Cymbalta and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• mk2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started this medicine 5 months ago. Prior to my use of Cymbalta, I was taking 40mg daily of Celexa and interchanging lorazepam and buspirone for 3 years. Cymbalta (duloxetine) has CHANGED MY LIFE. I have struggled with major depressive disorder and anxiety symptoms from chronic OCD for many years, and this medicine has made me feel more alive than anything I have ever tried. I can wake up, I am capable of cognitive thought outside of sadness, and I am able to feel emotions and FINALLY have an orgasm. No medication is perfect, but I have finally felt free of the dullness and numbness that has consumed my life for so many years. Here is what you could expect (using prescription of 60 mg (2) 30 mg cap 2x a day): - light stomach irritation and sensitivity to eating - mild nausea and occasional headaches - more sweat - lowered appetite - real withdrawal! Follow a schedule! - insomnia - drink tea and take simple sleep aids!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "I would give this a full 10/10. However, getting off this medicine is terrible and the withdrawal symptoms are worse than that of benzodiazepines. Antidepressants work and do promote neurogenesis, just you'd have to find the one that works for you."

• Lib...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 26, 2023

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have panic disorder and agoraphobia, as well as spondylolisthesis. I took Lexapro for about 5 years and thought it was doing a good job...until I built up a tolerance to it and started having withdrawal symptoms halfway through the day every day. My doc switched me to Cymbalta, and it was a real eye-opener. I had no idea how poorly Lexapro was affecting me until Cymbalta changed things for me. I had been sluggish, unmotivated, tired, gained a lot of weight, and was still in pain all through my years with Lexapro, and since I was just so darn happy to not be suffering from random crippling panic attacks constantly, I figured that was 'good enough.' Not true. Now I know better. With Cymbalta, I have far more energy, my mood is boosted, my pain is reduced, I've lost weight, and I'm just generally more 'chipper' as well as being able to focus better at work and not suffering from panic attacks. Total life changer."

• Ccs...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 25, 2023

For Major Depressive Disorder "Didn't help much with depression, but I did notice it helped with pain. Sad, but not in crippling pain all the time. Beware though, withdrawal is terrible. Unfortunately, I've been on a lot of antidepressants and withdrawal was one of the worst."

• DGL...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 3, 2023

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I was prescribed Cymbalta 60 mg for fibromyalgia. For the first year, it was wonderful! I was willing to sing its praises to everyone. Between years 1 and 2, it stopped working. I continued to take it since the withdrawal symptoms I read about were so scary. I finally stopped cold turkey after about 6 years. No withdrawal symptoms. Too bad it wasn't the wonder drug I had hoped for."

• Mag...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 19, 2023

For Fibromyalgia "The worst experience of my life, the weight gain, the constant brain fog. If you forget to take it, the withdrawals are enough to make you want to kill yourself or others!!! This drug should not be prescribed to people without a tapering program in place for them to get off it. Why don’t we have tapering management centers the way pain management centers do?"

• Sum...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 22, 2023

For Depression "I was on Cymbalta for over three years. I was put on Cymbalta after being hospitalized for severe depression due to family issues. In the beginning, Cymbalta was initially life-changing. I was no longer emotional, but the side effect: I had no emotion toward anyone or anything. I lived three years of my life with no feelings, emotions, or desires. As horrible as it is to be depressed and emotional, it's even worse to feel absolutely nothing! The withdrawal from this medicine is no joke, it is hard, and it takes months."

• Ret...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 6, 2022

For Fibromyalgia "Be sure you want to use this before you start it. I've been on Cymbalta for a couple of years for fibromyalgia symptoms. I'm also taking Oxy twice a day for back issues, so it's difficult to know how well the Cymbalta is working on its own. But I know what happens when I miss even one dose. I start having withdrawal symptoms. The worst is the head buzz (others call them 'zaps'), sleeplessness, and rebounding pain. That's not even what you go through to get off the stuff. It helps me with the pain, but not with the fibro fog. Just. Be. Sure."

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2022

For Anxiety "I was on this drug for 5 years. It helped with my depression tremendously. I came off it last year because things were going okay for me. I was diagnosed with GAD/Panic Disorder when I was a teenager. The anxiety came back, and I talked to my doctor about this, so I figured going back on Cymbalta was the right thing to do, but I was wrong. I do not struggle with depression anymore, just anxiety and panic attacks. Going back on Cymbalta made my anxiety so much worse, I think it had something to do with the noradrenaline. The withdrawals sucked, and I needed diazepam to help with it. I'm feeling so much better off Cymbalta that the anxiety is so much smaller now. I'm going to be on an SSRI this time (Zoloft). This drug isn't for everyone, but I would not recommend it for people who struggle primarily with anxiety and Panic Disorder."

