How long will I be going through Cymbalta withdrawals?
Question posted by JenJen101 on 9 July 2013
Last updated on 26 April 2024
I've been taking Cymbalta for 8 years for depression and chronic pain. I started having terrible sweating, short term memory loss, severe depression, worsening pain, and many other side effects.
My Dr started slowly trying to get my dosage down from 90mgs, & after getting down from 60mgs to 30mgs, my side effects became unbearable. I forged on and now I'm on my 2nd day of taking just 5mgs of Lexapro, after going 3 days w/out taking Cymbalta.
I'm curious if anyone has successfully conquered this transition, and how long it took to feel somewhat normal? I'm aware it doesn't happen overnight, and I'm not asking for rainbows & butterflies-but the way I feel now is NOT good!! Along with the other stated side effects, I'm so lethargic and my brain is acting as if I turned the switch to off.
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
256 Answers Page 11
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widowk55
7 Dec 2015
Hi cymbalta friends!! Wow, I am finally Cymbalta free!! It was a very difficult thing to do. Should anyone have a rash and itching with your withdrawal symptoms, please do check with your doctor. It could be a liver issue. My intense itching and rashes were an allergic reaction that went on while tapering off and 30 days after my last granule. Benadryl was my friend until just a few days ago. I thought I was allergic to most of my medications. Things I need to take. Drugs like Synthroid and Atenolol. I am now taking them without a problem. Please keep an eye on your blood pressure. Mine fluctuated frequently. All I have managed to do is work and sleep, after I passed the insomnia stage. I have had some interesting symptoms for sure. The itching and face swelling were the worst. Followed by confusion, brain zaps, vertigo, tinnitus, profuse sweating, and fatigue when doing anything.
I have wondered for years why unusual things were happening in my body. I almost died after back surgery due to drug interactions. It all makes sense now. Hang in there guys, it will get better!!! Just try to get through the day and you will finally wake up brain side up!!!
Votes: +4
LG
lgarrett
19 Dec 2015
I was on Cymbalta 120 mgs for I don't know 'how' many years. Started Latuda in July 2015 and immediately had terrible sweating. We stopped the Latuda because sweating started with Latuda. Stopped resperidone. Still with sweating months later. Recently we decided that finally it might be the Cymbalta. I started weaning down about 6 weeks ago. Got to 30mgs and still had sweating and ANGER issues. After being on 30 mgs for 2 weeks. I tried to stop today and have nausea. I can't believe the sweating is from the Cymbalta after all those years without sweating. Guess the Latuda was the starting point for the Cymbalta "serotonin syndrome" they call this. I dread the coming months and (?)years(?). I'll probably try to stay on 30 mgs for I don't know how much longer. But I see here on this board that it could be a life-long(?) struggle. Geeeeez!
I wish someone could give me the best remedies for this withdrawal syndrome without having to read through all the posts. As you might guess, my concentration is not good I need hope please.
Thank you.
Lois
ST
stylemanmd
26 Dec 2015
Doctor started me out on 30 mg Cymbalta on September 3/2015 for back and leg pain, stress and anxiety due to a poor outcome from surgery 15 years ago. Permanent nerve damage! Permanent pain! Anyways, the first 2 weeks I didn't know what was going on. I was scared but knew I had to wait 2 to 3 weeks for my body to adjust. After that period of time, I started to feel more relaxed which helped with the pain, then in November, I started experiencing some very unpleasant side effects.
I decided to open the capsules and take out 1/2 of the grains which would drop the dosage to 15 mg instead of the full 30. (for your information) you can do this because the tiny grains are time released. They don't HAVE to be in the capsule, just don't chew them or crush them. It's been almost 2 weeks now but I still feel disoriented, always feeling like I've hit a wall, not wanting to be around anyone, no incentive and wondering how anyone could ever pass this off as a safe drug. I will eventually drop the grains to a 7 1/2 mg dosage and then go with that for a couple or three weeks, then quit. The withdrawals are a LOT easier to deal with this way than dropping by 30 mg at a time. I hope this helps everyone struggling with Cymbalta. Never again!!!
