Duloxetine is a medication that is metabolized by the liver, mainly via the cytochrome P450 system (CYP1A2 and 2D6). It is susceptible to drug-drug interactions with agents that alter the activity of these microsomal enzymes, such as cimetidine. Common side effects of duloxetine include acute liver injury, ALT elevation, alkaline phosphatase elevation, AST elevation, blood bilirubin increased, elevated liver enzymes, and GGT increased.
Antidepressant-induced liver injury is rare, but 0.5-3 of patients treated with antidepressants may develop asymptomatic mild elevation of serum ALT and AST. Heavy alcohol consumption while taking Cymbalta can increase the risk for serious liver problems and liver failure, which can be life-threatening. Elevated liver enzymes can be caused by nonprescription pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, and certain prescription medicines.
Duloxetine is generally well tolerated but can potentially elevate liver enzymes and in rare cases cause liver damage. In postmarketing reports, duloxetine therapy was linked to an increased risk of hepatotoxicity in patients with preexisting liver disease. A small fraction of patients treated with duloxetine develop elevations in liver enzymes, which generally resolve spontaneously without any change in treatment.
In conclusion, duloxetine is generally well-tolerated but can potentially elevate liver enzymes and in rare cases cause liver damage. It is important to note that cases of hepatotoxicity associated with duloxetine are rare and should be reported in all phases of the interval between treatment initiation and clinical trials.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Duloxetine – LiverTox | It has been observed that duloxetine therapy may be associated with transient asymptomatic elevations in serum aminotransferase levels. Additionally, there have been rare instances where this therapy has been linked to adverse effects, including rare instances of… | www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| Duloxetine-Induced Liver Injury in Patients with Major … | In patients with a normal baseline ALT, both ALT and AST values reached their peak after eight weeks of duloxetine medication, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) demonstrated a gradual increase. | pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| a case‐series from the drug‐induced liver injury network | R. Vuppalanchi observed that during the course of hospitalization, the administration of duloxetine resulted in an abrupt elevation in serum ALT and AST levels, without the presence of jaundice. | onlinelibrary.wiley.com |
📹 Cymbalta (Duloxetine): What are the Side Effects?Watch Before You Start!
Cymbalta or Duloxetine is a medication that is used to treat mainly Depression and Anxiety but also is used to treat Fibromyalgia, …
Can Cymbalta raise liver enzymes?
Duloxetine is a widely used antidepressant, with over 10 million prescriptions written per month in 2014. It works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, increasing their concentration in the brain. Duloxetine is approved by the US FDA for treating major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. It is generally well-tolerated but can potentially elevate liver enzymes and cause liver damage in rare cases.
A 37-year-old woman with a history of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder, and opioid use disorder was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit for acute stabilization. She was initially treated well and reported an improvement in depressive symptoms. After three doses of duloxetine, her dose was increased to 60 daily to target residual depressive symptoms. Twenty-four hours after the dose increase, the patient presented with significant anxiety, bilateral tremor, hyperthermia, diaphoresis, and autonomic instability.
Laboratory markers of liver function were measured before, during, and after duloxetine-induced liver injury. A rise and fall of alkaline phosphatase, AST, and ALT correlated with an increase in duloxetine dose and subsequent discontinuation.
Can duloxetine cause imbalance?
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially bleeding, dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of coordination. Older adults may also be more likely to develop a type of salt imbalance (hyponatremia), especially if they are taking ” water pills ” ( diuretics ). Dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of coordination can increase the risk of falling.
Children may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially loss of appetite and weight loss. Monitor weight and height in children who are taking this drug. See also Warning.
During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. This medication may harm an unborn baby. Babies born to mothers who have used this drug during the last 3 months of pregnancy may rarely develop withdrawal symptoms such as feeding/breathing difficulties, seizures, muscle stiffness, or constant crying. If you notice any of these symptoms in your newborn, tell the doctor promptly.
Since untreated mental/mood problems (such as depression, anxiety) can be a serious condition, do not stop taking this medication unless directed by your doctor. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, immediately discuss the benefits and risks of using this medication during pregnancy with your doctor.
Is mirtazapine bad for your liver?
