Cymbalta

This is the first time I've ever posted to anything like this but after my experience with Cymbalta I only want others to be aware.

I started taking Cymbalta in Aug 2011 for chronic back pain. Luckily my doctor knew it would probably make me sick so he started me on 30 MG a day for 7 days and then increased it to 60 MG from there. Needless to say, it made me very sick on the stomach. I lost a few pounds (which wasn't a bad thing :) but I was so, so sick! I also was very shaky. My hands shook constantly. I'm in sales and even my clients noticed it. Being 45 and a mother of two I'm forgetful as is but I found myself not being able to complete a sentence which at first I contributed to age and stress. Then came the insomnia. I found myself wide awake for 3 nights in a row until I finally crashed on the sofa. I put up with that for a few weeks until I finally called the doctor. Guess what? They gave me something to help me sleep. Insult to injury! Then came the severe night sweats. I thought it was hormonal but when I would describe my symptonms my story sounded a little different from my friends who were having night sweats. I also feel my eyesight has gotten worse. I then started having diarrhea..severe. I finally went to my PCP thinking all this was unrelated to the Cymbalta. My doc ran blood work and the only problem I had was high liver enzymes. My AST was 153 and my ALT was 502. Needless to say, I was worried at this point. I also had an ultrasound of my liver. So far, the only negative report is my liver enzymes. I started seeing an ayurvedic doctor at the advise of a good friend. He told me my liver was basically toxic from medication. I called my doc the next day and said I wanted off the medicine ASAP. My pain doctor cut me down to 30MG and tomorrow is my last pill.

The good news was, this medicine took away all my pain and that was wonderful. The bad news is, if I continue it, who knows what would have happened. Hopefully I'll have my numbers checked again and they'll continue to come down.

I used it for about four years and helped me very much with pain in my body and calmed me and helped my fibro. but i had to stop it as i started having dreams and in detail and color and in the morning i didn't know if it really had happend or if it was a dream . I wish I could have stayed on it. I did have a sm. stroke after i stopped it but don't know if was anything to do with Cymbalta?

I was on Cymbalta for 3 months. I couldn't sleep at night and was constantly overheated and sweating. It worsened my depression and i gained 8 pounds even though the doctor insisted it wasn't the medication. The doctor wouldn't take me off of Cymbalta so I switched doctors. The new doctor ordered a blood workup and found I had elevated ALT and AST and that I was dehydrated! Since going off of the medication I sleep like a baby and no longer have the unbearable sweating! I have also lost the 8 pounds I had gained.

I also had Guillaine Barre Syndrome so when I started to experience side effects, and then withdrawl symptoms because of Cymbalta I was a little extra paranoid & had a tendency to (freak out) want to attribute the Cymbalta symptoms to GBS. I've noticed though, that Cymbalta has made me feel stiff at times, especially in my ankles/knees. Stopping using Cymbalta is one of the hardest things I've ever done; it has horrible withdrawl symptoms. If you really feel like what you're experiencing is another onset of GBS, you should ask your doctor to run another spinal tap & nerve conductivity test to rule out the chronic form of GBS. Othwerise, you're probably fine and just experiencing Cymbalta symptoms. Unless you're suicidal, I don't recommend using Cymbalta to ANYONE. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss. thomascraving@yahoo.com

I want to stop taking Cymbalta, but I can't because the withdrawl symptoms don't let me.

I am taking Cymbalta 60mg for 3 weeks now and i am feeling stiff and trouble in motor skill or movements like walking, preparing a meal etc etc. I had a guillane barre syndrome 5 yrs ago so i am thinking that this medication amplified the symptoms of my disease

I was on lexapro for 6 years, but started taking cymbalta instead hoping it would help with my severe arthritis pain. I took cymbalta for 6 weeks with increasingly bad side effects. I had dizziness, nausea, and like you, profuse sweating. I had two episodes of all the effects combined and both were frightening. I am stopping and going back on lexapro. Good luck to you.

very similar to yourexperience, but also nausea, heart palpitations, dizziness..stopping

I thought i was going to die, I had all the side effects you can think of . I had severe spasms, even my optical nerves, spasms with falling, severe headaches and mental problems with the loss of some memory and not being able to completee a sentence.my veins started breaking with hurtful tinges and bladder and kidney problems. I hurt between my navel and urinary
tract with coffee colored urin---I still do now and then. my back hurts. I went to five specialists
but my doctor thought I had lyme disease and most of the time the doctors did not recieve the correct records or thy went to the wrong department.So far I have not found the rght doctor to treat me.es I have to use acane to walk, so far i haven't used a walker but might soon.

spasms,falling, severe mental disruptions, bladder problems and likely kidney problems, veins breaking, actually all the symptoms related to lyme disease with tand kidney symptoms. I am slowly getting better ,but donot know what to do about my bladder and kidney problems. I
haven't found a decent nephrologist.

