... thought was menopause.(no periods, hot flashes, moodiness around my period time) and due to the fact i'm 47 years old. Well, one week after being off it, my period came back and the hot flashes went away! Has anyone ever had this happen? I read what little I could find on the matter, and it is indeed a side effect.
Here's an odd but sincere question. I've been on Cymbalta for around a year, going through what I...
Question posted by kaw06 on 6 Aug 2013
Last updated on 14 December 2022 by Reactionstress02
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6 Answers
Reactionstress02
14 Dec 2022
Ok, I had been taken Cymbalta for depression and nerve pain. Since I stopped about a month or so in I had two periods within 2 weeks lasting 5 days. My normal is regular, every 21 days or so and last about 5 days. After this freak period, I have spotted and it time for my regular period. It hasn’t started. My question is how long does Cymbalta affect your period after quitting the medicine and also my hot flashes stopped after stopping Cymbalta. I am 48. Please help
GoAllNatural
12 Dec 2020
I’m 43 and have been on cymbalta a year for PTSD. I’m now down from 60mg to 5mg after finding out I have fibroids and cysts, horribly heavy and painful mensural cycles ever since and I too thought I might be Menopausal. I feel strongly that the higher levels of estrogen have wreaked havoc on my reproductive system which was normal until this medication. Last month after upping my dose I had only a three day painful period instead of a normal but painful 7 day bleeding cycle. After much research I’ve chosen to wean myself off. Don’t stop cold turkey, even I suffered withdrawal hot flashes and flu like symptoms during my taper down detox. You legit have to open the pills and count the beads to taper off for minimal withdrawals. In order to assist my body during this transition, I ordered herbal supplements.
One for adrenal support, DIM to assist estrogen levels, as well as a combo of milk thistle, dandelion and one other herb I can’t remember for my liver. I’m also taking evening prime rose for my depression, and replacing the cymbalta with an all natural herbal supplement to balance my serotonin levels without taking pharmaceuticals. Great deals on amazon. In 6 days I’ll be totally off cymbalta and expect my menses to return to normal and hopefully shrink my fibroids overtime by balancing the overdose of estrogen. This med helped with my PTSD but it’s not worth the terrible side affects let alone withdrawals. My sex drive is returning and I’m feeling more like myself now. I’m going all natural the way nature intended and never will I go back to pharmaceuticals. Therapy and hypnosis is also in my tool kit and works better for my PTSD than any pill. Sadly psychiatrists often know less about this drug than consumers like myself who do their own homework, and more often than not they don’t explain how hard it is to get off this drug. No one told me, I had to read the horror stories myself from others who have gotten off cymbalta, and your question is not odd or off point. You are experiencing what many women experience with this med. wishing you the best, you are on point with your concerns.
Nvandort77
29 Nov 2019
I have been taking Cymbalta for about 3 months now and my periods have been off the charts. I used to be 28 days for as long as I can remember. I am only 42. Right now I have my periods every 15 days and they run 7 days long. The only thing I have changed in the last 3 months is taking Cymbalta. My Gyno checked my estrogen and testosterone and at one point when I first started taking anti depressants my testosterone levels where crazy high and my estrogen was super low. So we got that fixed. But still having the troubles of periods every 15 days. I am going crazy here. I guess a trip into my primary is my next step to see about changing meds. But I guess what my main question would be is this are all anti depressants going to have the same effect? So frustrating.
yellowlabs
6 Aug 2013
Very interesting. I had the opposite thing happen. No periods for a year. Then started Cymbalta and they came back for a short while (heavy), along with terrible hot flashes, then the periods stopped, but not the hot flashes unfortunately. 2 of my doctors (reg GP and psychiatrist) said Cymbalta had nothing to do with it. Wrong!
lady2882
6 Aug 2013
The sudden drop in estrogen can cause the body to think that it is now time for menopause. It took some time for the hot flashes to stop for me. For some they stop quickly and everything goes back to normal but as with all the side effects of taking and of stopping cymbalta, 2% of people have long term side effects for 4 months to a year.
lady2882
6 Aug 2013
Forgot to add that Cymbalta is stored in the fat cells of the body so since women have these wonderful things called breasts which act as a reserve for fat cells they are more likely to have long term side effects. The really bad thing is that anyone, male of female, who has any fat on their body can have renewed side effects by simply loosing weight.
endlessPred
6 Aug 2013
As I noted on another cymbalta question, be sure to report these side effects.
lady2882
6 Aug 2013
The effects of cymbalta on both testosterone and estrogen can already be found on the prescribing information on the insert that comes with the pills so they are already aware of these side effects. They note the effects this can have on the sex drive for both men and women, especially with men not being able to get an erection. They also note the side effect of increased breast size for both women and men but again are mostly concerned with problems the men have with pain etc. I was told that the raised estrogen levels partly caused the sweating and that at my age I should expect to have the other menopausal side effects.
