Cymbalta and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2018

For Anxiety "After my first dose of the generic version of Cymbalta yesterday evening for major anxiety and minor depression. I was surprised to feel a difference within a few hours. My mood lifted, and I had more energy. I still felt slightly anxious. Initial side effects: quite bad insomnia, slight jitteriness, slight diarrhea, very slight confusion at times, and nausea for the first 12 hours after taking it. After 2 weeks, I now have zero side effects and have changed to taking it in the mornings. It is a miracle drug for my depression! The constant dark feeling of sadness has lifted completely. It has also helped my anxiety quite a lot, however, I still have periods of anxiousness. I am definitely going to stay on this medication as it has drastically improved the quality of my life."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2018

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I’ve been taking 30 mg a day for a few months, prescribed partly for depression but mainly for neuropathy. I’ve noticed a marked reduction in pain, a minimal positive effect on depression, but the skyrocketing anxiety is crazy. It seemed to actually decrease anxiety for about a week, then went in the opposite direction. I asked my doctor about this and discontinuing it, but he said not to, and instead go to 60 mg. This has put me in an awkward position of noncompliance (for good cause, in my opinion). Ultimately though, I guess it’s my responsibility. If I don’t notice a decrease in the anxiety soon, I’ll be stopping Cymbalta. No sense in paying a doctor to feel worse!"

• Jos...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 10, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "For the past year and a half, I have been on Cymbalta. This medicine has made a significant amount of difference. It helps a lot with depression and nerve pain. Working with a dedicated nurse practitioner and medical team, they make a difference. She is a pleasure to work with and provides options for her patients. The Cymbalta reduces the nerve pain. It helps with depression and anxiety. Thank you for the awesome recommendation and support."

• Ser...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2017

For Depression "I took my first dose of generic Cymbalta last night of 60 milligrams. It's now 5:47 PM, and I've not eaten all day due to the severe nausea. I'm also very jittery, anxious, have a super, really bad headache (I'm also prone to migraines), and my tinnitus is worse in my left ear. I have also slept most of the day, besides. I have depression, mild PTSD, and anxiety, and migraines. I've been on other antidepressants before. Prozac increased my migraines the last time. I think this generic of Cymbalta won't be for me."

• Ser...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2017

For Depression "I took my first dose of generic Cymbalta last night of 60 milligrams. It's now 5:47 PM, and I've not eaten all day due to the severe nausea. I'm also very jittery, anxious, have a super, really bad headache (I'm also prone to migraines), and my tinnitus is worse in my left ear. I have also slept most of the day, besides. I have depression, mild PTSD, and anxiety, and migraines. I've been on other antidepressants before. Prozac increased my migraines the last time. I think this generic of Cymbalta won't be for me."

• Tin...
• August 18, 2017

For Depression "I was put on this for a while. It made me very depressed, anxious, and withdrawn. It was only when my friends told me how bad I was that I realized I was having a real 'breakdown' on it. I went to see my doctor, who changed me to Sertraline, which suits me a lot better. I was depressed before I took Duloxetine, but I went into a very dark place that I had trouble getting out of. We are all different, and different medication suits different people."

• Gen...
• August 15, 2017

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "To the gentleman whose doctor switched him from Klonopin to Cymbalta: The reason you are suffering from severe anxiety is that you were taken off a benzodiazepine too quickly instead of having been tapered off the drug. Cymbalta is no substitute for Klonopin. Your doctor needs to go back to med school! I've been taking 60 mg of Cymbalta since 2009, after my husband committed suicide. It has helped me a lot with depression and anxiety, but I'm finding that my anxiety has recently increased because my new husband has lung cancer. I was put on 90 mg of Cymbalta recently, and I'm hoping that the higher dose will decrease, and not increase, my anxiety levels."