Mirtazapine is a tetracyclic antidepressant with a unique mechanism of action, which is a potent antagonist of serotonin 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors and enhances central noradrenergic and serotonergic activity. It was approved for use in moderate and severe depression in the United States in 1996 and remains in wide use, with over 6 million prescriptions filled yearly. The major indication for mirtazapine therapy is major depressive disorder. It is available in various forms, including regular and oral disintegrating tablets. The recommended dosage in adults is 15 mg once daily at bedtime, which can be increased to a maximum of 45 mg daily. Common side effects include drowsiness, fatigue, blurred vision, dry mouth, increased appetite, and weight gain. Rare but potentially severe adverse events include suicidal thoughts and behavior, activation of mania, seizures, serotonin syndrome, and hypersensitivity reactions, including Stevens Johnson Syndrome.
Liver test abnormalities have been reported in up to 10 patients on mirtazapine, but these elevations are usually modest and rarely require dose modification or discontinuation. Rare instances of acute, clinically apparent episodes of liver injury with marked liver enzyme elevations with or without jaundice have been reported in patients on mirtazapine. The pattern of serum enzyme elevations is usually hepatocellular, but mixed forms have also been described. Autoimmune and immunoallergic features are uncommon.
What hormones does Cymbalta affect?
It increases serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain. These are hormones that regulate your mood and pain.
What is this medication?. DULOXETINE (doo LOX e teen) treats depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and certain types of chronic pain such as nerve, bone, or joint pain. It increases the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, hormones that help regulate mood and pain. It belongs to a group of medications called SNRIs.
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This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
Which antidepressant is safe in liver disease?
This class of antidepressants is generally believed to be safe for use in CLD. However, sertraline has been associated with fatal liver injury in uncontrolled observations. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) with a lower risk of liver injury include fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, and escitalopram. One concern when using SSRI in patients with liver disease is its association with GI bleeding, and the extent of risk of bleeding in those with liver disease. Encouragingly, evidence from published reviews suggests that an increased risk of bleeding events with SSRIs in liver disease occurs only when co-prescribed with antiplatelet agents; this aligns well with recommendations in routine practice.
Typical pharmacokinetic changes seen in CLD prolong the half-life and reduces drug elimination. The usual recommendation is to keep the maintenance dosage at 50% of that used for healthy individuals. However, no change is needed for the starting/initial doses.
There is evidence for efficacy of SSRIs in treating symptoms of depression in chronic hepatitis C infection. Paroxetine, dosed at 20 mg/day for 4 weeks, was found to be effective in the reduction of depression scores among patients with IFN-induced depression. Similarly, in a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of citalopram versus placebo in IFN-induced depression, citalopram dosed at 20 mg daily, separated from placebo at 2 and 4 weeks. Also, no major adverse effects were noted in therapeutic open-label trials of SSRIs in hepatitis C patients. Dosing suggestions for major antidepressants in liver disease are shown in Table 1.
Why do people stop taking Cymbalta?
In some cases, your doctor may stop prescribing Cymbalta. You may also choose to stop taking it if you’ve found that it’s no longer effective or it’s causing side effects.
However, when you stop taking Cymbalta, it can trigger withdrawal side effects. Generally, the severity of these side effects depends on the length of your treatment and how slowly you taper off, among other factors.
Withdrawal side effects from Cymbalta may vary from person to person. However, studies on the withdrawal symptoms of SNRIs have found that common side effects may include:
- Headache
- lightheadedness
- dizziness or vertigo
- shock-like sensations in the head or other areas of the body
- tinnitus
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- sweating
- fatigue
- fidgeting
- muscle cramps
- tremors
- fast heart rate or heart palpitations
- insomnia
- vivid or bizarre dreams
- increased anxiety
- irritability
How do you know if Cymbalta is bad for your liver?
Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
Duloxetine may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if taken together with some medicines. Do not use duloxetine with buspirone (Buspar®), fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), tryptophan, St. John’s wort, amphetamines, or some pain or migraine medicines (eg, meperidine, methadone, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, tramadol, Demerol®, Methadose®, Frova®, Imitrex®, Maxalt®, Relpax®, Ultram®, Zomig®). Check with your doctor first before using any other medicines with duloxetine.
This medicine may increase your risk for bleeding problems. Make sure your doctor knows if you are also taking other medicines that thin the blood, such as aspirin, NSAID pain medicines (eg, ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, or Motrin®) or warfarin (Coumadin®).
Which antidepressant is hardest on the liver?
