Cymbalta and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "I started Cymbalta to help with pain. I had horrible side effects. I was extremely nauseous, tired, sweaty, and more. I took this medicine for about a month, and the side effects never seemed to go away. So I stopped taking it, even though I know you’re supposed to slowly do so. I just felt sick taking it, and I still feel sick after stopping. I can’t stop throwing up. I honestly don’t even think it’s worth trying this medicine. I would stay away at all costs."

• its...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 1, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "Cymbalta seemed to help at first, until the side effects became unbearable and it stopped working. It made me sleep over 12 hours a day, gain a bunch of weight, and made me have no libido whatsoever. Not to mention, it's extremely hard to come off of. I stopped it last week, and I'm still experiencing withdrawals -- brain zaps, nausea, headache. I would not recommend Cymbalta for fibro. It might help your pain, but it'll make your fatigue worse."

• DSu...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 30, 2019

For Depression "I have been taking Cymbalta for approximately 15 years for depression and anxiety. I had tried every other drug on the market. It has been a lifesaver for me! The first few days I felt nauseous, but that is a side effect that goes away. My doctor told me it was one of the few that continues to work after taking it for a long time. I mistakenly have quit taking it a few times to see if I felt better. I had no adverse effects coming off of it, except that my anxiety and depression worsened. This year was the first time I’ve had my dosage increased since starting the medication. As long as it continues to work, I’ll never quit taking it."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2019

For Back Pain "My doctor prescribed Cymbalta to me for my back pain. After 4 days, the awfulness started. This med is terrible! Dizziness, nausea, messing with my brain, anxiety, loopy. I don't recognize myself. I didn't have this before. Can't take it anymore because I feel like it will cause mental illness. Horrible."

• lil...
• June 14, 2019

For Depression "I was on Cymbalta about 3 years ago, and it worked pretty well, but I lost my job and insurance, so I went off it cold turkey... no way!!! Sick to my stomach constantly, brain zaps, and feeling like I was drunk, couldn't even walk straight. Then, just recently, I have fallen into a deep depression and decided to go back on it, and this time it made me go into a severely deeper depression that I never thought could happen to me. Couldn't get out of bed for almost 4 weeks. I said forget this, and off I went again. So far, no side effects getting off because I was only on it a month. Good luck!!!"

• TWa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2019

For Depression "My Dr. started me on Cymbalta about a month ago. I go to a VA clinic, and my Dr. is a great psychiatrist who has many, many years in practice. I told him of all my issues and problems, and he ordered this med for me. I am currently maintained on other meds for opiate withdrawal, so I’ve been through the rough stuff before. I gotta say, even from day one, which made me slightly woozy and somewhat queasy, it is a wonderful drug for me. The queasiness subsided after a couple of days, and I noticed almost immediately my depression decreased dramatically. It also did wonders for my anxiety. I have no issues with this med, it’s great for me. Not all people have the exact same imbalance, so I suggest shopping around until you find the right one. If you are getting meds from a general physician, I suggest you see a well-qualified psychiatrist and tell him exactly what you feel and when and how, and he can get you pretty close to the center of the dartboard of what med you need."

• Moo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2019

For Depression "Took Cymbalta for 10 days, only have severe nausea and insomnia, hoping it goes away soon. Can’t sleep or eat at all."

• Lee...
• May 11, 2019

For Anxiety "I got bad/severe serotonin syndrome from Cymbalta 60 and tramadol 50. Everyone thought this was strange, as both are low doses. Recently tried Cymbalta a few months ago as monotherapy, after a month, I got mild serotonin syndrome, confirmed by my psychiatrist. I had delirium, nausea, delusions, sweating, and diarrhea. Could this both times be from my huge caffeine intake I’ve had for years, as caffeine and Cymbalta are both CYP1A2 substrates? My son had severe reactions to multiple 2D6 substrates, and gene testing confirmed he is a normal metabolizer. Was just too much medication hurting his 2D6 enzyme. Thoughts on my caffeine abuse with my Cymbalta nasty reactions?"

• Fib...
• April 22, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed Cymbalta for fibromyalgia and depression. I was taking it for over 3 years, but I developed a tolerance for it because it stopped working. While I was on it, it worked really well. It took some time to take effect, like 15 days, but when it did, it worked very well. I was able to continue working 50-hour weeks. The only horrible thing was when it finally stopped working, so I had to resign from my job and subsequently lost my health insurance. I couldn't afford the Rx, so I stopped taking it cold turkey. The side effects were horrendous! I was shaking, nauseous, had really bad headaches, dizzy. I finally had to borrow money to get the med back and then weaned off slowly."

