[ruffedges]

I too am suffering from the headaches so it is not just you. I am also wondering if it is worth it to stay on the Cymbalta. Things are better, but the depression from the constant headache is getting worse. Sure would be nice to know if it eventually goes away.

[hopefulgirl]

I have been on Cymbalta for about 2 months now, i seem way more depressed than when i wasnt on it, how should i get oof of it without having wd/s??

[CeltHeart]

If you are having an ongoing headache and especially if you are more depressed, place an urgent call/message to your doctor immediately! Some people get worse on a particular psych med, and for you this may be one. Don't wind up being a suicide caused by a psych med. Plus I don't want to think about what the headache could reflect, because I'm not a doctor, but it can't be good. Your headache is your body saying something is out of whack.

Medications can all have life threatening side effects for a very few people... anything from blood disorders to total organ failure (yeah, just looking up what I'm taking). Your headache could mean something is going wrong as a result of your medicine.

As for coming off of it (in case your doctor doesn't call today) look it up on drugs.com; look up Cymbalta and find the section on Dosing and Administration (which means to doctors: how to give the drug). It will tell you how to come off it. Some drugs must be titrated (come off of little by little) to prevent seizures or other nasty surprises. Others you can stop suddenly, but you must be sure this is one - don't just suddenly stop any psych med without doctor input. Most often for those of us with mood disorders, your doctor will give you a different antidepressant to try while gradually taking you off of the drug that isn't working, to prevent a mood swing into vicious depression, which can often happen when you stop a psych medication unless you have another one kicking in to prevent the depressive episode.

[meeeeeelee]

I successfully got off the Cymbalta. It took 7 weeks. Those 7 weeks were rough, too. As for doing it cold turkey, I tried that beforehand and the withdrawal was just the same as doing it cold turkey. Not a pretty picture at all. NEVER...will I take any kind of anti-depressant again, and I mean NEVER! Thanks for your responses.

[MizBarbie]

I've been taking Cymbalta since last October. The first two days I took it at bedtime and was miserably nauseous and unable to sleep. On day 3 I switched to taking it after lunch. After that the nausea abated and I was able to sleep. I fell "hyper" for the first several weeks, but that also went away.

Cymbalta at 60 mg effectively controls my neuropathic pain and keeps me from feeling unhappy and angry all the time. I basically feel normal now. This is my first antidepressant, and I consider it a success.

[piglett722]

so i know some one who weights about 150 and they got hold of cymbalta and takes about 6 pills a time and it 30mg per pill. i have know cule if that to much. they stole it from there mom and when i was reading about the druge it seems like your doctor watches you so someone help me please. should i be worried

[sammyb88]

I've been on Cymbalta for at least a year. I do pretty good on it, can't really complain.

[pbs8218]

It was he** on earth, I felt like someone had a vise on my head that would not go away NO MATTER what. The day my doctor took me off, the headache disappeared. would never touch again.

[Phoebe_Twayblade]

I had similar problems with Cymbalta too. I just discontinued it three weeks ago.

It works well for a lot of people, but I'm not one of them.

[no_more_tram]

I just started the Cymbalta today(approx 4 hours ago) and the past 2 hours I have felt really anxious and jittery, I did however take the Cymbalta with coffee so perhaps that's why, but I do feel a bit better already. I have nerve pain from a back injury and is praying to God that this helps with it, can't take narcotics anymore, so hoping this does wonders. The past few weeks since I have been off of Tramadol my nerve pain has increased severly. Anyone else taking Cymbalta for nerve pain?? I am also taking it for depression as well, use to take Zoloft for a year and a half but figured I would try out the Cymbalta since I do have severe nerve pain.

[dawn519]

i have been on cymbalta for 2 weeks now....i had switched in a day from taking pristiq(a brand new med that totally reminded me of serequel and i just wanted to sleep all day.......so i stopped by weaning and told my dr 2 wks ago). he then switched me to cymbalta 30mg for 2 weeks and then in 3 days im being increased to 60 mg. Mornings have always been VERY hard for me. I usually dnt want to get out and could sleep all day if i could. The pristiq was awful. anyway,i have an 8 mo and if i get at least 6 to7 hrs sleep, once i get up, im ok! Im up,alert and i dont feel or think about when i can lay down all day. Thats all i wanted to do. i know i suffered post partum dep, but im 35 and have suffered from depression my whole life and been on just about everything. Some have thrown me into serotonin syndrome-one step under a nervous breakdown and zoloft actually made me commit myself b/c of that. its crazy how one drug can relly help some1 and others it just does total opposite.Back to Cymbalta, I still feel a little sad, but nothing like before(suicidal). I dont have an appetite which i like b/c i gained weight w/the baby and its been really hard to lose. The only thing is i think from lack of food, i get mild dizzy spells and every day around 4pm i feel kinda like im crashing....like i cld sleep for like 4 or so hrs, but i dnt and i just wait and goto bed when baby does around 830ish b/c she wakes so early. So far i really like cym- i noticed changes and so have those around me in the first week and im just praying that when i go up top 60 mg in 2 more days that it will give me the motivatuion im still kinda lacking....its def gotten better. u have to understand, before this, i was about to commit myself. So no motibvation to doing at least my responsibilities and taking care of my baby- its awesome. Ill let u guys know at 60mg if it helps a little more w/the motivation. Remember, like i was told, theres no majic pill- and u have to work w/it. a pill is not going to completly change yr life or you- it takes the pill and the willingness of yrself. How bad do u really want to get better!!!!! Because all i want in life is for all those around me, including me, to be happy- thats all!!!! xoxoxoxoxo dawn:

[luvv2004]

I switched from zoloft to cymbalta about 7 days ago. My doctor asked me to taper off of zoloft 200mgs and build up cymbalta 30mgs at the same time. I did that for about 4 days and was a horrible mess. I decided to stop the zoloft all together and the withdraw from that went away (thank god). I still had the building up jitters, racing heart, and sweats etc. from the cymbalta. BUT I found that taking one tylenol PM with my cymbalta in the morning substantially decreased my side effects! I've been taking it successfully for 7 days now and I'm almost back to normal. I don't cry over everything and want to crawl in a hole anymore. I'm smiling and my mind isn't going 100 miles an hour with every waking moment. My appetite is supressed but not to the point of illness. So far cymbalta has given me the desire to live and live well. I'll keep ya posted!

[Sleeper3]

Wow - I'm glad I found this forum. It is extremely informative. There isn't much discussion, but it's very interesting to hear people's experiences with drugs. I tried Cymbalta about a year ago. Was on it for a few months at a low dosage (20 mg), which I never increased. It was prescribed to me by my general physician because I was exhibiting physical symtoms of anxiety and depression. I was pretty disappointed in the info he gave me. He said to take it at night and that it would improve my mood, but that it would take 2 weeks to kick in. He was wrong on all counts. Like many people in this forum have mentioned, I noticed the positive effects of Cymbalta the very first night I took it. It lowered my anxiety level which improved the quality of my sleep. As I continued to take it, this never changed. The positive effects of the drug didn't get better or worse, so I never changed the dosage. However, it took me about 3 weeks to get over all the negative side effects. I had the jitters and watery eyes for about a week, and mild nausea for 3 weeks. Was going to give up on it after 2 weeks when another doctor recommended I take it in the morning. She said it takes some people 3 weeks to get over the nausea. She was right. So I reached a steady state where my anxiety was lowered. There was never any improvement in the area of depression. My sex drive was severely reduced and so was my desire to eat. In 2 months I slowly, but surely lost about 15 lbs without trying. Nice! One weekend I ran out of pills and got lazy about refilling the prescription. Bad idea! The nausea set in again and hung with me for 2 weeks, simply because I hadn't taken a pill for 3 days. So for me, the negative side effects, plus the expense of the drug, was more than I was willing to put up with and I stopped taking it (which resulted in another 2 weeks of nausea).

[LucyGoose]

Hey, just started it actually today, Dr. recommended I go it for 2months, to get a handle on my chronic pain,..... before I begin going on Suboxone for Oxycontin addiction. Will let u know , but he says I won't feel the full effects for 2 wks, wish me luck

[LucyGoose]

OMG... Well so much for Cymbalta.That was the worst 2 days I have ever had ! Within 3 hrs of taking 2- 30mg trhe nausea began, along with IBM. I had the sweats, then chills , a major headache. I thought, well maybe it was a combo taking my Oxycontin and of quiting Welbutrin(because it's another anti depressant) and Lyrica (it was making me too sleepy)on the same day, and I would give it one more day. The second day was worse ! It began again about 3-4hrs after taking it . Unfortunately I have never been able to throw up when nausous , instead I just get major diaherra .
After 7hrs of misery at 4pm, I took my pm dose of Oxycontin 60mg, 1hr earlier than norm, and when it kicked in , 45 min later . GONE ! it was like someone just turned of the sick switch... I felt like a wrung out dishrag and finally able to get sleep.
I am NEVER going to take that dam stuff ever again !!
So back to square 1. in finding something that is going to work with my pain after I w\d from Oxy and then w\d from Suboxone. I was so pumped about this, and now it means longer on the Oxy, before Dr. wants to let me go on Suboxone. bummer.

