Duloxetine and Sweating: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 26, 2020

Duloxetine for Depression "Cymbalta was the first drug that my psychiatrist prescribed to me. I took it while I was at work. After an hour or two, I felt like I was having a panic attack. My palms were sweating, and my heart was racing. But that was not the main problem. I felt like I was going crazy. I came home and tried to lay in bed, but when I closed my eyes, I saw hallucinations. I needed two pills of bromazepam to calm myself down. Also, my anxiety started with this medication. Before, I had mild anxiety and mainly depression. After Cymbalta, I felt panicky all the time. Until I started Zoloft. Till now, I don’t know what happened, but my guess is that maybe it could’ve been serotonin syndrome. I don’t know. Or just not the right medication. But it was like one long, bad trip."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2012

Duloxetine for Pain "I had to stop taking Cymbalta after the first pill (30 mg) caused side effects for me. Nausea, chills and hot flashes, cold sweats, no appetite, insomnia. Too much for me, but I know this medicine has worked great for others, just not for me."

• 15A...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2015

Duloxetine for Depression "32. F. After a couple of years refusing medication, adjusting to an interstate shift proved more difficult than planned, so about a month ago, I decided to give these a try at the suggestion of my doctor. I took the first one in the evening after dinner as directed. By 10 pm I was feeling achy, cold sweats, couldn't keep my legs still in bed, and nauseous as hell. Within another 25 minutes, the nausea turned into violent vomiting. And incredibly restless night's sleep. The doctor said to stop immediately. I've not attempted another type again since, and don't think I intend to."

• Lis...
• September 11, 2009

Duloxetine for Fibromyalgia "I have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and restless legs syndrome. I was taking Cymbalta for the FMS symptoms. I started taking Cymbalta about 1.5 months ago, and yesterday was moved to Savella. I give Cymbalta great credit. It does what it says. Within days of starting it, my pain level went from a constant 6-8 lingering to 0-1. I hadn't felt so good in years. My mood improved greatly too. BUT, I had to transition off of it due to side effects including headaches that would come on at the drop of a pin, feeling like an axe in my head and throbbing with every beat of my heart. When I'd take my blood pressure, it would be up to 140/85 from a usual 116/64, profuse sweating to the point of having to change clothes, night sweats, and anorgasmia. The doctor reacted to the blood pressure elevation with concern."

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2011

Duloxetine for Peripheral Neuropathy "It worked great; pain was totally gone. But the side effects were awful: couldn't sleep (for days), sweating lots (just sitting still in the air conditioning), bowel movements were so dry it was like passing glass. ETC, ETC."

• cym...
• June 8, 2016

Duloxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "So I gave it an OK review score because it did make me feel less depressed. However, as a whole, I think Cymbalta is bad for you and can lead to terrible health consequences. The side effects I experienced while taking the drug (30 mg for 6 months) were horrible, and I gained a ton of weight, which didn't help the initial cause of me wanting to take the drug - depression (when you don't feel confident, you're less happy, what can I say). A few pounds to become a happier person is OK, but it really made me gain weight and also made me tired, nauseous, sweaty, and experience muscle spasms. Along with this, withdrawing was horrible. I wish big pharma would be less money-hungry and focus on creating effective medications with reduced side effects."

• Mar...
• October 28, 2009

Duloxetine for Depression "I have been on Cymbalta for about 4 years. Worst side effect is sweating, which can be annoying. Also, if I lay down during the day, I can go to sleep at just about any time; so I don't lay down. Much less sexual side effects than other anti-depressants I was on (several of them). Since there is no generic, it is a bit expensive, but I feel so much better than I did before; it is worth it!"

• skb...
• February 16, 2012

Duloxetine for Fibromyalgia "My doctor put me on Cymbalta for fibromyalgia, and I have to say that it was really effective at reducing my pain, helping me sleep, and clearing up the brain fog. However, I began having some side effects that became serious when my doctor increased my dosage - being clumsy, hot all the time and sweating profusely, and agitation bordering on hypomania. I also noticed my blood pressure seemed to be high - around 150/94 - which was unusual for me. The last straw was the day my blood pressure went up to 170/120. Turns out that the Vyvanse I take for ADHD plus the Cymbalta caused serotonin syndrome. Then I had horrible withdrawal coming off of it. Make sure your medicines won't interact before starting Cymbalta!"

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 1, 2016

Duloxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "This drug is the devil. It destroyed my life. It took everything that made me who I am away from me and locked it in a little box. I didn't notice my personality changing, I didn't notice how heavily I'd started to drink because it was creating more symptoms than it was treating. My partner, also on Cymbalta for slightly longer than I (probably still on it), also changed... He went from kind and considerate to selfish and cold. He avoided conflict at all costs when I met him, when we parted ways, he would happily start arguments. Yes, Cymbalta helped me for about 2 months, but from there it was all side effects (apart from the aforementioned) of uncontrollable sweating and mood swings on top of the depression and anxiety it was supposed to be treating."