AN
Andy321
5 Dec 2015
You have to be strong. I was feeling withdrawals 2 months after quitting. I took Wellbutrin during the weening off phase, but it was still hard.
My advice is once your completely off you still crave going back on cymbalta. You can never go back to the drug!
Votes: +2
OC
ocmom67
19 Feb 2016
Hi Andy321,
I still have withdrawal symptoms and its been approx. two months as well. I am getting brain zaps, nausea, my stomach still hurts daily, but just on and off during the day, I still want to cry at the drop of a hat as well. Have your symptoms gone away and, if so, how long did it take? Thank you!
MS
Mssyblck62
5 Dec 2015
I'm on day 2 of weaning off of cymbalta. Initially I was only stopping because I no longer have insurance and can't afford it but was concerned as to how to wean so I googled it and found all of this from all of you. Holy moly! I'm terrified now. I had no idea it had caused my recent weight gain, stomach issues, and increased pain amongst other issues. Its a little overwhelming that there are so many of you going through so much over something that was supposed to help us but how beautiful and courageous of all of you. I was only on cymbalta for a little over 2 months and have dealt with symptoms of fibromyalgia my entire adult life so I'm determined I'll get through this but it is very encouraging to see so many others.
Votes: +1
SE
sevwhr1962
4 Dec 2015
After reading all of these responses, I am sitting here, terrified, in my office. Seeing a doctor tomorrow to go from 60mg down to 30mg. I am furious that I was prescribed this a year ago or so. I missed ONE DOSE earlier this week, and had a miserable 24 hours. I can't imagine what the next month or 2 will be like. The meds stopped working a while back - I know that for sure now that I read these similar experiences.
Votes: +2
ID
Idak
4 Dec 2015
If you slowly reduce the dosage the symptoms seem less extreme. Now that you know what others have gone through, you can work with your Dr. to control the severity of the withdrawal. Most of us didn't have a DR. that listened or believed it was a problem. If yours doesn't work with you through this find a DR that will. I will keep you in my thoughts and I wish you the best. Also, remember that not everyone had all the side effects. Mine was severe and it took over a year to totally withdraw but I am so grateful that I did. Hang in there.
Idak
HU
husky28
13 Dec 2015
I'm a critical RN for 25yrs and 5yrs as a critical care nursing instructor. Six months after my back surgery in 2006, I suffered from extreme fibromyalgia. I was started on Lyrica 100mg, 3x/day for a year before it affects my vision. From Lyrica, it was changed to Cymbalta 30mg qd to 90mg qd in 2008, on top of adding Gabapentin 300mg in am and 600mg at bedtime. Against my neurologist advise, I weaned myself off Gabapentin 3 maths ago. A month ago, I started weaning myself from 90mg to 60mg to 30mg Cymbalta qd. Today is the 8th day I've not being taking the Cymbalta medications. Why am I weaning myself off all these medications which were "helping" me to deal with the terrible pain on my lower back all the way down to my toes and again medical advise? Reasons... I lost control of my life. I can't function intelligently as a professional RN due to short term memory lost and attention span.
