I did a search on the site for this, but didn't find my specific topic......
I was wondering how going off of a medication affects you, even if it's not an 'addictive' one.
I know everyone has been through the ringer on switching meds around. But have you ever felt a really spacy, tired and drugged feeling after stopping a medication? I recently stopped taking Cymbalta, and Neurontin (wasn't on it for long), which I was told I could just stop abruptly. Since discontinuing these, and cutting my clonazepam dose in 1/2, I am feeling MORE drugged. I don't know if it's a flare, or medication sensitivity or what. It's not like I have felt before-it's like something is in my body but I can't put a finger on it.
What your going through by coming off the meds and feeling drugged and tired can be "drug induced Lupus"...certain drugs after you come off them can cause an autoimmune response where the body attacks our own cells and then cause these affects but it maybe that you are heading for a flare...best to keep an eye on your symptoms.
Absolutely you go through a withdrawal with many types of meds, but ESPECIALLY anti-depressants and anti-seizure meds, anti-anxiety meds such as the ones you mentioned and more! You really need to taper off slowly. If it has been a few days, you might want to take half a pill to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms. You need to check with a different Dr. or even call a health line of some type because your Dr. gave you dangerously wrong information! Go to www.google.com and type in each drug one at a time and read any article about each one, it will tell you about tapering off slowly. You are lucky you didn't have really serious problems from going off of them so fast.
Sheila is so correct in what she's mentioned.....take this for instance when i was first put on plaquenil the side affects did make me bad and nobody had told me how to come off it...well as a rule i always withdraw slowly but i tested that drug and did'nt take it the next day, shakes or what...so i went back on it and chipped abit away from the tablet daily and when it was finished i was fine.
Thank you for your responses. I just now got back to this site and I will check your links though I made it through the scary part. I think it did contribute to a flare that I'm probably now in. So frustrated with my rhueumy!! I was starting to feel bad before the Cymbalta withdrawal, but he seemed to think I'd feel fine after the Cymbalta was out of my system. At least I'm not feeling dizzy and drugged or having chest muscle or nerve spasms or whatever they were anymore!
Lovely to hear off you...illnesses besides meds can be a crazy life either adjusting or getting right combinations.
I hope the links help you and i am pleased you've got past the symptoms you've mentioned as those alone can knock you about but i really hope your not heading into a flare because of this.
Please keep we updated on how you go and if you see your rheumo.