Did it help you lose or gain more weight? The reviewer seemed to have gained weight with other pain med regiments. Did Cymbalta add to the problem or was there a significant drop or change in weight? Very curious. I am having problems with the added weight as a side effect of necessary medications. Thanks!
Did Cymbalta have any effect on your weight?
Question posted by DKSDKSDKS on 4 Nov 2012
Last updated on 17 December 2022
This question has also been asked and answered here: Cymbalta and Weight Gain?
52 Answers Page 4
maph
4 May 2013
I have been on it only since end of Jan and I have lost 30 lbs. I eat my normal stuff just keep lossing. At first I have nausa but not very often now. It has helped me with my sleeping, I am on to help manage pain does help some but getting to sleep more than two hrs a nite helps.
Qiniselani
22 Nov 2012
yes cymbalta makes you to gain lot of weight I was on for two year and hey I struggled to take it down but it helped for my depression
myhealth16
10 March 2016
I was on Cymbalta for 10 years, I never gained weight but it didint help with mt anxietyin the last 3 years and changed to Zoloft, now gained a lot of weight but no longer anxious, i feel depdessed now cause I am overweight and i feel self conscious. I PREFER going back on Cymbalta and being anxious rather than overweight. I cannot handle this weighg gain. On Cymbalta I were sometimes never hungry as well
PattyDJ
16 Nov 2012
Cymbalta is a powerful drug some people can take fine and it can ruin your life like it did mine. I lost weight which could be cymbalta or my depression, it is hard to know which. A friend of mine gained a lot of weight like 50 pounds and went off cymbalta and is fighting to get the weight off. It does not come off just because you stop taking cymbalta.
One question I have, I had severe dry mouth on Cymbalta and it has ruined my teeth. I have to have total reconstruction, I developed cavities which I did not have before and my teeth started breaking, some through the root. Any experience with this?.
Inactive
16 Nov 2012
SashaG
24 March 2013
I have the same problem- the dry mouth. From what my dentist explained, if a medication causes you to have dry mouth, our teeth are protected largely from our "spit." Once that isn't there, our mouth/teeth become exposed to more bacteria.
1Kathy1
16 Oct 2013
I was wondering about the teeth. I have cavity's in every tooth and some have broken off. I have no dental insurance and can;t afford to pay out of pocket. I need all my teeth pulled and dentures made.
kathleen3b
15 Dec 2014
I have been on cymbata 60 mg for over a year and gained 50 llbs within 6 months. I asked my psych to take me off this med because of excessive wight gain. I went from 60 mg to 30 mg and stopped completely about 3 weeks ago. the withdrawal has been horrific, but I take an adivan at night and it stops the excessive sweating and oother effects like constant leg movements. I joined a gym to attempt to get rid of this excess weight as it is affecting my knees. I am termined NEVER to take cymbalta again!!
Moma25
8 March 2015
Yes! The same has happened to me! I had perfect teeth before cymbalta and I have had 2 cavities after starting the treatment.
Domant
13 Dec 2016
I did not have any problems with my teeth, however, the weight issue is horrible. I gained 30 lbs and then took myself off the meds. I was taking it for fibromyalgia. The side effects were horrific. I am fighting to get the weight off.
Nanabug62
24 Sep 2020
I have been on Cymbalta 150mg/day for the past 15 years. I never had a weight problem with it. It not only helps with depression but also helps with fibromyalgia and my neck injury. I have tried just about everything out there and it's the only thing that works for me.
Inactive
10 Nov 2012
I stopped Cymbalta last Feb., and I am STILL losing weight!! I have lost nearly 70 pounds now, and they kept telling me that I was eating too much. Different people react differently to medications because of our genetic make up, therefore, what happens to me or someone else who posts might not happen to you.
Best wishes to you!!
butterflylynn
10 Nov 2012
Msfino,
Totally True...
Kathy
janiee
28 May 2013
What problems did you have getting off Cymbalta? Most everyone says it is horrible.
findingNemo
18 July 2013
It was horrible getting off of it. Cymbalta binds to your proteins and makes you have withdrawal symptoms and feel like you're going crazy.
