Cymbalta for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anxio...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2015

"I have experienced anxiety and mild depression for several years. I finally decided to get help. Cymbalta has really helped. I noticed a change in the first couple of days. My anxiety has all but disappeared. I experienced dry mouth and interrupted sleep the first several days. I have experienced tiredness, but that has lessened over this month, and I hope it will go away altogether."

• Less...
• 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."

• 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!!"

• Madcar
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2015

"I've been taking Cymbalta for about 3 weeks now. I started with 30 mg for the first week. I found it worked but not quite there for me, so I asked my doctor to increase it for me. I'm on 60 mg a day now, which I take in the morning. I feel much better on this dose. I feel happier, much calmer, relaxed, less worry, and I even find myself being more friendly to people in general. I also take 300 mg of Wellbutrin in the morning for my depression. This combo seems to be really working for depression and general anxiety. Side effects: frequent headaches (I just take Advil when needed), a little bit of increased body temperature, and I'm up later in the evening and wake up earlier in the morn. When I wake, I'm super wide awake and very clear-headed."

• Finally...
• 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."

• Danie
• 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."

• Angel
• 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."

• jacki...
• 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."

• 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."

• Lexi
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2020

"I was scared to take this med after the reviews. An anxiety attack triggered me to finally try it. I took 1 tablet 30 mg yesterday afternoon with lunch and experienced nothing until night. I was having constant random visions all night, when I finally got up in the morning I began shaking, my skin felt like it was burning, I was on fire hot, and my mouth was so incredibly dry. Then I got the chills. Shaking, burning skin, chills, dizziness went all day. I was wiped out tired and could not eat. I was in bed all of this beautiful day until 4:30pm when I forced myself up. Honestly I felt poisoned. I drank 2 gallons of water waiting to flush this out of my body. It was about 28 hours from the time I took it until I felt somewhat back to normal."

• ItWor...
• 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."

• Alezie
• 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."

• heiven
• 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."

• Panic...
• 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, ..."

• Astut...
• 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."

• Dee
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2018

"I have only been on Cymbalta for 1 day. Took it later last night, think I slept okay but woke up foggy brained, zoning out, nauseous, blurry vision, slight increase in anxiety and a bit snappy... won’t be taking anymore of this. I will figure out a different way to handle my panic attacks. Letting the Dr. know ASAP! 30mg at night is my dosage. Anyone else have these experiences right away??"

• Dee
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2018

"Please DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION!! I took my first tablet 30mg of Cymbalta yesterday at about 11 am all was fine until about 6pm that night while I was sitting at the dinner table about too eat dinner I felt very dizzy, my eyes went very blurry couldn’t see properly, couldn’t eat, couldn’t speak was vomiting constantly shaking had the worst headache didn’t sleep all night still feeling some of these symptoms today. This drug is terrible and I don’t know how doctors can prescribe this to anyone!!!"

• cymba...
• 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 experience with other meds (looking at you Effexor), but I started to feel better after just a couple 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 can stay on this forever."

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

"I was prescribed 30mg of Cymbalta to deal with anxiety and slight depression. The medication is supposed to be titrated up to 120mg and I hard a hard time even convincing my therapist to go to 60mg. Once I hit 60mg 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."

• Sally
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2016

"Be careful when taking this medication. I took my first tablet yesterday in the morning and started feeling unwell during the day. Was out at a restaurant for lunch and started feeling so nauseous and burst into tears, and had to leave before my food arrived. Went home and felt so sick I slept for a couple of hours. Woke up and had some food, thought I was starting to feel better but a couple hours after that I collapsed (luckily I was at home with family) and was vomiting and had a severe fever, can't put into words just how horrible I was feeling. Woke up still feeling sick, of course didn't take another tablet, and am starting to feel better now about 38 hours after taking the tablet."

• Anonymous
• January 16, 2011

"I took the first 30 mg dose of Cymbalta and had bad side effects almost immediately. I felt dizzy and felt like I was passing out. I only took the one dose but have had insomnia for the past 48 hours. Lying awake, feeling agitated and anxious."

• highs...
• 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."

• New...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2014

"Problems are panic attacks, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder as a result of early menopause. First, I tried Effexor 75 mg, horrible blood pressure skyrocketed up to 170/101. Then I tried Fetzima for 5 days and couldn't tolerate a high heart rate. Resting heart rate 96 and while I was walking 110 to 125. Not good, always felt like I was climbing a hill, otherwise no other side effects except goosebumps and feeling cold. So then I started Cymbalta 13 days ago, the first 3-4 days very anxious, unable to sleep majorly. My body was tired, but my mind was not. Every time I would try to sleep, my jaw would clench, and my body would jerk (myoclonic jerks) and wake me up. I took a small dose of Ativan to help me sleep. Also, the first 4 days became hypoglycemic."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2013

"Cymbalta, unfortunately, did not work for my general anxiety disorder. I took it for two months. The worst part was that it made me feel nothing, and my other medications less effective. The good part was that it made my frequent urination decrease-probably because it made a lot of me feel numb, including my bladder."