Cymbalta Warning: Brain Zaps and Other Fun Symptoms

I am 37 years old and I have never had a sip of alcohol. I've never smoked a cigarette or anything else. I've never done any kind of illegal drugs.  Ever.  Today is the 5th day of my withdrawal symptoms, however, and I am more convinced than ever that drugs--legal or otherwise--need to be handled very cautiously.
The drug I am having withdrawal from is one of the most commonly prescribed SSNR (Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) medications, used for depression, anxiety, neuropathy, or in my case, fibromyalgia.  It's called Cymbalta or Duloxetine, but I have a lot of other names  I could call it right now.  I have been on the lowest dosage most US doctors will prescribe (30 mg) since last September.  On Monday, I decided it wasn't doing anything and I was ready to quit.  That's when all of the fun began.
I have actually had similar symptoms a few times before when I forgot to take a dosage for more than two days in a row and a few mild symptoms on off days when I started taking it every-other-day a few months ago. I have read a lot of horror stories about how hard it is to stop taking Cymbalta, regardless of whether or not you step down, your doctor helps, or you just go cold-turkey.  I was hopeful that I would be able to quit fairly easily since most of the prescription drugs I've taken before haven't had adverse side-effects and I was on such a low dose already. I was wrong, way wrong.
So, since Tuesday, I have been suffering from some pretty nasty side-effects from quitting the Cymbalta Team. The one that is the worst and the most frequent are the "brain zaps" as they are commonly referred to by other quitters.  This is a fun little event that happens to me about 25-30 times an hour or any time I turn my head or any time one of my children puts something close to my face, or any time I move my eyes--so basically almost constantly.  It's very hard to describe but it's almost like my brain is rolling around inside of my head.  It feels like a little electric shock moving through my brain and then a bit of a roll.  Not at all pleasant. It doesn't hurt per se but it is not fun.  It makes me dizzy and extremely nauseated.  I have read that, for some people, this little gem can last up to 7 months. Awesome.

