Cymbalta and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 3)

• CDa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 16, 2020

For Depression "I had been on this drug for over two years. My doctor never warned me of how my life would change on this drug. I developed extreme insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and I felt like a zombie with no emotions. I have been weaning off this pill for almost a week now, and I have had extreme nausea and extreme mood swings. If I were you, I’d stay far clear of this pill. It has destroyed me from the amount of time I was on it to the time I am weaning it off."

• Mia...
• September 6, 2020

For Depression "Awful. I work overnights, so I took Cymbalta in the morning with my other meds (300 mg Lamotrigine and 125 mg of Spironolactone). I took it with a glass of milk because I was told it didn’t matter if I took it with food or not. Terrible idea. I woke up freezing but constantly shivering, and I tried to combat the nausea by eating a banana, and I threw the banana up. Never in my life has a medication made me vomit. I’m in recovery, so the feeling of taking it was like a foreign substance, and I’ve been sober for years, so that absolutely did not sit well with me. I blindly trusted my doctor and didn’t do my research, please don’t make the same mistake. I’ve never been so sick as well. And it went on for hours after one dose (30 mg). Best wishes. Hope everyone finds what they need safely and healthily."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2020

For Depression "I was diagnosed with PMDD and was prescribed Cymbalta. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so sick in my life: nauseous, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, loss of appetite, dry mouth, and all of this after one dose. Never again."

• Reg...
• July 29, 2020

For Anxiety "I have been on Cymbalta 30 mg daily for almost two weeks for anxiety and depression. I have taken the medicine two times before with no side effects. This time however, my first week side effects were diarrhea, nausea, unable to eat much, worse anxiety, and hot flushes in my chest causing a bad panic attack. New thing for me. Never had this hot sensation in my chest before. Second week felt a little better for two days, then boom, hot flushes again throwing me into another panic attack. This one milder than the previous week. I’m so confused. Not sure whether to keep taking or not. Scary stuff when I get these hot flushing sensations across my chest and my heart rate goes up."

• Maz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2020

For Back Pain "Prescribed for back pain. I was told I have to start with 30 mg and in a week increase it to 60 mg. After two days on Cymbalta, I knew I would never make it. I got sick almost immediately - stumbling, brain fog, diarrhea, jaw pain, headache, and nausea. I told my doctor I wanted off, but she said to take it 'a few weeks' before I went up to 60 mg. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, so I stayed on it for a few more weeks, but didn't get better, and it actually got a lot worse. I called my doctor's office and told her I wanted off. There was no way I was going up to 60 mg. Since I had never increased the dosage, I immediately went to every other day for a week, then stopped. The withdrawal was every bit as bad as the reaction to the pill. There is finally a slight alleviation in the symptoms, so I've decided just to wait it out. MY RECOMMENDATION: My experience is this is the worst pill I have ever taken. Bottom line? DON'T TAKE THIS PILL!!!!"

• Avi...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 16, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "Just want everyone to know that I have been on Cymbalta (Duloxetine) for 5 years. It has been a lifesaver for me. I had a ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain going down my buttock and leg. This seemed to affect my nervous system. For lack of a better definition, I referred to this as fibromyalgia. I had all over body pain. Cymbalta helped with the pain almost immediately. Beware, and your health care provider should warn you about this, it will make you sick to your stomach the first 2 to 3 days. I used a lot of Pepto Bismol."

• Boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2020

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have only been on this medication for a week but I already notice a huge difference. I suffer from depression and anxiety as well as panic attacks. I noticed a difference on the 3rd day. My mind isn’t racing 100 mph and I can concentrate. Anxiety is still there a little bit, but no panic attacks. I had some nausea and diarrhea but I’m not sure if that was from Cymbalta as a bug was going around. The first few nights I had sleep issues, but those have passed. No sexual side effects thus far. I was on Lexapro before and I hated it. Felt like a zombie. This is altogether different. I know each drug is different for everyone, but so far Cymbalta has done wonders for me."

• Fun...
• February 8, 2020

For Depression "I just want to share my positive experience with Cymbalta, since there are so many negative reviews out here. Before this drug, I was on Celexa, then Lexapro... for depression, anxiety disorder, and panic attacks. The SSRIs left me feeling flat inside, and there were days I couldn't even get out of bed. Cymbalta has changed my life. I have no depression at the moment and have much more energy. I'm more social and have started working out again. In the first few weeks, I had minor side effects - fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and nausea. They went away after a few weeks. Glad I stuck it out."

• K55...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2020

For Depression "I have anxious depression, and I have been taking this drug for about one month. I started at 30 mg for a week and then switched to 60 mg until now. The first few days were horrible, I was sleeping about 12 hours per day and had a feeling of nausea, but finally, after a few days, everything was fine. Anxiety is totally gone, and I don't feel exhausted from my mood. I feel more powerful, and my mood is much better, but in any case, I am not happy. I also sleep very well. I will stick to this medicine. I recommend following doctors' prescriptions."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2020

For Depression "Cymbalta is the worst medication ever. Your nausea will get worse, you start to feel completely weak, and most of all, it makes you go into a deeper depression. Do not by all means take this drug."