• Bry...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2019

For Anxiety "I started on 30 mgs a day and stopped on the 5th day. I felt so nauseous and intestinally challenged. The drug also caused my heart to go into afib/aflutter with moderate tachycardia. As soon as I told the doctor what was happening, he had me stop immediately. Now I am waiting to see a cardiologist to assess the arrhythmia situation. I know the literature says that my side effects are rare, but it happened to me."

• Ast...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "I was given Cymbalta 60 mg for arthritis pain primarily and insomnia secondarily. It had been recommended by both my oncologist and PCP. I felt awful the 5 days I took it. While there was a slight reduction in pain from a 4 to 3, I couldn’t eat. I woke up from restless sleep vomiting; I could have aspirated. I stopped immediately and had no side effects from doing so. The nausea was unbearable, and my anti-nausea meds were contraindicated. Horrible experience. I gave a 2 rather than 1 due to slight pain reduction. I saw no improvement in sleep."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 12, 2019

For Depression "So I was on Lexapro for 5 years, it stopped working. The doctor suggested Cymbalta. I was scared to try it with all the bad reviews. But I started on 30 mg for 2 weeks, then up to 60 mg after 2 weeks. The side effects were dry mouth, nausea, and dizziness. However, the side effects have gotten better, and this is working. No more crying spells or moodiness. Also, it has helped my back and neck pain."

• MBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "I finally decided to try this medication after being sick and tired of being in constant pain, especially at night. I've had fibromyalgia for 20 years, and in the past 10 years, I've been treating it on an acute basis with Flexeril 20mg and Tramadol 50mg as needed. Cymbalta has been a game changer for me! I would like to mention that I've also worked hard to maintain a steady weight for the past 20 years, which as a healthcare professional myself, I knew this was a crucial component in chronic pain management. I believe this helped me not to rely on medications on a daily basis. However, now that I am on Cymbalta, I realize how much pain I truly was in on a daily basis. The only side effects I have suffered thus far are mild nausea and dry mouth, which get better day by day. It's only been a week, and my aches and pains are completely gone! I'm hoping that the sweating side effect doesn't kick in."

• kaz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I don't usually leave reviews for anything, and I researched this drug and saw so many negative comments about it, so I thought I would leave a positive one. People seem to try this for 1 - 3 days and give up, how is this giving the drug a good chance at working? I have had chronic musculoskeletal lower back pain for just over a year now without any opiates working long term, so my doctor prescribed Cymbalta 30mgs to start with. Yes, I did have side effects... nausea, insomnia, lack of concentration, fainting, headaches, etc., but when you are desperate for pain relief, you try anything and I stuck it out for the 2 weeks. All the side effects have gone, and I now have gone up to 60mgs, and I feel this is kicking in quite nicely. I don't need my pain patches anymore, etc."

• Fib...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2018

For Fibromyalgia "After battling and dealing with pain for many years, I was prescribed Cymbalta. This drug works for pain. It kinda blocks it. That said, it was a rough start: dizziness, nausea, sweating. This fades, and then you feel better. Pain reduced in all areas. I could go about my day-to-day without pain stopping me. Then, after 2 years, it just stopped working. I don’t like pain meds, etc. As I knew all good things end, I decided to try and get off this med instead of increasing the dose. Well, let me warn the consumer, the patient: it was very, very, extremely difficult to reduce and withdraw from. I have a medical background, and a friend warned me. It was bad: vomiting violently (I don’t vomit ever), then in bed with headaches and chest palpitations that were scary. Finished withdrawal and reduced medications in general. Be careful with this medicine if you choose to access it for medical treatment."

• Tex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed this for depression and chronic pain. The first time I took it was at night as instructed by the physician. I was given 30 mg. I honestly thought I was going to die. I laid down after taking it, and within 30 minutes, I was feeling sick to my stomach. I went to get up to get to the restroom to vomit but felt as if I was going to pass out. I finally made it to the bathroom, thinking, 'What is wrong with me? I've never had any drug do this to me.' I checked my sugar level, it was 59, which is low, and I'm not a diabetic. I only did this for taking care of both parents, which were and knowing their symptoms. I had to drink juice and eat a peanut butter sandwich to bring my sugar level up. I vomited, had a high heart rate, almost passed out, felt so dizzy and weak due to it dropping my sugar count. I figured it had to be that medication, so I threw it away and have not taken it again. I have not felt like that since, so it didn't work for me, sadly."

