Duloxetine and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 5, 2022

For Major Depressive Disorder "Cymbalta nearly ruined my grades in college. I was weak and faint all the time, going home and passing out, having memory problems, extreme anxiety, and confusion. Several people I know described the same side effects. I tried it out for months, and in those months, I was a zombie and having even more panic attacks. I hated it so much that I don’t recommend even giving it a try because it’s not worth how it made me feel."

• MDG...
• April 17, 2008

For Depression "I have been suffering with serious depression for the last year. I was on a different medication. I gained a lot of weight from eating without thinking (compulsive) and started to feel the social anxiety again. Honestly, I was very hesitant about starting Cymbalta because I had read all the side effects, but I have had almost none. I drink lots of water all day long so that might have something to do with it. I got control of my appetite again."

• 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."

• 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."

• KDB...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 28, 2012

For Depression "I was in a major depression. I had considerable lethargy, anxiety, weight loss, racing thoughts that I could not seem to turn off, and I felt suicidal. I couldn't make the smallest of decisions. I was terrified to drive, and I've been driving for over 30 years! I also had great difficulty performing even the simplest of tasks - some things I could not do at all! After about a month, I noticed tremendous relief. It was like a huge cloud had been lifted and that I had been pulled out of a 'huge hole'! I definitely feel Cymbalta saved MY life."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I was on the edge of taking my life again. I was on Lexapro for almost a year, but it stopped working. I switched to so many different things, Paxil, Abilify, Prozac, nothing helped. I was still not sleeping and had major depression and anxiety. Then I got on Cymbalta. My anxiety and stuff isn’t completely gone, but I’m so much better. I’m FINALLY sleeping through the entire night without anything!! Give this med a try and wait a few weeks, the transition period is tough, especially if you're switching meds."

• 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."

• 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."

• JFM...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 11, 2016

For Osteoarthritis "Tried Cymbalta for pain and slight depression. It helped for maybe 10 months. Then began experiencing panic attacks, anxiety, mouth sores, racing heart at bedtime, insomnia, and increased pain and cramps in legs. Took me about 3 months to figure out that the Cymbalta wasn't working. I tried increasing from 30 mg to 60 mg, and that made it worse. Have changed meds. Made the change easily in one week, but I had already gone back to the 30 mg dose. The anxiety, panic attacks, etc. have stopped."

• eil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 3, 2013

For Depression "I took this for 5 years at 90 mg. I eventually had to go off this medication because the side effects were intolerable. I had night terrors every night, severe night sweats, teeth grinding, and insomnia. The thing that finally did it for me was the migraines that were caused by my shoulder and neck tension on this medication. In short, it made me feel extremely anxious and stressed out. Also, withdrawal is very tough. I have been off this medicine for 3 weeks and still have severe nausea, anxiety, night sweats, and night terrors."

• sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2018

For Anxiety "After my first dose of the generic version of Cymbalta yesterday evening for major anxiety and minor depression. I was surprised to feel a difference within a few hours. My mood lifted, and I had more energy. I still felt slightly anxious. Initial side effects: quite bad insomnia, slight jitteriness, slight diarrhea, very slight confusion at times, and nausea for the first 12 hours after taking it. After 2 weeks, I now have zero side effects and have changed to taking it in the mornings. It is a miracle drug for my depression! The constant dark feeling of sadness has lifted completely. It has also helped my anxiety quite a lot, however, I still have periods of anxiousness. I am definitely going to stay on this medication as it has drastically improved the quality of my life."

• DMa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2019

For Fibromyalgia "I took one dose of this medicine, 20 mg, and with an hour had severe diarrhea, a horrible headache, and then panic and anxiety set in. It was so bad that I had to leave work 2 hours into my shift. On my way home, I actually stopped at the ER and sat in the parking lot debating on whether to go in. Luckily, I was able to reach my doctor's office, who gave me the go-ahead to take a Xanax to counteract these side effects and didn't have to go to the ER. It was so bad that I even had my husband leave work because I was too scared to be home alone. I would rather suffer through pain than have to do that again."

• Yel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 11, 2014

For Chronic Pain "May have some help to relieve back pain. 60 mg gave me heart palpitations. 30 mg may be suboptimal. Tried to wean off several times but gave me some undesirable effects like malaise and anxiety. Urinary retention is a worrisome effect with Cymbalta for me."

• Lyn...
• May 18, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed Cymbalta for my bipolar, BPD, and PTSD depression episodes. I was on this medication for one week, and I will explain why. At first, this medication did affect my energy level, and I felt more productive and positive, waking up in the morning looking forward to the day. The downside as to why I stopped taking this medication is because Cymbalta began to give me side effects of horrible anxiety. My heart felt like it was in my throat, and not even Ativan I was prescribed would help. The anxiety drove me into madness, intrusive and racing thoughts coming back. The anxiety made me depressed because it was disabling, feeling like my life came to a standstill because the anxiety prevented me from doing hardly anything. I gave this medication a three-star review because I do know people who are taking it, and it works wonders for them, and they get no anxiety-related symptoms. Everyone is different, but for me personally, it wasn't a good experience."