• Tho...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 26, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "While Cymbalta took care of my major depressive disorder and my chronic pain, I feel as though I've been chemically castrated from this medication. Not only can I not achieve an erection, but my desire to have sex has virtually disappeared. I decided to quit cold turkey, and man, it's tough. I've had crazy dreams, lots of dizziness, and nausea, but what's great is that my sex drive has exploded. I won't go back on it, especially since neither my chronic pain nor any symptoms of my major depressive disorder have returned. Stay off this stuff if you can. I won't go back on it, not for anything."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2019

For Anxiety "I'm finally free from the grips of anxiety and depression. I just feel normal. First week of Cymbalta was rough. Didn't know if I could do it. Nausea. Couldn't stay awake. Diarrhea. I stuck with it. Week 2, symptoms started to fade. I'm on month 4, this is the best I've felt in so long! I'm not numb, I still get nervous, I'm still awkward, I'm still myself! But it doesn't control me! I'm in the moment now! I'm not faking it! The only side effect now that I currently have is occasional night sweats, which I will take any day of the week over how I felt before! I've lost weight. I no longer have low blood sugar. I feel like my entire body makeup has been changed for the better! It's hard to explain. And I know some people may be skeptical. I'm 40 years old, and this is the best I've felt in over 20 years."

• Izz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 4, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I gave it a 2 because it helped with my pain, and I saw a very quick change in my anxiety. But I've lost so much sleep over the last year due to insomnia and severe night sweats. My doctor told me to take it in the morning instead, but since I needed help sleeping, this was already doing the opposite. If I miss a single dose, I get severe electric shocks starting in my head going to my feet. Burning head but freezing extremities, shakes, nausea, and that's the physical symptoms. Mentally, I would be wailing and almost hitting my head against a wall, begging whatever was going on to stop. I tried going off it cold turkey after a year on 60 mg, and the physical and mental pain is what I'd imagine heroin withdrawal to be. Now my dosage is halved, my chronic pain is back with a vengeance, so it was working for my pain, but I feel pushing through the pain from the get-go would have been easier than going through the side effects of this medication for a year. Be warned, this drug is for life."

• cap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2019

For Back Pain "Do not take this drug Cymbalta! I am a 64-year-old female, otherwise healthy. I have L5 radiculopathy. After 6 days (6 pills 20 mg), I felt terrible. Sweating, dizzy, extremely fatigued, depressed, queasy. I would rather experience the discomfort in my left leg, foot, and low back than feel the way I feel right now or the potential side effects of waiting for this to 'kick in' and trying to come off of it. I'm doing a liver detox for a week and can't wait to get this out of my system."

• Sky...
• October 20, 2019

For Anxiety "Was given 30 mg/day for GAD with chronic nerve pain and insomnia. It caused nausea immediately. The doctor said that should pass in 7-10 days. Around day 9, the nausea passed. At this exact same time, the initial benefits I was starting to experience (lessened pain and improved sleep) returned to original baseline, and an itchy red facial rash developed on my cheeks. On day 18, the doctor said to stop the medication and that 'tapering was not necessary' (or an option). The 3rd day off the drug, I was incapacitated by severe dizziness and headache. This lasted 3 days. I have heard that the research on the efficacy of duloxetine/how it really shouldn't still be on the market, as Effexor XR and many other SNRIs/SSRIs have been repeatedly proven better than duloxetine. Side note - my doctor said that in 13 years of prescribing duloxetine, she's only had 2 cases of withdrawal that were problematic vs. 25% of all her patients on Effexor XR having protracted withdrawal problems."

• Ano...
• October 18, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I am taking the time to write a positive review for Cymbalta to hopefully help another person considering this medication. Dose and side effects: My experience has been good with the brand version of Cymbalta for 1 month - 30 mg. Day 1, a bit nauseous and diarrhea. Nothing else except constipation. Relief: I suffer from nerve/chronic pain. I felt relief from back pain in week 1 and by week 3, my nerve pain is calming down. I have not gained weight. Cymbalta: For those considering this medication, take time to read the good reviews and consider the brand version if you can afford it. Generics aren’t the exact replicas of the original brand. There are umpteen different versions of generics and they vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. So you never know what kind you're going to get. Take time to do your research. I work in medical education. The information is out there on the net to educate us on side effects, generics, withdrawal, etc."

