Duloxetine and Withdrawal: What Users Say (Page 5)

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

Duloxetine 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."

• Pam...
• September 13, 2015

For Urinary Incontinence "Cymbalta and its generic Duloxetine for me is an evil, highly addictive, and deadly poison! It is very hard to get off of, especially when taken with other dangerous drugs and even OTC 'harmless' meds. I am now tapering off safely and very slowly with minimal withdrawal symptoms, as directed and with the life-saving help. Did you know that cranberry juice and Kegel exercises can help with urinary incontinence much more safely than the drugs prescribed for it?"

• Cry...
• August 21, 2021

For Depression "I've been on this stuff for around 5 years. It's awful, and please don't take it. It's just not worth it. Works for a little while, and then you can't stop taking it because you will go into withdrawals. I'm tapering off of this, wish I never started it. I take 60 mg."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2019

For Anxiety "Duloxetine from Apotex (generic) worked perfectly for me for 6 years. Now I started taking the Torrent Duloxetine and have withdrawal symptoms the next day after taking. I called Torrent and opened a complaint. I also noticed that they had various recalls, also the recall of Duloxetine in 2017."

• Iri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 30, 2019

For Anxiety "Do NOT take this medication unless you are prepared to take it for the rest of your life. Withdrawal from this medication is far worse than that from other antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. I wanted to die while withdrawing from duloxetine. Do some research on Cymbalta withdrawals, and you will see."

• Bea...
• November 29, 2019

For Anxiety "I have had panic attacks for years, started in '92 in my 30s. I have tried several medications, but the duloxetine did help me get to a somewhat normal life. I think I have taken this medicine for so long that my symptoms of anxiety have started to return. I did try to increase the mg to 30 and took it daily for a while, but it increased my anxiety. I have recently started the transition to stop taking the duloxetine. I am slowly reducing by taking 20 mg every other day for 2 weeks, then 20 mg every third day. I will tell you that I have had withdrawal symptoms."

• Mam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 22, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I was prescribed Cymbalta (duloxetine) 60 mg for fibro. It didn't work. My doctor increased the dose to 90 mg and then to 120 mg, which I took for a year. This has been the worst year of my life. Fibro pain is a welcome relief to the near nervous breakdown feelings I have had. Please research the side effects and complications of withdrawal when deciding to start this medicine. Make sure your doctor is informed about the possible adverse reactions to this medicine and closely monitors you for potential problems. For me, it has taken away so much more than fibro ever has."

• gin...
• May 25, 2015

For Depression "Though it helps with pain from rheumatoid arthritis, I am more depressed than ever with this medication. When trying to discontinue duloxetine, I have very bad withdrawals, which I had to get back on right away to stop. I feel worse depression than ever and stuck on this medication. The withdrawals are horrible."

• Jsi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 15, 2021

For Anxiety "I live in the UK. I've been taking duloxetine now for quite a while. I'm on 120 mg daily, but for the last 3 or 4 months, I have been experiencing withdrawal symptoms, even though I take my medication daily. I don't understand how this works, but the symptoms are really bad: brain zaps, fatigue, pain, confusion-well, just terrible issues, which I think is causing me to freefall into dark places. I just don't understand."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 20, 2022

For Fibromyalgia "I took this med for years and it definitely dulled my pain, not entirely but noticeably. My prescription was not renewed because of human error. The withdrawals were awful and my pain returned with a vengeance. I became irritable and depressed. Today my doctor renewed my prescription and I am waiting for some relief!"

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

Duloxetine 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."

• San...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 8, 2021

For Depression "Took this for a year. The beginning was fine. I felt better for one week, then went back to normal. Upped the dose, was happy for 1 week. I'm not sure, I had the illusion that it worked and felt ashamed of the thought that a third medication wouldn't work on me, so I kept taking it. At the end of the year, I was completely empty, hadn't had any sexual feelings for 3 months even when I was with my boyfriend and also started having suicidal thoughts. When I stopped the medication, I still didn't feel better, so I think the medication just didn't work. The withdrawal was the worst thing I've been through. I threw up every day, had the worst vertigo where I couldn't move my head or eyes without physical pain or wanting to throw up. I was lying in the dark sleeping because I didn't want to go through it (I went off it slowly for 1 month I think). Ended up taking the small pills inside the capsule to go even slower and that helped."

• Kl2...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 11, 2015

Duloxetine for Depression "the worst drug I have ever taken in my life! Withdrawal is hard work. I googled and read more about Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome Food and Drug Administration on"

• kin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2014

Duloxetine for Anxiety "Didn't work for me. Felt pretty barfy and crummy the first several days. Seemed to make me agitated. Only on it for a week; withdrawal was unpleasant. Just my experience, however."

• Ell...
• May 21, 2015

Duloxetine for Depression "Awful drug, didn't really do much for depression or pain, just made me numb. And good luck getting off of it, 9 weeks later and I'm still having withdrawal symptoms."

• cot...
• February 8, 2011

Duloxetine for Depression "Cymbalta works great, but withdrawals are ridiculous."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 12, 2018

Duloxetine for Anxiety "Terrible drug. Don’t start. Your body becomes addicted to it. The withdrawal symptoms when coming off are horrific."