Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Luthie2006 · Post by **Luthie2006** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:58 am

Good afternoon, on his humid/hot day in the windy city. Due to these wonderful people on here, particularly 49er and every one else these are the positive things I am going to do which is somewhat related to CPAP and somewhat not.

As in my previous post of last week, I had written that I have been on Cymbalta 60 mg, now for 9 months, exclusively for chronic low back pain. Because of an enormous amount of weight gain and because I am on Celebrex every day anyways, my Primary physician agreed to let me "taper off of it completely." And of course, the back pain back in November did not allow me to sleep. WE are not sure if it is the Celebrex or Cymbalta that is helping my pain level go down to a "2" most bad days and a 0-1 on good days, but we both thought I can get off of it. To make a long story short, he is tapering me down from 60 mg to 30 mg every other day which I have been doing for 2 weeks, and then he wanted me to go to the 30 mg every 3 days for 2 weeks and then OFF. I happened to mention it on my post and got wonderful responses from members on how horrible this will be to taper. I wrote him last Friday and his response was "Cymbalta is not a narcotic (no sh--) and the way we said to taper at 30 mg every 3 days is the way and I am inaccurate. He would not write me a script for 20 mg which I can get at my local pharmacy but said he will write more for 30's. I read 49er's response and I will fill the 30's just to have them so smaller doses can be tapered. 49er also sent me a link to psychiatrists who will taper people slowly off meds the safe way! Even though I don't need a psych., these docs do this every day. Coincidently, the doctor is in the exact same hospital I work at!!!! How convenient for me is this? So I have a 6 pm appointment next week, August 20th. His nurse said after speaking to the psych. that the way my Primary told me to taper is absolutely senseless and does not make sense to him and dangerous, every 3 days and then back on! This psych. will use a compound pharmacy as well. Yes, it is much more $$$$ out of my pocket than should be to go this route, but at least I won't be sick! It is cheaper for me to buy the meds to taper and pay a shrink than it is to take off time off of work being sick!
Point is the best 2 tips I got on here is I am seeing this psych. who tapers people off everyday and turn the clock around on my night table! You guys are the best!!! Also, I have an appointment in the middle of September for a new Primary!!! Thanks guys!

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 12:13 pm

Great! Maybe the psych can make an attempt to educate your former primary doc and avoid him harming some of his more compliant patients in the future.

Luthie2006 · Post by **Luthie2006** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 12:55 pm

Thanks Archangle:

I agree with you the psych should educate every Primary. I never ever heard of the small tapering that was told to me on this site ever, let alone counting beads. I have access to free online medical journals online at the hospital and unfortunately every journal I read on tapering off of Cymbalta is actually the way my Primary stated to me; reduce dose, then every other day for 2 weeks, then every 3 days for 2 weeks, and then OFF. I am too embarrassed to tell the psych the Primary's name actually because everyone knows everyone at the hospital. I will keep all posted on the psych's formula recommendations for this. Thanks Archangle and everyone.

49er · Post by **49er** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:36 am

I am so happy to hear your good news Luthie and look forward to your report as to how it goes with Dr. Pundy.

49er

JDS74 · Post by **JDS74** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:15 am

Good news as well.
It will be interesting to see if the new regimen look more like:
30.0 for 4 days
15.0 for 2 days
10.0 for 2 days
07.5 for 2 days
05.0 for 2 days
done

BTW, the serum half-life of Cymbalta is 12 hours. The blood level at the end of 24 hours is 1/4 of the initial dose for normally aged people without kidney issues that would interfere.

Luthie2006 · Post by **Luthie2006** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 12:01 pm

Right now, I am going to the Pharmacy tonight to pick up 30 mg that my "kind" and clueless idiot said he would do that for me. He told me to take every other day for 2 weeks which I have, and then every 3 days. I will just stick to every other day until I see Dr. Pundy next Wednesday (8-20) at night and see what he recommends for me. It's a shame that I have to spend so much $$$ on a new doctor (Dr. Pundy) just to have him taper me off safely, and his nurse said I would have to have more than 1 visit. Either way, this is not going to be a cheap proposition for me which is hard for me because I am single/divorced. But it beats getting sick on withdrawals from Cymbalta from what I read.
It will be interesting to see the regimen he puts me on too. Good thing I also live near a compounding pharmacy too!
Keep you posted. Then I will write a "good-bye" letter to my primary. "I am doctor, you are patient." Have a new appointment at the end of September with a new Primary, maybe he will be better educated.

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:52 pm

Most of the people talking about tapering off are talking about tapering off over many months.

Of course, the medical mafia considers them to be nutjobs.

JDS74 wrote:Good news as well.
It will be interesting to see if the new regimen look more like:
30.0 for 4 days
15.0 for 2 days
10.0 for 2 days
07.5 for 2 days
05.0 for 2 days
done

BTW, the serum half-life of Cymbalta is 12 hours. The blood level at the end of 24 hours is 1/4 of the initial dose for normally aged people without kidney issues that would interfere.

49er · Post by **49er** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:19 pm

Hey, I resemble that remark.

All jokes aside, there is no doubt in my mind that my former psychiatrist thought I was nuts when I wanted to taper very slowly. But I had been on the a cocktail of meds for years and knew if I did it his way, I would be in a for a world of hurt big time. Fortunately, he cooperated with my plan even though he wasn't in favor of it and I think near the end grudgingly came to accept it.

49er

archangle wrote:Most of the people talking about tapering off are talking about tapering off over many months.

Of course, the medical mafia considers them to be nutjobs.

JDS74 wrote:Good news as well.
It will be interesting to see if the new regimen look more like:
30.0 for 4 days
15.0 for 2 days
10.0 for 2 days
07.5 for 2 days
05.0 for 2 days
done

BTW, the serum half-life of Cymbalta is 12 hours. The blood level at the end of 24 hours is 1/4 of the initial dose for normally aged people without kidney issues that would interfere.

ems · Post by **ems** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:56 pm

Delighted to read this, Luthie. Keep us posted.

JDS74 · Post by **JDS74** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 5:10 pm

JDS74 wrote:Good news as well.
It will be interesting to see if the new regimen look more like:
30.0 for 4 days
15.0 for 2 days
10.0 for 2 days
07.5 for 2 days
05.0 for 2 days
done

BTW, the serum half-life of Cymbalta is 12 hours. The blood level at the end of 24 hours is 1/4 of the initial dose for normally aged people without kidney issues that would interfere.

For those thinking two weeks is to fast, this schedule ends at two weeks what the 30 mg every three days does.
So, if you want 4 weeks, multiply the days by 2
if you want 8 weeks, by 4.
etc. It all depends on the individual reaction to the lowering dosage.

Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

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Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"

Re: Follow Up to "Firing my Primary"