SarahLouiseCorke
20 Sep 2016
After being prescribed Cymbalta I almost instantly gained 30kgs. My entire system seemed to significantly slow down, I felt bloated, uncomfortable and unhealthy. After 5 years of this, I recently weened myself off - a very long and horrific experience - however I have dropped 33kgs without even trying. I find this a shocking example of how much this drug pollutes the system. I now feel lighter, happier and monumentally healthier. DO NOT take this drug unless completely unavoidable.
Oregon warrior
15 Dec 2016
I eat very little and have gained weight since being on this drug. It didn't matter if I was spending five days a week at the gym/pool. I either gained weight or stayed the same. I wish my detox symptoms weren't so awful or I would have stopped taking it years ago.
Godnharley
17 Feb 2018
I thought cymbalta had anti depression in it. Currently on wellbutrin 300 mg, along with gabapentin 600mg 3x's a day. They want me to take cymbalta and drop the wellbutrin and gabapentin. Any thoughts?
butterflylynn
9 Nov 2012
Welcome to the site,
I have been on Cymbalta for 7 years & out actually made me lose my appetite & I lost weight.
My advice is to try the Cymbalta as it has helped me alot. And if you find that you start gaining weight you can decide if the benefit of the drug out weighs the weight you might gain.
But one thing that is Very Important is if you start this medication & decide you want to Stop the medication make sure to talk to your Dr. First.
Best of luck, Kathy
Spendor
10 July 2015
Cymbalta initially causes a loss in weight for many. When, like me, you've been on it seven years the weight creeps back and slightly above where you started off at! All in all, if you do not move or excersise much, even with the loss of appetite and not eating much, you are going to eventually gain some weight with this medicine
lynnemargaret
13 Jan 2016
Really get people AWARE of NOT taking Cymbalta it is the worst drug on the market,,, have you tried getting off it yet ??? I have and it is like living in hell day and night.
Spendor
9 May 2016
Cymbals works well for depression for most people. It is hard to LOSE weight on it, particularly after many years of taking it. Initially I lost weight but after a year or two it creeps back even with healthy eating and lower caloric intake. If it works for you and are satisfied on it... Watch everything you eat meticulously; and if your older do excersise
vrfamsk
16 Oct 2016
I have been on Cymbalta 20 mg for a year and it has helped me tremendously - I have lost weight - about 5 lbs., - which isn't much, but most of it I lost after I was on Cymbalta for about 8 mos., - and I noticed a loss of appetite which has contributed to my weight loss -
Oregon warrior
15 Dec 2016
Have been on Cymbalta for six years and gained about twenty lbs. that was in the first year or so.
As for getting off of it, it's hell! Shakes, flue like symptoms and pain all over. This is with taking half of my normal dose (weening off). It was so bad that I went back to my normal dose within 24 hours. I couldn't handle the withdrawals. Figure I will have to take it forever or go to a detox center. Was never told that this might happen, or I would have never started taking it.
Antonia1975
3 July 2017
Hi there; how long did it take you to kick in? I have been on it for a month and a week and it's my 5 th day on 120mg. I have no side effects at all but I'm still depressed.. the awful heaviness on my chest. I think I will never be a normal person again. Best Antonia
1sharonc
5 Dec 2017
It kicked in for me the 1st day I took it and I thought it was wonderful but my body quickly began to get sore again and as said before, weight up 4stone in 1year. I did the cutting down and weaning off thing too and I totally agree... pure hell
Mkesgrl
31 May 2018
I couldn't agree more withdrawals were hell on earth. My insurance had notified my Dr for 3 months to take me off of it because I was in a major crisis and didn't know it was because of cymbalta and prozac together. My dr finally took cymbalta away 1/3/18 a few days later I also took myself off the prozac. several wonderful things followed. My energy returned, I was no longer short of breath walking from my truck to the curb, and all the excess weight about 20lbs just started to fall off. I am now smaller than where I started at diagnosis due to feeling better to be able to be more active. diagnosis officially was 10/2016. Withdrawal symptoms took about a full month to live through. They included worse widespread pain, crappy sleep, stomach upset, irritable bowel, and headaches that wouldn't quit with pain meds. My dr actually kept asking me when I wanted to restart cymbalta because in his opinion it is better for me then the pain meds I take daily.
