KD0105: Cymbalta

[KD0105]

Welcome, KD0105. Please read this topic from the beginning. Counting beads is the only way to taper Cymbalta. Some people weigh them to be sure dosing is consistent.

Thanks! My 60mg cymbalta has the 12 bigger beads. Some say I need to get the caplets with the hundreds of tiny beads. What is the consensus here?

 

I have been on 11 of the 12 beads for 2 months now and am pretty stable. I am thinking of going to 10 of 12 beads for the next cut. If I feel too awful, I can always go back to the 11/12? Is this okay strategy?

 

I realize that when I get down further, I will have to get the ones with the tiny beads so my cuts are not so large percentage wise.

 

 

Thanks for being here for us!!!

Edited February 3, 2017 by scallywag
posted moved from Tips for Tapering Cymbalta

[ChessieCat]

I've moved your post to your Intro/Update topic because it is about your own situation and will keep your history in one place.

 

SA recommends tapering by no more than 10% of the previous dose.  It might be a better idea to go from 12 to 11 instead of ten.

 

My calculation is that 11 beads would be a 9% drop, whereas 10 beads would be about a 17% drop.  So yes, if it was me, I would definitely be going to 11 beads instead of doing a bigger drop and then having to try and stabilise if things go wrong.  Some members have found that once they destabilise their CNS (central nervous system) that they are unable to become fully stable.  It's not worth the risk.

[KD0105]

Hi ChessieCat! Thanks for moving this for me!

 

In early December 2016 I went from 12 bead to 11. These are the bigger beads. I'm stable on 11 beads so it's time to go from 11 to 10, possibly this weekend.

 

I know when I get down lower, I will have to find the cymbalta that has the tiny little beads (hundreds) so my taper won't be so large. 

 

KD

[ChessieCat]

Sorry KD,

 

I obviously wasn't completely with it this morning when I "read" your post.  For some reason I only saw the 10 of 12 and thought danger!!!

 

Pleased to know that you have already been on the 11 beads for the 2 months.  10 beads and 9 beads will still be under and equal to 10% respectively.  It will be once you go under the 9 beads that you might want to consider switching to the pesky little so and sos!

[KD0105]

Today was the first day I took 10/12. The only thing I noticed is my tinnitus is a little louder. I can deal with that! I'll check in later this week to update.

 

[KD0105]

I'm on my second day of my second cut... down to 10 balls (beads, what are these called?) out of 12. 

 

So far so good!    

[Ali4]

Good job!! Remember slow and steady

[scallywag]

KD - some people call the contents of the generic capsules "mini-pills."

[KD0105]

Good job!! Remember slow and steady

Thanks Ali, I intend to go slow and steady!! 5 years ago I weaned by counting the little balls (I had never read anything about it, just figured that's how I had to do it) and took about 6 months to do it. After being totally off for about a month, I caved and went back on. But after reading this site, I now know much more and am better prepared to get off this drug.

 

 

KD - some people call the contents of the generic capsules "mini-pills."

Thanks scallywag! How would I know which pharmacies have cymbalta with the mini-pills vs. the tiny balls?

 

 

 

2nd day on 10 of 12 mini-pills and I'm feeling pretty good! 

[Supermario]

In Italy I have found only cymbalta with micro spheres,

It is problematic to divide the dose

[scallywag]

KD - the mini-pills are from generic manufacturers; the tiny beads are used by Lilly, the name brand manufacturer.

 

The name brand is, of course, more expensive. However, you'll use fewer capsules every month as you taper.

 

A word of caution about generics:

There are multiple generic manufacturers for many medications, including for duloxetine (aka Cymbalta). This page lists those who have FDA approvals to manufacture generic duloxetine and distribute it in the USA. Generic duloxetine manufacturers.

 

The label on your prescription will have an abbreviation for the manufacturer, e.g. APO (apotex) or ANC (anchen) or TEV (teva). If you can't find the abbreviation, the label should also have an FDA assigned number specific to that manufacturer's formulation at that specific dosage.  You can use that number to look up the manufacturer, probably on the FDA website. (Living in Canada, I have Canadian government information and links, not those for the US.)

 

Some people react to their medication after having had no previous problems, when the pharmacy substitutes a generic drug from one generic manufacturer to another, e.g. November prescription filled using Apotex generic, December prescription filled using Teva generic. Reactions are usually caused by the differences are between the fillers and maybe even the capsules and mini-pill coatings, not the duloxetine itself.

 

If your pharmacy is responsive to such requests, ask to have your prescription filled each time with medication from the same manufacturer.  Insurance company policies sometimes limits your flexibility on these issues.

 

If you can't specify the generic manufacturer, do your best to avoid dose reductions at the same time as you start taking duloxetine from a different manufacturer.

 

Not everybody has this level of sensitivity. I hope you don't!

[KD0105]

Supermario, I am sorry that you have the micro spheres, is this the one with uneven sizes in each pill? Can you get the brand name?

 

Thanks scallywag, I'm on the 60mg from LUPIN LTD. 

 

​I really dislike the pharmaceutical companies for not warning doctors about the withdrawal from these drugs. And now I'm going to have to pay more to Eli-Lilly just to get the brand name to wean off. At lease my doctor understands and will go with the brand name.

 

Some drug company should come up with a pill to make weaning off C easier, they'd make a fortune!    

Edited February 4, 2017 by ChessieCat
reduced font size

[scallywag]

There are petitions to force manufacturers to provide "taper packages." I believe that one active petition is for the U.K. And if I recall correctly, a the Netherlands requires that manufacturers provide small number of medications in taper-level doses. 
 

I came up with this idea too when I had a rough experience tapering off Effexor XR in 2004/5.  After reading how ChessieCat orders compounded doses, I think taper doses should be available in denominations just like currency, 5 mg, 2 mg (we have $2 coins in Canada), 1 mg, 0.25 mg, 0.1 mg, and 0.05 mg. That way people could make up doses to fit a 5% or 10% taper.  Heck, pharmacies already offer to make up daily foil packs for people who take different combinations of medications at different times of day; it would be just as easy to make custom taper packs for people.