Cymbalta and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Pol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 18, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "This drug, over time, took away all emotional feelings. I could witness an accident and instead of being concerned, I wasn't even phased. I found myself being cold and blunt with people. I was also suffering from crazy head and body sweats. Random, but always severe. My blood pressure went through the roof. I lost ALL sexual desire to be with my wife or any woman. I'm blessed my wife stuck by me. Fatigue was also severe. I could sleep 12 hours and wake up feeling like I worked a 12-hour midnight shift. After two years and age 43, I am starting to come off of it. My dose of 60 mg has been reduced to 30 mg and the sweating is gone, BP stabilized, and energy returning. The main reason I suffered through the drug so long was because it did help my osteoarthritis. Right now, I sooner suffer with pain and tend to my wife's physical needs like I once loved doing."

• DAP...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "I found Cymbalta to be a miracle for me. Within a week of taking it, most of my aches and pains disappeared, and even my massage therapist stated she noticed a big difference. The problem was the side effects of sexual dysfunction and dry mouth. I added Wellbutrin and love that medication as it greatly improved my mood, but still did not help with the sexual dysfunction. I am now on Lamotrigine and Wellbutrin, but the pains in my joints worsened unbelievably, it was intolerable, really. I think I will be dropping the Lamotrigine and going back to the Cymbalta, and just put up with the side effects."

• Miz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 3, 2018

For Fibromyalgia "Worked reasonably for a while, despite the side effects like 0 sex drive, intense sweating, and something close to hemophilia-like bleeding from tiny cuts. I just kept taking it for 3 years or so because the BIG ISSUE is the insane withdrawal even from missing one dose. Trying to quit was a nightmare. Went from 120 mg down to 30 mg over time, which was pretty bad. Eventually just threw it away for good and spent the better part of a month in serious withdrawal condition. 5 months on, and I am worse than I ever was when starting it. The withdrawal process has triggered so much anxiety that I am now stuck with, and don't know how to deal with or get rid of. Thanks, Dr., for not warning me of any of this."

• SNR...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2021

For Anxiety "I tried taking Cymbalta a few years ago, and the treatment had lasted for a few weeks. What I experienced was weight gain, more obsessive thoughts, sexual dysfunction, and erection difficulties. To me, the cost of taking Cymbalta outweighed its benefits. I am sharing this not because I want to discourage anyone with similar disorders like GAD or depression not to try it, but to emphasize a possibility of unbearable side effects for some people. This medication might work amazingly for some people, but please bear in mind that some SSRI/SNRI might fit our genetics, and some don't. If one doesn't work for you, you could discuss it with your doctor and try another one until you find the most suitable one for you. This is science. I was well informed of the possible side effects and benefits of it, and I don't blame it. I'm even happy to see it works pretty well for some people!"

• jac...
• August 13, 2010

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "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."

• jac...
• August 13, 2010

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "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."

• spa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2019

For Depression "I have been on Cymbalta 120 mg for 10 weeks. It's been a lifesaver. I tried venlafaxine before with no relief. In the past, paroxetine worked so well on me, but my doc thought it was necessary to make drug holidays on it, so it became, with time, non-effective on me. Also, escitalopram with bad results and Anafranil (guess it's nortriptyline) with bad results. Also taking Lyrica for the anxiety, Lorazepam 15 mg/day, and mirtazapine 45 mg at night. With time, I know I will be able to take off some of these meds, like the high Lorazepam dosage, but I won't be comfortable with taking off Duloxetine. I won't go through depression again if I know there is something that keeps me calm, functional, and happy. No sexual dysfunction, I'm single, and I don't care if I can't get an erection (in fact, I can) or weight gain (I weigh 5 or 6 mg more than before), but honestly, who cares about this, or dry mouth, if the med keeps working. God bless the inventors of Duloxetine (Cymbalta)!"