I'm now on disability retirement, which is a huge blow to me financially and my pride as a professional RN. Cymbals is a horrible and dangerous medication. I will never advise anyone to wean themselves off without medical professional close monitoring. These 8 days without the Cymbalta, my brain is fried crispy... foggy mind, drowsy, splitting headache, nausea, inability to sleep and fatigue. I can't drive without my GPS as I could not remember the route. Attitude... lousy but my dogs and cat just ignored me:)) Sexual desires drops to zero for the past 6 years; husband cheated on me twice and I threw his ass out last month!!! How do I deal with all these withdrawal symptoms? I'm not going to get a prescription for another medication to help with the symptoms when I'm trying to eliminate all these toxins from my system. I kept myself busy with meditation, my 4-legged children, music and movies with happy ending (no sad movies.) Even short touching you-tube clips makes me teary. Stay away from friends who are negative. I set little goals for myself that I can achieve daily. Rest when my body tells me to and a cold compress over my eyes when my headache gets bad. How long will all these bad feelings going to last? I do not know as every person reacts differently... I just have to take one day at a time and swear I will never ever touch Cymbalta again. It's so easy for medical professionals to prescribe medications to patients but do they ever think of the adverse effects on them... No!!! They get incentive to push them. I used to get hundreds of dollars in cash to buy lunch for all the staff in the surgical ICU whenever the pharmaceutical sales person wanted me to get the surgical staff to listen to their talks on whatever medications they are promoting. Free vacations/cruises are offered to departmental surgical chiefs if they're willing to push the medication. There are so many incentives for the doctors to prescribe the medication,Cymbalta, to their patients. Monies and freebies talk louder than the conscience... I can't say all doctors, but for most of them. To summarize my comment: if you're not a medical professional, please do not stop your Cymbalta without professional supervision... it's dangerous and one can go into epileptic seizures from withdrawal. It's going to be an extremely painful process, getting off this medication, Cymbalta, but with friends and family support as well as faith, nothing is impossible:)) Together in this support column, we are going to help each other to get through this difficult time of our life... good luck and best of health to us all.
MO
Momma4569
18 March 2016
I'm sorry you have to go through these terrible withdraw symptoms I too have experienced short term memory loss. I can say I am almost a week of Cymbalta free, but I am determined to see it through. I also have severe Sleep Apena and wondering if this is causing my memory loss. But good luck to you and I will say a prayer.
I was on cymbalta for 8 years. I told my doctor I wanted off this drug. He put me on Wellbutrin and I tapered off cymbalta in a month. I felt withdrawals for 3 months.
The first 2 weeks off cymbalta were pure hell. Extreme anxiety, depression, brain zaps and my brain felt in a haze.
One month off and I still got occasion brain zaps and depression.
Two months off and I finally started to feel the effects of the Wellbutrin. Some anxiety and depression.
Three months off and my mind is clear and I'm done with cymbalta forever. It was very very hard to get off this drug but it's worth it!!!
Hang in there!!
Votes: +3
CH
chuck1957
19 Nov 2015
These are tough ones because it depends on not only the medications, but our chemical in our system Hope your doing this with the doctors help. It's not fun coming off and the longer you take to do it the better and less side effects if you have not give your doctor a call. People are all different on this me it took 6 weeks, but I know of people it was 6 months. before the side effects went away of stopping the withdrawals.Please feel free to post again if we can help you.Almost all of us have been through this before or know about it.
Votes: +1
12
121463sc
18 Nov 2015
I have been on Cymbalta 8 years... This is what I did, nothing else worked... Drs don't seem to know. I have 12 "beads" in my 60 mg capsules, I took 1 out every 2 weeks, I am half way there... I still have headaches and some nervousness... but am doing pretty good... not going crazy with brain zaps, ect. It takes time going half dose at once? ... I don't think I would want to try that.
Votes: +1
RA
Rayzedbywolves
15 Nov 2015
I've been tapering off Cymbalta for 4 weeks. Honestly I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. I have avoided the headaches, but I'm dizzy, feeling alone and go from zen to rage in .1 second. I have bouts of crying, uselessness and feel like I'm going crazy. I have zero focus. The first week my arms and legs tingled all the time. I will be surprised if I don't lose employees over this. I've been avoiding my friends because no one understands what this is like. So scared this won't go away. So scared I will always feel this blue. So scared I really am full of rage. Just so scared.
Votes: +2
DL
dlholland
15 Nov 2015
Are you working with your doctor to come off it? I tied on my own and that was a really bad thing.
DE
dennisludwick
12 Nov 2015
On my 18th day since tapering down from 90mg,60mg,30mg,then finally 20mg. I had been taking Cymbalta for years. I feel so aweful. My doc had me stop the 20's and added 20mg Prozac. This, in addition to the fish oil omega 3 and vit d tricks. They really do help. I have never been so afraid in my life. To allow a medication to take control of my life this way. I know that it is still a long way to go before I am myself again. So much pain and misery from this drug.
