In July my doctor put me on Cymbalta for anxiety. I stayed on it for 2 1/2 weeks, but had to stop because of the side effects never easing up. Then I started 20 mg. of Celexa for two weeks. I started to feel better. Then the doc wanted me to go up to 40 mg. , but I was afraid of the side effects, so I insisted on 30 mg. After several days on 30 mg. I became unmotivated. It has even been hard for me to go take a shower. My anxiety is very high even though I have Klonopin to take. I have heat flushes, headaches, and pressure in my head. I’m also sad often and I’m not a sad person at all. This is my 10 th day on 30 mg. I think my doc is trying to get me to 40mg because that was what I was on when I quit 6 months ago. Do you think I should ride out 30 mg. or ask to be put back on 20 mg. for a while?
I think it isn’t always best to listen to the advice of your doctor. I have heard that sometimes the increase will get you to where you need to be. However, I will say once you start down the road of medications they can be extremely hard to stop taking. I recently went through a horrible withdrawl period from using Valium and Xanax. Awful and I will never take a medication again. Everybody is different though. Be very careful with the klonopin. I have heard cymbalta can be tough to stop if you ever wanted to as well. Again, I am certainly not a doctor and not giving any advice just sharing my experience and advising you to check into it a little further. I suffer from terrible ocd/health anxiety. I have had every medical test you can imagine and struggle with this. I recently started therapy and I am going to try to fight through this that way. I feel for your situation. At one point I considered taking Lexapro and I didn’t get past the first week because of the side effects. I wish you the best of luck.
If the drug does not suit you then the dr usually discontinues it. It takes a while to wean off.
Hey Jenni,
How are you doing on your withdrawal off diazapam and Xanax ? I am on diazapam too and wanted to wean it off as it doesn’t work as good as before and I am dependent on it. What dosage are you on ?
Hi,
I was on 10mg Valium in suppository form for pelvic floor muscle tightness for 8 months daily. I’m sure it was just an anxiety issue. The problem I created for myself is I stopped cold turkey because I had no clue whatsoever about benzos and how you must taper down. I started getting terrible anxiety, way worse than my normal anxiety, and the doctor gave me Xanax. That helped a bit but I became dependent and after one month stopped that abruptly too. Terrible mistake. I was in bad shape for about 6 months - panic attacks, acrophobia, dizziness constantly, muscle twitching, this adrenaline type rushing, my ocd/ health anxiety was through the roof and other odd things. These would wax and wane but really bad. I went through every medical test imaginable trying to figure out what was wrong including 3 brain MRI’s for the dizziness 3 nerve emg’s for the twitching, heart tests for the palpitations, then I said forget it and did a complete body scan!!! I realized at about 2 months off it could be withdrawl. At 6 months off I made a breakthrough and started feeling a bit better. Now at 8 months off I am a lot better than above, but I’ll still get some residual anxiety in the am and muscle twitching and just points in the day where I feel off. It doesn’t last as long now and is lessened but not 100% yet. I am also in therapy to work on n the health anxiety.
I advise you to taper very slowly with help of a doctor to try to avoid some of the effects. I am not a doctor clearly but I have read so much about the importance of a slow taper to avoid bad side effects. I could have avoided some of my pain.
I am sorry to hesrthsgypy have to go through so much pain. Yes. Benzos has to be came off very slowly .I am on 15 mg daily. I am scared to taper off. I am freak out with panic attacks . Thank for replying ! Take care
Ebeth, I can relate to your situation. I’ve taken both Cymbalta and Celexa with degrees of success. The Celexa and Lexapro more-so as I was on those for 15yrs+ and Cymbalta for a few years later on. Cymbalta worked, however I found myself after awhile being very tired, sluggish, and unmotivated. I’d just want to stay in bed (if I could). Maybe this had to do with the dosing; don’t know. Anyway I became frustrated with my state, thus I switched things up. Today I’m on Prozac, and still going through the stabilization period. Here is my thought on dosing, but mind you I’m no doctor or expert on this stuff. After the side effects pass and the meds bed-in, my goal is to find and take the least amount of the med so that I feel ok. If I feel a little angst every once in awhile I’m ok with that. But my aim is not to take too much and feel zoned-out. I hope that makes sense. Like I said this is my method, and I may have it all wrong. So certainly consult and listen to your doctor. Just sharing my experience. Best wishes.
How long should it take to get used to side effects?