The best option for reporting the menopausal like symptoms is now the FDA.
lady2882
6 Aug 2013
Cymbalta does wonderful things with hormone levels. It can lower testosterone and raise estrogen which can really mess up women in our age group. It can also change ones menses no matter the age as I have found out from a group of much younger women (most have shorter periods but a longer time between periods. Men as well as can experience an increase in estrogen and develop breasts and have breast pain.
I am post menopausal so the return of the hot flashes and moodiness was not welcomed at all. My biggest concern was that breast cancer runs in the family and the elevated estrogen and low progesterone (because I am post menopausal) was a real worry for me. Thankfully that all settled back down fairly quickly when I stop taking cymbalta.
I have heard that they are now suggesting cymbalta for menopause symptoms which I think is totally crazy after what it did to me.
Take care
kaw06
6 Aug 2013
That's just crazy! I thought I knew a alot about antidepressants and side affects, but boy I didn't see that coming, I feel so dumb not to question my own body. But you can bet I will if there's a next time, with another med.
JenJen101
7 Aug 2013
For the past year I've been having every kind of blood test my Dr has to offer, trying to find out why I'm sweating like a pig. Imagine my surprise when my Dr finds my testosterone level was off the chart low, estrogen level is fine. I see my Gyno, crying to the nurse about how I'd had to change my clothes twice because I'd sweat thru them while getting ready. My Gyno runs thru my med list & asks me about my Cymbalta usage. Very long story short-Cymbalta had caused me to alter my entire life for the past few years due to the sweating. I can't even begin to stress how bad it was-I thought I was starting menopause, that I was going to drown in my own sweat, & that I was going crazy!!
Now after being off of Cymbalta for almost a month, I still have a few sweat attacks, but NOTHING like before. Even though its 85 degrees + here, I'm not sweating! I no longer have a wad of Kleenex or napkins in the pockets of my shorts, & am beginning to see my life w/out being a hot sweaty mess! To all those dealing w/life on Cymbalta... I offer you my heart thought Prayers. There is life after Cymbalta!!
cbomb79
8 Aug 2013
I am 33 and have been on cymbalta for 3+ years. Ive had such terrible night sweats that i have often thought i wet the bed! My face sweats nonstop during the day also. Its terrible. Going to doc on monday to look for a new option!
kaw06
8 Aug 2013
Your story sounds very similar to mine, I was known as the hot flash woman at work and my Co workers did all they could to keep me cool and not verbally attacking them while wringing out my ponytail! The sad thing is that it didn't really work all that great, now that i'm back on effexor i'm feeling better .
Mik55
25 June 2015
i am 54 and have been going through terrible Menopausal symptoms. it's not only hot flashes or insomnia, but such severe mood swings that i am next to being called a demon!! i hate what this part of my life is doing to me. my dr. wont do hormone rep therapy because i'm a smoker. but did prescribe symbalta.i have JUST started this medication. i have cancers in my imediate family line with my mother passing at 39 yrs young with ovarian and cervical cancer. my grand mother with breast and some kind of lymph cancer. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to go through this untreated, no meds until this nightmare ends. But that would mean I'd have no family members in my life. They don't understand and don't even come around me anymore because I've become so violent. can menopause end at a certain age? and if gone untreated are the chances "not" developing cancer greater if it goes untreated?
jwkamara
2 Oct 2015
I had the same thing, bleeding ALL the time, soaking night sweats to the point that my mattress molded, hot flashes. I got off the medication about six weeks ago, and all that went away. I had the first normal period in 3 years. But now I'm feeling so irritated constantly, I snap at everyone around me, I have zero tolerance for being around others and I don't feel like mysel. I took one pill (20mg) of the Cymbalta today because I can't stand being around people, and I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin, I'm on the verge of panic attack (haven't had those in nearly 4 years), I am crying, I'm totally dis-regulated in less than four hours after taking it! I also feal like I don't want to live. I'm okay, I know what it is, I know what to do,
and have someone with me but I'm not getting into my car in this state.
Related topics
cymbalta, peri-ds, menopausal disorders, hot flashes, oppositional defiant disorder, period
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