• aht...
• November 23, 2017

Duloxetine for Anxiety "Within two days of starting Cymbalta, I had 'flashing lights' in my peripherals (which didn't go away for two years) and nausea. Not that big of a deal. But on day three, I was hit by an insane attack on what I assume was my central nervous system. I felt like my chest was in an ice bath, my internal temperature dropped several degrees, my groin felt like it was on fire (burning/cramping), I started shaking and sweating and went into full-blown panic. After taking a week off, I tried the drug again. Same thing. Absolutely awful. My doctors/pharmacies had never heard of these side effects, which were worse than my symptoms (anxiety-related feeling of throat/tongue swelling). I switched to Effexor (SNRI), which finally worked."

• bla...
• February 8, 2012

Duloxetine for Depression "I started taking Cymbalta after my doctor prescribed 2 other medicines over the space of 8 months, they made me feel worse, not better. I was so ill I was hospitalized at one stage. It took Cymbalta quite a while-about 2 months-to kick in noticeably, however, my depression was severe. The nausea was awful the first two weeks and dizziness lasted about a week with me. I am pretty sensitive to medications, however. I have been on Cymbalta for almost two years-at a high dose (90 mg). I do find I am hot and sweaty (at times), I need a lot of sleep and have put on weight (though HRT could have caused this). However, these side effects are a small price to pay to live a normal life and be free."

• Ros...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2021

Duloxetine for Chronic Pain "If you are seeking treatment for chronic pain, anxiety, and depression as a person with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, especially if you also have temperature or orthostatic intolerance or other dysautonomic symptoms. DO NOT TAKE THIS. I started at 30 mg and increased all the way to 120 mg (then decreased back down to 60 mg and eventually weaned off). I noticed no change to my pain levels. I did experience an increase in energy - but not a positive one - I experienced insomnia, tachycardia, and extremely severe anxiety. I did a lot of risk-taking while on this medication, and increasingly wished I was never born. Lost my appetite entirely and lost 20-25% of my body weight. The sweating was unbearable. Between the malnutrition and the nightmares, I managed to chip two teeth by grinding them in the few hours I was able to sleep. I may have bone loss as well. It made me very dizzy with the underlying POTS, and I now require beta blockers twice daily to manage my heart rate despite cessation of Cymbalta use."

• meh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2016

Duloxetine for Depression "This medicine was a disaster for me. I was put on 30 mg once a day before bed, and the day I started it, I felt the effects. I started to get the shakes, I got hyper, I was nauseous, all my muscles were tense, especially my neck. I sweat CONSTANTLY; I couldn't drink enough for how bad I was sweating. At the one-week mark, I was directed to double the dose. BIG mistake. My throat started to get very tight, and my pupils were so dilated you could no longer see the color of my eyes; I have glaucoma, so that could be why. I eventually went to the ER, where they directed me to take one more half dose and stop. I had 0 benefits; it just made me feel horrible. Seeing as I had a similar reaction to Effexor, I'm clueless as to why I was put on this medication."

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2022

For Anxiety "I've always suffered with anxiety but have never been medicated. A month ago, I knew I needed some help, so my GP prescribed duloxetine, low dose 30 mg once a day. After around 10 days of a really dry mouth and sweaty hands, the side effects have subsided, and I feel so much better. Lighter, sharper, and happier than I've been in a long time. My sleep has improved, and I'm functioning like a normal person again. My children have noticed the change too, we laugh and play so much more now. I wish I'd known about it years ago."

• Anonymous
• October 28, 2011

Duloxetine for Pain "My new pain doctor put me on Cymbalta a few weeks ago. I took 30 mg 1x per day for a week, then increased the dosage to 60 mg 1x per day. I have post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (nerve and muscle pain) and pain from scar tissue from major abdominal surgery. The Cymbalta works beautifully. I am pain-free for the first time since 2006! My next step is to gradually stop taking the opiate pain medications. Two 'cons' about Cymbalta--side effects (these have gone away finally after about 5 days)--including nausea, waking up in the middle of the night, sweating and unable to go back to sleep, and some cold sweats in the morning. The second not-so-great thing is that since there is no generic, I pay a lot for it. My insurance covers it, but still."

