How you stopped cymbalta?

Not sure I can help but this drug was awful for me. I took the generic form duloxetine but I became very constipated and my anxiety got much worse. I have ptsd. My psychiatrist at my request stopped it and switched me to escitalopram 10mg. I have been on this about 1 year. I have no adverse effects with this. Does it really help much? I have learned to manage my ptsd with rest meditation hydration self awareness etc. Many skills I learned in therapy. I am also relearning about internal and external locus of control.

@plezbleevme714
I tapered off 60mg that I was on several years but it stopped working/helping. It was hard because I was taking capsules. I gradually reduced down by opening capsules and taking half the capsule over weeks/months (1-2). I would put the capsule contents on a spoonful of yogurt or applesauce. It was tedious but I did it. I then would take half every other day for weeks/months (1-2) then every 3rd day for weeks/months (1-2). I continued this type of taper over several months and despite tapering, I think my body rebelled after having a surgery. I sunk into a deep depression. Before tapering off Cymbalta, I tapered off Wellbutrin/bupropion over several months. My goal was to be off the medication before my surgery to see how I felt afterwards. I should have worked with my doctors but I was struggling with so much at the time.

This seemed to be a perfect storm, tapering off 2 medications, surgery, job loss, perimenopause/menopause, single parenthood stress, many health issues/chronic pain that crashed/exploded when I fell into a deep depression. I am finally, after 1.5 years, stabilized, crawled out of my dark hole of depression and now back on a combination of Wellbutrin/bupropion and Zoloft/sertraline that is working better for me. It took 1.5 years to find new medication combinations that helped and didn’t cause too many side effects. Some combinations didn’t work or would cause brain zaps.

My suggestion is to really work with your doctor/psychiatrist on a very gradual decrease of your medication over a longer period of time to give your body/brain time to adjust to the decrease in Cymbalta. You have been on the medication for a long time so you will need to really be careful with tapering and be monitored by a doctor.

Are you on any other medications? What are your current symptoms? What other medications have you tried but they didn’t work?

@plezbleevme714 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I'm glad to see you reaching out to others and figuring out what to do to get off Cymbalta.

Like you have already read, get your medical professionals involved in this! There might be something they want you to add in and change to as you go through a slow taper. After being on any medication for so many years, our bodies and minds may rebel and no longer benefit from what was working before. But that doesn't mean we can just walk away from it. And each of us is different, how we will respond to a tapering off. I was on an SSRI called citalopram for a long time, and had to do a taper off that took almost 8 weeks. I am back on that medication now for the last 5 years.

What has you medical team had to say? Take into account any other things you take and medical concerns you have. As your profile mentions, you have dealt with other addictions, so you know this may all be a challenge for you. You're strong! You got this!
Ginger