Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Has anyone crossed from Cymbalta to another AD to taper off of?


gardenlady

Recommended Posts

I am on 60 mg of duloxetine (generic Cymbalta) and want to cross to another AD that is more feasible to taper off of.  Cymbalta requires either bead counting or weighing.  My duloxetine is made by Citron from India and the beads are irregularly shaped and even some in pieces, so that eliminates bead counting.  

 

I have purchased 2 Gemini scales from Amazon, neither of which is accurate or will even calibrate accurately.  So, that eliminates weighing beads.

 

I want to cross from Cymbalta to another AD and then taper off.  Has anyone done this successfully and which AD did you cross to?  Since Cymbalta is a SNRI, there is a risk of serotonin syndrome in crossing to a SSRI.  So, it's very tricky.  I hope to hear from someone who had done this.  Thanks in advance for your help!

 

2016-Aug-Prescribed 2 mg Ativan & 10 mg Ambien; Oct-c/o from 20 mg Lexapro to 60 mg Cymbalta; Nov-Dec-Tapered off 10 mg Ambien    

2017-Jan-Feb c/o from 1.75 mg Ativan to 13 mg Valium & begin daily liquid micro taper; May-taper Cymbalta 60 mg to 48 mg with severe withdrawals.  Begin 11 month Cymbalta hold.

2018-Jan 11 completed Valium taper; Apr-Resume Cymbalta taper.  Interval dose progress: Apr 43 mg; May 40 mg; Jul 35 mg; Sep 29 mg; Dec 21 mg; 

2019- Apr 14 mg; Jun 11 mg; Aug 9 mg; Oct 7 mg; Nov 6 mg

2020-Jan 5.2 mg; Feb 4.8 mg; Mar 4.3 mg; Apr 3.9 mg; May 3.5 mg; Jun 3.3 mg; Jul 2.9 mg; Aug 2.7 mg; 28 Sep 2.4 mg/12 beads; 25 Oct 2.2 mg/11 beads; 22 Nov 2.0 mg/10 beads; 20 Dec 1.8 mg/9 beads

2021- 17 Jan 1.6 mg/8 beads; 14 Feb 1.4 mg/7 beads; 18 Mar 1.2 mg/6 beads; 18 Apr 1.0 mg/5 beads; 16 May

0.8 mg/4 beads; 13 Jun 0.6 mg/3 beads; 11 Jul 0.5 mg/2 beads; 8 Aug .03 mg/1 bead; 5 Sep 0 mg.

Brutal, agonizing, slow 4.5 year Cymbalta taper completed as of 5 Sep 2021.  100% psych drug free.  

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator Emeritus

Have you spoken to the pharmacist about what other generic versions of Cymbalta are available.  You may need to try different pharmacies to find out what they supply.

 

See at the bottom of Post #1 under the heading Switch to Prozac in this topic:  Tips for tapering off Cymbalta (duloxetine)

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you spoken to the pharmacist about what other generic versions of Cymbalta are available.  You may need to try different pharmacies to find out what they supply.

 

See at the bottom of Post #1 under the heading Switch to Prozac in this topic:  Tips for tapering off Cymbalta (duloxetine)

 

Haven't done that yet.  Still hoping to find another AD to cross to and if not, then I may use various doses to slowly wean down, but it won't be accurate enough for a 10% rate.  I'm feeling very scared and discouraged.  This is starting to look as bad as benzo withdrawal. 

 

2016-Aug-Prescribed 2 mg Ativan & 10 mg Ambien; Oct-c/o from 20 mg Lexapro to 60 mg Cymbalta; Nov-Dec-Tapered off 10 mg Ambien    

2017-Jan-Feb c/o from 1.75 mg Ativan to 13 mg Valium & begin daily liquid micro taper; May-taper Cymbalta 60 mg to 48 mg with severe withdrawals.  Begin 11 month Cymbalta hold.