• Anonymous
• August 25, 2018

For Anxiety "Cymbalta was really hard to take at first. I felt very out of it the first day. The second and third days, the nausea was unbearable. I had terrible stomach cramps, but the worst was the insomnia (but I had that before I started taking Cymbalta). I was advised to try to stick to it and not give up because the benefits were coming. After 6 days, I was so happy that all the side effects disappeared. I'm sleeping on my own without insomnia meds. I feel like myself again, and the terrible panic and depersonalization I was having are gone. I know I still have some time to go until it's in full effect. I'm only in my second week, but I'm excited to know that it's going to be even better. Yes! Side effects suck, and you feel you can't take it! BUT I think about the quality of life I was having without it, and I'm grateful because it was so bad I was thinking of doing 'anything' to stop it. Cymbalta is giving me the opportunity to enjoy life again. If you are struggling with side effects, just hang in there. It will get better."

• Bri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 2, 2018

For Anxiety "I had several side effects including nausea, fatigue, sweating, nightmares, elevated blood pressure, and constipation."

• 121...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2018

For Depression "Switched from Lexapro to Cymbalta. First week was at 30 mg, followed by 60 mg. I had side effects almost from the start: insomnia, anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite. Stayed at 60 mg for 4 weeks. Dr. decreased to 40 mg and prescribed Sonata to help with sleep. Zero effect from the Sonata. It's been about two months since starting the Cymbalta, and I'm ready to get off of it due to the side effects. Not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms I've been reading about. Others may have had success with this med, but I have not. I would not recommend."

• LJa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 16, 2018

For Anxiety "Dealing with severe anxiety and OCD my whole life, I decided to try medication when I turned 20. While my first few days on Cymbalta (10mg) were torturous, probably partly due to mental reservations about taking a pill every day (I experienced vomiting, headaches, dizzy spells, nausea, inability to sleep, and complete loss of appetite), I'm SO glad I stuck with the drug. Now I am on 80mg, and without sounding completely corny, I feel like I'm finally the person I'm meant to be. Since starting the pill, I've started rock climbing, learned to drive, and just become a much happier, friendlier, and more confident person. My friends and family have all noticed a huge shift in my personality and I'm so thrilled I went on Cymbalta."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 2, 2018

For Depression "Started Cymbalta 30 mg/day. After 3 doses, I became horribly ill. Severe abdominal pain, headache, nausea (could not even keep sips of water down), palpitations, weakness, extreme fatigue, insomnia, foggy cognition. Flat on my back for 60 hours. Could not sleep, just lay in misery. I am better now but still not 100%. This is a dangerous drug. The pharmacist said my reaction is rare, even so, I would recommend against it."

• Mes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have trigeminal nerve damage and have been on gabapentin for a while, but it is causing me to gain a lot of weight. So, my doctor recommended Cymbalta. I only took one pill and knew I did not want to take any more. It made me extremely sick... nausea, sweating, blurred vision, restless thoughts, unable to focus. This was terrible for me. After being off of it for three days, I still am finding it hard to focus, and my eyes are not quite back to normal. I am only in my 40s too. I would highly suggest you do your research before taking this medication."

• Pyj...
• May 27, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I was taking amitriptyline for chronic pelvic pain for 6 years and was frustrated with the morning fatigue and weight gain. It did well to control the pain but was becoming less effective. The gynae changed me to duloxetine to hopefully spark some energy. The first two months later were awful. My pain returned, and I felt like I had a sleeping sickness. I was irritable and nauseated all the time. Pain was decreasing slowly, but I had to rely on strong painkillers. Two months in, I woke up one morning with no pain, feeling good. This feeling came more frequently over the next month until it was daily. The changes compared to amitriptyline are that I’m losing a bit of weight and the pain management is better. My memory is also improved. It seems to be helping more with the depression from the loss of my partner to cancer. I feel generally happier. Sleep problems are worse."

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

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "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 any more of this. I will figure out a different way to handle my panic attacks. Letting the Dr. know ASAP! 30 mg at night is my dosage. Anyone else have these experiences right away?"

• mis...
• April 29, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I was on Cymbalta for nearly 4 years. I was on the 60 mg, and just after I turned 40, I began the drug, not realizing I was heading for the most horrific experience of my life. After stopping it, I had it all... the vomiting, nausea, headaches (migraines), insomnia, brain zaps, nightmares, fever, loss of appetite... flu. It all came gushing at once. It was 9 days of hell so far, but each day it’s getting better. I have never craved to go back on it and threw it all down the sink. No doctor helped me go off it. I made the choice. It was the best decision. I had attributed my night sweats and hot flushes and weight gain to me turning 40 even though the doctors had done the tests, and it said I was not premenopausal. To think I decided to stop it because I couldn’t deal with the weight gain even though I had tried yoga, meditation, exercise, and eating healthy. I gained about 18 pounds. Please think twice before going on this drug. The coming off doesn’t outweigh the lesser pain."