[Hopewell]

I've been on Cymbalta several months, and I've noticed what I couldn't name but what others have described as vertigo or a spinning sensation. This can happen when I'm sitting down, standing up, moving, etc. and it's tingling that radiates through my body combined with a weird dizziness. It worsens when I'm tired. Has anyone experienced this before? Other than changing dosage, which my doctor has suggested, has anyone had success in dealing with this? Thanks for your help!

[Soobie]

Have you tried changing the time of administration? Some people do better taking it at dinner or bedtime, I take mine in the morning. It happens to me, too (Cymbalta 30mg for about 7 months) my episodes usually go away quickly- it's weird, though. It's gotta be a neurotransmitter fluctuation. Have other causes been ruled out? (blood sugar, blood pressure, other meds, dehydration, sinus/ear issues, fatigue). Talk with your doctor if it's interfering with usual activities or doesn't improve soon. Good luck!

[noreader]

I was so excited when Cymbalta first came out because it was developed for people with neuropathy (nerve pain), which I have suffered with for several years. My Dr. weaned me off another antidepressant (I can't even remember which one now it's been so long) and started me on a low dose of Cymbalta, to increase after a couple of weeks. I stayed on it a few months, but it did nothing for my pain and not as well for my depression as other medications I'd been on. What a let down! I had really hoped this would be the answer for my combination of chronic pain and depression, but I finally had my doc take me off Cymbalta and put me on a different antidepressant. I have a friend who swears by Cymbalta for her depression, but she doesn't have the chronic pain that I do.

[Soobie]

Cymbalta hasn't done anything for my chronic pain either. It has helped slightly for depression, but it is a HUGE disappointment, I really wanted it to live up to the promise of decreasing pain.

[godscase]

I have been on cymbalta for 6 months (previous on Effexor XR) along with Klopin (which I also was on with Effexor). I also have Fibro and the doctor told me cymbalta had nerve pain medication in it. It has tremendously helped my depression. I have experienced no side effects from the drugs. My depression is much better. Hope this helps.

God Bless,
Glenda/Gidget

[bbrown42236]

Originally Posted by goodboyindc

i have been on cymbalta now for 2 months.

i started off on 2 7-day trial samples of 60 mg taken once daily. dr recommended to take in the early morning for a boost of energy. so i have taken it always between 7-8 a.m.

sought use for: generalized anxiety/non-stop negative thoughts; mild-to-severe depression

previous experience with anxiety/anti-depression meds: paxil (1994), imipramine (1994), effexor (2001), effexor XR (2002-2003)

i chose cymbalta because it is comparable to effexor and although i was able to see results with my anxiety and depression with effexor, i had more problems with sleeping and irritability that i ended treatment with effexor.

cymbalta has by far exceeded my expectations in not only treating my anxiety and excessive negative thoughts but also lifted my depression. i immediately felt results on the first day, approx. 4 hours after the first dose taken.

during the first month, i did experience an increase in yawning but i wasn't tired. as a matter of fact, i had finally established a good sleeping pattern getting to bed early and wake up well rested. i started to arrive to work on time and able to focus better. i did experience a reduction in appetite and an increase in libido/desires. i also experienced a reduction in waking up in the middle of the night to go urinate. it was amazing. i always would wake up around 2 or 3 am and have to pee and then have trouble getting back to sleep.

the biggest difference between taking cymbalta vs effexor for me has been a more stable functioning as a person. with cymbalta i don't have a fluctuation of moods as i did with effexor which was really unstable.

after my first month of cymbalta, i was able to get excited or at least focused on jogging during my lunch break a couple times a week. that was great.

the two side effects that i experienced during the first week: (1) dry mouth in the morning; (2) constipation. i have always been a heavy sweat person and now i find it easier to sweat even more. so i guess that can be the third side effect. although i had experienced increased libido during the first three weeks, it went away, and then returned again.

during the beginning of second month of cymbalta, i regained my appetite although it is still slightly reduced from my normal usual eating. still dealing with constipation but dry mouth has resolved. libido seems to be fine.

from what i have been reading, there is no benefit in taking more than 60 mg per day of cymbalta. i just wanted to highlight this as there have been some postings here of people taking more than 60 mg per day.

so far, i am very pleased with my cymbalta experience.

