More withdrawals??? So tired of them. Help.

[Pat1956100]

My doctor wants to start me on Cymbalta.  I have been on Effexor for over 6 years.  I had a horrible time coming off of the Lyrica.  I swear it was as bad as any opiate withdrawal.  I still feel sick, depressed, and really miserable.  Now I am supposed to start the Effexor taper. (Oh, I chose to do them separate).  I am on 150mg.  The taper is 75mg for 1 week, then 37.5mg for a week, then stop and start the Cymbalta.
I am afraid because this seems pretty fast to me but my doctor doesn't like to be argued with or when you don't follow his instructions.
Do you think this is doable?  Am I going to feel as sick as I did with the Lyrica?  Can I start the Cymbalta earlier?
I feel like such a ***** and so sick. .
The missing word is b i t c h.  lol.
I posted this in the depression community but I know that you guys have lots of experience with this as well so thought maybe I could get some help here too.  If not, I am sorry for posting it here.
I just know that you all know my history and know that I'm not usually such a b i t c h.
I'm just scared of more withdrawals.

[overopiates]

I actually did the opposite just this week.my cymbalta is unaffordable as my insurance doesnt cover it.My doc put me on effexor xr.I went from120mg a day if cymbalta to none for1+1/2days felt awful but I had nothing my dr called n the effexor I took150mg once a day for2days to taking them twice a day.No taper from one to the other he told me to do that.w/n1day if taking effexor I felt tons better and as soon as I took the2pills a day I feel the same as with cybalta which worked great for me but i do have more pain cause effexor doesnt help with that.Just want to tell u my experience.I was so worried but as soon as I took the effexor for a couple days after not taking anythinf i felt fine

[Pat1956100]

Well I am going to a pain management clinic.  They phoned and left a message when I was at my son's.
You can't just go to another doctor here.  You either have a family doctor or you don't.  I asked for a second opinion and he referred me to the clinic and that was back in November.

[ImDONENoMore]

I know sweetie.  I don't do the depression thing well either.  I took St Johns Worth the first six months after I quit and it helped a lot.  But you'll get through this pat.  I know you will.  Please get a second opinion from another Dr.

[Pat1956100]

I just don't do the depression thing well.  I really fall apart.  I didn't see it coming either.  When I feel better I am not wasting another second complaining.  I still have a whole world to take on clean.

[notordinary]

Pat.  I'm so sorry you are going through this. I wish i could make it better for you.
I know i can't tell you anything that hasn't been said.  So ill be short.
I pray your transition has minimal affect on you
God speed dear lady.

[ImDONENoMore]

I agree.  Pat you are NOT going backwards.  A slight bump in the road, yes, but definitely not backwards.  Give this a few days honey, you should start to feel better soon.  And if not, I will say this again.... get a SECOND opinion from another Dr.  At the very least, it will put your mind at ease.

I haven't lost faith in you girl so you can't either.  And that's an order!  LOL

[Pat1956100]

Thanks Vicki, I really needed that hug and the great advice too.

[vicki595]

No no...you're not going backwards.  Give this a little time...and take the meds together at the same time every day...Big hug!

[Pat1956100]

Well I took a cymbalta.  I will wait and see what happens.  I can't stand this and especially the depression.  6 years later and I'm back where I started, crying all the time.  

[vicki595]

HAHAHAHAHAHA   It's when I'm writing crooked and keep hitting the "m" by accident!   "the Lyrica causing all of this".    LMAO!

[toothfairie]

i saw that vicki and it made me LOL!!  i'm like, i'm clean now!!  why is that running together???  lmao

[vicki595]

WHAT??   LOL.  You need the decoder ring for that one!!

[vicki595]

If its a MAO inhibitor you need to wait two weeks and then start the new med. But that's not the case with you and I think the pharmacist is off on this one.

If you're not sure if you should take the Cymbalta then wait til the doctor is back and just go back to the full dose of the Effexor if you want. Either way, you need to be covered with the amount you're used to...it's up to you Sweetie...you know none of us can tell you what to do...  My money is on the Lyricamcausingmall of this.

[Pat1956100]

I am really tempted to take the Cymbalta again today.  Something has to help.  I don't see how it could hurt.  The pharmacist had to check the original script to see whether or not I had to wait so I imagine some doctors make you wait and others don't.

[Pat1956100]

Yes I did take the Cymbalta yesterday.  The pharmacist mentioned a washout period????
My doctor's machine just says to go to the ER if it's an emergency.
I really feel horrible and so freaking sad.  The ativan helped for a bit with the shakes.

[vicki595]

Really?  All I know is that starting the Cymbalta while tapering the other is a pretty standard practice.  You started the Cymbalta yesterday, right?

Isn't there a doctor on call for your doctor?   This really bites, huh?  Can you treat the symptoms you're feeling at all? Does the Ativan help?

[Pat1956100]

Today was so bad.  I just feel so sick and sad.  My doctor is of course on holidays so I phoned the pharmacist.  He basically said that the withdrawals were very bad and to take ativan as it would help a bit.
I'm not even sure if it's the Lyrica or Effexor or the combination but this is brutal.
He also told me not to start the Cymbalta until I am off the Effexor.  I really don't know how I am going to get through this.

[LeaAnn807]

Hey, Pat, I haven't read the whole thread but I'd talk to the doc about overlapping.  Or, if he's unreasonable, you might talk to another doc.  Effexor WD can be rough, but it should be lessened by tapering slowly.  I would be very cautious about it.  I've known people to do crazy things when stopping it cold turkey.  Literally, it was my ex husband.  Perfectly normal person and went NUTS and we didn't know why!  I want to see you HEALTHY!  So, let's do this right, ok?  And carefully! : D

[Dane74]

Im not sure if this will help you or not but i will share my experience.  I was put on Cymbalta for depression and for pain.  And let me start by letting you know that i never suffered depression until i got clean.  When i was on the Cymbalta i didn't feel emotion, i didn't cry and it freaked me out, i am still not sure till this day if it was the Cymbalats or not, so i decided to CT it, YES i know i was crazy and i would never advise anyone to do that.  As a result i became very depressed, thoughts of sucide, but i knew i wouldn't but i would think it, well after 2 weeks it got better and i was ok.  I went to the doc and he put me on Zolfot currently i am on that and i am happy with that.  I was stupid to CT the Cymbalta but i was just freaking out that i couldn't cry and i had zero emotion.  I didn't like that feeling it actually felt like i was using opiates without the opiate high, and i want to feel now the good and the bad.  But hey we are all different, and meds effect us all differently as well.  

You are doing great  Pat, i am so proud of you!

[theirmommie72]

i was on effexor years ago.  was at 150 as well i think.  i told my psych. i wanted to quit, she said okay.  didn't say anything about w/d etc.  this was when it first came out.  i almost killed myself coming off of it ct.  i went back on and was tapering.  was at the lowest does but they were capsules with the spheres in it.  i was opening the caps and counting the spheres.  that is how bad it was.  the w/d were horrible and scary.  i had never thought of suicide before that, ever.  my psych was no help during all of this.  she wanted to put me on wellbutrin.  that was her solution.  i was at the point were i was deathly afraid to take anything.  

i went to my reg. doc and told him what was going on.  he gave me xanax.  enough for 7 days and i took 3 a day until they were gone.  after that i seemed okay. i did not go back on another anti depressant for many, many years and i will not take anything that is capsule form.  always has to be a pill so i can half them or quarter them when it's time to taper off.  i initially went on it for anxiety attacks.  

[Pat1956100]

Yes, I went from 150mg to 75mg Effexor today.  I also started 60mg. Cymbalta.
I am supposed to stay on that for a week and then go down to 37.5mg of Effexor for a week and then stop the Effexor totally.
I have a headache and feel nauseous but I don't even know if it's leftover Lyrica withdrawals.
Sometimes researching too much isn't a good idea lol.

[vicki595]

Pat- I don't think it will be that bad!  But...after the one week of 37.5mg, you stop? Do you start the cymbalta right then?  Wait? That part isn't clear...

As far as getting a different doctor, that's probably difficult to do in Canada! Still, it's your body and brain so keep asking him questions until you feel comfy.  I really think you can make this switch without a problem and it will be so worth it if it helps!

[Pat1956100]

Yes that is why we are switching.  It's more for the pain from fibromyalgia.  It just happens you can't take Effexor with it and I am worried about the Effexor withdrawals after the percocet and Lyrica withdrawals.  I don't know if I have another withdrawal left in me.  I haven't felt well in months and the Lyrica withdrawals really kicked my a s s.  So here's hoping they aren't too bad.  I swear I may have a baby after all of this pain lmao.

[maria920]

I only felt a little " off" for a few days ..  have u read up on the cymbalta at all? I was on tht for 4 or 5 months and it didn't really work for me so my Dr took me off of it. The wds  for it were pretty intense but thts bc I ran out of pills before my taper was over and I figured I'd b fine, well I was wrong I was really reallY wrong... so my Dr had to give me enough to start the taper all over, so make sure if for some reason u dont like it or switch meds do a slower than normal taper. I'm sure u will b fine coming off the effexor . Good luck to u. most ppl who take the cymbalta really like it and stay in it for a while. The really good thing abt it is its made to help with pain as well. So for ppl who need an anti depressant and r in pain can take this and it really helps them. =]