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a significant concern in the context of increasing drug availability and prescription. 0. 5-3 of patients treated with antidepressants may develop mild elevation of serum aminotransferase levels, and all antidepressants can induce hepatotoxicity, especially in elderly patients and those with polypharmacy. Liver damage is idiosyncratic and unpredictable, and the interval between treatment initiation and onset of liver injury is typically between several days and 6 months. Life-threatening DILI has been described involving fulminant liver failure or death. The underlying lesions are often of the hepatocellular type, with citalopram, escitalopram, paroxetine, and fluvoxamine having the least potential for hepatotoxicity. Cross-toxicity has been described, mainly for tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants. Aminotransferase surveillance is the most useful tool for detecting DILI, and prompt discontinuation of the drug responsible is essential. Results of antidepressant liver toxicity in all clinical trials should be available and published, and further research is needed before any new and rigorously founded recommendations can be made.
Can anxiety raise liver enzymes?
How your liver works is a fairly complicated process. There are a variety of factors that can cause you to have elevated liver enzymes. Stress and anxiety have been shown to be a cause of higher liver enzyme levels although the entire process of how stress-induced liver damage occurs isn’t fully understood.
Chronic stress reduces blood flow to the liver, increasing enzyme levels. Stress also causes the body to produce more cortisol, which can also damage the liver.
When stressed, the liver produces natural killer cells (NKCs) that kill off good liver cells and exacerbate liver conditions. And if all this wasn’t bad enough, when we’re experiencing stress or anxiety, the body restricts blood flow to the part of the brain that controls liver function.
What are the 10 worst medications for your liver?
Prescription drugs:Statins. Antibiotics like amoxicillin-clavulanate or erythromycin. Arthritis drugs like methotrexate or azathioprine. Antifungal drugs. Niacin. Steroids. Allopurinol for gout. Antiviral drugs for HIV infection.
Toxic liver disease, or drug-induced liver injury (DILI), is damage to your liver. It’s also called hepatotoxicity or toxic hepatitis. It can cause serious symptoms or liver damage if you don’t get help.
Medications, herbal supplements, chemicals, solvents, and alcohol are all possible causes of hepatotoxicity.
Your liver filters everything that goes into your body. It clears out alcohol, drugs, and chemicals from your blood. Then it processes the unwanted bits so you can flush them out through your urine or bile.
Can antidepressants cause elevated liver enzymes?
Antidepressant-induced liver injury includes various biological and clinical presentations, ranging from isolated increases in liver enzyme levels to nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, asthenia, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and upper right abdominal pain, and also to more specific symptoms such as jaundice, dark …
📹 Can Cymbalta Cause Permanent Damage?
Across the globe, doctors write prescriptions to patients without informing them what the long-term effects of Cymbalta are, or what …
I have been on 60mg for almost a year now and it has definitely helped my neuropathy but the biggest benefit has been in battling depression. I was to the point that I was in a constant daily rage at everyone and everything in my life. I have been married over forty years but my wife said she would have no choice but to move out because of my constant anger. I still have depressive days but taking this med has been the best thing I could have ever done.
I felt my anxiety and depression beginning to lessen the very first day of taking duloxetine, although the first pill made me vomit violently. Fortunately that didn’t happen the subsequent days. I was very surprised it has worked so fast as anti-depressants usually take a longer time to have an effect. I’ve only taken duloxetine for 4 days now but I’m already feeling so much better. No more racing thought or crippling anxiety. I actually want to live again! I was anxious about starting duloxetine after reading how horrible experiences people have had with it. But to, so far, this med has been a life saver. Just goes to show that people are different and you can’t really know if the med suits you until you try. The only negative side-effect beside the first day vomiting has been trouble sleeping. I hope that it will dissipate as time goes by.
I took this medicine during the peak period of Fibromyalgia pain. Thank god, It is over now. These pain medications never leave your system. I read a report – 3D holistic report which opened my eyes. Holistic techniques are the way to go and they are way more powerful than we imagined. Our body is extremely powerful and intelligent, we seem to have forgotten this. Do read 3D holistic report if you are suffering from any chronic conditions. I hope you keep trying till you heal. Fight to heal.