The next most annoying symptom is not being able to digest food. I won't go in to too much detail but let's just say anything I eat finds the closest exit.  But I have been so extremely nauseated the hole time that I really haven't eaten too much any way. Maybe that's a bonus to the diet! Hey, what do you know, I've found a positive. In fact, I've actually lost 8 pounds since Tuesday (it's Friday) so maybe I've started a new trend, the Cymbalta Withdrawal Diet! If you don't mind all of the other side effects, you might lose a little from the ol' backside!
Another symptom is what some may refer to as "malaise" or as I like to call it, inability-to-get-my-booty-out-of-bed. I'm just so extremely tired!  But then, getting up makes the brain go nuts so may as well just lay here. I actually went out of my house for the first time since Monday today and didn't stay out too long because of all of the other side effects.  I was very nervous driving my car with my children in it, too.  But we all lived and now I'm back in bed. I'm supposed to go to a get-together in a few hours and I'm hosting one tomorrow so I really hope I find the strength to do both of those things!
My husband's favorite symptom is my outrage irritability.  Let's just say I haven't been very pleasant these past few days. Now, I realize that Cymbalta regulates serotonin so it makes sense that I wouldn't be as happy without it, but I wasn't taking it for my mood. Those of you that know me know that I am always usually very pleasant. Not the last few days!  And my children have probably gotten the worst of it, unfortunately. Don't worry--we don't spank them so the scars are only emotional, not physical. I am joking!  But I do know I haven't had the patience of a kindergarten teachers these last few days.
I have also been extremely itchy. And then, last night, I wasn't sure if I had a real gnat that kept landing on me or if I had the classic horror story withdrawal symptom of phantom bugs crawling on me.  It's actually happened twice now, which makes me a little more concerned, but I think, considering it's July and I live in Texas, next to a pond and a lake, they are  probably real bugs.
Another fun one is the muscle twitching, spasming, and my limbs occasionally doing whatever they want.  This includes some form of restless leg syndrome that keeps me up most of the night.  I am constantly having to change positions.  I've also had tremors in my head, which are a delight, and have been so severe that it really scared my daughter last night when she couldn't figure out why I kept shaking my head "no" at her.
I am an emotional wreck. I cried over the contestants on Hell's Kitchen getting to see their families last night and I haven't even been watching that show.  I cry over cute pictures on Facebook.  I go from crying to angry in about 2 seconds flat.  Unfortunately, I have not had the symptom of extreme happiness but I'm hopeful that it is coming.
Now, as I mentioned, I do live in Texas and it is July.  Oddly enough, however, the temperature here today is 72.  So, that doesn't quite explain why I am sweating profusely.  Seriously, I had to turn the air down in my car to something like 66 just to not feel like I was suffocating. And I am always cold so this is a great new experience for me.
There are a few other mild symptoms I could list but they aren't nearly as fun as the ones I have already described to you. After all, what could possibly top brain zaps, tremors, and profuse sweating?
This is my warning to you or to any one who may be asked to take any form of an SSNR blocker such as Cymbalta, but certainly Cymbalta itself:  talk to your doctor about the benefits versus the risks first.  I didn't do that when my doctor put me on for a couple of reasons.  First of all, he wasn't going to put me on Cymbalta.  He was going to put me on Lyrica. I'm not exactly sure if people who have been taking Lyrica have had the same sort of side-effects or not but there's a possibility Lyrica may have actually worked for my condition and I could have just kept taking it, never needing to find out what it's like to come off of it.  And Lyrica is not an SSRI.  I will be talking to my doctor (different doctor!) about Lyrica at my next visit.  The doctor who put me on Cymbalta spent a few minutes talking to me about Lyrica, went out to get the prescription written up, found out Cymbalta would be cheaper with my insurance and wrote it for Cymbalta instead.  Secondly, I am stupid! When it comes to doctors, I tend to believe what they tell me and trust that they know what is best for me.  The more doctors I go to, however, the more I find out this is not often the case. A smart person would have said, "Tell me about Cymbalta.  What are the side-effects?  What will we do if it doesn't work?  ARE THERE ANY WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS?"  I think another factor for why I went with it was that I have been on SNRI's in the past and had no problem getting off of them.  My gastrointerologist put me on one for a few months after I had my gallbladder removed because I was still in a lot of pain and he couldn't figure out why.  I also had a urologist put me on one once because of a "lady problem" I was having. I hated the way I felt on that one (like I couldn't think!) and she took me off immediately and put me on something else that was not an SNRI.  Since it was so easy for me to come off of those drugs,  I thought Cymbalta would be the same.
But for me, it's not.  And it may or may not be the case for you.  Since I have been toying with the notion of quitting the drug, I have read lots and lots of horror stories on-line about people with similar symptoms to mine, and some a lot worse. Last night we discussed whether or not I should go to the ER but that seemed stupid to me because I know how to make it stop--go take a Cymbalta and everything will be fine. I didn't want to waste anyone's time when I know I can make it go away.  But I also don't want to take Cymbalta any more. Ever again. And yet that bottle is still sitting in there, just in case . . . .  And I believe that is the definition of Drug Addiction.
I am certainly not telling anyone that they shouldn't take Cymbalta if a medical professional tells you it will be beneficial to their condition. I am only suggesting that you ask a lot of questions and make sure that you understand what might happen if you have to come off of it or if you decide to come off of it. It's really not any fun at all.
In the time that it has taken to write this, I have had approximately 15 brain zaps and yelled at my daughters to stop fighting at least 8 times.  (Normally, that number would be somewhere around 5.)
Has anyone else had a similar experience with prescription drugs?  I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section. Or if you have a great way to cure brain zaps (other than Cymbalta!) please let me know that as well!

My Thyroid Will Get By With a Little Help From My Friends!