• Sar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 6, 2023

For Fibromyalgia "The drug was difficult to start, side effects were awful, such as visual hallucinations (especially in dark environments), agitation, and involuntary spasms. Cymbalta 30 mg worked okay for generalized anxiety disorder and fibromyalgia, not a miracle worker. It suddenly stopped working around the third-year mark, and my side effects worsened too (constipation as 1-2 bowel movements per week, sexual dysfunction, excessive sweating, lethargy, etc.). The worst part is the discontinuation syndrome, it literally feels like dying. I was told by medical professionals that at a low dose (30 mg) it's safe to quit cold turkey, but apparently, there are patients like me who can't tolerate such a fast taper. People on the Internet with zero knowledge of medicine or pharmacology state that the only safe tapering method is by opening capsules and counting microbeads, lowering the dose by 5-10% every 2-3 weeks. In other words, it would take at least a year to safely taper 30 mg. Avoid this mess by never starting it."

• Gae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2015

For Depression "The initial side effects were horrible. I felt exhausted and nauseated all the time. After a month, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my mood. I had energy, I was less depressed and anxious. Prior to starting Cymbalta, I had tried two different antidepressants that did not seem to be effective. The decreased libido with Cymbalta is worth having my life back."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 14, 2020

For Osteoarthritis "I was put on 60 mg of Cymbalta during an acute arthritis flare-up, and after about a year, I wanted to taper off of it. It killed my libido, and it didn’t significantly help with pain. Then the real nightmare began! Trying to go down in the tiniest increments brought on intense mood swings, crying for no reason, and horrible brain “zaps” that made life unmanageable. This stuff is TOXIC!!"

• Anonymous
• February 13, 2012

For Back Pain "I have had chronic low back pain for over a year now. The doctor at the pain clinic said, 'Cymbalta is now FDA approved for low back pain.' It didn't help my pain at all and gave me the worst nausea, no sex drive, insomnia, random sweating, and stiff muscles. This is it!"

• Tho...
• January 18, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I started taking Cymbalta about 4 years ago for severe body pain. I have had two back surgeries, two knee surgeries, and I have fibromyalgia and arthritis. The medication Cymbalta has improved my quality of life a lot, mostly my fibromyalgia pain. I hadn't been able to sleep at night because of my all-over body pain, however, since taking Cymbalta, I have had much relief. I take it at night about an hour before bedtime. I take it along with amitriptyline, which helps me to sleep at night pain-free. Only one side effect that I have noticed, and that is it seems to take your sex drive. When interacting in sexual activity, it's like you don't feel anything a lot of the time, and that can be a BIG problem for some people. You have to weigh up your options."

• Asp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2016

For Depression "Cymbalta has definitely helped me as far as depression and anxiety. It's the only medication that's worked so far. The only problem I've had with it is that it takes away my ability to orgasm and my sex drive in general."

• Asp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2016

For Depression "Cymbalta has definitely helped me as far as depression and anxiety. It's the only medication that's worked so far. The only problem I've had with it is that it takes away my ability to orgasm and my sex drive in general."

• Ast...
• August 20, 2011

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "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."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• November 27, 2012

For Pain "I started taking Cymbalta 10 months ago after developing fibromyalgia. I am a 40-year-old male in good physical condition. It is very effective for pain - not 100% - but enough that I have mostly pain-free days. The pain in my hands, fingers, wrists, groin, hips, and back is very manageable now. I've also noticed that my plantar fasciitis pain is completely gone, and headaches are rare but easy to manage. Side effects include memory loss, some fatigue, and difficulty with orgasm. I could not have a job or even be a good father/husband without it. My insurance covers some of the cost."

• Pur...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 11, 2019

For Anxiety "I've had GAD pretty much all my life, but developed increasing depression and withdrawal from social activities. Finally, I bit the bullet and told my doctor. He started me on duloxetine, 30 mg, with the warnings about weight gain and sexual dysfunction and commented we could increase to 60 mg in three or four weeks if needed. Never needed the increase - 30 mg is perfect. I have gained 4 or 5 pounds. I did notice the sexual dysfunction (loss of interest and difficulty 'finishing' at first), so I would hold my meds a day or two before bath and treat night, which worked fine. Pretty much back to normal in that regard. The best thing is I can get more than one or two errands completed now. I call my pills 'do lots of things' now!"