Thank you Dr. Great info with great delivery! I have been taking Cymbalta for 3 months now. At first, it made me feel a little sluggish and I had that medicated feeling on 30mg for the first two weeks, but by week 4 was feeling a lot better mentally and not feeling medicated. After a month I was ready to go up to 60 mg once a day. Again, with the upgrade, I had a little of the tired medicated feeling first week or two and by week 4 was feeling again better with no dry mouth or that sleepy medicated feeling. The only side effect I have had has been increased sweating which I never had a problem with before, but it only when it is really hot or I am exercising or working hard physically, don’t love that, but so worth it because of the good results I have had to both my depression and anxiety. Another benefit my Dr. noted was that Duloxetine was a weight neutral anti-depressant drug for most. Today I am sleeping better, in less pain, and have a decently normal mood. I have severe Psoriatic Arthritis so this is a great drug added to my list of the biologics and DMARDS. Thanks again.
I started this 2 days ago. I have no appetite, skins super sensitive, thought I was going to pass out, I can’t keep track of time I can’t tell if I was sitting for 2 minutes or 10. I started on 30mg and I’m going to 60 in a week Day 3 update- I can’t feel temperature. I was holding my hot tea and couldn’t even tell it was hot. I have blurry vision and muscle agitation. Going off of it tomorrow👍
I’ve have been taking Cymbalta for over 6 months, It sure helped initially,following my treatment plan prescribed by my doctor, I slowly weaned off cymbalta. Honestly the withdrawal symptoms for me were terrible! I got everything from Nausea, dizziness, headaches, unbearable muscle cramps. This is not to scare people but just give them an understanding of how bad the side effects can be… In saying this I hope it works for you.
I’ve been on this drug for four years now and was starting to worry about long term effects. I also have fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety,nerve and muscle pain and stage three kidney disease, asthma and COPD, brittle bone disease, I know it’s helping me to cope with all of this,so after perusal I’ll carry on taking them,thanks Doc.
Thanks Dr. I take cymbalta its very new to me the first 2 weeks of taking it I was sluggish, nightmares, and nausea I was a mess because my dr. instructed me after the 2 weeks start taking 60 mg. which I did but I took it at night so I wouldn’t have to deal with all the side affects, and I feel much better I am socializing more with my family and coworkers Cymbalta changed my life
iam a physcian and this medication helped me overcoming my ADHD symptoms, it boosted my focus and made my memory closer to reach although i used it only for few days when i need to complete a certain work or having an exam, i dont use it on daily bases, its side effect is not very nice, IAM NOT saying everyone with ADHD should use it, iam just saying it worked really good on my brain .there is alot of researches say Cymbalta improve the cognitive function of the brain .by the way guys in addition to these amazing advices from DR.Richardson, for depression the best treatment is excercise exercise exercise .
Ive been on duloxetine 4 yrs now, duloxetine psynil 40 mg for 3 years, duloxetine cymbalta 30 mg only few months because i gain weight a lot crazy! I change to duloxetine Loxx 30 mg until now. . . . 4 years ago without this Med every single day was a struggle muscle pain, difficult to sleep, tired all the time, palpitation and a lot. . . . When my psycha prescribe duloxetine it changes everything and it it helps me a lot. . . . . No more pain. . . but the big side effect with antideppresant med is gaining weight and difficult to stop. . Withdrawal sympstoms is real😥
Thank you for talking about this drug. It’s still too soon for me cause I started 1 week ago. Good point we all have a different body system & what work for Jane may not work for Sally. I most certainly will call my Dr. by 6 weeks. I suffer from a lot of health issues but people or family never know. I’ve got fibromyalgia etc. etc. Listening to encouragement hope this will help me. Thank you!☺
Why didn’t he mention that if you’ve been taking Cymbalta for a long time, you can’t really ever wean yourself off of it. The withdrawal side effects are awful. Your doctor should warn you because they know about it. This information should be passed on so that people can decide if they want to start this medication or choose something else.
I was skeptical to try cymbalta. I’m using it to treat depression related to lymphoma diagnosis. I started it a week ago. Im only on 30 mg, but as soon as i took it i immediately felt tired. I switched to taking it at night. I feel strange like i can’t wake up or like i’m in a dream state. Disconnected. I did quickly notice one major benefit and that is the feeling of calm. No racing thoughts, or worried thinking. I’m going to continue for 3 more weeks in hopes that this strange dreamlike state will ease up.
