Cymbalta for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Lib...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 26, 2023

"I have panic disorder and agoraphobia, as well as spondylolisthesis. I took Lexapro for about 5 years and thought it was doing a good job...until I built up a tolerance to it and started having withdrawal symptoms halfway through the day every day. My doc switched me to Cymbalta, and it was a real eye-opener. I had no idea how poorly Lexapro was affecting me until Cymbalta changed things for me. I had been sluggish, unmotivated, tired, gained a lot of weight, and was still in pain all through my years with Lexapro, and since I was just so darn happy to not be suffering from random crippling panic attacks constantly, I figured that was 'good enough.' Not true. Now I know better. With Cymbalta, I have far more energy, my mood is boosted, my pain is reduced, I've lost weight, and I'm just generally more 'chipper' as well as being able to focus better at work and not suffering from panic attacks. Total life changer."

• Anonymous
• February 2, 2012

"I took Cymbalta 60mg for 4 months. It helped tremendously with general anxiety so I believed it to be a miracle, however, after about 4 weeks, I noticed depression setting in. It had gotten so bad that I felt compelled to leave a review on here. My heart was cold, didn't care about co-workers, friends, and family or myself. The depression hit so quickly. I was angry at the world for my own issues, everyone walking around all happy and everything, I wanted that so badly. I was mean and angry. I'd yell at people for things and accused them of being rude to me or not considerate enough for my standards. I got off Cymbalta and gained my life back. It did help my generalized anxiety disorder though."

• Fin...
• May 9, 2015

"I have been taking Cymbalta for over 3 weeks now. I have to say it has helped with my depression. I have been suffering from depression for 2 years now and decided to get help. I am starting to feel like myself again, except for some minor side effects: constipation, nausea, and headaches. Hopefully, these side effects will disappear in time."

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2012

"I started Cymbalta in September 2011 for depression and anxiety. My doctor started me off on 30 mg a day for 2 weeks, then switched me to 60 mg a day. The side effects I noticed right away were dry mouth and loss of hunger (not a bad thing - I lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks). After being on 60 mg for about a month, I started to have pretty bad night sweats, and I mean INTENSE night sweats - you wonder how your body can possibly hold that much water. But they have gotten fewer and far between now, and my dry mouth has subsided as well. About 2 months ago, my doctor switched me back to 30 mg a day - the 60 mg dose was causing my stomach to hurt and burn for about 3 hours after taking it despite taking it with or without food. It helps with GAD. Try it."

• Les...
• September 18, 2011

"I have been on 120 mg of Cymbalta daily for 8 months, as well as another year and a half at 60 mg. I take it for anxiety, MDD, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, etc. In addition to 10 mg of Abilify and a benzo, I am feeling almost back to normal. This happens to be one medicine that helps me, and I have tried many SSRIs over the years."

• Sou...
• April 1, 2014

"My Cymbalta experience was brutal. After a few days, I felt weak and tired. So tired that I started missing work. One week in, I started to get these strange brain zaps that made me feel as if I was being electrocuted. Two weeks in, I would start to cry. Just out of the blue, I would cry for no reason. It was the first time I had shed a tear in 10 years, and it was awful. I stopped taking it and am now afraid to take anything for my panic other than Klonopin."

• jac...
• August 13, 2010

"I have been taking Cymbalta (60 mg) for 7 weeks, and it has been of great help with the anxiety, depression, and chronic abdominal pain. I have some minor nausea and fatigue most days, but nothing really bad. The most serious side effect I have is the sexual one - lost libido and inability to reach orgasm. After 7 weeks, I fear it will be a permanent side effect, which is hard to deal with. Thank you."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

"I was on the edge of taking my life again. I was on Lexapro for almost a year, but it stopped working. I switched to so many different things, Paxil, Abilify, Prozac, nothing helped. I was still not sleeping and had major depression and anxiety. Then I got on Cymbalta. My anxiety and stuff isn’t completely gone, but I’m so much better. I’m FINALLY sleeping through the entire night without anything!! Give this med a try and wait a few weeks, the transition period is tough, especially if you're switching meds."

• GAD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 6, 2017

"I am 24. I was experiencing chronic anxiety, severe muscle tension, fatigue, and problems in concentration for about more than a year. I did not know exactly the reason for these symptoms. At first, I thought it could be a physical problem in my body. But after some medical tests, my doctors suggested I visit a psychiatric doctor. So my psychiatrist recognized my problem as Generalized Anxiety Disorder and prescribed me Cymbalta. The first week, only one 30 mg, from the second week, two 30 mg per day. After 2 weeks, it started to work. After 5 weeks, excellent... I was almost the man who I was before anxiety!!! But after a while, its performance decreased a little for 2 months. Again, after the third month, it started to get better slowly. After 6 months, I am really calm."

