Cymbalta and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Lun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2021

For Depression "While I was only on Cymbalta for a short time, it didn't help with my depression or anxiety - if anything, it made it worse. I had two major things occur. The first one was I slept almost constantly. I would sleep for 6 hours, wake up for 1 hour, go back to sleep for another 6 hours, and repeat the cycle almost daily. The second, and more concerning, was I had a major increase in suicidal thoughts. However, for me, the worst part about Cymbalta is trying to come off it. This goes for many medications, but Cymbalta has severe withdrawal symptoms. I had dizziness, nausea (and vomiting), irritability, headache, sweating, shaking, diarrhea, and tingling of the skin, the whole nine yards. So please just be aware if you are ever planning to come off of this medication for any reason, the recovery period will be hell."

• Lon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2021

For Anxiety "This completely cured the anxiety disorder that had been crippling me for 5 years. I went from waking up with that feel of dread in the pit of my stomach to being completely calm in less than a month. This medication has saved my life. During the first week, I experienced terrible nausea, insomnia, and headaches. These all went away by the end of week 2. Now the only side effect I experience is occasional headaches and trouble climaxing. I can work around the sexual dysfunction by timing when I have intercourse. I've found that if you have sex around 20-24 hours after taking your last dose, it is much easier to achieve orgasm."

• Cia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2021

For Anxiety "I've been taking this for two weeks now, and I must admit that I wanted to stop after 2 or 3 days because of nausea, brain fog, and headaches, but I pushed through, and I'm so glad that I did. For the first time in such a long time, I can feel life returning to normal now. I can get out of bed in the mornings now and actually look forward to going to work. I'm two weeks in now and on a 30 mg dose, and I am so glad that I took this leap of faith. I understand that this won't work for everyone, but you must push past the initial 4 or 5 days to be able to make a solid decision. Life is good now."

• Bos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2021

For Anxiety "Prescribed by Dr. to help withdrawal from gabapentin. Small (morning dose). Day 1, fuzzy, weak. Day 2, very dizzy, unable to drive. Day three, the works - raging loose bowel, intense nausea, headache, totally bed-ridden (except for time spent over the toilet bowl). This is not medicine for me, I might as well have taken poison."

• Ban...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Made me really tired at 60 mg, so went down to 30. I was on that for a year, I was very stable, and everything seemed very blah. I gained 10 lbs because I couldn't taste anything and nothing sounded good, so I would get really hungry and just eat whatever crap I could stomach. Getting off seemed insurmountable because if I missed a dose, it was like dizziness, migraine, brain zaps, full body aches, nausea. I switched to Prozac and then went off Prozac after a month with no withdrawal from either. I still have anxiety, though, so I am back on Cymbalta 20 mg. I get brain fog and can't focus on it, but at least I'm not anxious, right?"

• Mys...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2021

For Anxiety "I talked to my doctor about taking some medication due to having terrible anxiety and depression. I also have a lot of chronic pain. I was having panic attacks every day at work, I would get panic attacks in my house for no reason. I’ve always had anxiety. There was just a constant wave of anxiety over me at all times. I would also get very depressed. Very down for a long time. My doctor mentions Cymbalta, and I decided to give it a try. The first four days or so, I felt like I had the flu, I would say. I was just very tired, sleeping non-stop, feeling dizzy, wasn’t hungry, and felt nauseous. But after those days, I felt so much better. A switch flipped. My anxiety is still there but nowhere near as bad. I haven’t had a panic attack for over a month, I feel the start of one, but I don’t get one! I haven’t had a bad depressive episode either! This medication has been a lifesaver for me and my confidence. It hasn’t helped my chronic pain, though, so keep that in mind."

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2021

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this medication for anxiety, and now I remember why I decided not to take it. I had taken it for three days before, and it constantly made me feel nauseated and sleepy. If you lose weight on this medication, that's how. It's because you constantly feel like you're going to throw up. I didn't take it for a while, but then my anxiety started getting really bad lately, so I decided to try it again. I took one pill last night and could not go to sleep. Then when I finally did go to sleep, I woke up at 2 am feeling like I was going to puke, heart racing, scared out of my mind that I was going to die and sweating. This might work for some people, but it didn't work well at all for me. I will never take it again, it only made me feel worse."

• Joh...
• July 17, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed this for severe fibromyalgia pain. It was awful! Insomnia, nausea, headache, restless legs while on it for a month. So even with a proper tapering off, I felt like I was going to die!!! Finally out of my system. Please stay away from this nightmare of a drug, and shame on doctors for not warning people about the withdrawal you may experience coming off of it."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 13, 2021