I’m taking 30mg in the am, Pain associated with diabetic neurapathy is almost completely gone! Downside is I feel sluggish and fairly unemotional. Having some issues with sleep, but that’s not unusual for me. Taking other meds too, so being careful to Communicate with my doctors and follow their directions to the letter. (For ONCE!, Instead of “self medicating)
This is such an excellent and well explained article. Dr. You explained everything with such kindness and compassion. I was given Duloxetine some type of reaction to in the past. I like how you explained if you need it deprive yourself. Because I’m going through some depression depression and anxiety and I’m hurting myself I’m not trying this. I took one medication my psychiatrist gave me and the first one I talk make me feel really great the first day the second day I took the medicine I was like a zombie. I just laid in the bed and cutting the function only to get up to go to the bathroom so I talked to the doctor and he told me not to take it anymore. If only that medication would have worked like I did the first day I will be happy go lucky. But I’m about to start taking the Cymbalta because I need to feel better not suffer. I’m not going to know how a medication works if I don’t give it a try. Thank you so much for this article…✌🏽❤🙏🏽😊
I took 30mg last night for my chronic burning nerve pain. I had depression & anxiety issue in the past so I thought it’s a good idea to take this med. But I woke up with nausea & diarrhea 5 hours later. Nausea & dry mouth were going on for a few hours. I was light headed and it was hard to work. I’m not gonna take it again. I don’t think it’s worth keeping taking for me. My neurologist recommended me to swim. maybe I should try water exercise.
How can I improve all this feelings without meds.. ever since I struggled with severe depression my brain doesn’t work the same anymore.. I fixed it I took Wellbutrin, but two yrs later here I am again. Nothing amuses me, everything is dull. Like a clown, I smile but deep inside I feel empty. Lack of motivation and more.
A decade or so ago I tried Cymbalta and had HORRIBLE NAUSEA so when my Doctor wanted me to try it again for pain I was a bit leery. He added Zofran to take right before I take Cymbalta and what a difference! It’s been two weeks and no change in pain at 1/3 the recommended dose, but I’ll let you know when I get to therapeutic target dosage.
Just started today. Got sleepy, but after a while that left, and I had lots of energy. Did get a little dry mouth, and I seem to have very little pee coming out though I feel like I have to go. I have fibromyalgia, and now joint pain. So Dr. gave me this Rx. Coincidentally, I have hot flashes, anxiety, adhd, chronic lower back pain, tingling feet in the morning and I startle super easy. It would be cool if this fixes all of that, as it seems to help a lot of other stuff I have. I’ll post an update after a week or so.
Been on this evil drug for 5 months now and wish I never tried it. Doesn’t work, still depressed, and now I can’t stop taking because of horrible withdrawal symptoms that make me want to die even more than my depression makes me. Definitely don’t recommend this and wish doctors would stop prescribing it.
Why should I develop a dependence to see if it works? Why do Antidepressants and Gabapentinoids go first in chronic pain when the bottomline of most researches is that they only reduce the ammount of opioids needed (by potentiating their effect which until now was considered dangerous)? Is it less dangerous to get a constant influx of two drugs that don’t work in order to take less of a drug that actually works? Isn’t that kinda contradictive and doesn’t it seem manipulative when they try push 2 or 3 more drugs that have their own severe side effects and cost 10-15 times more when it is a fact that they end up being used concurently in a dangerous fashion which has already caused deaths? Why are opioids/alcohol (a well known gabaergic drug) dangerous but opioids/gabapentinoids aren’t? What am I missing here?
Don’t forget the sweating! I started it last week and had to stop taking 60mg Duloxetine after a few days because of difficult and painful urination. I was prescribed it for post-Covid fibromyalgia and I felt better on the first day. Unfortunately, my prescription started a few days after my mother’s death and I felt like it stole my legitimate emotion of grief, because I couldn’t cry or feel any emotion. My rheumatologist changed it to 30mg and I’ll see if that’s any better.
Thank you so much for your articles. I am taking gabapaten, Meloxican for pain and now my doctor prescribed cymbalta for my Rheumatoid arthritis, herniated discs, and spine osteoarthritis. I am also taking lamictal and intuitive plus insuline and losartan for high blood pressure. I am so worried for taking so much meds and all the side effects and how they may harm me. I welcome any suggestion.
I have lyme disease which has completely destroyed my life. Especially since I can’t find a doctor even willing to help me go into remission. An lyme literate doctors cost thousands of dollars which I don’t have. So, it’s like going to bed at 24 & waking up 80. For the first time in my life, I can’t take care of myself. It’s put me into a horrible depression an thoughts of suicide run rampant in my brain. The pain alone makes you want to put a bullet in your brain. I’m supposed to start Cymbalta tomorrow and I’m scared as hell. I’m terrified of most medications but I stay away from one’s that can cause withdrawal or I have to be on for life. She has me doing 30mg for right now. Hopefully it helps with the pain as I’ve been told it does by other people with lyme disease.