• Sha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 10, 2017

For Depression "I've been taking Cymbalta for depression for two and a half years. My doctor titrated me up to 120 mg. I was at 120 mg for over two and a half years, and almost constantly I was severely depressed, severe anxiety, some paranoia, no energy, overreaction, self-harm, extreme anger, just to name a few. That's not to say I do have some of those problems normally, but not as severe or as constant. So Cymbalta was overlooked as a cause of my worsening issues. Two weeks ago, I was admitted to an inpatient hospital to basically save my life. While I was in there, I was abruptly taken off, then titrated up to 60 mg. I'm a totally different person now. I did a complete 180°. I can't believe what a difference it makes being on the right dose."

• Cje...
• July 13, 2017

For Anxiety "I just started on 30 mg today. I had to come off of Prozac 20 mg after five days because it made my anxiety worse, no appetite, and my stomach hurt, and I stayed in the bathroom. I used to be on Cymbalta, and it was great. I came off of it because I thought I could deal with my menopause, and nope, it got bad again with anxiety. I hope Cymbalta helps me."

• Mam...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 18, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I took Cymbalta for 6 years after my house burned down, my husband was diagnosed with cancer, he lived 8 months. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and severe depression. It worked with minimal side effects. I felt like myself 3 days after starting it. I was in a good place 8 yrs. I weaned off and stopped taking it. 3 years later I had a massive stroke and slowly began to feel more and more depressed. I was suicidal in Jan. 2016. I asked a new Dr. to put me back on it. I felt better in only 36 hours. It was amazing how it changed my thinking. My back pain, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety had all but disappeared. I would recommend Cymbalta to anyone with any of these symptoms. Everyone is different and it may not work for you. I'm still taking it."

• Ann...
• May 15, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "Although OK when I first started to take this 30mg capsule, then increased to 60 mg daily... After some years, I am showing more signs of tiredness, confusion, anxiety, hot flushes, and forgetfulness, and general mental decline, and still get depressed, among symptoms... Am truly concerned about this, as is my husband and children (as I am not yet 65 years old)... And have always been in good health. I do not smoke, do drugs, and very seldom drink alcohol..."

• Kyp...
• May 11, 2017

For Depression "Previous med Lexapro quit working after several years. Cymbalta seemed to work for the 1st week, but I think it may have been a placebo effect. After about a week, my body started hurting and feeling hot from the inside, especially my legs below my knees. After about 3 weeks, stiff neck, hot flashes, restlessness, anxiety, headaches. 4 weeks, all these plus talking in sleep, joint pain, body aches, stiff feeling, trouble focusing, and I asked to be taken off it. I was only at 30mg."

• KDe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2017

For Depression "I experienced brain 'zaps' and severe mood changes on Cymbalta. It worked great for neuropathy at first, but it worsened my depression and anxiety. I felt restless all the time, like I was climbing the walls. Eventually, I felt numb and unable to function. My doctor refused to take me off of it, so I took myself off and found a new doctor who refilled my Zoloft prescription."

• cci...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 23, 2017

For Depression "I had such a mixed experience on Cymbalta. I took it for 1 month. It made half my day awful and the other half great. I would take it in the morning (30 mg), and for the first half of the day, I would feel this dark undercurrent, but kind of speedy at the same time. It made me have terrible anxiety and paranoia, and I fought with my husband in the mornings, accusing him of petty things. Then around 1 pm, this darkness would lift, and I would feel happy; it was really bizarre. But the damage done to my marriage from my behavior in the mornings was terrible. I hope my husband can forgive me for the drama. My last dose was 2 days ago, and I feel much more stable and sane. I did not like how this drug altered my personality so much in the mornings."

• Whi...
• January 27, 2017

For Depression "I have been on Cymbalta for at least 4-5 years. I took it with Lamictal also, as it did not seem to help or relieve the anxiety/depression. I now am doing acupuncture and going off both drugs. Horrible! I tried to tell my doctors that I still felt crummy on Cymbalta, but they just upped my dosage. I think there are other ways to deal with anxiety and depression. At the very least, you should find out if a certain drug works well with you by checking it out with a pharmacologist, so you can be matched. Good luck to all who are suffering, it is not much fun."