This is Great I am as of today right this very second waiting to start the cymbalta. My doctor told me I have to be off the Effexor for three days and it sucks I have been having evil thoughts and just bad symptoms of depression since quiting the Effexor I really don't feel like it is anything I would act on it just isn't any fun. I am glad to hear that there is someone else who has pretty much had the exact experience with Effexor as I have had. I am currently waiting for the minute I can take the Cymbalta and look for releif to come. This post gives me hope and I pray you continue to enjoy the success of the Cymbalta.

[personaljournalist]

yeah i must say, i am another victim of the cymbalta headache. i take the pill as night because taking in the morning made me super drowsy, then by morning; throughout the day i would have a terrible headache that never seemed to go away. my doctor switched me to celexa and i must say it has done wonders and seems much easier on the brain than cymbalta was. but to each his owns, this is just my experience.

[reece86]

I have been taking it now for about 3 weeks most of the side effects have gone, I getting these highs that can last up to 20mins I'm laughing again, the only thing is it's not helping with my social anxiety disorder, I have to go back to the doc's this week for an update I'm hoping she will put me up to 90mg's and give me something else for my social anxiety.

[shelard]

Cymbalta helped my depression quite a bit, not totally, with very little side effects for about 3 years but than it just seemed to stop helping so went to a Psychiatrist after my MD admitted he really didn't know enough about these types of drugs. We had decided to add abilify when I realized that the itching I was having was probably related to the cymbalta so he switched me to pristiq and I was supposed to add the abilify samples he gave me after about a week but

I haven't seen any posts on this problem but after a few years on cymbalta it started being less effective and I started itching head to toes. Dr (psychiatrist) switched me to prisiq yesterday evening took my first mg dose and the itching started about an hour later. It's even worse than on the cymbalta & I didn't think that was possible. I do not have rash or swelling except where I scratched myself raw. If I keep using a lot of lotion up I don't break the skin much. Of course it's Sunday and the Th of July so I can't get in touch of him to get the lidocane spray he said might help. any others try this?:

[Dave__O]

" I actually started to feel uncomfortable in ways I hadn't before. I developed restless leg syndrome. I drip with sweat with any kind of exersion. I am exhausted again. It just stopped working for me. "

I developed severe restless legs from Cymbalta too. This may not be common and seems counterintuitive given that Cymbalta is a dopamine booster and RLS is thought to be possibly associated with low dopamine.

Initially is seemed a good anti-depressant. I also found it to be very good for my chronic pain. But side effects included:

mild then severe RLS, constipation, sexual dysfunction, for several years, delayed ejaculation, eventually ED after 4 years

Withdrawal is the worst. After 9 weeks, I still have tingling extremities, sexual dysfunction, loose stools.

And of course, as expected, depression, pain, and anxiety are back. Stopping cold turkey as I did is NOT a good idea.

Anyone else with the Restless Legs?

[sfscorpio]

Originally Posted by yackyackyack

Hello, i just started this drug also after taking Paxil for 10 years and falling back into a deep depression state again. I've been taking it for about 2 weeks. I'm taking it in the morning and it seems to have a very sedating effect on me so far. I thought about trying it at night since that is when i took Paxil and it did better for me then. I've also heard of people adding Wellbutrin to the Cymbalta to help with the alertness and sexual side effects of the Cymbalta. Has anyone done this and had any luck?

No luck for me so far! I've been on an added 150mg of Wellbutrin for about half a month along with my Cymbalta (60mg), because I was complaining that I had lost my libido. I used to be on Wellbutrin 450mg before I switched to Cymbalta all together. Apparently, Wellbutrin is supposed to offset the Cymbalta to help lift your libido. It is so frustrating because I don't want my husband to think that it's him. I think he thinks that, because he really doesn't understand the medicine side effects. How do I explain to him?? Should I up my dosage of Wellbutrin? The Cymbalta makes me really tired too. I was reading some of the quotes, and it said to try to take Wellbutrin in the morning and the Cymbalta at night to help with fatigue. I started this today, and I am feeling a little off, because I am now only on 150mg. I am at the point of what the heck do I do now? Do I try another drug, or up my dose?? Is there something out there better then this combination?? I have been diagnosed with severe post partum depression. I started having serious anxiety attacks as well right before I found out I was pregnant with my first child. Any advice???