When I started on Cymbala, I took 60mg every night at bedtime (like every other anti-depreseent and neuropathic pain pill I've ever taken). I struggled with severe insomnia and daytime sleepiness that was interfering with my ability to work. I finally looked it up on the net and tried taking my dosage in the morning -- that significantly improved the daytime sleepiness and I can get to sleep at a decent hour now. I hope you find what works for you!

I am so sleepy and drowsy that I can hardly function and I've only taken five doses!

I have been taking Cymbalta for 4mths now and it has helped me so much with my anxiety and depression..

I have been taking Cymbalta for 4mths now and it has helped me so much with my anxiety and depression..

hav been taking Cymbalta and feel great.have not had the side effects described maybe my dosage is more appropriate for my body size(i workout and keep fit)

My dr. prescribed cymbalta due to my mild anxiety and depression, since havng my children. I'm a mother of 2 (1yr old & 2yr old). I have been on it for 8 days now. I'm so tired, I can barely keep my head up, I have no appetite, I'm so dizzy I don't feel like I can stand up, I am irritable, and just feel sick! I am worse off now, than before! It's hard to take care of myself, much less my children. I just want to sleep all day. I just needed something to take the edge off and help me with anxiety, so I can have more patience with my kids and husband and deal with life's stressors. This medicine is horrible! I thought the side effects would fade after a few days, but it's worse, no matter what time of day I take it. I will never take it again! I just hope I can make it through the day...can't wait until it's out of my system.

My sister developed bile duct cancer while taking Cymbalta. She also had problems urinating. She passed away from the cancer. I don't think that her doctor checked her liver enzymes routinely. Most doctors are unaware of all the side effects of medications. You must be your own advocate. I wish I would have researched all the drugs she was on while she was alive.

My sister developed bile duct cance while taking Cymbalta and I believe it was due to the mediciner.

Took one dosage within 5 hrs, I was vomiting,was extremely fatigue (couldn't keep my eyes open), heavy feeling in my legs, just had an all over sick feeling. I was so tired all I wanted to do for the next 2 days was sleep. Didn't take it again.

I am having breathing problems and now have basiliar interstitial prominence. If I stop the cymbalta will these problems go away? I am scared

Yes! Be careful!

I have been taking Cymbalta for six weeks and am now on 60mg. My hands seem to be shaking. Is that a possible side effect?

I was prescribed Cymbalta and it almost killed me. It is very addictive. I started spending money like crazy. I started taking it around Thanksgiving and by New Years I had spent about $3000 shopping for that coming Christmas, that was 12 monts away. I am a very quiet person, but I became really load and mean. I started to notice that I  had became a total crazy person.Ii looked online about side effects and seen that some people had actually had brain damage from Cymbalta. I stopped taking it and with in three days, my husband had to take me to the hospital. I was about to peal my skin off. The docs put me back on Cymbalta and I then was sent to a specialist to be winged off. It took three months. This has totaly changed my life. I have constant muscle jerks and speech problems.

yes, also feel like i have to pass gas and have watery leakage.  also frequent colds - had 2 colds this year, one uri - hadn't been sick in 3 years before!

17yrs old athlete-- been on cymbalta for about 6 mos. makes me feel very tired and weak a like I am about to pass out when I do my football workouts. I have a chance at a scholarship to play college ball but I feel so fatigued during workouts that I dont know if I can physically do when I am on this medicine... I woulld like to wean off of it I am on 60mg now and possibly try something else or just go dow n to 30 mg and see if I still have side effect.

Taking 60 mg per day

Tabatha, I have been on it as I told Pete for a year and have lost about 10 pounds.  It decreased my appetite

pete, make sure you eat something.  I got sick at first, but now take it with my breakfast and it works pretty good.  I have been taking it for a year.

just started it today feeling really sick

just started it today feeling really sick

I have developed a rash and peeling skin on my right cheek and under my chin

nausea, drowsiness, tiredness, sleeping half the day.

