Cut off from Cymbalta, cold turkey

It's now entering the fourth night since I have slept. Weatherman says it will be another 2 days of this oppressive heat. 4 days running and four hours total.

I took a Klonepin about noon, after I got back from the gym. I was so tired but couldn't sleep. I had done 10 miles on the treadmill, 20 miles on the bike and climbed over 10,000 steps on the stair climber. Came home, showered, popped a Klonepin and fell asleep shortly thereafter.

Woke up 40 minutes later, The grass outside the apartment was being mowed and the noise was deafining. No use. I couldn't go back to sleep, and I was covered head to toe in sweat. Another shower, remade the bed with clean sheets. And changed clothes again, and went back to the gym. I couldn't sit still.

The p-doc called at 9am and told me to quit Cymbalta immediately. She thought maybe the Cymbalta was making me manic. I don't know. I said I was on 60 mg of Cymbalta, shouldn't we taper it down to 40 and then 20 and go slow?

No, she said, immediately stop.

So now it's the start of day four without sleep, approx 4 hours and ten minutes of sleep in the last four days. I can only blame the East Coast heat wave so much for my trouble. The other symptoms, well , I don't know if the exess sweating is from sitting here in an apartment who's thermostat is over 90 degrees, or it's from the Cymbalta. My skin feels like it's moulting. I feel like I am made of light and pure energy. This must be how a Superhero feels.

And yet I know I cannot read. I cannot listen to music because my brain is going to fast to absorb it. I am writing quicker than I can type and I type 60 wpm. I;m rapid cycling and mixed states at the same time.

And to top everything off, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I get a visit from Auntie Flo.

After everything I have been through in the last few months, it's enough to make me wonder if I am the reincarnation of Job.


Time to take another pill, hopefully sleep will come, and the mania will cease.