I simply told him to look me in the eye and said so not ever ask me that question again. I will never ever ask you to give me any other antidepressants. We had been through several and more than once for several months had been on two at the same time. for me they while taking , and withdrawals were far worse then any small amount of relief they gave. Everyone is different or they wouldn't make so many different ones. My experience taught me to listen closer to my body and if a new med makes you feel more worrisome problems it isn't for me. Serotonin syndrome in itself is horrible and can be fatal, even my high blood pressure has reversed. That should be a plus, but when coupled with no energy and short of breath walking to your bathroom that isn't cool.
Sure I have pain every day, I have fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis neither one has gone into a remission since diagnosis although thanks to otezla the arthritis is at a semi Plato. I pray you find a solution that works for you.
tazc23
5 Nov 2012
I have been taking Cymbalta 60 mgs for years now and have not had a problem. The only anti-depressant that ever made me gain weight was Seroquel.
With that being said, everyone will respond differently to medications. I've read where some have gained wieght and had other problems, others like me haven't.
Another thing to consider is other prescription drugs you may be taking. That may have ALOT to do with the side effects. Couple that with the different body make-ups, sizes, weights and other disorders that may be present... this may or may not affect you. Just a thought.
Inactive
5 Nov 2012
Hello tazc23,
Welcome to the site.
I want to help you.
Seroquel (quetiapine) belongs to the drug class of atypical antipsychotics, and it is not an antidepressant. I am telling you this so when you answer you inform the poster with the proper information so they understand and do not get confused, do not take this as an attack because it is not, I am only trying to help you.OK
Take care,
maso.-
tazc23
5 Nov 2012
Oh no problem, I've been told worst.
Thank you for the correction. I know that Seroquel is an anti-psychotic, that was a mistype, but many times individuals that take anti-depressants also take anti-psychotics. Sometimes doctors even prescribe it is an anti-depressant. Mine did and screwed me up royally.
My point was that people respond to different medications differently.
Inactive
5 Nov 2012
Not good what you prsecriber did. As for what you mention, of course we are all unique... different reactions to everything.
I am just here to help, in any way possible.
Take care my new friend,
maso.-
teresaann40
23 Jan 2018
ive been taken cymbalta for 2 months now ive loss 45 pounds it also helps me with my depression as well as sleep and mood swings before i wasnt sleeping good at all now im sleeping all night long .
Inactive
4 Nov 2012
I do not take cymbalta, but I checked the list of possible side effects and a less serious one is loss of appetite.
*General
General side effects including insomnia (8% to 13%), fatigue (2% to 15%), *decreased appetite (3% to 11%)*, asthenia (2% to 8%), *anorexia (3% to 5%)*, pyrexia (1% to 3%), gait disturbance, and excessive yawning have been reported. Initial insomnia has been reported frequently. Trismus has also been reported.
*Other
Other side effects including *decreased appetite (8%)*, hot flushes (2% to 3%), *increased weight (2%)*, *decreased weight (2%)*, and tinnitus have been reported.
**In placebo controlled trials, patients treated with duloxetine for up to 9 weeks had an average weight loss of approximately 0.5 kg compared to an average weight gain of 0.2 kg in placebo treated patients.
Tinnitus has been reported upon treatment discontinuation.
1sharonc
5 Dec 2017
I was prescribed cymbalta /Duluxetine for pain with fibromyalgia and gained 4 stone within 1 year and have the photos to prove it.. Could not control my sweet cravings! And could do nothing to override the drug like I normally can, with sheer will power when I decide enuf weight but this is only my experience. My pain did go at 1st with med but came back and now bigger strain with weight on my body. Been 2 weeks cutting down and been without and still not got any weight control back
Related topics
Further information
- Cymbalta uses and safety info
- Cymbalta prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Cymbalta (detailed)
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