Votes: +5
BO
bodendawn
9 Nov 2015
I stopped taking Cymbalta on October 31, 2015. I was taking 60 mg for the last 9 years for anxiety. My withdrawal was accidental. I ran out of the med and could not get it refilled right off. I became very ill three days into my withdrawals. At first I did not know what it was. Then it dawned on me I had forgotten to get the med refilled. I stayed in bed from Sunday to Wednesday. I am still exhausted. I am taking ondansetron for nausea. My ears are ringing non stop. I am also experiencing dizziness and virtgo. As horrible as the withdrawals are I am NEVER taking Cymbalta again! I have been taking Fish Oil to help with brain zaps and vitamin D for mood swings. Walking has been a blessing as well. I joined a Cymbalta support group on Facebook. I am very disillusioned with the FDA for allowing this drug on the market. To see that Lilly made billions on this drug upsets me. I have decided to take responsibility for health and well being I will not trust the government to police these big companies.
Votes: +8
LA
Lady_Karen
12 Nov 2015
I want to share my horrid cymbalta experience and am looking for any help, suggestions you lovely people can offer. I will first discloses I am a nurse, I am a NP, in the critical care unit, so this can happen to anyone! I am on cymbalta for my neropathy. Just had it most of my life, and there is no reason why. Nerve damage can come from so many things. I have gotten past wanting to know why.
But this med.what a nightmare I had accidentally gone off it. I had to wait for a refill, my reg. PC is on vacation. I'll be honest, I am very busy and I dont always stay on top of tracking my PC down to fill it. I never had much relief from the nerve pain with this med. so this time, I called it in, 2 weeks ago. and I had 4 left, so I took one, and waited 3 days, took one more. Trying to avoid the withdrawals I have heard about. Well its now been almost a week, I am still awaiting a call in of my meds.
But I just feel like I am losing it, you can read about withdrawals from this horrid med, but you dont know until you go through it! Its horrible, I have had to call out of work, I never do that. Told them I am just sick. But its the withdrawals! I am dizzy, and my head is pounding and no aspirin or Excedrin will touch my headache, the weird thing is some of this withdrawal I cannot even describe., Its a funny weird sound in my ears, when I move my head I think it would be fair to say it feels like my brain is bobbing around. Its so painful, I am too dizzy to walk much. I feel exhausted, so so very tired. This is the craziest thing I am going through and I just got so desperate, I called my pharmacy, told him who I am, I am a nurse practitioner, and I need my cymbalta filled NOW. He is giving me a weeks worth until I get the script filled, but I honestly dont want to take this, I just want this crap to stop! So I can function. I will be reporting this to the FDA as well. This is not okay to put anyone through this, and I will be weaning myself off. Any suggestions on how to do the weaning, please leave a comment I would love any advice! thanks so much!! my current dose is 60mg PO x once daily
one other thing, I have always felt like this does not help my nerve pain, but without having this for several days, my nerve pain feels like its gotten 100x worse, anyone else have that?
JO
Jodiaj
13 Nov 2015
My partner used the "beading method" to taper off the cymbalta over a one month (or so) period. She is having numbness in her hands, unstable mood, anger/rage, paranoia, anxiety, depression, irritability, hearing voices, seeing things,,, it's just been awful for her (and me). We hoped the withdrawal symptoms would be gone by now. It's been a month or a bit longer since she tapered off. (She was only on it for about 3-4 months.) She also gained about 10-15lbs while on it which destroyed her s of esteem. Once she stopped th cymbalta the weight began to quickly come off.