2018-Jan 11 completed Valium taper; Apr-Resume Cymbalta taper.  Interval dose progress: Apr 43 mg; May 40 mg; Jul 35 mg; Sep 29 mg; Dec 21 mg; 

2019- Apr 14 mg; Jun 11 mg; Aug 9 mg; Oct 7 mg; Nov 6 mg

2020-Jan 5.2 mg; Feb 4.8 mg; Mar 4.3 mg; Apr 3.9 mg; May 3.5 mg; Jun 3.3 mg; Jul 2.9 mg; Aug 2.7 mg; 28 Sep 2.4 mg/12 beads; 25 Oct 2.2 mg/11 beads; 22 Nov 2.0 mg/10 beads; 20 Dec 1.8 mg/9 beads

2021- 17 Jan 1.6 mg/8 beads; 14 Feb 1.4 mg/7 beads; 18 Mar 1.2 mg/6 beads; 18 Apr 1.0 mg/5 beads; 16 May

0.8 mg/4 beads; 13 Jun 0.6 mg/3 beads; 11 Jul 0.5 mg/2 beads; 8 Aug .03 mg/1 bead; 5 Sep 0 mg.

Brutal, agonizing, slow 4.5 year Cymbalta taper completed as of 5 Sep 2021.  100% psych drug free.  

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on Cymbalta and crossed over to Prozac to help with the WD. I stopped CT from it too. Its been a long hard 3 years. I'm still suffering from tension headaches and an unbalanced feeling almost like I'm buzzed. You can read my story if you'd like. 

2009 - Took Paxil, first antidepressant every. Horrible shocking feelings and depression

2010 - Switched to Cymbalta 30 mg

2013 - upped to 60mg at the horrible advice of a doctor who then said quit cold turkey

2013 - Started prozac 20mg

 

*I have always been low in Vitamin B and around this time learned of Vitamin D deficiency

 

2014 - Horrible withdrawal symptoms....shocking feelings, pressure in head/tension headache almost

Had multiple tests and scans (MRI MRA CT - all normal)

Between end of 2014 to present off an on I still have symptoms. Mostly head pressure, pins and needles, sometimes shocking feelings. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am so sorry for all of your troubles and pain caused by these hideous drugs.  Did you CT off of Cymbalta before you started the Prozac?  I hope you will start to have more and longer windows than waves.  Thanks for your kind reply to my post. 

 

2016-Aug-Prescribed 2 mg Ativan & 10 mg Ambien; Oct-c/o from 20 mg Lexapro to 60 mg Cymbalta; Nov-Dec-Tapered off 10 mg Ambien    

2017-Jan-Feb c/o from 1.75 mg Ativan to 13 mg Valium & begin daily liquid micro taper; May-taper Cymbalta 60 mg to 48 mg with severe withdrawals.  Begin 11 month Cymbalta hold.

2018-Jan 11 completed Valium taper; Apr-Resume Cymbalta taper.  Interval dose progress: Apr 43 mg; May 40 mg; Jul 35 mg; Sep 29 mg; Dec 21 mg; 

2019- Apr 14 mg; Jun 11 mg; Aug 9 mg; Oct 7 mg; Nov 6 mg

2020-Jan 5.2 mg; Feb 4.8 mg; Mar 4.3 mg; Apr 3.9 mg; May 3.5 mg; Jun 3.3 mg; Jul 2.9 mg; Aug 2.7 mg; 28 Sep 2.4 mg/12 beads; 25 Oct 2.2 mg/11 beads; 22 Nov 2.0 mg/10 beads; 20 Dec 1.8 mg/9 beads

2021- 17 Jan 1.6 mg/8 beads; 14 Feb 1.4 mg/7 beads; 18 Mar 1.2 mg/6 beads; 18 Apr 1.0 mg/5 beads; 16 May

0.8 mg/4 beads; 13 Jun 0.6 mg/3 beads; 11 Jul 0.5 mg/2 beads; 8 Aug .03 mg/1 bead; 5 Sep 0 mg.

Brutal, agonizing, slow 4.5 year Cymbalta taper completed as of 5 Sep 2021.  100% psych drug free.  

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy