Duloxetine for Depression User Reviews (Page 5)

• Smi...
• October 23, 2019

"Cymbalta is good for depression and did help my relative for 10 years, 60 mg every day, but my relative wanted to be free from using antidepressants and so stopped it slowly, reducing the dose, which later worked and they felt relieved but got the worst depression and even attempted suicide. I am here to warn everyone not to try to stop taking Cymbalta if it is working for you, just stick to it - the withdrawal was a horror and after withdrawing, it gave them 2 months of peace, and the third month a very bad depression that they have never experienced came back that they attempted suicide. They then had to put my relative to bed rest for 7 months, every medication failed to work, so they were switched back on Cymbalta but it was also not helping even after increasing the dose, so finally at the dose of 90 mg, it didn't help until Aripiprazole was added, that's when it helped with depression but caused bad anxiety, which we stopped with 0.5 g lorazepam morning and evening."

• Ble...
• December 22, 2016

"I have been severely depressed over the past two years after the passing of my mother. MD tried me on Wellbutrin, Trazodone, and Celexa. I continued on the Celexa for about 1 1/2 years but still had many days with depression and losing jobs, only to remain in bed depressed, hopeless, tearful, and with suicidal thoughts. None of those meds worked for me. I have currently seen a new MD and changed my meds to Cymbalta in the AM and Elavil in the PM. These meds are miracle drugs for me. I've been on them for a month now. I've never felt this good in years!"

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

"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."

• lis...
• September 6, 2013

"I cried every day for three months due to uncontrollable pain from rheumatoid arthritis. I was also suffering from severe depression as a result. The first time I took Cymbalta, 30 mg, I noticed I no longer felt defeated and felt, for the first time since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, that the pain was at times manageable. It helped give me hope. It's been almost three months since I started Cymbalta, and it is still working well. I'm super thankful my doctor recommended it."

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

"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."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2009

"I am on 120mg of Cymbalta to treat my chronic depression, PTSD, and anxiety (severe child abuse survivor and adult sexual assault survivor) and chronic pain (spinal disorder required fusing all but one vertebra in my neck and the vertebra in my lower back; plus severe arthritis in my knees, hips, and both AC joints). I have been on 24-hour narcotics, Ativan, and many antidepressants. Of course, narcotics work, but they caused me to have heart problems. Ativan is great, but doctors are reluctant to prescribe long-term. I thought the panic attacks, insomnia, hot flashes, obsessive worry and dread, gloom, weepiness, and loss of interest in everything would be forever. Cymbalta helped me get my life back."

• Cym...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2016

"We all have challenges in life. I suffer from PTSD and depression. Over the years, I have tried a few different medications. My fantastic physician based in Phoenix, AZ recommended Cymbalta. It has really made a positive difference in my life. I have noticed that I'm doing a lot better in life. First, my body pains have decreased, followed by I'm more happy and positive. I'm more active in the local community through my commitment to a couple of different volunteer organizations. If it wasn't for my caring and magnificent physician and NP, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. I'm grateful for their support and on how well Cymbalta works. My quality of life has improved. Thank you for your time."

• Lpa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2020

"I started taking Cymbalta 30 mg 9 weeks ago under my primary doctor's recommendation. I had severe anxiety and insomnia and very serious depression. I slept all day and had no motivation and couldn't shake it off no matter what I did. I have tried Prozac 50 mg for depression and expressed that I didn't like that it made me eat all the time (which led to a 50 lb weight gain) and no libido. So she recommended this. I feel very numb (but not high) as if I have no more conscience. I also have a slow reaction time to everything. People will speak to me, and I don't realize until they repeat my name over 3 times. I also cannot sleep still even with all types of OTC sleep medications. I take Cymbalta in the morning, so it has no effect on my sleep. I am going to keep taking this medication as suggested but will make a follow-up appointment. Should there be any secret to make this drug less numbing, I will add another review."

• lib...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2014

"I was previously on Lexapro, but it made me tired and unmotivated. I switched to Cymbalta one week ago, and it's already working! I'm only on 30 mg, but my doc may want me on a higher dose depending on how I feel after a couple of weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 19, 2017

"I was put on Cymbalta 60mg when I was in the psych ward for a suicide attempt. This medication significantly helped my depression and my thoughts of suicide went away. Cymbalta has been life changing for me. I thought I didn't need it anymore so I took myself off of it a month ago. The withdrawals are terrible! Worse than withdrawing from benzos, I was shaky for a straight week. After being off of it for a couple weeks my depression and anxiety came back full force, I realized how much it had been helping me and asked my doctor to put me back on it. I'm now on 30mg and feel less anxious and less sad."

• TPa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 8, 2019

"Cymbalta helped me get through a rough patch in my life. I am grateful for how it allowed me to cope with my sibling's passing. I was on 60 mg and recently decided it was time to move on and discontinue medication. I decreased dosage every two weeks by 10 mg, then weekly by 5 mg (taking out one small pill of the 12 pills in the capsule). Please talk to your doctor if you wish to taper off the drug, but this method worked for me. I was terrified of withdrawals based on the horror stories I read, but I had almost no withdrawal symptoms. The sexual side effect of the drug was a real bummer, and the only negative of my experience."

• mrd...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 23, 2019

"Was put on this 5 years ago. It works well, but there is one thing they won't tell you. The withdrawal symptoms are horrendous. I will probably never be able to stop taking this. If I miss only one day, I get vertigo and brain zaps. Read up on it, and it turns out they lied to the FDA about how many people had withdrawal symptoms. It's 70 percent! Some people experience withdrawal symptoms that last a year! So what does the FDA do? A little fine and a class action lawsuit that already expired by the time I realized how bad the withdrawal symptoms are. Eli Lilly should have been sued out of existence, but of course, big pharma has the FDA in their pocket. Really read up on the documentation in the FDA report and what it says about how they fudged things. It's unbelievable. I wish I had never been put on this."