• Jlm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I have been on duloxetine for 5 weeks, and I hate it. I have been waking up every day in a puddle of sweat, clenching my jaw when I don’t usually do that, nauseous, upset stomach, headaches, and EXTREMELY tired all day, every day. I have no energy to do anything. If I could give this medicine a 0, I would have."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2022

For Back Pain "Switched to duloxetine from pregabalin for back pain. Pregabalin took the pain away completely (my pain is quite severe, 3 herniated discs compressing multiple nerve roots), but I couldn't handle the side effects of pregabalin, so the Dr. suggested duloxetine. I started on 30 mg once daily. The first few days I was lightheaded, but it went away. The other uncomfortable side effect was sweats. An hour after taking the pill, I would start sweating a lot for an hour or two. After a few weeks, that subsided. The pain was a lot better but still present, so I went up to 60 mg once daily. The same side effects - lightheaded for a few days and sweating for a few weeks. The pain improved somewhat with a higher dose. I still have some pain sometimes but not enough to disrupt my life, so I am happy with duloxetine. The side effects that I actually liked were lower appetite, and my anxiety just disappeared (although it was mild to start with)."

• Fal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 29, 2022

For Peripheral Neuropathy "I had terrible neuropathic pain in both arms for a number of years caused by cervical spondylosis. Finally, I was referred to Pain Management and began duloxetine. I started with a lower dosage but went to 60 mg once a day within 3 months. It took a while for the side effects to stop (constipation, sweating), but the neuropathic pain is almost nonexistent. I no longer wake up during the night with unbearable pain in my shoulders, arms, and hands. This is a HUGE improvement for me, and I am so thankful for it."

• Mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2016

Duloxetine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started taking Cymbalta Time Release (for Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety) before bedtime at 11 p.m., 2 nights ago. I felt fine that night, until the next morning. I started feeling very nauseous and sick (which I have a severe phobia of vomiting). I started sweating, chills, a dizzy feeling, which threw me into a severe panic attack, which made me feel even more nauseous, which made my panic attack last longer. I couldn't calm myself down. I felt like I was in a nightmare! I didn't start feeling any better until about 8 p.m. that evening. It's been 2 days since I've taken Cymbalta, and I'm still experiencing major panic attacks 3-4 times a day with nausea and vomiting. I wish I had never taken that medicine now!"

• Mad...
• May 22, 2015

Duloxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "Don't take this drug. Just don't. My doctor told me nothing about the side effects or how potent it really is. I took it for a week and I felt like I was cracked out the whole time. Total depersonalization, suicidal thoughts, weird head pains, chest pains, vomiting, and completely drained of energy. After only taking this for a week, the withdrawals were horrendous, and I was only on 30 mg. Brain zaps, palpitations, chills, insomnia, sweating, diarrhea, and the list goes on. Worst two weeks of my life. I can't imagine what coming off this drug feels like when you have taken it long term. Do not take this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 29, 2016

Duloxetine for Depression "For over 20 years, I've used antidepressants, and this, by far, is the best I've ever used. However, there are some downsides. I'm constantly hungry all the time. I've put on 2 stone, which is giving me another problem to deal with because that doesn't make me feel good, and excessive sweating. I've reduced my dose with doctor's supervision to try to help these side effects, and the tiredness is so bad, but I've definitely had little or no anxiety."

• Anonymous
• October 30, 2011

Duloxetine for Pain "I have severe neck pain from herniated discs, bulging disc, foraminal stenosis, osteophytes, and arthritic changes in the neck. I was also depressed from chronic pain and anxious about the pain. It has interfered with my life and stopped me from enjoying life. I started on Cymbalta about a month ago. My pain seems to have improved some but has not yet gone away. The side effects have been troublesome, including dry mouth, constipation, palpitations, rapid heart rate, some sweating, tremor, and difficulty urinating. I plan to give the medication three months before I suggest a change to my doctor, based on the comments above. Hope it works."

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2021

Duloxetine for Anxiety "I was prescribed this medication for anxiety, and now I remember why I decided not to take it. I had taken it for three days before, and it constantly made me feel nauseated and sleepy. If you lose weight on this medication, that's how. It's because you constantly feel like you're going to throw up. I didn't take it for a while, but then my anxiety started getting really bad lately, so I decided to try it again. I took one pill last night and could not go to sleep. Then when I finally did go to sleep, I woke up at 2 am feeling like I was going to puke, heart racing, scared out of my mind that I was going to die and sweating. This might work for some people, but it didn't work well at all for me. I will never take it again, it only made me feel worse."

• Wil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 24, 2020

For Peripheral Neuropathy "Side effects of duloxetine for me were severe sweating and also a prostate problem, but it did work very well on my neuropathy, and it also works very well with depression. I was on it for about five weeks. I got off of it because I didn’t like the side effects, and now I’m thinking about going back on it."

• Anonymous
• October 2, 2009

Duloxetine for Anxiety "I took Cymbalta for 7 weeks for postpartum anxiety/depression. After the initial week of feeling nausea and fatigue, I started to feel better. I stayed on 30 mg, but found after 5 weeks I was having vivid, disturbing dreams, insomnia, sweating, and the anxiety came back. I started tapering off, and even at the low dose, the withdrawals are quite uncomfortable - after tapering and stopping the drug I still get a buzz/pulse/shock-like sensation in my head almost constantly after a week. Great if it helps, but hard to get off!"