Yesterday, I posted on Facebook about my thyroid condition, the goiter (reassuring everyone that it is not the size of a football!) and that I've been having some really bad bouts of acid re-flux lately.  I had so many friends respond--people I had no idea had thyroid problems. It was so awesome to have so much support from my friends.  One of them actually sent me several texts with lots of important information.  I knew from my research that thyroid problems are pretty common but I didn't realize just how many of the people I already know have been diagnosed with similar problems. It's good to have the support but it's also really sad that there's so many people who have this horrible problem.
And I'm not sure people who don't have it realize just how nasty it can be.  A thyroid problem, whether it's hypo or hyper, messes with a lot of other stuff. Your quality of life can be drastically affected by having a disruptive thyroid.  Since I started taking my new meds on Wednesday I have felt a lot better, other than the acid!) I can't say that I'm not tired any more but I can say that the brain fog is starting to lift. It's like I'm tired because I worked a lot (even at 10:00 AM) rather than the usual, "I'm gonna fall asleep right at my desk!" sort of tired.  And that's definitely an improvement.
So, now I'm wondering, how many of you have been reading my posts and thinking, "Hmmm that sounds like me.  Can't lose weight, can't stop gaining weight, tired all the time, hair doing it's own thing, skin is dry, libido is lacking, yep, could be me."  Anyone?  I'm hopeful that, by sharing my story, others will be able to figure out what is going on with their own crazy thyroids as well!

Oh, So the Thyroid is an Important Body Part, Eh?

I had my two month follow-up at Balanced Hormones and Health this week and found out that I also have hypothyroidism and a goiter. Whenever I hear the word goiter, I immediately think of an episode of Seinfeld when the gang signs up to visit elderly people in their homes and one of the ladies has a goiter the "size of a football." I don't think mine is that big but it is annoying and I have to get an ultrasound done to see exactly what is going on.
I have done a lot of research on the thyroid this week and I found out a lot of interesting information.  It turns out a lot of people have undiagnosed or misdiagnosed thyroid problems because most doctors just look at one of the numbers that come back with the blood tests.  My doctor also looked at my T3 level and she said it indicates a problem.  She put me on Armour Thyroid, which is made from pig thyroid, apparently, and it has been very successful in treating patients with similar symptoms as mine. She said she wanted to treat my symptoms, not my paperwork, which I appreciate.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include: gaining weight or inability to lose weight (check), constipation (check)  fatigue (check) brittle hair (sort of check) dry skin (check) and can also include various other things that are different from one person to the next. These are the things I really wanted help with, especially the weight and the fatigue so I was more than happy to start taking the medication.  On a side note, she also gave my nystatin for candida, which, if you've read my other posts, you know is something I'm also combating.
So, essentially in the last few months I have found out I have a hormonal imbalance, a lazy thyroid, and an intestinal yeast infestation. Yeah, it's no wonder I don't feel so good.  But the medicine and supplements are slowly working. I am starting to feel better (except for a nasty case of acid reflux, which I am thinking might have something to do with the goiter.)  I am sleeping a little better,  have a little more energy, and while I haven't lost any weight yet, I have stopped gaining weight, which is a step in the right direction.
Hopefully, after a few months of treatment, my symptoms will start to subside and I will start feeling like myself again!  Here's hoping for healthy improvements!

There, I Said It. . .

For many years I have been fairly annoyed by all of the erectile dysfunction commercials. I guess they let all of us ladies know how guys must have felt hearing about feminine products.  Now, we have a new type of commercial to let us in to a "man's world"--the "Low-T" commercials.  You've probably seen them.  Some attractive middle-aged man shruggingly admits that he does, in fact, have low-testosterone.  I believe the phrase is, "I have low-T.  There, I said it." But it's okay because he has spoken to his doctor and it's just a number.  He's taking a new prescription and everything is going to be fine. Honestly, as annoying as these types of commercials can be, I think it's great that people are talking about hormonal imbalance. Unfortunately, what a lot of people don't realize is that women also need a certain level of testosterone in order for our bodies to function correctly.  Women with low testosterone levels can also suffer from low libido, weight gain, poor muscle mass, feeling tired even after a good nights rest, and various other symptoms.  The fact is, all of our body's hormones need to be in balance in order for us to feel our best and do our best.  This isn't just a man's problem--it's a person problem.
And I should know, because I have low-T--there, I said it.
I also have low progesterone and DHEA.  I found this out by visiting Balanced Health and Hormones (or BH2.) They did complete blood work on me, looking at everything you could possibly imagine and some things you have probably never heard of before.  In the end, I was given prescriptions to help balance my hormones and some other supplements, including Vitamin D, Vitamin B, and Magnesium.  It's been about a month since I started this regiment and while I'm not at 100% yet, I am starting to feel better.  I have more energy, I feel like the exercise I've been doing for years is actually getting me somewhere, and my mood has also improved. I'm hopeful that this will be what I have looking for to end the general feeling of malaise--a.k.a. "yuckiness" I've been feeling for several years.
I will go back to BH2 in about another month for them to check my blood work again.  I will continue to see them every three months indefinitely and I'm okay with that.  There are a lot of different things that can make our hormones get out-of-whack but we know that our health will never be optimal until we get these levels back to where they are supposed to be. It's not clear how many women suffer from hormonal imbalance, particularly low-T levels, because most women aren't aware of how important testosterone is to our systems.  Many women may be suffering from symptoms of low-T without even knowing it.  There is also very little information on the internet about low-T in women.  We need to change this.  If you are suffering from  the following symptoms, I suggest you go and talk to your healthcare professional:
trouble falling asleep/staying asleep
tired/exhaustion even after a good night's sleep
night sweats/hot flashes
low-libido
trouble losing weight
irritability
decrease in general mood
There's no reason to suffer from these symptoms when correcting a hormonal imbalance may make you feel a lot better.  If you are also suffering from low-T, I would love to hear from you.
Here's the link for Balanced Hormones and Health. They have in no ways sponsored this post, this is just the facility I decided to visit after doing my own independent research and realizing I had symptoms of low-T.