• Kel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2021

For Depression "I first started at 30 mg of this medication, weaning off of 30 mg (the highest dose) of Lexapro, which was no longer working for my anxiety and depression. Everything was okay, I had a pretty normal withdrawal from Lexapro for about 3 days. The doctor slowly upped my prescription of Cymbalta to 90 mg, and I ended up in the ER 5 days into that dosage. I thought for sure I was having a stroke. I couldn't remember words, I was weak and completely dazed with an almost high feeling. 6 days later, I'm still feeling dazed, and I barely get anything done due to a lack of concentration and weakness. This drug was a total disaster for me. My doctor warned me that there are withdrawal symptoms when lowering doses, even after only taking Cymbalta for just a month. As if the side effects weren't enough. I cannot wait until this is over."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 23, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I was on this medication for almost two years for chronic pain related to EDS before I realized how poorly it was managing my pain, yet messing up my life. Some side effects never went away, like sleep problems, which required more medications to manage. Also had significant personal relationship problems. Fired my doctor and quit the medication three weeks ago, and withdrawal is almost gone away. Already feel clearer in the head than I have for years, yet pain is about the same. BEWARE of this drug and doctors that push it!"

• Cro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "Ok, so this (Cymbalta) one worked well, but I had a bad experience with it. This stuff really peps up your mood and works quickly and will make you feel happy and energetic. However, I forgot my meds when I flew from CO to TX for my sister's wedding and went into a horrible withdrawal. I could not think straight and had unnerving thoughts and felt the lowest I've ever felt in my life, a nasty experience. It worked well, but the withdrawal I had from forgetting my meds scared me from taking it again. However, it will help with depression, but has a few bad side effects."

• Kat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 10, 2021

For Depression "I was placed on Cymbalta by my GP for rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, and depression 3+ years ago, and it may have helped a bit with that pain, hard to tell. This med did not help my depression at all because I was not depressed but instead had undiagnosed bipolar 2. I urge anyone whose doctor wants to give you Cymbalta to first seek out clear and correct psychiatric diagnoses before starting. Beware of the horrible withdrawal syndrome if you should ever want or need to discontinue this unhelpful and expensive drug. I have tried a couple of times under doctor supervision to no avail."

• Dog...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 9, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was on Cymbalta for over a year at 60 mg. I asked my doctor to adjust my dosage due to depression getting worse, I had a reaction to it. Then, the doctor wanted me to taper off of it in a 4-day period. The dosage caused another reaction. I am now on day 4 of withdrawal. I have to be on a medication to help me withdraw, as well as the new antidepressant the doctor put me on. I feel so very, very awful. I strongly recommend you do not take this medicine. It does more harm than good."

• Use...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 25, 2021

For Depression "The withdrawals were so hard on me. The brain zaps were the most painful thing. I did not know a human can experience electric, painful zaps in their brains. It was the worst headache I could imagine. I was never so severely dependent (physically addicted) on anything like duloxetine. Benzodiazepine withdrawals were child's play in comparison to these withdrawals. Not to mention it worsened my depression. It made me completely numb like a zombie. You could crash a car in front of me, and I would not even flinch. I had terrible anger issues when trying to quit this. Screaming and destroying things. I had to taper off by opening the capsules and counting the beads. There are about 170 beads in each one. It took me more than one year to taper off slowly. The worst single substance I have ever tried. I would not give it to my worst enemy."

• Jen...
• March 6, 2021

For Anxiety "I was taking this medication for a mix of reasons: anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. It worked better than any other meds I tried for anxiety and depression (I tried a lot). However, it stopped working after a couple of years of taking the maximum dose, so I'm trying others. The withdrawal I had coming off of them was horrible; I never had withdrawal from anything like that in my life. If I didn't have the withdrawal like I did, I would go back on them in a second. They were the only antidepressants that have actually worked for my anxiety. I wake up with severe anxiety almost every day since 2013, and Cymbalta was the one medication that made my anxiety tolerable. I accidentally forgot to take it one morning, and with it not being in my system for less than 12 hours, I felt so sick and came to realize that I was going through withdrawal. Anyway, I hope this helps someone."

• Doe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 11, 2021

For Back Pain "ZERO STARS! Twice now, I have been prescribed this, and twice I quit it cold turkey. (DO NOT QUIT COLD TURKEY, VERY DANGEROUS!) I just did not react well to this medication. It did help a bit with the pain alongside Topamax. I just didn't like the fact that you must have this with you at all times and cannot miss a dose. I’m not going to be “handcuffed” to a medication because if you miss a dose, you start horrific withdrawals. Sounds more like a street drug to me? Took weeks, if not months, to get out of my system completely. Never, ever, ever, ever again. I’d rather live with my SI joint dysfunction pain than use this as a Band-Aid! I did, however, finally find a surgeon who specialized in SI joint fusion. No more Band-Aids on a fixable lower back issue! Please do your research. Effexor is even worse!"

