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Suggest Ways To Wean Off Cymbalta

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Posted on Mon, 29 Jun 2015
Question: have been on Cymbalta for many years,and the doseage is now 120mg.
I now feel ready to start reducing.
I have read where someone had success with taking out one of the white balls,from the capsule,each day slowly until 60mg then levelling out for several months before starting to do the same method to get down to 30mg.Have you heard of this method?
I also take olmetec for blood pressure,and Largactil to assist with sleeping,plus vitamins and minerals.
Thank you XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
wean off cymbalta as advised

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to HCM.
This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query.

I understand your concern.
Cymbalta is duloxetine, an antidepressant. Like many other antidepressants, it has some withdrawal effects when stopped suddenly. So it is advised to wean it off slowly.
When such patient comes to me for discontinuing antidepressants, I advise decreasing dosage slowly. Same should be done with duloxetine also. Now if one takes 120mg, one can decrease it to 90mg for 2-3months, then 60mg and followed by 30mg for another such period. Finally one can discontinue. It will be 6-8months process. If a patient came to me with the above query, i would have given this advice. Reducing contents from capsules might better be avoided, capsules of lesser strength can rather be used.
You should talk to your treating doctor about weaning off cymbalta.
You can continue other medicines regularly.

Hope this was helpful.
Regards.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Answered by
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Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2013

Answered : 906 Questions

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Suggest Ways To Wean Off Cymbalta

Brief Answer: wean off cymbalta as advised Detailed Answer: Hello. Welcome to HCM. This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query. I understand your concern. Cymbalta is duloxetine, an antidepressant. Like many other antidepressants, it has some withdrawal effects when stopped suddenly. So it is advised to wean it off slowly. When such patient comes to me for discontinuing antidepressants, I advise decreasing dosage slowly. Same should be done with duloxetine also. Now if one takes 120mg, one can decrease it to 90mg for 2-3months, then 60mg and followed by 30mg for another such period. Finally one can discontinue. It will be 6-8months process. If a patient came to me with the above query, i would have given this advice. Reducing contents from capsules might better be avoided, capsules of lesser strength can rather be used. You should talk to your treating doctor about weaning off cymbalta. You can continue other medicines regularly. Hope this was helpful. Regards.