A Basic Rule: If It Tastes Good, Don't Eat It!

Okay, that may be a little extreme. But it seems like most of the food items that I find appealing are no longer on my restricted anti-candida diet.  Luckily, once the vast majority of the candida has been killed off, I will be able to work some of those foods back in.
I am a creature of habit so I know that if I want to be successful on this plan, I have to eat basically the same things every day while I am on the diet.  So, I have been eating a granny smith apple for breakfast, a lettuce and organic grilled chicken salad for lunch with a salad dressing that fits the bill (no sugar, no dairy, non-processed) and just meat and vegetables for dinner (carrots, green beans, something low carb.) It doesn't sound very appealing, and it really isn't but there are a lot more food items that I could be eating if I was willing to step out of my comfort zone.

Basically, as long as it is organic and non-processed, it's okay. Oh, and it can't have any sugar in it. We've already talked about how hard it is to find food with absolutely no sugar whatsoever in it in a previous post, which you can find here.  But most vegetables are fine.  Meat is fine as long as it is organic.  It's hard to avoid dairy altogether but it can be done.  And there are some grains that are allowable, such as quinoa and buckwheat. So, it is possible to live on this diet.
The biggest problem for me is that my body is programmed to crave sugar, especially in the form of soda and chocolate. I'm still constantly battling the urge to eat something I'm not supposed to.  And, honestly, I haven't been perfect on this diet. It's easy for me to find an excuse to make an unhealthy choice.  But all I can do is learn from my mistakes and try again and I've been more successful at forgiving myself lately, which is something I've also had to work on.
After 4 months of physical therapy, I had my body fat remeasured and I've gained 7 pounds of muscle over the coarse of that time.  That's pretty cool.  I also lost 20 inches.  So, what I'm doing is working, even if the scale doesn't always say what I would like for it to say.  I am headed in the right direction and I feel like this diet has made me feel healthier, which is the ultimate goal for me.
I am looking forward to meeting with a new doctor next month.  I really feel like I may have a hormonal imbalance and hopefully she can help me with that. I will keep you posted.
For more information on what you can eat on the anti-candida diet, check this site out.
What is working for you? What are you craving?