• Fle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2021

For Back Pain "I took Cymbalta 30 mg for 100 days, and it ruined my life. Since I quit, I suffer from PSSD, which is persistent Sexual Dysfunction after the use of SSRI or SNRI. I have no libido - I am asexual now. Before, I was more on the hypersexual side. My penis is numb. I cannot feel when somebody touches it. My penis and testicles shrunk maybe 1/3 to 1/2 in a flaccid state. I have severe Erectile Dysfunction. Even Viagra, etc., is not working. I am 39 and have lost my girlfriend due to this. I have lost my sexuality, my personality, all my hopes for living a normal life. It is the worst that has ever happened to me. Stay away from all SSRIs or SNRIs!!!"

• AKX...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2024

For Fibromyalgia "30 mg now in week 6. Pain is much less, still flare-ups, but it has allowed me to do hard exercise with weights. I do get flare-ups and still experience some anxiety/panic attacks. Alcohol is okay on the night, but the next day makes one very tired. It took over 4 weeks to get past the side effects, including sexual ones, and I'm reluctant to ramp up to 60 mg as the foggy feelings held me back a lot for the first 4 weeks."

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2010

For Depression "I have taken this medication before and ran out because I don't have insurance and had to go through one of the drug help agencies to get back on it. I started back on the medicine (30 mg capsules) and have had severe eye problems, on the edge of my seat, tremors, OCD issues such as twisting my hair, and constantly walking the floor. I can't sleep when I take this medication, and the night sweats and low-grade fever are miserable. I have also had a constant headache while taking this medication along with a low-grade fever. I have no sex drive at all, and I am in school, my mind goes blank. I feel like my head is sometimes floating above my body."

• chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2019

For Depression "Just by taking 30 mg, I had an acute sensation of depersonalization, extreme heart stabbing pain, anxiety, extreme depression, and overall extreme mental agony, and a wish to just cease existing to not have to feel these horrible effects. I cannot tolerate another day of agony taking this drug. Whatever horrible depression I was suffering from before is nothing compared to how I feel now. It may just be me who tolerates SSRI/SNRI type of drugs horribly, but anyway, I cannot recommend this to anyone based on my experience and also knowing that these types of drugs pretty much always induce sexual dysfunction."

• Sin...
• July 1, 2016

For Back Pain "I wanted to write this in the hope of helping others. I've been dealing with chronic back pain that got a lot worse and intolerable the last few months. I couldn't sit or drive without back spasms and shooting nerve pain. I was at my wits' end. I tried a Medrol 5-day pack, it didn't seem to help much. My doctor suggested a low dose of 20 mg of Cymbalta. I was desperate, so I thought I would try it, and it's made a major difference-almost immediately. The side effects were bad for about 3-4 days: super tired, yawning nonstop, very fuzzy, and no appetite. But I've been on it now for almost a month, and I'm back to light workouts and able to do mostly normal things. It does affect your libido, though. My doctor also recommended Valium at night."

• Sur...
• December 25, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "I am a 35-year-old female taking 60 mg of Cymbalta for major depressive disorder, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder. I have been on this drug for 2 years. I went from a daily emotional pain level of 7-8 to about a 2-3, with a 1 on very good days. Most of the side effects were transient. The remaining side effects are occasional night sweats with vivid dreams, constipation, and lowered libido. Note that my sex drive has always been on the low side (hormonal birth control may be a factor), so this was not a dramatic change from my personal baseline. A year ago, I was on 80 mg. I was taken down to 60 mg due to elevated liver enzymes. The decrease in dosage resolved the issue in under 6 months. The decrease did not compromise efficacy since 60 mg appears to be the most therapeutic dose for me. I recently discovered I have slightly low thyroid levels at my last annual physical. I was instructed to recheck this in 6 months to make sure I do not have hypothyroidism."

• goo...
• May 2, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have severe anxiety and depression. I've tried all the meds out, as my doctor would say. Cymbalta was suggested. And me needing to feel normal tried it. Worst experience of my life. Was on 40 mg. Felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, like someone was pulling me everywhere. Dr. told me to stick with it and lower the dose (I actually did, did not recommend talking to Dr. first). Nothing changed. I was talking without thinking, having more and more panic attacks and higher anxiety. Absolutely zero libido, and I gained weight. I felt 'happy,' but a weird happy. So, finally, I TELL my doctor for the third time in 9 months, I want off this medication. Withdrawal symptoms, no joke. It's been a month and I still have withdrawal effects."