• dan...
• February 18, 2014

"I started taking Cymbalta and I noticed a difference immediately! I felt more relaxed and happy in general. I take Lamictal for bipolar disorder and after finding that medicine alone not being enough, my doctor prescribed Cymbalta. I've been in a pleasant mood with my family, friends, and at work. Not stressing out about leaving the house or having a busy schedule and getting anxiety about it. It has also helped with my lower back pain I have been dealing with for the last 3 years. It's only been 2 weeks and the only thing I can say is, I seem to yawn a lot and have less of an appetite. If it messes with my sex drive and lowers it... I'm off it."

• and...
• May 13, 2008

"I have been taking Cymbalta for over a year now. I suffered from perimenopausal symptoms (PMS) including debilitating depression/suicidal ideation. I have never been a person who thought about suicide, although I have suffered from dysthymia for years. Cymbalta has been a lifesaver. I am very grateful. No depression, little anxiety, no side effects."

• Mer...
• October 22, 2007

"I have been using Cymbalta for five months now and have found good relief from my mild depression. I had a lot of sweating and hot flashes when I first began using the medication, to the point that I thought I should stop taking the drug. After three months, the sweating and hot flashes had diminished to the point where it is acceptable. I'm glad I stayed with the medication."

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

"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."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2019

"Absolutely terrible. I was prescribed 20 mg Cymbalta to replace Prozac, which didn’t help my depression at all. The first few weeks, there were no changes, so we increased it to 30 mg, then 60 mg. I lost the ability to feel emotions at all. I was numb. I couldn’t make myself eat. I lost 5% of my weight. I had started self-harming just to feel something and felt suicidal. For some reason, I told myself to go to the doc one last time. It’s recommended that Cymbalta should be tapered off slowly, but there’s almost no way to do that from 60 mg to 30 mg as it is a big jump and the capsules shouldn’t be opened. The doc said I should quit cold turkey since I was in such a dark place. The withdrawal was torture. I couldn’t leave the house for two weeks because of vertigo, “brain zaps,” headaches, and confusion. I’m on Wellbutrin now, and it’s a hundred times better in my experience."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2019

"I feel so much better. I’m more calm, I don’t get frustrated easily, I have more patience, I have more energy to do things, etc. The only side effect I get is body heat and a little bit of sweating. Also, I have no desire for sex, but it’s okay since I’m single, lol. Anyway, Cymbalta helped me when it comes to my depression and leg pains."

• JMs...
• November 5, 2013

"I was on Cymbalta 60mg for 18 months. I've been on many different antidepressants throughout the years. My issue is not when you take it but when you go off. Please do not take this medicine. I've gone through hell the last 12 days getting this drug out of my system. Google Cymbalta withdrawal or Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome to learn more."

• Mia...
• September 6, 2020

"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."

• hol...
• January 13, 2013

"I'm a 21-year-old female and have suffered with depression and horrible thoughts for as long as I can remember. I was started on one medicine (can't remember what it was), then Zoloft, which did not work, and was recently put on Cymbalta about three weeks ago. My depression had gotten so bad that I was willing to try everything. I was having emotional breakdowns at work, having horrible thoughts, bad dreams, and was withdrawn from everything. My depression is a brain imbalance rather than caused by other things. Only being about two weeks on Cymbalta, I can already notice a difference. I'm more peppy, I don't think bad thoughts nearly as much, much more patient, haven't cried since I've been put on the medicine. I was a little jittery at first."

• Tay...
• April 6, 2015

"I have been on SSRI since the age of 14. Now I can tell you, I am 42 now and have lived half my life in a fog. Feeling tired, not interested in anything, just wanting to sleep. I changed from Lexapro to Cymbalta a week ago and wow. I have energy, I'm not dragging myself around all day. I feel motivated - the only downfall has been hot flashes. I read Cymbalta can cause that, but I will deal with it as I feel great. I have more than one emotion. I would say definitely try it, everyone is going to respond differently. I have had some issues waking up a lot at night. But that's about it. I have to pay 200 dollars a month for this medicine, but it is worth it. Good luck to you."

• Fcd...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 22, 2018

"Been on this 3 years and it works for me when I have no alcohol or illegal drugs. For pain, I started smoking cannabis and my antidepressants don't work with weed! With a week off weed and antidepressant working! I'm happier now, I'm laughing more, singing, and joking. I am committing to getting better and cutting out anything else unless prescribed."

• Pas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2015

"I am one of the luckiest ones for sure. Cymbalta is only my second prescription after Mirtazapine, and it did the magic for me. I love Cymbalta because it not only reduced depression but anxiety too. So it's two in one. My depression has reduced a lot in just one week of use. To be honest, this medication affected me after the second day of use. And it's only a start, I haven't even completed 3 weeks yet. I have full hope in Cymbalta that it will make me a happy person soon. Highly recommended for people who have both depression and anxiety. Side effects are slightly annoying, though. It kills my appetite, which is really bad for me as I am too underweight, mild nausea in the morning, constipation, and on top of that insomnia. But it's all worth the result."

• ric...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2020

"Cymbalta is horrible stuff! Adverse effects when trying to stop taking Cymbalta. Went from 30 mg to 60 mg over a month-long period but don't bother with this drug as it doesn’t do what it’s prescribed to do (for me anyway, has not lessened anxiety or depression). Trying to stop taking it has worsened my symptoms. No sleep, rapid heartbeat, sweats, headaches, affected work, feeling like absolute shite, etc., the list goes on. I would not recommend this drug at all! Stay away."