• Ang...
• December 23, 2016

"Cymbalta has made a huge difference. I was in constant pain and emotionally distraught 24/7. Now, taking 60 mg a day, I feel alive again. The only thing I don't like is my inability to deep sleep, but I will take it over constant pain and distress any day."

• hei...
• May 15, 2010

"I have GAD with mild depression, which caused a lot of tension in my shoulders and confused, muddled thinking with poor memory. I tend to be really irritable and short-tempered with mood swings. I've so far taken Cymbalta for about 4-5 months. My mood swings, irritability, and temper have improved. I am able to think much more clearly and remember better. The bad: my social anxiety hasn't improved much, and I gained about 5 pounds. Otherwise, no side effects. It doesn't make me sleepy, spacey, numb, nor does it diminish my libido. It isn't a wonder drug, but it's nice to have fewer side effects."

• ItW...
• October 14, 2016

"I have GAD and mild depression. I initially had side effects such as insomnia, no appetite, and nausea, but they went away after a few days. This has helped my anxiety tremendously! It is not without side effects, though. If I forget to take it, I will get nausea, headaches, and dizziness. I did gain weight and some diarrhea, but it has had no bad sexual side effects. I have been taking this for a year now. I am finding that the depression is now increasing, so maybe time for a dosage change. Just keep in mind everyone is different, and sometimes the benefits outweigh the effects."

• Ast...
• August 20, 2011

"I've used Lexapro for several years before starting on Cymbalta around 10 months ago. My anxiety is under much better control, and the sexual side effects are significantly less pronounced. I take it twice a day, 30 mg in the morning and 60 mg at night."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2017

"I've tried Prozac, Effexor, Wellbutrin, and Buspar. Cymbalta is the only med that makes me feel normal and cures my anxiety with no noticeable side effects. There is a withdrawal if I miss a dose, and it involves being very sleepy, vivid dreams, and night sweats. It's not fun, but it's worth feeling normal again."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2025

"I had all conditions it’s prescribed for. 3 months with starting dose 20 mg to 30 mg now, and it’s been very helpful. The anxiety symptoms are gone and no side effects. It works very mildly, and the worst was only up to a week. Life-saving medication and recommended if you’re ill in your chest. Now I take the medication regularly every day. Maybe the doctor will increase the dosage."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 3, 2017

"My thoughts on Cymbalta: Cymbalta has left me in a fog. I have no feelings-NONE. Driving is a chore as my eyes are excessively shifty. God forbid you ever forget to take your medication, as you will be stricken with these obnoxious little shocks (which I've recently learned were called 'brain zaps'). My heartbeat is erratic. My brain is unable to form the right words when I talk, which causes me to pause when I speak. I zone out regularly. I've been trying to taper off this medication and am on day 9. The withdrawals are debilitating. I cannot focus. My chest and my jaw are tense. My fog has worsened significantly. Driving is dangerous as my vision is blurred. I am angry and easily agitated. I feel like crying, but I can't. JUST SAY NO!!"

• Pan...
• May 3, 2016

"I've been on Cymbalta for a few years now (on various doses) alongside clonazepam (0.5 mg twice/day), and I have to say it's been the worst experience of my life. I was put on it after Effexor XR basically stopped working after 4 yrs. At first, Cymbalta seemed to 'take the edge off.' I didn't notice many of the initial side effects because of my severe withdrawal from Effexor. But after about 9 months at 30 mg, Cymbalta just stopped working and actually started to make me experience anxiety and panic attacks that were insanely intense. I have moved up to 60 mg and back down to 30, upped my clonazepam, and it's just gotten worse and worse. Weight gain (50 lbs), severe panic attacks, GAD, severe depression, OCD, stomachache, IBS, headache, ..."

• hig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2023

"I have dealt with generalized anxiety disorder since my early 20s and have tried many SSRIs. The results were typically lukewarm or ended with increased migraines. In the early 2000s, I was put on Effexor (SSNI), and it worked. This was pre-time release formula. Although I titrated off, as directed, I still suffered significant withdrawal. Fast forward to 2013, and my doctor suggests I try it again. This time it's the extended-release. It was 3 days of hell. Nauseous, confused, and couldn't eat or sleep. Ended up in urgent care with instructions to stop immediately. The current psychiatrist decided to push Cymbalta (duloxetine) for a few months. I argued because I had such a hard time with Effexor. But after a few months of arguing, I agreed to start at a low 20 mg dose. He wanted me to double the dosage every week for 3 weeks. Side effects were worse than Effexor. Visual disturbances, could not eat or sleep, my heart rate slowed to 40 bpm, and I couldn't regulate my temp. Immediately stopped taking it."