• hei...
• May 15, 2010

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have GAD with mild depression, which caused a lot of tension in my shoulders and confused, muddled thinking with poor memory. I tend to be really irritable and short-tempered with mood swings. I've so far taken Cymbalta for about 4-5 months. My mood swings, irritability, and temper have improved. I am able to think much more clearly and remember better. The bad: my social anxiety hasn't improved much, and I gained about 5 pounds. Otherwise, no side effects. It doesn't make me sleepy, spacey, numb, nor does it diminish my libido. It isn't a wonder drug, but it's nice to have fewer side effects."

• Anonymous
• March 12, 2008

For Depression "To begin with, I experienced nausea, excessive yawning, extreme fatigue - I'd fall asleep in the afternoon, sweating, and bad dreams at night, and really bad anxiety. These side effects lasted for a few weeks, but then I started to feel great. After 5 months, I decided to stop taking it - big mistake. I felt dizzy, sick, pounding heart, headaches, and the depression came back almost instantly. I started taking it again 2 weeks ago. Side effects aren't as severe this time, but they haven't kicked in either."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2018

For Chronic Pain "Recently, I was put on Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. It was the worst experience of my life. I had explosive diarrhea, could not even leave the house, anxiety went through the roof. Felt manic, and my heart rate went up sky high, and I already suffer from insomnia, and this made it totally impossible to sleep. I felt angry and jittery. I would not recommend this drug, it was a horrible experience."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2018

For Chronic Pain "Recently, I was put on Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. It was the worst experience of my life. I had explosive diarrhea, could not even leave the house, anxiety went through the roof. Felt manic, and my heart rate went up sky high, and I already suffer from insomnia, and this made it totally impossible to sleep. I felt angry and jittery. I would not recommend this drug, it was a horrible experience."

• Lou...
• January 12, 2013

For Fibromyalgia "This is my 5th day on 20 mg (lowest dose - 1 pill per day) Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. The first 3 days were tough. My pain would subside during the day, but return almost fully at night. I did not sleep for the first three nights on this medicine. I was also very jittery beginning on day 2. By day 4, most of these side effects subsided, and I've been pain-free for 48 hours now. I was prescribed 5 mg of Ambien to help with the sleep issue. I feel great and energetic for the first time in months. I am thrilled that the lowest dose worked for me."

• Kyp...
• May 11, 2017

For Depression "Previous med Lexapro quit working after several years. Cymbalta seemed to work for the 1st week, but I think it may have been a placebo effect. After about a week, my body started hurting and feeling hot from the inside, especially my legs below my knees. After about 3 weeks, stiff neck, hot flashes, restlessness, anxiety, headaches. 4 weeks, all these plus talking in sleep, joint pain, body aches, stiff feeling, trouble focusing, and I asked to be taken off it. I was only at 30mg."

• Cat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 1, 2013

For Depression "Cymbalta works but hard when you have to get off it. My insurance will no longer pay for it. It was already expensive enough with insurance. Even though I am being weaned off it with my doctor on board, it isn't pretty. I am having major brain zaps, anxiety. Two more weeks of the weaning-off period, then my doc is starting me on Effexor. She says it's the closest to Cymbalta. We will see."

• Sha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 10, 2017

For Depression "I've been taking Cymbalta for depression for two and a half years. My doctor titrated me up to 120 mg. I was at 120 mg for over two and a half years, and almost constantly I was severely depressed, severe anxiety, some paranoia, no energy, overreaction, self-harm, extreme anger, just to name a few. That's not to say I do have some of those problems normally, but not as severe or as constant. So Cymbalta was overlooked as a cause of my worsening issues. Two weeks ago, I was admitted to an inpatient hospital to basically save my life. While I was in there, I was abruptly taken off, then titrated up to 60 mg. I'm a totally different person now. I did a complete 180°. I can't believe what a difference it makes being on the right dose."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2020

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Horrible. Made my stomach upset, groggy, nausea, anxiety worse. After one day!!! I can't handle it. I can't believe how hard it is to find decent pain relief. Inhumane to keep someone alive with nerve pain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I have been on Cymbalta for the last 2 weeks. The side effects have been difficult: stomach pain, the first few nights I couldn't sleep and thoughts raced through my mind. I was also having severe suicidal thoughts, and I was still waking up from the pain and tingling sensation in my arms and shoulders. This is week three, and I find that my mood has improved, but I'm sweating a lot. The fibro pain is present, and I'm tired a lot. I tried taking it at night but find my chest hurting the next day, so I switched to mornings on a full stomach, and that's improved the stomach pain. I have restless leg, and if I'm late on taking my next dose, I'm jittery. I don't really know if it's working for my pain, but my mood is much better, I'm not suicidal."

• 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."