• Pac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 25, 2017

For Depression "Made me so tired, but still also was able to make my anxiety spike, but worse by far is I lost 80% of my once beautiful hair!"

• Leo...
• January 20, 2017

For Depression "Caused me severe anxiety/agitation. Its action increases norepinephrine levels as well as serotonin...and it's that effect on norepinephrine that has me climbing the walls! Not good for my depression or anxiety!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 19, 2017

For Depression "I was put on Cymbalta 60mg when I was in the psych ward for a suicide attempt. This medication significantly helped my depression and my thoughts of suicide went away. Cymbalta has been life changing for me. I thought I didn't need it anymore so I took myself off of it a month ago. The withdrawals are terrible! Worse than withdrawing from benzos, I was shaky for a straight week. After being off of it for a couple weeks my depression and anxiety came back full force, I realized how much it had been helping me and asked my doctor to put me back on it. I'm now on 30mg and feel less anxious and less sad."

• Anonymous
• January 16, 2017

For Anxiety "First day I took the first 20 mg capsule... thought I was going to have a seizure and was having a full-blown panic attack. She had given me this for anxiety and for pain (didn't help either: in fact, made both the pain and anxiety worse). I couldn't sleep that night. I was supposed to try it for 3 weeks before she upped my dose, but I said no way. I threw the bottle away and don't ever want to put one in my body again. It almost strangely reminded me of being on a stimulant (Adderall or Vyvanse), but it wasn't pleasant or made me focus. I was extremely distracted and panicking so much. I cried for hours."

• Esc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2017

For Anxiety "The rheumatologist put me on Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. I started on the medication, 20 mg, I think. I worked at a bank at the time, and one week into taking it, I was having anxiety attacks at work. I had anxiety before this, but not in social situations like this. I stayed on it for another week or so but took myself off. She also put me on amitriptyline for muscle relaxation at night. First, it knocked me the heck out, then within two weeks I would wake up with bad cramps in my legs and such tension/contraction in all my muscles that I couldn't sleep. I weaned myself off of that too. I told the doctor what happened, she said it wasn't the medicine causing the symptoms. Right... ten months later, still have anxiety, voice is shaky, not working."

• Try...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2016

For Depression "I haven't noticed any help at all with my depression, my anxiety has gotten worse, and I've never been so tired in my life. Also, I'm all out sweating like crazy during the most minimal tasks."

• Cym...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 25, 2016

For Anxiety "Cymbalta is from the devil. Evil, evil drug. Trying to stop it is hell on earth. Severe anxiety and emotional pain. Horrible dreams. I am an absolute wreck. Didn't take it for three days and was in extreme trouble. They don't make the dose low enough so you can get off it. Lowest is 30 mg. Load of garbage."

• Big...
• October 15, 2016

For Anxiety "Guys, I have unbearable anxiety every day. Nothing seems to work. I'm currently on Lyrica, which dulls it down a little, but it's highly addictive, and you can't miss a dose or you go through hell. It affects your sex drive, also. I have tried all the anti-D's I can think of, but nothing seems to work. Life is hell every day. I get up, and it's the same mental torment. What do I do? Is Cymbalta worth trying?"

• Dan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 21, 2016

For Depression "I suffer from major depression and many antidepressants have been of little help. My psychiatrist recently put me on Cymbalta and it changed my life. At first, it made me feel very racy and jittery, but after riding that out for a bit, the side effects went away. Now, taking 60mg a day, I feel the best I've felt in about 20 years."

• Fra...
• July 25, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Add on to 30 mg mirtazapine. Cymbalta taken in the morning. 1st day: diarrhea, very stoned feeling all day, slightly more anxious. 2nd day: slightly more depressed and anxious, a little less stoned feeling, slight constipation, sexual dysfunction. 3rd day: extremely depressed...worst I've ever felt. Suicidal. 4th day: same extreme and worsening depression. Couldn't handle it, stopped taking it after the 4th day. Worsened depression to the extreme. Don't know if the side effects would've lessened, but couldn't take the extreme depression. Sexual dysfunction also added to depression."