I have been taking Cymbalta for about 2 weeks...I have very concerned about weight gain.  If anyone has had this expierence What dosage were you taking.  Of if anyone has had weight loss...what dosage were you taking.  Any response would be appreciated. 

I had gastric bypass. How should dosages be administered to allow 120mg daily to be effective?

Just started on cimbalta and really don't like it. The first night 4 hrs after taking it I got very ill was throwing up flem & foam for about 2 hrs. finally fell asleep and it was real restless and I kept jerking. The 2nd night I felt nausious but didn't get sick, did have the restless, jerking in my sleep again, the pain wasn't as bad when I woke up though. Not sure how long before the symptoms get better.

Using it for fibromyalgia pain, have had terrible insomnia, chest pain, aggitation. but have noticed some mood improvement, and slight pain improvement.
have tried Lyrica, and Gabapentin with not the best results.
Wii ride it out a little longer and decide if the side effects subside may continue use.

Loss of libido :( and overall didn't improve my condition; just felt like a big chain was wrapped around my brain; severe painful side-effects if i skipped a tablet e.g. sharp shooting pain down arm when id turn my eyes quickly to the side.

I have been on cymbalta for three months,and my mood has improved alot but i have side effects,fatigue ,poor sleep i dream alot,no libido,feel weak and get tired easily.

Non stop UTI's as result of urinary retention.

My suggestion if your side effects are serious that you cannot tolerate the medicine stop taking it. It is not worth it. Most of these drugs have severe side effects that do not make living tolerable. Seek therapy, yoga, exercise, seek friendships with worthwhile people, engage your mind in activities that involve not thinking of all your problems! Pray and meditate. God bless everyone!

hello has anyone had any rashes using cymbolta?

so no sex 4 real?

I have been on 30mg daily dose of Duloxetine for one year. My psych Dr says this is a very low dose. Side effects: profuse sweating at night, difficulty urinating(wait, wait, wait)but frequent need to pass water at night, very poor libido, relunctance to get up, easily tire, dream alot(no nightmares) difficult expressing myself. Can instantly forget the subject of conversation or cannot find words.  Depression a lot better but at what a price. 

MY SISTER IS ON CYMBALTA NOW DOES IT CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT?MY SISTER IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT HER WEIGHT .

I have been taking cymbalta for 3 months now. I wake up feeling tired, my eyes feeling very heavy wanting to go back to sleep. I wake up sweating in my hair my body & my pillow & sheets, my mouth very dry like sandpaper. I have been suffering from depression for more than 10 years now, i had to come of my zoloft cause they were not mixing with my tramadol. feeling more depressed. i also suffer from osteoarthritis & i am an ex cancer paitent & have been in several car accidents in a 5 year period & i suffer alot with my pain. what to do?

Im 49, female. I starting taking Cymbalta six  months ago. I felt some side of effects but, just thought the tiredness and sweating was part of working in the garden center. And working 2 jobs just burn out. So I quit one job because I became very agitated with mangement. This made me aware of the extreme sweating, nausea,the sentivity to the sun and the banging headaches. The dry mouth increased my need for more water and changed the taste for food. When I would go places I would sweat so bad I would become dizzy and faint.
i stooped taking my Cymbalta on Monday and Ive been house bounded since.

Yes, on the diarrhea.  It's a side effect and should take a few weeks to clear up.  If it doesn't, you should wean off it very slowly.

Not sure if it's the Cymbalta but I have had diarrhea for over two weeks, Went to my Dr and he thinks it's unrelated. Anyone else having runny stools?

nausea

I started to have episodes of double vision a couple of years after starting taking cymbalta. The episodes got progresively worse,to the point that they would be accompanied by a severe headache. My doctor weaned me out of cymbalta and switched me to Pristiq, but even during the weaning process the diplopia or double vision continued, minus the severe headaches. I thought that a switch to Pristiq would eliminate the side effects, but it only added a new side effect: adult acne.
Now I am off both Cymbalta and Pristiq, and  have daily, mutiple episodes of double vision, and the acne seems to be wanting to come back (I had it under control with over the counter anti-acne products).
The double vision comes with some pressure and pain above my eyes and on my nose.
Is there any hope that the symptoms will go away???

