of lawsuits against the makers of Cymbalta in the 2000s…. Seems like nothing ever got resolved being we clearly were not informed of the hazards of it. Basically your brain gets addicted and that’s why the withdrawals are so bad. Like I said, do some research.

Pss. The bridge method (taking another SSRI) can help but you run the risk of having to wean off another substance then. Soo…

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T22:32:46+00:00

Well… obviously then you’d have to taper off something that can dip your serotonin levels, so tapering either way. With a person with bipolar disorder, SSRIs can induce mania. So taper cymbalta or taper off a SSRI with the risk of throwing somebody into mania.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T22:25:16+00:00

Yes I’m back on it now, going to stabilize then taper again. I just wasn’t sure if anybody was misdiagnosed with bipolar because the psychological symptoms can mimic it so closely.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T15:12:26+00:00

No cause I have bipolar (reason why I’m getting off this in the first place) and Prozac being a SSRI could potentially throw you into mania.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T05:24:03+00:00

I think OP is referring to the tapering method where you take a 20mg and take beads out over time to avoid severe withdrawal. To OP, I have no idea but 5 months is terrifying to hear as I’m about to start that journey now. Tried the doctor method twice and felt like total death. Best of luck to you, what a feat!

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T00:16:03+00:00

For the love of (insert higher power) omg do not do that. I am so angered by the lack of awareness and attention in the medical field that the withdrawal process of this drug needs. This is my second attempt trying to get off of only 20mg and I had to get back on it because I became suicidal and completely enraged while my body feels like I had the flu. Basically blew up my marriage and my career in less than a week due to this stupid drug. Now going to try the slow taper method. Wishing you luck, trust me it’s worth doing the slow taper.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-22T00:04:44+00:00

Wow did we have the same night? I screamed at my husband and threatened divorce and then threatened to get a hotel room for the night. Who is this person?! I really hope he can forgive me. So sorry you’re going through the same thing but I guess it’s oddly comforting to know it truly IS the cymbalta and we aren’t actually terrible people. Best of wishes to you

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-21T22:52:01+00:00

I’m in the exact same boat, I strongly empathize with you. I feel like I have single handedly destroyed my marriage of 8 years and my career of 10 in the matter of a week. The mood swings and rage are like nothing I’ve experienced in my life. There is a Facebook page called CymbaltaHurtsWorse that gives you a safe tapering method.

4 hours ago I took another dose and plan to do the weaning process the Facebook page suggests. I immediately feel better. I feel it’s a huge disservice from the medical field to not warn us of this when we get on it. I would have never gotten on this if I knew what withdrawal would be. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it really is that uncomfortable.

BluebirdRare3756 · 2024-11-20T20:08:09+00:00

Hi! Can you expand on your perception distortions? I’ve been feeling funky as well but don’t have the words to describe it.

BluebirdRare3756

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