DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE! We do not employ doctors or licensed medical professionals, so we do not provide medical advice. Nothing presented here is a substitute for the advice of a DOCTOR or other licensed health care provider. Never stop, start or add medications or supplements to your health or mental health care regime without first checking for interactions or other problems, and thoroughly researching the substance. Before you employ any information here, consult your health care professional. No information here is the result of valid clinical trials.

Lost Your Insurance
and Can't Afford Cymbalta

If you have found yourself without insurance and can't afford Cymbalta we have links that may help.

Cold turkey is NEVER EVER recommended to get off Cymbalta with the rare exception of Serotonin Syndrome or other life-threatening side affects.

The bead counting method, weighing the beads, or using a compounding pharmacy to make up tapering doses with decreases of 5% or less is recommended.

NOTE: Use mail order pharmacies with caution.

 

Founder's Notes by Toni Samanie

This is what I would do. You are free to make your own decisions regarding your medical prescription choices. However, if you found yourself here on this page, chances are you were not fully informed about the drug Cymbalta and all the dangers associated with it.

It can be very dangerous to stop Cymbalta cold turkey or by a rapid taper.

The withdrawal effects can be debilitating and can last for months or even years. Ironically, some people experience dark thoughts while taking or tapering off Cymbalta.

Try to find an educated functional medical doctor to help you find the cause of your disease and treat it without toxic psychotropics.

Let your doctor know that there have been numerous lawsuits against Eli Lilly because of the harsh withdrawal symptoms, poor tapering protocol and inadequate warnings.

You may need to remind your doctor of the manufacturer's warning avoiding abrupt discontinuation and onset of withdrawal symptoms.  The patient information leaflet states it may be necessary to taper very slowly if withdrawal symptoms occur.

You can find the patient information leaflet under the "Package Insert" tab in the FAQ section of this website.

Clearly, you were not properly informed about the dangers of withdrawal.  There is a lot to be learned from this:  https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/prescription-drugs/cymbalta-withdrawal-lawsuit/

Submitted by Desiree Ernst Harrigan

I've been reading through old posts searching for answers to questions I have, and noticed a disturbing number of acute withdrawal cases. These are caused by doctors who take too long to call in refills or suddenly refuse to continue prescribing patients the SSRI/SNRI antidepressants that they've been on for months or years.

I wanted to share some information that could be helpful if that ever happens to you or someone you know.

You may temporarily run out of meds for various reasons. It might be your doctor who is slow or you have forgotten to ask for a refill.

Some pharmacies will provide you with an emergency supply for up to 7 days or so. I know for a fact Walgreens and CVS do this.

This is only for meds that are critical or cause withdrawal (antidepressants, heart meds, some seizure meds, diabetes meds, etc).

It is NOT for controlled substances. No xanax, valium, benzoids, opioids, gabapentin, tramadol, phenobarbital, fioricet, sleeping pills. Possibly some old school psych meds like trazadone may be excluded as well.

They can only do this if your doctor hasn't responded; not if they have denied the prescription refill.

If your doctor refuses to continue to fill your antidepressant, drops you as a patient, is unreachable for longer than emergency supply period, dies, flees the country, quits abruptly, etc. it may be possible (*see note at the end) to visit a same day walk in Care clinic like CVS or Walgreens. They can prescribe antidepressants, heart meds, some seizure meds, diabetes meds, etc. for at least a month while you find a new doctor or are waiting for an appointment with a new doctor.

The ER (definitely) and Urgent Care clinics (probably,) can also do this, but typically they cost more. You should bring a copy of your prescription history to show them and explain the situation.

* Rules and regulations on this may vary by state, county, or individual location. I know for a fact that in Louisiana where I live several Walgreens and CVS locations are able to prescribe most if not all SSRI/SNRIs when a patient has been recently prescribed and taking those medications. Definitely call ahead to make sure they will be able to help with your issue.

 

Getting Brand-name Cymbalta From a Canadian Pharmacy

If you must have brand-name Cymbalta, consider that it may be cheaper to pay out-of-pocket and purchase it from a Canadian pharmacy. Do this only if you have enough time to wait for the drug to be shipped to you.

If you know you are going to lose your insurance soon, here is how you can purchase Cymbalta or Duloxetine from LEGITIMATE Canadian pharmacies even if you live in other countries. It won't work if you need the medication quickly, because it takes time to fill the order and ship it.

It is an option to consider if you know you're going to lose your insurance within a couple of months and are preparing for it ahead of time. Especially if you need brand name medication, not the generic, it's cheaper in other countries because they negotiate drug prices unlike the USA.

I almost had to buy a medication from a Canadian pharmacy (not Cymbalta) but my insurance company approved and paid for my medication when I appealed their denial.

Canadian pharmacies do not accept health insurance from other countries. You have to pay for it out-of-pocket. If you have insurance, (Say, for example, you need brand-name Cymbalta but your insurance company refuses to pay for it ), you can submit the receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement.

The insurance company will likely refuse to pay for it. But it's worth a try. Also, don't give up after the first denial. Giving up after the first denial is the mistake that most people make, whether they're trying to get the insurance to pay for medication, surgery, or some other treatment. There may be up to five levels of appeals you can go through.

It's clearly very important to use a LEGITIMATE pharmacy.  97% of pharmacies that claim they are Canadian pharmacies are actually illegitimate pharmacies, not based in Canada, but based in other countries. They may fill your order with counterfeit medication or adulterated medication.

It does require a valid prescription from a doctor, obviously, and a photocopy of your photo ID, as well as an order form if you prefer to order via fax instead of on the website. Make sure you comparison-shop the price at various pharmacies before you pick one as the price can vary.

Approach this as a process and don't try to rush through it. Make sure you read the FAQs so that you are aware of all the requirements to place the order correctly.

When I called the pharmacy, the customer service rep failed to tell me that I needed a photocopy of my photo ID. I only found out about the photo ID requirement by reading the FAQ.

Here's an article about the legality of buying prescription medications from Canada. Please make sure you review it and make sure that your doctor is okay with it. https://www.elderlawanswers.com/buying-prescription-drugs-from-canada-legal-or-illegal-1204

Below are several links to look up legitimate Canadian pharmacies.  https://www.cipa.com/certified-safe-online-pharmacies/

 

CHW The Connection Between Mental Health, Diet, Nutrition and Gut Health

Diet, nutrition, and chronic systemic inflammation are linked to health and mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, and even schizophrenia. Below are links to articles that discuss this promising way to naturally address these conditions.

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Please take the time to report your adverse symptoms from Cymbalta and Cymbalta withdrawal to the FDA. Call 1-800-332-1088 FDA

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