• cym...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2021

"I have been lucky and found the perfect med for me. I am not exaggerating when I say Duloxetine has saved my life. It has saved me from absolutely crippling, mind-numbing anxiety, just wish I had started earlier. Unfortunately, this whole process is trial and error, and I had some bad experiences with other meds (looking at you, Effexor), but I started to feel better after just a couple of weeks on the Cymbalta. Was a little activating at first and made me feel a little on edge, but after a bit, that went away. No negative side effects, just have really vivid dreams now. Hopefully, I can stay on this forever."

• goo...
• May 2, 2016

"I have severe anxiety and depression. I've tried all the meds out, as my doctor would say. Cymbalta was suggested. And me needing to feel normal tried it. Worst experience of my life. Was on 40 mg. Felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, like someone was pulling me everywhere. Dr. told me to stick with it and lower the dose (I actually did, did not recommend talking to Dr. first). Nothing changed. I was talking without thinking, having more and more panic attacks and higher anxiety. Absolutely zero libido, and I gained weight. I felt 'happy,' but a weird happy. So, finally, I TELL my doctor for the third time in 9 months, I want off this medication. Withdrawal symptoms, no joke. It's been a month and I still have withdrawal effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 21, 2019

"I was prescribed 30 mg of Cymbalta to deal with anxiety and slight depression. The medication is supposed to be titrated up to 120 mg, and I had a hard time even convincing my therapist to go to 60 mg. Once I hit 60 mg, it went downhill. I lost all ability to focus and found myself not enjoying much of anything. I was tired all the time and started nodding off all day, even at work. I stopped taking it, which I know isn't the brightest idea, but I've gotten some of my focus back."

• Nfn...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 11, 2016

"Was prescribed for depression, but it affected my panic disorder very much. I went from 6-7 panic attacks a day to 1-2 a week/month. It really, really helped with my anxiety overall too. I feel less anxious. The initial 2 weeks were horrible, though, increased anxiety, hot flashes. And it interacts with a lot of medications (including vitamin D supplements)."

• Spa...
• April 2, 2016

"I have been dealing with depression since 1990 and run the whole inventory of SSRIs available. Prozac was effective the first 2 years, then became ineffective. The only drug that has helped me for an extended period of time was Paxil. Paxil eventually became ineffective after 5 years. So the wonder drug Cymbalta comes on the scene, and I thought I had finally found the magical cure. I've been on 60 mg of Cymbalta for about a year, and once again the roof is caving in and very abruptly. This past week I've been suicidal for 3 days. Why? The circumstances in my life that so often can trigger anxiety or depression are the same as always. How can an SSRI become instantaneously ineffective? I'm not raving about Cymbalta any longer."

• Ala...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 29, 2021

"Was having issues with trying to rebuild my life after a devastating amount of child trauma (sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse), and I have Mixed Personality Disorder (ASPD + PPD + BPD) CPTSD. I'd hit relapses of existential dread. It would make me suicidal. Cymbalta is revolutionary. All the experiences, all the depth of conscious thought I didn't need is gone. I no longer get existential; I am calmer. I can actually think properly; the first few days I felt wired, but once that settled, I was more compassionate, caring, calm, and leveled out. I came face to face with my abuser, and instead of becoming manic thinking of stabbing him to death, I was able to smile, truly smile, breathe, and ignore him entirely. I may actually stand a chance recovering. Where SSRIs, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics failed, Cymbalta succeeded. Hope this helps someone."

• Sop...
• April 25, 2016

"These pharmaceutical companies need to figure out ways to engineer better medications. I went on Cymbalta for about 8 months after a long struggle with anxiety. I had mild depressive episodes as well, but it didn't really bother me and mostly came as a result of having bad anxiety that I felt I couldn't control. Cymbalta was great at first, I seemed to actually lose a little weight (didn't need to, but any girl likes to see that), and I had a great mood much of the time. However, I started noticing that it wasn't doing anything for my actual anxiety. It started making me gain weight, I was too tired from the medicine to go to the gym, and had a hard time even making it to the library to study (I'm a college student)."