[sfscorpio]

Originally Posted by Dave__O

" I actually started to feel uncomfortable in ways I hadn't before. I developed restless leg syndrome. I drip with sweat with any kind of exersion. I am exhausted again. It just stopped working for me. "

I developed severe restless legs from Cymbalta too. This may not be common and seems counterintuitive given that Cymbalta is a dopamine booster and RLS is thought to be possibly associated with low dopamine.

Initially is seemed a good anti-depressant. I also found it to be very good for my chronic pain. But side effects included:

mild then severe RLS, constipation, sexual dysfunction, for several years, delayed ejaculation, eventually ED after 4 years

Withdrawal is the worst. After 9 weeks, I still have tingling extremities, sexual dysfunction, loose stools.

And of course, as expected, depression, pain, and anxiety are back. Stopping cold turkey as I did is NOT a good idea.

Anyone else with the Restless Legs?

Yes! Restless legs...ICK!! I didn't think that it may be from the Cymbalta....hmm..I started getting this when I was pregnant. So annoying! When I get it, the only thing that helps me is to have a heating pad between my calves. Totally relieves it! Anyway...I have experienced the sweating..ick...and definetely the lower libido. I am so tired all of the time. I had taken lexapro a few years ago, and I took myself off of them because I was having serious anxiety attacks from it. Then trying to take myself off I was having those brain zaps. So scary!! I really hope that if I have to switch my Cymbalta that I don't get those again. There are so many people on anti depressants these days, you'd think that doctors would be doing better research on the meds they give us. There has got to be a better way to live than this!! Everything in my life is surrounded by these stupid meds! I can never tell anymore if its ME having a bad reaction to something or if its due to the meds I'm on giving me a chemical imbalance...please help me wake up from this nightmare of meds...its ruining my marriage...

[shybaybe2003]

has anyone ever experienced feeling hyper or wired on cymbalta? I have been on it fora little over 2 weeks, and as soon as i take it i start feeling really hyper and a little shaky. I feel okay otherwise. Any feedback is appreciated.

[l5pine]

Boy - I sure have!! What's your dosage? If you're experiencing...it's almost a manic feeling. Good mood, lot's of energy...it's possible that you're bi-polar. Cymbalta can cause folks that are bi-polar to go manic. You might give it some time to see if things settle down enough for you. But this is a heads up. I was on 120mg a day and when I dropped it to 90mg a day everything calmed down. I had been on it for 3 years before we figured it out.

Hope this helps ya. Other than that I really like the med. It's help me tremendously.

Best!
DF

[MISLED1964]

Not that I'm glad others have mentioned the symptoms that almost drove me crazy, but I'm glad that it wasn't "all in my head" like my doctor said.

I had the worst headaches (which I've never had in my life). Restless leg syndrome, I had never even heard of it, and anxiety attacks that I thought were going to land me in the hospital. And the itching, I thought I was going to tear my own skin off in my sleep. I was so constipated, that I always had abdominal pain, and the nausea would make me vomit at random times, certain smells would just make me sicker than a dog -- a lot like morning sickness... I never felt good, never had any energy, and sadly lost touch with my life. I knew I couldn't keep living this way, though my doctor insists that it is the only drug that will help me -- I'm guessing, I'll have to find another doctor and try another path. Given the cost of Cymbalta $311.00 a month and the side effects, it just wasn't working for me.

I was on a dose of 120 mg a day, and went off cold turkey 3 weeks ago, I'm still sick, my thoughts are cloudy, I freeze -- when it is 90 degrees, and all my pain is back. I wrap my arms and legs in hot towels to help with the pain -- and am just hoping it passes soon...

I would never suggest going cold turkey... But this drug was a little too mind altering. I don't know that I'd ever recommend it to anyone either.


Anyway. Thanks for helping me to know I'm normal --- and not a freak, as I've felt like for the past 4 years....

Good luck to everyone -- I wish we could all just find that "happy" place -- everyone deserves it... Even people who suffer from depression...