DL
dlholland
13 Nov 2015
Prozac is what helped me. I fell so much better. According to my doctor the withdraws are only about 5 days but I see its longer for others. I only had to take Prozac twice to get me past the withdraws
IN
Inactive
15 Nov 2015
Hi bodendawn, you are still in the three week window of reinstating Cymbalta and then tapering very slowly. By slowly I mean ten months or so. It is critical that your body has time to adjust to the decreases! The Facebook group that some have mentioned is called Cymbalta Hurts Worse. We help people to get off of this drug slowly and also support our members through it. For the people that stop taking this drug abruptly you may be in for months to years of withdrawal because the brain never had time to adjust from the withdrawal from this drug. We have 3,000 members now and we are growing dramatically every day. Most members have been let down by their doctors and were sent in to withdrawal hell. This is a very dangerous drug!!!
HO
Honestanna
18 Nov 2015
Yes yes yes! Read my long comment. I have the remedy for withdrawals and thank you I forgot about fish oil and ginseng if you can but ASHWAGHANDA is the deal... Plus a few other supplements. I can help people further if you know your blood type. Foods play a major part in every way shape and form from auto immune, cancers, psych problems you have no idea. I'm like you and after getting way too many small diagnoses on top of the psych ones I went off everything and quit smoking two weeks ago. Kudos to you for not trusting the government your smart, they are brainwashing people with meds. New world order.. I will try to keep you guys updated but Aok just tired from lack of sleep and two weeks no smokes or cymbalta no more chemicals for me. Next appt is for s hematologist but I researched so much I believe I am just low iron anemic in which they will do a vitamin B drip.
Alfalfa and cayenne pepper us amazing in the morning for stimulant, blood pressure, anxiety, chest pains, heart racing... Oh and I love tyrosine. It's the best makes you feel normal but Ashwaghanda is the cure all for withdrawals...
HO
Honestanna
18 Nov 2015
Cayenne pepper root, alphalpha and licorice root cures the headaches body aches ... Ashwaghanda is the cure all for all we symptoms. Don't go back on it
BL
blossom3782
26 Nov 2015
I have been taking Cymbalta for 4 years for major depression caused by a difficult childhood and an unhealthy marriage. Under the care of a psychiatrist last year, my dose was increased from 60mg to 90mg. After about 6 months, I felt that my emotions were too dulled, so I reduced my dose back to 60mg. The past few months things have been a bit better at home and 6 weeks ago, again feeling that my emotions were too dulled, I decided to wean myself off Cymbalta altogether. I've done this in 3 two week blocks - 2 weeks of alternating 60mg and 30mg each day; another 2 weeks of 30mg each day; the last 2 weeks, 30mg every second day. I took the last one today! I've noticed withdrawal symptoms since yesterday - my head feels thick and I'm a bit irritable. The fatigue is challenging! I'm so relieved that I haven't had any head zaps - they're horrible!
My advice to anyone wanting to come off Cymbalta is to do it slowly, preferably under the care of a health professional and to be gentle with yourself. It's not easy to stop any antidepressant, especially when so many of them have nasty side effects. It's still early days for me, but I'm hopeful about life without Cymbalta!
ST
stylemanmd
2 Jan 2016
I was given 30mg daily by my GP on September 3/2015 as a last resort for severe back and leg, and the anxiety and depression caused by that same pain. Took me 3 weeks to adjust to it and during that 3 weeks... I knew that if this is what it's going to be like getting used to it, it's going to be worse during the withdrawals. Mid November, I split the 30mg capsule so daily dosage would only be 15mg daily. I stayed on that dosage for 2 weeks, then quit. It's been 8 days today since taking Cymbalta and I am almost tempted to try 1/2 a capsule every 2 or 3 days to see if it'll help with the pain, but after re-reading about all the withdrawal symptoms people have been having, as well as my own, I am reluctant to even entertaining the thought. I still experience abnormalities, but I suppose those are going to fade away eventually. Who knows, maybe it's because I'm getting old. LLLLL
Most of the problems we have can be corrected if the medical profession would just listen and act on it instead of prescribing medication. I understand that some situations require medication, but for the majority of people, the cause could be corrected without prescription drugs. Someone just needs to take the time to listen and not be so concerned about how many patients they can run through their office in one day. Correcting the cause could require some backtracking on our part... or some professional help from those who study in the anatomy of the human body. Sadly enough... We have become a muti trillion dollar commodity, so lets (if we can) fight back and demand a solution to the causes of our suffering. Something has caused it! I hope and pray everyone here will have a Happy New Year and succeed in overcoming those hellish withdrawal symptoms.