• Anonymous
• December 19, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "18F. I was recently diagnosed with MDD, but have had symptoms of this illness since at least 14. When I turned 18, I was recommended Cymbalta by my PCP. I started at 20 mg daily for 1 month and was bumped up to 40 mg after. Though I don't necessarily regret taking this medication, it was most definitely NOT for me. My depression worsened, and I experienced intense emotional blunting/dissociation. For a good 2 weeks, I did not get out of bed except to use the bathroom. No showers, no brushing teeth, not much eating. My anxiety shot through the roof. A 20-minute trip to Costco left me in the fetal position on the bathroom floor for 2 hours, sobbing. Suicidal ideation increased, I got closer to a suicide attempt than I ever had before. I started abusing Adderall again. Libido was okay, definitely lowered a bit, though. I quit the medication cold turkey, the withdrawal symptoms weren't too terrible-likely because my dosage was relatively low. Keep fighting the good fight, everyone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 11, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE!! I was on Cymbalta for almost a year, it hardly helped with my depression and did NOT help with anxiety, and intrusive thoughts came back. I tried every dose, but it just made me worse. I was constantly crying and panicking over things that I thought were going to happen. And let me tell you, it’s absolutely sickening how horrible the withdrawal is. Cymbalta isn’t for everyone, but it messed me 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!!!!"

• Goo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2020

For Depression "I have been on 60mg Duloxetine daily for 1 month, 30mg daily before that to wean off Effexor. The Duloxetine was so ineffective & the withdrawal from the Effexor was so bad that I had to take both for about 6 weeks. Now with no Effexor, I am back to feeling no effects from Duloxetine. I'm painfully depressed and have sudden bouts of extreme anger & irritability. I cry all the time, have no appetite, and hate going out in public. I've been on every antidepressant on the market. With Duloxetine, I might as well be eating Tic Tacs."

• Jul...
• May 26, 2020

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Took Cymbalta for severe nerve pain. (Hemangioblastoma removal inside spinal cord @ C4, 5, 6). It worked well for the pain, and I had little side effects. Came to a point my doctor and I decided I didn’t need it anymore. Then the fun began. I don’t care what kind of issue you have or how much pain you are in - DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION! Trying to get off this was the worst thing I could ever have imagined, and it went on for months!! The list of symptoms was long and bizarre. I can’t stress enough how bad it was... please, please don’t take even 1. PS To Loulou: after being deathly ill for weeks, I called my doctor again, and they told me to just start taking it again and start tapering off again at another time! What?!? No frigging way, so I suffered through almost six months of horrid withdrawal. It does go away, I promise! You aren’t alone - I felt EXACTLY the same way you do now! Hang in and do not start taking it again!! Good luck to you!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 22, 2020

For Depression "I tried SSRI (paroxetine) for a couple of years on and off. I was off the drugs for a couple of years, and then I decided to try the SNRI drug, first Effexor and then Cymbalta/Duloxetine. I took it for about 2 years. Taking this drug felt horrible. When I finally managed to get off of it (with extreme withdrawal symptoms), immediately after getting off the drug, I had leg pain and tingling in my feet and was diagnosed with Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes. I was 30 at the time and have no history of diabetes in my very large extended family. I would love to hear from anybody with more to say about this… Something tells me my usage of SSRIs and mainly the SNRI is what brought about my T1D diagnosis. Anybody else with a similar story? What are your thoughts about this? Thanks."

• Chl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 1, 2020

For Anxiety "NOTHING matters about this drug except the fact that withdrawal is horrific if you ever need to come off it. Don’t start! I am now in my 13th month coming off this drug. It has been the worst thing ever. I am now counting beads in capsules and reducing slowly; am down to 10 mg. Five more months and I hope to get my life back. This drug should be used only as a last resort when all else has failed. Would give it a zero if I could."

• Las...
• February 28, 2020

For Depression "I was on this medication over ten years ago. It took a month for the fog to lift once I had started it. But then I started to be paranoid reading about the Cymbalta withdrawals on the internet. So I panicked and went off it. I always start at the lowest dose possible and stay on it for a month before increasing to the next to avoid being sick. And it’s the same thing when you want to get off these meds to avoid withdrawals. You go off as slow as possible. And I want to mention that these meds are metabolized by different enzymes in our body that we all have different levels of because of our DNA. So one person might need a lower dose of Cymbalta than another because they metabolize it faster than others. The goal isn’t to get to the highest dose but the dose that works with your metabolism. Ten years later and I have Fibromyalgia too now, so my new doctor decided to put me on Cymbalta. I started at 20mg today and will stay with that dose for at least a month before I see if I need to go up. Remember, Go Slow!"