Loads of Supplements

When I decided to do the anti-Candida diet, I did a lot of research on supplements. I found a great probiotic called Keybiotics, which is manufactured by Whole Body Research.  I have been extremely happy with the products I have purchased from this company so I thought this would be a good choice. A probiotic is extremely important when fighting candida because you want to replace the bad bacteria (including the candida) in your gut with good bacteria. That's what a probiotic is. And Keybiotics has more live-strands of bacteria than any other probiotic I could find. The reviews were great as well and even though it's a little pricey, I think it's worth it.
I am also taking anti-fungals.  These are the supplements that kill off the candida.  There are several supplements that do this but the ones I am taking are caphylic acid, grape seed extract, cinnamon, and garlic. That may sound like a lot, and it is a lot, but candida can become resistant to anti-fungals so you have to either vary your supplement or take a lot of them at the same time.  Right now, I'm taking all of them.  I won't continue to do that for the rest of my life but until I start to really kill off the candida, I want to throw everything I've got at it.
When candida dies, it releases toxins into your body.  Some of these toxins are pretty nasty and some sites say there are up to 79 different toxins that can be released.  If you kill of the candida too quickly, you can get something called candida die off when you get really sick from the toxins.  Some people feel like they have the flu.  There are some supplements you can take to relieve yourself of these symptoms so I've been taking milk thistle and so far I haven't felt too bad. I have read that it can take up to a month before the die off symptoms really hit though so I am hopeful that I can prevent and avoid this as much as possible.
I also take psyllium and bentonite.  Psyllium is a great source of fiber, which can work as a binding agent, helping to move the dead candida out of your body.  Bentonite works to bind toxins and move those out of your body. I think this may also be contributing to why I haven't gotten many die off effects.
Taking all of these things at the same time is hard and a little bit scary but I really do feel like it is doing me some good.  I am not tired like I was before, cravings are minimal and basically limited to when food I used to eat is right in my face, and I haven't had as much pain from my fibromyalgia and other ailments.  The weight loss has also been beneficial but it hasn't been my primary goal with this.
Some people that I have talked to about this have been skeptical.  They ask me how I even know for sure that I have candida overgrowth, and I guess I really didn't.  But once I decided to go ahead and try the anti-Candida diet and started taking the supplements, it became clear to me that I certainly had a lot of candida in my system. I hate to be too graphic but you can literally see the results of the supplements on the candida as they make their way out of your body.  I don't know how long it will actually take for me to be able to say, "I'm done, I've defeated the candida," but I plan to continue this battle for at least the next 6 weeks.
That isn't to say that I haven't or won't eat anything that has sugar in it because this week I've been traveling for work and I've made some food choices I wouldn't have typically made if I were at home.  It's been pretty difficult to know for sure whether or not I'm eating processed food and I've encountered some carbs.  But I'm very cognizant of my choices and what they do to my body now and I know that avoiding sugar is a necessity if I want this overgrowth to go away.  It's never going to be easy and I have to allow myself to be human sometimes but sugar and carbs are the enemy and I have to remember that.
Is anyone else taking supplements for candida and if so what are you taking and how is it going?

Everything Has Sugar In It!

I am nearing the end of my first week on the candida diet and I have been really happy with my progress so far. I really feel better.  I don't know exactly how to explain it but I feel awake.  It's nice because for a long time I felt like I was just always going to feel like I was dragging.  I know a big part of it is the no sugar aspect of the diet.  Having no sugar (or very little and all from plant sources) is making a huge difference in how my body regulates and processes the food I'm eating.  Without caffeine to keep me awake, my body has had to actually start doing it by itself, which has forced my adrenals and other systems to start doing their job properly again--or close to it anyway.  I really like how I feel right now, less pain, more focus and more energy.
I haven't been hungry either, not really hungry.  I have learned over the years that there is a difference between having a craving and really being hungry.  I will admit that I have had some cravings and with a lot of those food items in my face and offered to me this week, it's been hard but I have declined successfully so far. I am satisfied with the amount of food I have eaten so I haven't felt hunger pains or anything like that. Just the constant thought of, "Hmmm, a chocolate chip cookie would be nice. . . ."  And it has been very difficult to deny myself my constant Dr. Pepper but so far I haven't had any--just a whiff of a friends.
This diet is tough because it eliminates so many of the things I would normally eat.  I'm not allowed to have any sugar in any form.  Period.  That means no fructose, which is what we find in fruit.  The only things that are somewhat allowable if you read some sites are Granny Smith apples and some berries. So I have had a few apples and some blackberries this week.  It also doesn't allow anything that turns in to sugar--so that means there are not a lot of carbs that I can't eat either. There are some that are allowable, like the buckwheat bread I've been eating, but all of the things I am used to eating--like rolls, pizza crust, white bread, are not okay.

