Withdraw? Pristiq Effexor now Cymbalta

Posted by lexiii @lexiii, Mar 19 9:29pm

I was put on Effexor 3/6, 150mgs. I had been on Pristiq for 15 years. After a few days on the Effexor I woke up with numbness in my face, mouth and tongue. Can't feel the bottom of my feet, which are so cold, nausea, confusion. I ended up in the hospital. All tests and scans came back normal. I can't sleep and my blood pressure spiked. Stopped Effexor 3/17.
I'm still experiencing all of this.
Psychiatrist put me on 30mgs Cymbalta, I'm so afraid that it's not enough to keep withdraw from the Pristiq and Effexor. I was on 200mgs of the Pristiq , but in February the psych dropped it to 100.
I saw the same psychiatrist for 23 years. I flopped around until I found this dr who i really like.
Sorry if this is jumbled up
I'm pretty jumbled.
Advice on withdraw or Cymbalta would be greatly appreciated.

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lexiii | @lexiii | Apr 1 12:01pm

So far so good on the Cymbalta. Although having a hard time sleeping and staying asleep. I was on trazadone for years, recently changed to lunesta. Hoping the Dr will increase it tomorrow .

mmsm | @mmsm | Apr 1 2:43pm

In reply to @lexiii "Pristiq was amazing for me. Good luck!" + (show)

Thanks! Did you transfer to Pristiq from something else? How soon did you feel better?

lexiii | @lexiii | Apr 1 3:17pm

I was on Prozac before the Pristiq. It took a few weeks to fully work. It's worth the wait! It kept me stable for many years. I have depression and anxious that is very hard to treat.
Good luck! Keep me posted on how your doing!!

mmsm | @mmsm | 1 day ago

In reply to @lexiii "I was on Prozac before the Pristiq. It took a few weeks to fully work. It's..." + (show)

Update: I am down to 8.1mg of effexor, and stayed with the pristiq at 25mg. Is it helping my effexor withdrawal? Hard to tell. I have terrible anxiety and burning/stinging skin, and am experiencing some good days and bad days. This is so hard, but I need to just keep going.

diverdown1 | @diverdown1 | 11 hours ago

I was on Effexor XR for years. I stopped taking it and I experienced the "brain tremors" as I call it. Like an electric buzz in my head. That is the w/drawal. I stopped taking any kind of anti-depressant although I have been on many. I got Long COVID in 2022 and lost my partner in 2023. I fell into the rabbit hole of hopelessness, at least upon awakening. I finally agreed to try Cymbalta (30 mg. which is the lowest dose). It has helped me come out of the hole of depression, not that I do not experience some depression, but that hopeless feeling is gone. The reason I agreed to go on the lowest possible dose is due to the withdrawal of anti-depressants. I hope you find that the Cymbalta helps. Please let me know. Hang in there!