Good informarion. Something else that it ‘seems’ most Drs do not discuss. (At least mine did not. I still love her! Lol). – Is the reaction of certain herbs. I never knew this after a couple years of being on this. Black Cohash teas, garlic are just a couple of things we are supposed to avoid. – After quite a few years, I am in the process of weaning down from 120mgs a day. (60mgs, twice a day). A much higher dose than the normal for nerve pain. I just began my 3rd day of 30mgs twice a day… Not feeling well. But is manageable so far! It is very hard to wean from
I have a very specific question. I hope someone can help. I’m around 40 years old and started taking Cymbalta since my mid 20s. I believe this is okay. However, since I have been taking Cymbalta the only side effect I have that is truly noticeable is heavy sweating at night whilst sleeping. Is this expected, can I do something to reduce this? Should I be concerned. The only real concern is in winter when I wake up all wet and cold in the winter months. I’m in South Africa so it’s abnormal.
Ik neem het nu voor de 2e dag. Ik bouw ook mijn Effexor af.. Nu neem ik voor de komende 14dagen 30mg duloxetine en 75mg effexor. Daarna nog eens 14 dagen 37.5mg effexor en 60mg duloxetine. Momenteel gaat het nog wat betreft bijwerkingen maar ik juich nog niet te vroeg. Dag 1 had ik enkel wat lichte last in mijn buik. Nu dag 2 voel ik me traag,moeilijk nadenken(beetje zombie-achtig) en meer zweten onder de oksels. Mijn zicht is soms ook wat minder goed maar dat had ik al gelezen van anderen. Ik las dingen over mensen die moestten overgeven etc en ik werd er alleen maar angstiger van. Iedereen reageert anders op medicatie. Fingers crossed dus!
I’m trying to get off celexa 40mg, but I have excruciating muscle aches and pain with my back and shoulders…so how do I switch over… Do I switch over and lower down from the celexa first and then take the cymbalta.. Can I take a lower dose of celexa and take a lower cymbalta Or I can take low level of cymbalta (from weaning) and take the 30mg or 60mg of cymbalta? I just don’t want to get off celexa because it has helped so much….and gave me such a great outlook on my life. Also I don’t want to get Serotonin Syndrome. I take Vyvanse and Lamictal… But the muscle relaxant that I take helps but it clashes with the celexa… which allows me not to take it often…but my muscle pain and aches gets worse… so im just super nervous. Anyone have suggestions? Thank you.
Well presented, no-nonsense info– Thank you! One small thing is that you sometimes rush through the endings of words, which makes me have to rewind to catch what you meant. The subtitles help, but w/ ADHD, it’s very taxing for me to keep my full attention on perusal, listening, and reading all at the same time. Again, it’s a small thing since I can rewind, but the clarity of your article would benefit from editing, or calmly correcting yourself when you feel you may have fumbled a word. Will be keeping you in mind when I want to get more medical info!
I have been subscribed 30 to start for two weeks then onto two doses a day for 60. I am on day two. Yesterday I felt nauseous for about four hours like the beginning of a flu. And today it is affecting all day. Also my driving seemed troublesome as I took some very wide turns today. I was expecting the struggle would not affect my cognitive abilities. Perhaps it is just feeling nauseous that affected my cognitive abilities. I’ve never tried this medication before or I should say medication before for depression anxiety and fibromyalgia.
Hello there. I just came across your website as I was looking for the side effects of zymbalta as I started taking my first pill today. It was recommended by my diabetes clinician and my family doctor for easing of discomfort from neuropathy. The scary thing is I am also on gabapentin for the time being and if the cymbalta works, hopefully I can get off of the gabapentin and stop being so drowsy. I have had to continue drinking a lot of caffeine just to stay awake from the gabapentin. Does that have any risk when taking zymbalta? Caffeine does not affect me in the anxiety department, only situations that take place with regards to my diabetes such as high glucose numbers, and if I have any pain associated with my neuropathy sometimes I get a little anxious. Please let me know if caffeine is okay. I am out and very physically active every day except for today because I had some stuff to do at home and wanted to stay in my house out of abundance of caution because I did not know if I was going to have any side effects. What a great article. Keep up the good work.