Artificial sweeteners are also off the table, as well as tea and other drinks that have caffeine (unless it's decaffeinated).  I am allowed to use Stevia so I got some of that but I haven't used it.  I'm trying to get my body to understand that I don't need everything to be sweet all of the time.  There are other flavors! So far I have been fairly successful with this and I plan to hold off for as long as I can.
The good news is that, if I am doing this diet solely to fight off the candida and not as a weight-loss diet, I can start introducing "normal" foods back in a couple of months from now.  That does not mean I can start shoveling cookies into my mouth or drinking Route 44 cherry-vanilla Dr. Peppers from Sonic everyday but it does mean I can have an occasional sweet snack or drink, in moderation.  And that's really the key to everything.  I think we forget that.
Processed foods, now that's a different story  that I will save for anther post.  I will also discuss the supplements I'm taking in more detail as I continue to post on this topic.
I'd love to hear from anyone else who has followed the candida diet or suspects they may have candida overgrowth.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Trying out the Candida Diet

For the few of you who were reading this blog before, you probably thought that I fell off of the face of the earth or something.  I was not very successful on my last endeavor to find a path to a thinner, healthier me. And what happens to fitness blogs when the blogger is unsuccessful?  They die a slow and painful death!  But I am on a new journey now so I've decided to share some of the things I've learned and hopefully some progress towards my goals.  Despite the name of this blog, however, my focus for now is going to be getting healthier, not necessarily thinner. Though, if one comes with the other, that will be fine with me!
A few weeks ago, I was working on a project when I saw an annoying pop-up that actually caught my attention.  It said, "The American Parasite."  It looked interesting so I clicked on it. I was led to a video put together by a company called Whole Body Research.  I was familiar with the company and I knew they had a good reputation, so I decided to watch the video.  What I saw and heard changed the way I thought about my body and from that point on, I am seeing food in a totally new light.
The video talked about a fungus that grows in the gut of humans called candida. In small amounts, candida is completely harmless but if you grow too much of it, it can really start affecting your health in adverse ways.  Candida is a yeast so it feeds off of sugar and starches and all of those other yummy things I have a tendency to eat too much of. Some of the symptoms of an over-growth coincide with many of the symptoms I have--fibromyalgia, headaches, itchy eyes and ears, chronic fatigue, foggy brain, etc. For the first time in a long time, I actually felt like there was a possibility that this is what was wrong with me and that it might actually be fixable.
For months now, I have struggles with getting out of bed in the morning, which is not like me at all.  I've been having some brain fog when my memory is usually really great.  I've been in so much pain from my bursitis and fibromyalgia that I've been going to physical therapy twice a week for the last four months but it doesn't seem to help.  I feel like I've been putting effort into losing weight and I'm definitely getting stronger and more endurance, but no weight is coming off.  To think that all of this could be due to a little fungus is unbelievable to me.
I should probably say that most doctors don't believe in candida overgrowth and they feel that it is ridiculous to spend a lot of time and effort trying to kill off something that they haven't diagnosed as a problem.  Most experts in the field of candida-overgrowth have what looks to me like pretty solid data to back them up. Maybe I'm just a chump but I'm willing to try it at this point!
In order to bring things back in to balance, one must cleanse oneself of the candida while building up the good bacteria in the gut.  There are several ways to do this but the most effective is a three part system. 1)kill the candida with anti-fungals, such as grape seed extract and caphalyic acid. 2) replenish the good bacteria by taking probiotics 3) cutting out all sugar and processed food from one's diet to eliminate the food source for the candida.
It is the last one, of course, that is the hardest. But I'm doing it. I started the no sugar/no processed food part on Saturday and today is Thursday. My headache finally went away yesterday and I haven't been very hungry either. I've been eating a lot of salad and meat and other non-processed replacement foods for what I would normally eat.  There are a lot of restrictions on this diet and like most things, I'm not absolutely sure I'm doing it perfectly, but I'm definitely trying and I've already lost six pounds so I feel good about that. I'm also taking anti-fungals and probiotics as well as a supplement called Bentonine which is supposed to help remove the toxins that the candida release when they die.
I don't know if this whole thing is ridiculous at this point but I honestly do feel better. I have been able to get out of bed more quickly, I'm not as tired in the afternoon, and my body doesn't hurt as much.  I am very hopeful that this will be the right path for me to finally achieve the healthier me I've been searching for for so long.
If you would like more information about the Candida Diet, you can visit  this website, linked here.
If you would like to watch the American Parasite video, you can find that here.