• Nee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 9, 2019

For Chronic Pain "This drug made me so depressed to the point of having suicidal thoughts. When I finally realized that it was causing this, the withdrawal symptoms are worse than anything I've ever experienced. Anxiety, extreme nausea, intense vertigo, muscle spasms. Do not take this drug, there are so many better options."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "I have just started on Cymbalta 30 mg. It's working wonders for my chronic pain, but the side effects are horrible, such as chest pains, dizziness, muscle weakness in arms and sometimes legs, drowsiness, mental confusion, insomnia, increased anxiety, nausea, and it feels like my throat is a bit tight, plus heart palpitations. It's also difficult to urinate - it seems I have to really push. I plan on taking Cymbalta 30 mg for the rest of my life because it helps with the chronic pain that I'm in and works well. But I could definitely go without the yucky side effects... bleh. I'm 21 years old. I have Borderline Personality Disorder, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)... So yeah, I'm in constant pain."

• Con...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 13, 2019

For Depression "I've been on Cymbalta since 2009. On July 29, I went down to 60 mg; on August 6, down to 30 mg, and off completely August 19. The withdrawal symptoms began within 2 days. Hyper-sensitivity, both physically (to sound, taste, touch) and psychologically. I got shaky hands, chills, fevers, itchy skin, and two weeks on, prickles, like nettles or poison ivy all over my body. I felt like I had restless leg syndrome through my whole body. Nausea was persistent. I also found I was unable to manage any social interactions. I have still not gone back to work. The depression came back hard. August 6, 9th, August 19, and August 29 were all awful days. I didn't think I was going to make it. The hopelessness and despair were the worst I have ever experienced. July 29 to September 12. That's how long the withdrawal took for me."

• Flo...
• September 12, 2019

For Depression "I had been taking Lexapro for years with no problems. Extreme fatigue had my doctor suggesting I change to Cymbalta. Immediately, the anxiety, fuzzy head, vertigo, hangover feeling started with nausea, diarrhea, unquenchable thirst, weakness, you name the side effect, and I had it. Within 3 weeks, I don't know how I was literally able to function. Very happy to be going back on Lexapro."

• Tal...
• September 5, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was prescribed Cymbalta 60 mg daily by my psychiatrist after a rapid downslide in my bipolar depression. The first day was very rough for me - headache and severe nausea. The next couple of days, I was feeling slightly 'high' and couldn't stop clenching my jaw or rushing my words. Thankfully, all of that has passed (5 weeks in), now constipation is my only complaint. It has changed my outlook completely, and I'm so thankful. Hopefully, it doesn't change because it's been a lifesaver!"

• you...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "So... after now being on these for the second time, I can review them properly. As someone who struggles with mental health issues and fibromyalgia, these tablets worked a treat for both my pain and emotional regulation BUT be prepared for around a month of side effects before you fully notice a difference and can't function. Sickness, constantly sleeping all day; no appetite, rash, dizziness, nausea, constant headaches, not sleeping at all at night, and struggling to move are just to name a few, but once you get past that, they’re better than any pain killer. Despite struggling to feel emotions, the positives outweigh the negatives."

• Doe...
• September 1, 2019

For Anxiety "A heart specialist changed me from Effexor to Cymbalta. I stayed on a 37.5 mg dose of Effexor and started 60 mg Cymbalta. This med is not for me. After 3 weeks, I felt like I was falling apart. Severe anxiety like never before. I thought I was having a heart attack! So much tightness and pain. Called 911. Lots of tests later, it wasn't a heart attack at all. That was after 2 weeks on it. I was so deeply sad, severe nausea and vomiting, nightmares, sweats, biting down on my dentures constantly, itching all over. Dizziness, bad vision. My muscles ached. I've had serotonin syndrome before, and this terrified me. I could not eat. I'm diabetic, so I have to eat, but food made me sick. Headaches, dark thoughts. Could not take it anymore and switched back to Effexor 4 days ago, off the Cymbalta. Today I feel great! I had a spell of nausea and an overall feeling of so awful, lasted 20 minutes or so. I also had pain in my right side and abdomen, which is still tender but better. So glad to be feeling better."

• MJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2019

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "I've been taking Cymbalta for 6 months, 20 mg once a day. It has helped with my neuropathy in my legs, but nothing has stopped it, so it's better than taking nothing, which causes pain that is unbearable. But when taking the 60 mg, it has me very nauseated and off balance. So I have not been able to take a larger amount than 20 mg a day. I tried taking it at night, but I was really restless, oh, so I take it in the morning with food."

• Me ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "I took Cymbalta for 1 month for my pain. After about 2 weeks, bad side effects set in. I had stomach pain, memory loss, nauseated feeling, no hunger, dizziness - almost falling over. I felt so bad I knew not what to do. Finally, I told a few close people about what was going on, and I decided to call my doctor to get off Cymbalta. The doctor told me to stop immediately and rest. I did and slowly began to feel better. It's been 3 days and I'm still not normal, but a little better. I'm putting my words out there that if you're afraid of stuff like this, please stay away from Cymbalta. I think it should be taken out of the pharmacy. It is horrible."