I started to have episodes of double vision a couple of years after starting taking cymbalta. The episodes got progresively worse,to the point that they would be accompanied by a severe headache. My doctor weaned me out of cymbalta and switched me to Pristiq, but even during the weaning process the diplopia or double vision continued, minus the severe headaches. I thought that a switch to Pristiq would eliminate the side effects, but it only added a new side effect: adult acne.
Now I am off both Cymbalta and Pristiq, and  have daily, mutiple episodes of double vision, and the acne seems to be wanting to come back (I had it under control with over the counter anti-acne products).
The double vision comes with some pressure and pain above my eyes and on my nose.
Is there any hope that the symptoms will go away???

i had thoughts of killing myself

I was given Cymbalta for my obsessive compulsive disorder - OCD and the first week at 30mg a day I experienced sleepineds and was very tired.  I was ok with this because the pamphlet warned of these side effects. The second week I was to double the dosage and still at one time a day, and I started to experience hot flashes that lasted for about 10-15 mins.. everyday at the same time (around 4:00pm). Three months later I started to experience this falling feeling as I dozed off or as I deeply sleep, this causes me to fling my arms and feet up in the air as I feel I am falling. I also panick and have palpitations after these episodes. THIS WAS DEFINITELY NOT DESCRIBED AS A SIDE EFFECT ON THE PAMPLET!

I AM 45 YRS. OLD AND HAVE BEEN TAKING CYMBALTA 30 mg daily, FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS FOR MY FIBROMAYALGIA(PAIN EVERYWHERE) I LOST 10 POUNDS IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AND FELT SOME RELIEF.AT A ABOUT A MONTH LATER MY PAIN WAS WORSE AND MY VISION HAS BLURRED, I WAS GIVEN 60mg daily THE FIRST NIGHT COULD NOT SLEEP AND HAD THE SWEATS,2ND DAY I BEGAN GETTING TREMORS OF LEGS AND ARMS 3RD DAY MY ARMS AND LEGS WOULD JUMP OFF THE MATRESS AS IF I WOULD PICK THEM UP AND DROP THEM SUDDENLY. I  TOLD MY DOC AND HE REPORTED TO THE MED REPRESENTATIVE THAT VISITS THE OFFICE AND SHE SAID IT WAS THE FIRST. SO HE PUT ME BACK ON 30mg PLUS I TAKE MOTRIN,CELEBRX OR NAPROXEN TO DEAL WITH THE PAIN,AFTER THE 3rd  MONTH MY HAIR STARTED TO BREAK LIKE IT WAS BEING PULLED OUT, SO ON MY OWN I LEFT THE MEDS WELL NO BETTER I STARTED HAVING NIGHTMARES SWEATS ANXITY AND MY MIGRAINES CAME BACK FOR WHICH I TAKE DEPAKOTE 250 mg EVERYNIGHT.I TOLD MY DOC AND HE SAID YOU CAN'T EVER LEAVE CYMBALTA AND GAVE ME THE SAMPLES HE HAD IN THE OFFICE.I GET DEPRESSED AT TIMES BUT I BELIEVE IN A LIVING GOD AND HE IS MY REFUGE. I KEEP MY SELF OCCUPIED AND TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE DAYS I WOULD RATHER STAY IN BED THAN TO GO TO WORK. SO WHAT IS WORSE THE SICKNESS OR THE REMEDY

lots of sweating and agitation

Could not urinate or have bowl movement for two days. By massaging my abdomin I was able to urinate(half hour). Developed urinary tract infection.  Lost 20 pounds in two weeks. Have never been suicidal in my life. After taking cymbalta I developed plans to end my life. Never had nightmares in my life that equaled this. Give up sex. It will not happen. In fact you will not even think about it. . The worst was when insurance denied a refill prescription. I had to stop cold turkey. The worst point in my life.. Luck to be alive. Six months later the side effects are almost gone except the yeast infection that my doctor cannot get rid of. Is this drug to treat depression or cause it. Doctor never warned me of any of this. I was blindsided.

Has anyone experienced syptoms of Kidney stones, while taking Cymbalta, yet the Medical profession couldn't find any?

I HAD A TBI TRAMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND I AM BI-POLAR AND WAS PLACED ON CYMBALTA WHICH CAUSED WORD FINDING DIFFICULT ACCORDING TO MY PSYCH DR. AM I NOW TO UNDERSTAND THIS MEDICATION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISPENSED TO ME?

I stopped taking Cymbalta 3 months agoa. I have been suffering from severe night sweats every night. I wake up 3-4 times each night so sweaty that my cloths, hair, and sheets are soaked. I have to change everything before I can get back into bed. *DONT_KNOW*

Taking cymbalta for 6 mos now, sleep all the time no energy depression no better. Have no motivation to do anything.What the heck med does help with depression :-$ :(