PA
paulf392
2 Feb 2016
I also stopped at that time... after many years of being on Cymbalta... It is February and I am having nocturnal nightmares with Hyperventilation. ... or whatever. I am convinced it is still part of my withdrawals... hang in there... yes I agree with you... it is a bad one to be on !
Week 2... zaps... nausea. ..agitation. ..no energy. ..forgetful. ... deppression... sleep disturbances. .. moody... I have Ben on this Med for 7+ years... I am fighting everyday... I actually think.i had some seizures
Votes: +2
CH
chuck1957
26 Oct 2015
It can very by each person,We all are different but one thing for sure it is not fun the longer you take to taper down the better and much easier for you when these medications first came out they had no mention to the doctors about the withdrawal effect of coming off of them and they would just stop people. I know for me it was not to bad except for those darn brain zaps drive you nuts but it is easier when you are being switched from one to another in the same class very few side effects or withdrawal for me but as i said we are all different. Best of luck to you.
Votes: +0
DL
dlholland
25 Oct 2015
My doctor put me on Duloxetine 3 month after the murder of my son in July 2014, She had been wanting me to take the full dose of 60mg. But I pretty much stuck with just 30. On my really bad days I took the 60mg. I was never told about withdraws. I stopped taking them a couple days ago and its been horrible. Pretty much been having everything that everyone else is having.Never did I think it was from not taking this stuff. Scared the hell out of me thinking something else was wrong. I took a pill last night and feel much better. Its a weekend but I will be calling my doctor tomorrow and she needs to get me off this stuff. I read that to come off you pretty much have to open these caps and count out the beads evenly to get the decrease in mg. I read you have to reduce by 10% per month to start. I am so not happy about this. I have already been against med's but the lose of my son has turned my world upside down. I just needed a little help but I didnt want all this
Votes: +2
BR
brokenheart12
26 Oct 2015
First of all I am so sorry for the loss of your son. I think it is reprehensible that the doctor did not warn you about the side effects and "Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome." In the doctor's defense the drug company does a good job of suppressing this problem. I've read that the opening of the capsules and very slowly lowering the dose really helps. Don't know any one who tried it. I hope your doctor has a good solution. Any way taking it really slow should help and their is a lot of advise for things that help with the nausea etc. it this thread. I lost my son (2013) to a violent death as well (Cymbalta withdrawal was implicated). I know from personal experience that your journey is a difficult one. I wish you the best in finding a way to move forward.
DL
dlholland
26 Oct 2015
I am so sorry for your loss. It is a journey that I could have done without. No words can describe it.
NO
noecia
19 Oct 2015
Hi Been on cymbalta 8 months worked great for my anxiety after 2 weeks all symptoms were gone was told to do a 9 month course going off them has been tough since Thursday (4 days) stopped after going from 60 to 30 for 2 weeks then 2 weeks on 30 then day on day off for 2 weeks Can function and work but get brain zaps a LOT Gained 20kg in 2 months also Not sleeping very well and also lack energy also feel uptight and not a ease not anxious though hope it gets easier in the next days week
Votes: +0
ME
merrygoround
11 Oct 2015
I did it this year July 8th last day on Cymbalta by August 8th I was clean no more in my system... I also went down to 30 mg for a few months then after my month dose was done I stopped... I did take a herbal liquid Liver cleanse and feel that helped a lot for a month I took it... Now I am clean and feel great and this is after 7 years of torturing my body taking that CRAP... I have started losing weight finally I tried while on cymbalta and never worked... I gained 40 lbs and I see it all falling off... its wonderful... Get going there is a great life after Cymbalta I did it and so can you... Good luck I am rooting for you...