For Anxiety "I took Cymbalta twice: once in the evening and the next morning. It was prescribed for twice a day. After the first dose, I was mostly fine. I felt nauseous, restless, and didn't sleep much that night. But I figured it was just my body adjusting to the medication. After the second dose the next morning, I was driving to work when I got a sudden, very intense urge to sleep, my eyes suddenly became very sensitive to daylight, and I felt very dizzy. I ended up making it to work but had trouble walking. My vision was very blurry, felt like my eyes were rolling uncontrollably, and I had auditory/visual distortions. I sat at my desk for almost 4 hours, basically paralyzed. My heart pounded, and I had shortness of breath; I couldn't see well enough to read; I couldn't write. I had muscle spasms in my face and felt like I might choke on my tongue. After 3-4 hours, these symptoms started to go away but lingered at a less intense level through the day. Never. Again."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I've been on Cymbalta for about a month now for lack of energy, depression, and chronic back pain. I started with 30mg/D and one week later to 60mg/D. I had some mild nausea a few days after starting the 30mg and nothing at all with 60. This medication is changing my life and is doing everything it's supposed to do. The back pain is gone almost completely, I'm energized, focused, and calm. I can now put in a full productive day just like everyone else and not be dragging myself around by noon. I was very scared to start because I read all the scary reviews but I love, love, love this stuff!"

• Pon...
• April 3, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "Cymbalta is the worst medication I've ever taken. I've never experienced a worse withdrawal. I started Cymbalta after Lexapro stopped working for me. After starting Cymbalta, things got worse. The little bit of work that Lexapro was doing was more effective than Cymbalta. I went from being barely functional to being in a catatonic state. I was on it for 5 weeks before my psych took me off of it. Big mistake. Despite tapering the medication and starting Prozac, I was met with nausea, vertigo, lightheadedness, brain zaps, hot flashes, and fatigue. They tapered me off more slowly. Still didn't work. Yesterday was my first day back off of Cymbalta, and I ended up vomiting, on top of the other symptoms I mentioned. And you know what happened when I took it again last night? All those symptoms went away. The physical dependency that this medication creates due to its short half-life is insane. Not recommended. Cymbalta is an ineffective drug with a severe withdrawal."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I took my first dose around 8:30 pm last night (30 mg). Went to sleep around 10:30 pm. Woke at 2 am with hallucination-type dreams, felt like I would vomit. I went to the couch so I wouldn’t wake my husband. I shivered, sweated, had diarrhea, and was in a dream-like state but couldn’t sleep. The nausea was the worst. Hard to keep even water down. Through the rest of the day I had nausea hitting me hard, could only make it to the bathroom. Finally called the doctor and asked for nausea medication, and that seems to help some. I’m never taking this again and wouldn’t recommend it for someone new to antidepressants. I’m almost 24 hours from my first dose, and I’m still feeling sick, but can eat a little now."

• Tor...
• March 11, 2021

For Anxiety "After two days, the mild nausea has not gotten better, and my heart rate is still stronger than normal and quite noticeable when trying to fall asleep. I don’t have much ambition for tasks (less on Cymbalta), but my anxiety symptoms are somewhat improved along with my mood. If it weren’t for the side effects, Cymbalta may have been useful in helping with my anxiety. Obsessive thoughts are another issue I have, and Cymbalta might actually make them a bit worse."

• Que...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2021

For Chronic Pain "After being on Paxil for over 25 years for anxiety/panic attacks, but as I age, I have ankle and leg pain. So between the dr and I, we thought I should try Cymbalta. So straight to Cymbalta 30 mg from 20 mg Paxil. What a nightmarish week: no appetite, nausea, throwing up, severe headaches, weakness, tight chest, and every side effect listed. Thank the Lord I do not work anymore, 'cause there is no way a person could function like that at work. Day 5, called Dr to see what I should do to get off Cymbalta, that I’m done. She said just start taking Paxil again. Day two, Paxil still, trying to get that horrible Cymbalta med out of me. Using milk thistle and B complex. Please read all the side effects. Liver and brain damage! Any drinking alcohol has a very high risk of liver damage. High blood pressure also. Do your research ... very scary, mind-altering drug. General med Drs really need to study more about the horrible withdrawal side effects and side effects of new antidepressants."

• Car...
• February 4, 2021

For Anxiety "I took Cymbalta for only 4 days and had to get off of it. Even with taking 1.5 mg of Xanax a day, I could not get over my extreme anxiety and jitteriness. I was constantly in my head and experiencing horrible physical symptoms like heart palpitations, sweating, hot flashes, and nausea, and having to go to the bathroom frequently. Panic symptoms would crop up like every 2 hours, and I felt like the Xanax was barely doing anything for me to stop the anxiety. This was the worst medication I have been on by far!"

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "This is my first time taking Cymbalta. Today was my day one. Let me say, I took it with food, and within two to three hours, I started experiencing severe nausea. Within another hour, I became very jittery, and it felt like my skin was humming with electricity. Fast forward an hour, and I can only compare this feeling to doing a tab of acid minus the hallucinations, or what I assume people feel like doing speed because I bounced on a yoga ball for two hours while feeling very manic. Crazy. Edgy. Like I was pumped full of adrenaline and needed to jump out of my skin while laughing and humming. I kept twitching and kicking my legs, doing hand snaps and rubbing my hands up and down my jeans to the point where I have rubbed my palms raw. I took ONE pill. The ONLY upside is that my sciatic pain is basically gone, which is heaven. I'm about 9 hours in, and I'm finally sitting down, but I can't stop fidgeting or bring myself to eat anything despite my stomach gnawing at me. Will update in a week."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2021

For Anxiety "First pill made me feel like I was going to take off running. It wasn't pleasant at all, I could not fall asleep all night. When I finally got a nap, I woke feeling nausea and with a headache."

• sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 5, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started this medication to try to treat both my depression and fibromyalgia in one go, and it did not go well. My first dose was taken at around 10 a.m., and by 7 p.m. that day I was not feeling well. I was disoriented, dizzy, nauseous. An hour later my heart rate shot up to 145 (resting is 62), I was vomiting violently, shaking, and felt like I was drunk. I was admitted to the hospital, started on ondansetron. I was intermittently nauseous and dizzy, followed by extremely tired, weak, and cold. Symptoms stopped rather abruptly by 8 p.m. the next day (lasted approx 24 hours)."

• Lin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 5, 2021

For Fibromyalgia "The moment I decided to take Cymbalta was when I was in tears and excruciating pain from my 3-year-old nephew sitting on my lap. It has been a life changer. Side effects: I was prescribed sublingual medication to treat the nausea I experienced early on. I do feel a bit like I shake/vibrate at my current dose. I experienced some shaking in my hands and could no longer play piano. A rare side effect, I am told. Regardless of some small side effects at my current dose, this medication allows me to be more functional and not spend my days in bed, crying and being in a lot of pain."

• Hey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2021

For Depression "Cymbalta is helping me with my depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, delusions, involuntary utterances, body pain. It's been a world of difference from where I was two weeks ago-I could barely speak to anyone and cried all day long. I had no energy and was hysterical. Now I have hope that things can get better because I can think clearer and am not suffering so badly both physically and emotionally. The side effects that I have experienced include nausea/upset stomach that has not really been that problematic. But I have also been having so many wild, vivid dreams that I wake up repeatedly throughout the night. Three to four dreams per week have been nightmares. I have had trouble staying and getting back to sleep. At this point, the side effects have been worth it because my every waking moment was a nightmare before I started taking this medicine, but it has only been two weeks. I hope the dreams and tummy issues subside while the good effects keep working for me."

• Fib...
• December 31, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "I put off taking this drug due to all the negative comments. I have had bad reactions and am very sensitive to most other medications, and this was literally my last resort. I was petrified, as I hate nausea and vomiting (a lot of people commented on this as a side effect). I take Tixol brand. I suffer from debilitating anxiety and fibromyalgia. I have been on 30 mg for approximately 7 weeks and am about to up my dose tomorrow. On other antidepressants, it has taken me about 10 days to actually half-function again. On duloxetine, I felt a little dizzy and had blurred vision for 2-3 days, and then I felt normal. The only side effect I’ve had is hair loss and brittle hair. It has alleviated mostly all my elbow pain from fibromyalgia, which was crippling pain, and anxiety is much better. This worked quite quickly. It’s a relief to not have ice packs strapped to my arms every night and tears that silently run down my face from the pain. If it wasn’t for hair loss, this would be a 10/10 for me."

• blu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2020

For Chronic Pain "One of the worst medications ever. 1st 5 days, had no desire to do anything. Complete apathy about everything. Also had terrible nausea for 5 days. That finally went away. Then it started feeling like something was literally tapping on my brain. It did nothing for the chronic pain I had. I don't know how anyone can take this medicine. Stopped taking it. Had a headache for a few days, that was it."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2020

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Horrible. Made my stomach upset, groggy, nausea, anxiety worse. After one day!!! I can't handle it. I can't believe how hard it is to find decent pain relief. Inhumane to keep someone alive with nerve pain."

• Lyn...
• November 13, 2020

For Back Pain "Doc prescribed Cymbalta for nerve pain resembling shingles. Entire right torso, front and back, feels like I had been dragged on asphalt behind a truck! I also have severe diabetic neuropathy in my feet and hands. 1st day on Cymbalta, I was a little nauseous with a noticeable headache. Had trouble sleeping. I didn't hear the alarm, so I overslept. 2nd day (today), still can't sleep. Even with Ambien. No change in pain levels yet. Going to try taking it before bed tonight. Hoping it will work for me. Would like to get off gabapentin. Taking 2400 mg per day, which can't be good for me! Thanks for listening."

• Din...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 30, 2020

For Osteoarthritis "I’ve been on this med for 3 long years for major depressive disorder and severe osteoarthritis. Not by choice, mind you, but because the withdrawal effects were so severe for me I couldn’t get off it even with tapering. It gives me massive brain zaps, increased insomnia and racing thoughts, nausea, the worst dizziness I ever experienced that I just can’t take anymore after 2 days nonstop. I don’t recommend this medication because of how differently it affects people. You could be a statistic like me and suffer hard from this medicine. As for the pain relief, I didn’t feel much of it, I have severe osteoarthritis in many joints, so I don’t really feel much relief from many medications."