I used Lexapro and it ruined my sex drive and function so now I’m scared to try anything else. I’m currently on wellbutrin and my doc wants to add duloxetine to augment the effects of what I’m currently on. I’m scared because I don’t want weight gain or sexual dysfunction and I’ve seen horrible things in the internet about withdrawal symptoms
Good luck when you try to get off it lol. Been on 120 mg. Quit cold turkey after 2 years. Worst withdrawal symptoms in my life!!! Had to learn how to walk again with out the medicine… I only was strong enough to quit cause I went back to church and pray. Brain zaps, motion sickness, feeling like i was going to die. Good luck when y’all wanna quit this shit will f u up soo bad you would regret going on it. Depression goes away with time, anxiety you gotta face your fears. Oh yea the nightmares after you quit are wild lol
Hello, I was given this from a concussion doctor, he said it’s to help with my depression and anxiety….As I educate myself I see that there are alot of side effects that scares me…do this medicine help lose weight gain weight?…..I have been taking for several weeks and I find myself being antisocial and very emotional!😖😖😟😟!…is this normal?….I’m not sure if i should continue or stop….please help someone 😟😟
I’ve had MDD for a very long time. Over the years I’ve tried 11 different anti depressants, this being the 11th as well as another dozen nootropics. A few like Wellbutrin nearly killed me with an anaphylactic reaction. My last try was amitriptyline and I had a bad case of almost every side effect listed, the worst was my dry mouth. It felt like I did the cinnamon challenge. After 2 months of Duloxetine at 60mg’s a day I feel better than I ever have in my life. Duloxetine is the ONLY thing that has worked!! I do have a sex drive side effect and it hasn’t done much for my energy but my mood is 100x better, no anger issues and I can think clearer. I also don’t have constant racing thoughts. Another plus is I sleep better. My case is a bit extreme. I’ve had 10 concussions, 3 skull fractures, knocked unconscious 5 times and a stroke so it had it’s work cut out for it. In the past I’ve had Tramadol for the pain. Tramadol is a bit mild for my pain but the mood effect (Tramadol is an SNRI itself) is incredible, better than Duloxetine. But alas its a narcotic and they don’t like to give it. I also take lamotrigine (anti seizure meds for mood swings), low dose lithium, iodine, selenium, B vitamins and Magnesium to further boost the mental aspect. All necessary in neurotransmitter production.
This information is helpful but what about weight gain on this med, drug interaction, or already having heart arrhythmia problems before taking this medication. Im already over weight i dont need to gain more. Doctors never want to discuss the weight gain that comes with taking these drugs. For once I’d like to see a dorctor or scientist develope a pill that slowed the horomone cortisol which stores subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.
Stopping duloxetine gave me most severe headche of my life going on dqy 5! My lymph nodes on my neck, ears, eye sockets are all throbbing already taking nsaids plus caffeine for headache and heating pad helps a little tiny bit. I gotta go take a hot bath to relieve stress in my neck. The discontinuation syndrrome for it is hellish!
I hiave been on duloxetine for some years 2 or 3. recently I asked my doctor to reduce it from 60 to 30 mgs. I am planning to erase duloxetine from my life for good. as of today I have 4 days without taking duloxetine and i am suffering the mandatory brain zaps, ha,ha,ha. is something awful like when you turn a radio on and off,on and off,on and off in rapid sequences all day long, but I know that eventually it will wear off from my system.
My Dr ( who charges 1800$ a visit) gave me 60 mg of cymbalta, I took it for 2 months and he didn’t tell me the sexual side effects. But after 1 day it killed my sex interest, Now I’m off the medication for 2 months and still don’t have any sexual interest and turn on. I’m 19 years old and my life is ruined and I wasn’t warned. I came to psychiatry for my last chance I put my hope on it, now I lost my emotions, love, sex interest ( I don’t even remember how sexuality feels like. I’m going to commit suicide Because there is nothing I can do my Dr tells me that it will “probably” xome back, but the more I wait the worse it gets. I saw thousands of people online saying that it hasn’t come back even after 5 to 20 years. My Dr is worse than a terrorist, Because now I’m alive and suffering unlike someone who was killed.
