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Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Hi AmyMcClean, Welcome to the community! You’ve been tapering for three years? What dose did you start at? I’m currently on my second failed tapering attempt. The first time I got down to 7.5 mg, and this time to 12 mg. I’m now slowly increasing my dose again to find the dose at which I can stabilize.

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean13d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

Hi Duloxi, yes, 3 years tapering next month. I started at 60mg. Good luck with the stabilisation - I also had to up taper a year or so ago after going a little fast. Slow and steady is definitely the way to go!

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

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Duloxi13d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Oh, that’s so great to hear. Your experience is incredibly valuable. Would you mind telling me a little more about it and going into more detail? At what dose did you start having problems? For me, it was roughly like this: at the beginning of 2026, I started experiencing my first severe symptoms, but they eventually settled down again, so I simply held the dose. Three months later, I started having problems again. Then I had eight weeks completely symptom-free! After that, things started to change. My physical symptoms gradually seemed to shift more toward psychological symptoms until I developed extreme feelings of derealization. At times, my old perception of the world from years ago seemed to come back, and that completely overwhelmed me. For the past two months, I’ve been slowly increasing my dose again in very small steps. The derealization has improved significantly, and so has the nausea. But gastrointestinal symptoms and anxiety are still making things difficult. Since yesterday, I’ve also had much stronger inner restlessness, almost as if all the fascia in my body is going crazy, possibly with a moderate level of akathisia. On the other hand, I’m not ruminating nearly as much anymore. I’m hoping this could be some kind of transitional phase.

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean13d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

I first experienced trouble when I got under about 10mg, but everyone’s experience is very different and does seem to depend on duration on medication, past tapering experience, etc.

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

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Duloxi13d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Very interesting, that sounds quite similar to my experience. How did you increase your dose, and over what period of time? What dose eventually helped you stabilize? Did you start feeling like yourself again?

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean13d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

I increased my dose very slowly over a few weeks. I ended up going up a couple of mgs and then holding for 6 months before trying again. But everyone is very different!

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

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Duloxi13d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Thank you, Amy. I know that everyone reacts differently. What dose did you then hold for six months? Over the past two months, I’ve gradually increased my dose week by week from 12 mg to 14 mg.

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

D

Duloxi13d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

@Cymbalta

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean13d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

I have done a number of holds in the 3 years I’ve tapered, but that particular time it was 9mg.

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

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Duloxi12d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Did I understand that correctly? So you increased your dose by 9 mg until you started feeling well again? Over what period of time did you increase it, and how many steps did you take to get there?

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean12d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

No, I increased it to 9mg. I increased over about a month from 7-9mg, 1 bead at a time.

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

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Duloxi12d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Okay, so last time you increased your dose from 7 mg to 9 mg. You said you first started having problems at 10 mg. How did you increase your dose from there until you became stable again?

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

A

Amy McClean12d ago

WelcomerCymbalta · active

It got hard under 10mg. I got into trouble at around 6-7mg, so tapered back up and held.

Cymbalta — 5.6mg — 8 years — actively tapering

⭐

Catina12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @Amy McClean, just wanted to say hello and welcome you here! I'm glad to see you're already getting great support. Keep us posted with how things are going for you. Catina 🩷

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

Hi, I'm Amy McClean

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