Q: --weaning off Cymbalta; any suggestions for counteracting the side effects of this process? Specifically, feeling of disconnection,that comes and goes/brain "jolts". thanks, karen k.
Hi Karen
I guess the first thing I have to ask is...have you spoken with your doctor about your withdrawal symptoms? It may be a case where you will have to take a longer time to wean from this drug.
Our Deborah Gray has written about Cymbalta...you may want to read her article.
Here is a similar question posed by one of our members about weaning from Cymbalta and how she got through it.
Also here is a Cymbalta Withdrawal forum which may help.
Do you have any plans for taking another antidepressant or is this it for you? There are some people who use Prozac to help with the weaning process as it is not known to have as severe side effects when you stop taking it.
Let us know how you are doing. I am sorry you are going through this.
You should talk to your doctor immediately about side effects like these, especially if they make it difficult to drive. Perhaps, you need to withdraw from the drug more slowly. The rate of withdrawal varies for each antidepressant because they stay in your blood for different lengths of time - they refer to that as the drug's half-life. Prozac, for example, leaves your system very quickly so if you stop too fast your system will react to the sudden absence of the additional serotonin. Cymbalta acts on both serotonin and neurontin. I've heard of jolts and zapping sensations with some antidepressants - even seizures, though that's pretty rare.
The feeling of disconnection could be a symptom of depression coming back or a reaction to the drug. You need to check this out with your doctor just as soon as you can.
John
Correction -
Sorry I got the half life wrong - I meant paroxitine, not prozac, as having the relatively short half life. Prozac has a longer one than many others.
Sorry 
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