Horrible stuff. I started taking it four months ago.. I felt like a zombie but more importantly I felt soooooo depressed. I didn’t want to get up in the morning I had no interest in anything I was numb. I’m usually an emotion person but I felt nothing.. I decided for the sake of my health and sanity I had to stop this horrible drug…. I had read that the side effects were dreadful but I was willing to go through it.. from the very first day without duloxetine I felt like a cloud had been lifted.. I started to find an interest in things .. I forgot to mention that when taking this I kept forgetting things.. Anyway seven days on I feel amazing my life is bright…no side effects I m now taking an interest in life.. I hated this medication I actually did feel suicidal but now I’m finally back to being myself and living life again . Whilst this medication may work for some for me I felt like life wasn’t worth living so be careful
With this drug, after couple months developed terrible heavy tingling legs below the knees when I wake up in the morning. It kinda went away after I got up and moved around for an hour. Also woke groggy and experienced dreams and nightmares, not during the night, it was in the morning if I fade-away back to sleep. So so weird. Doc and I are trying to figure out if it was cymbalta or the 1200 mg gabepentin he has me on too. I’m taking 60 mg cymbalta. Anyone else have these side effects?
Has anyone taken this and it DIDNT help? I’ve tried so many things that didn’t work so I’m nervous about taking it. I guess because I heard it was one of the more addictive ones. I guess it shouldn’t bother me as I’ve been taking Xanax for years. 🤷🏻♀️ I see things everyday that I want to do…but I just don’t feel like it. So I end up on the couch everyday and I know that makes it worse.
What is my guarantee that those who write positive reviews about the drug (Cymbalta) are not actually sales representatives of the pharmaceutical company that produces this drug? On the other hand, what is my guarantee that those who write negative opinions about this drug are not sales representatives of pharmaceutical companies for which this drug (Cymbalta) is a competitive product taking the market away from them? Conclusion: what is my guarantee that the opinions about this drug presented here are reliable?
I have been prescribed 30mg of Cymbalta and Lyrica 75mg 3x a day. I’ve been on this schedule for about 4 weeks. While my pain is controlled “fairly well” ( although I still take 10mg Percocet prn) I feel totally disconnected to everything and everyone. I don’t laugh or cry or anything. Is this normal?
My first tome taking it I was given 30 mg then the next month I was given 60 mg I took them for theee days straight and I noticed the first two times I was really weird like stuck in my mind sitting in the car felt like I had an adder talk mixed with Xanax like I didn’t know if I was up or done but for sure was confused, I just took one two hours ago instantly felt more sleep but than agin I took it with a small Alorzapam 0.5,! I had stopped the first 3 days because I git so sad I was crying out the blue and didn’t know what was wrong with me I’m giving it another try before bed instead of waking up trying it
I have a friend who started cymbalta Thursday night, 30mg dosage, she is suffering from loss of appetite, shaking, lack of sleep, she isn’t liking how she is feeling, before she just had shakes and bad thoughts, not she has all these symptoms, and she is more anxious than before, she just feels like it’s not working. What can I tell her to help her feel better
I am on duloxetine for fibromyalgia at one point i was on 90mg a day but didnt feel any releif being on them and they caused hot flushes which i found unbearable, plus i piled on so much weight . So i went to my doctor and told him about my concerns, he told me to reduce down to 60mg then after 1 week reduce another 30 mg and repeat this until i was off them . When i was at the final stage not having any i became very unwell and had some sort of seizure i actually fell off my chair, it was horrible i felt awful and after a few days of this i took 30mg to see if it would stop the awful feeling and it did . I want to stop taking the duloxetine altogether but i am scared that i will feel that way again, i have been on them for about 1-2 years now, do you think it will be ok since im on such a small dose now ? . would really appreciate any help . thank you . x
Over the past several months I’ve managed to ween myself off from taking 80mg of vyvanse and 120mg of cymbalta in the morning, plus 100mg of doxepin at night, to zero anything. Tbh I’m not sure if I’m actually better off or not than I was when I was on all of tht. I actually have an appetite now, I eat more, which means my sperm production is higher so I actually have a sexdrive. Focus has definitely gone down. I do feel emotions more I think, n am a bit more lively, but I also feel the lows as well. I don’t think I’m sleeping as well tho now.
I’m on day 4 and I’m having bad side effects. Really sleepy all day, no appetite, dizziness, and depersonalization, feeling as though my body is in control and not my brain. Really off feeling, along with memory loss. Also taking Prazosin for nighttime. To help with PTSD, and dreams. Should I stop taking it now since I’m only on day 4. Or wait to see if it works.