cymbalta side effects

[quote="Guest"] I started taking cymbalta last october for depression/anxiety and have since gained 30 lbs. I didn't start putting on the weight until I started this medication. The "weight neutral" thing is crap. [/quote]

I had a gastric bypass threee years ago and have maintained my weight loss. However, since going on cymbalta, I've slowed been creeping up in weight, now up about 10 lbs and I've not changed my eating habits. As a matter of fact, I've even started exercising more with a fitness traininer----and no it's not muscle gain. My gut is bigger and my clothes are tighter. Anyone have any similar side effects? I seem to be one of the few who is gaining weight with cymbalta.

I have been off and on aniti depresents for years went cold turkey went through all the withdrawls puking, cold sweating and shaking in my bed for days and I found the best way to get over depression is to break through yourself drug free. I did it, it wasnt easy and took a couple years and hope more people can fight it to. I still get down and blue here and there but i find that reminding myself that its natural to feel, and life will go on there is no point in battaling my feelings with anti depresents. My mother was on anti depresents and decided to go cold turkey with out telling anyone, 2 weeks later she was found hanging in the besement. YAY! 10 POINTS ANTI DEPRESENTS!

-Neil

I have been taking Cymbalta for almost a year now. I started taking for depression from having severe RA, which really helped and then I was diagnosed with fibermyelga .and they increased my dosage from 30 mgs to 60 mgs. It has helped my fiber.. alot but has left me with a blurred vision but only in my left eye, which I started experiencing this side effect over the last month. Has anyone ever expereinced this side effect? I think it is a great drug and as far as withdrawl symptoms from this drug, like any other depression drug or any drug at all, if you don't follow the exact directions that they give you for coming off any medication, you will experience difficulty. As far as gaining weight goes, do you want to be heavy or depressed? I thank God for this drug because there are days that I can't even get out of bed, but there are fewer days thanks to Cymbalta. It has helped me with my depression from my RA and fibermyelga and hopefully, this side effect will go away because I don't want to quit taking it. If I have to put up with a little weight gain, or slight blurred vision in my eye, at least I can get out of bed more days and not crying when someone says "boo" to me. Iam able to handle the depression that both these diseases have thrown my way. God Bless everyone and I hoped I have helped someone who has read this msg.

Dorothy

After feeling numb for 4 years on Prozac, Cymbalta has been a godsend for me! It was almost an instant relief -- depression got so much lighter, and I lost weight from it. I tend to treat my depression with over-eating, and junk food.... so weight loss was a much appreciated side effect. After taking it for just under a year, I found out I was pregnant and had to go off it cold turkey. In combination with quitting smoking, drinking, birth control AND cymbalta - i was obviously a mess! I soon after miscarried, but decided to continue to stay off of it. I have adjusted nevertheless, and feel OK. not great, but not miserable. The only thing I'm not happy with after going off..... is the weight gain! I totally gained 10-15 pounds since going off (2 months ago). I am considering going back on it, mostly for the sake of helping me with my weight, but also because I know I can always benefit from it in regards to my depression. The problem is that my industry requires that I be thin -- so losing weight is more than just a "nice" side effect, it's CRUCIAL. It allows me to be successful which is so key for me in conquering this depression.
Anyways, my point is that I don't think Cymbalta is in ANY way an 'evil' drug, it does precisely what it says it will. At least it did for me. I do know how important it is to take it properly and according to your physician. It will turn evil if you are abusing it!!

Zoog wrote:

After feeling numb for 4 years on Prozac, Cymbalta has been a godsend for me! It was almost an instant relief -- depression got so much lighter, and I lost weight from it. I tend to treat my depression with over-eating, and junk food.... so weight loss was a much appreciated side effect. After taking it for just under a year, I found out I was pregnant and had to go off it cold turkey. In combination with quitting smoking, drinking, birth control AND cymbalta - i was obviously a mess! I soon after miscarried, but decided to continue to stay off of it. I have adjusted nevertheless, and feel OK. not great, but not miserable. The only thing I'm not happy with after going off..... is the weight gain! I totally gained 10-15 pounds since going off (2 months ago). I am considering going back on it, mostly for the sake of helping me with my weight, but also because I know I can always benefit from it in regards to my depression. The problem is that my industry requires that I be thin -- so losing weight is more than just a "nice" side effect, it's CRUCIAL. It allows me to be successful which is so key for me in conquering this depression. Anyways, my point is that I don't think Cymbalta is in ANY way an 'evil' drug, it does precisely what it says it will. At least it did for me. I do know how important it is to take it properly and according to your physician. It will turn evil if you are abusing it!!

I'm really happy to hear that cymbalta was able to help turn your mood around. what's your doseage? And what was your diagnosis on depression? Can you let me know how you're doing? Thanks!

My dosage is 60 mg, i take it for anxiety and depression.

Zoog wrote:

My dosage is 60 mg, i take it for anxiety and depression.

Thank you for letting me know. I think that it sounds like you use it pretty responsibly so I'm glad to hear a success story. HOw long have you been taking it for now?

I have been on Cymbalta for 4.5 years. I started on 30 mg for one week and increased to 60mg there after. I had most of the side effects. Extremely tired, dry mouth, constipated, sexual issues, to name a few. They all passed after about 6-8 weeks. I have gained 25 pounds over this time, and have never had a weight issue this bad before. I am not about 155-160 and I was always 130-135. Except for the weight gain. I love Cymbalta. I am not space. I do not look like I am messed up of on drugs. It has given me my life back.
I would stay on it forever, except, I can not deal with the weight gain. So that is the only reason I am going off. I have pretty much gone cold turkey, aside from a few days of taking the med every other day. I am about two weeks into my self imposed weaning , and the only side effects I am seeing are crankyness and light headedness. I suggest if you feel or look messed up on this drug, you try a different one. the side effects when I started the meds went away and I never had any issues. I have really felt GREAT over the past few years and have become outgowing and confident. I am hoping that the person I have become because of the medication, is the person I will continue to be now that I am going off it. I began the meds because of depression, stress, and anxiety. I also had had a baby 7 months earlier. As for the weight, I lost the baby weight, so that was not the source of the weight gain. I work out, and plan to really focus on exercise, good eating habits, and focus on my attitude and feelings during this weaning period. I know what it feels like to feel right and good, so I hope to be able to identify when I start to deviate from a good attitude, and focus on what is important, what battles to choose, and how to react to different situations, without letting my senstive emotions rule all the time-like they did pre Cymbalta. I have the right mental tools now to make it work...I hope! I am 40 years old and embrassing life. Good luck to all, and I hope this helps someone.

Hi Guest, thanks for posting on your experiences. I feel like your post is really important for people to read so I hope everyone does and can learn from it. Thanks for posting on your experiences and let us know if you have anything else to share okay?

For anyone to slam someone else over a dang drug is ridiculous to me. Everyone is different and some people have no side effects from cymbalta however I am not one of them! I take it as prescribed not 1 more or 1 less! I started taking cymbalta prescribed from my Dr. following a severe leg and hip injury that causes me severe pain and sleeping issues. I was nauseous and had bad headaches that after 4 months still had not gone away so I tried to quit and went through hell. I am now trying to ween myself off exactly how my Dr. has suggested. The nightmares were almost more than I could handle along with the tremors and dizzy spells! This does not mean everyone will have the same effect as me nor will everyone beable to take this drug that is why they are tested! So for anyone to be so offended that someone else can't take it is ridiculous! I am glad it worked for her and I hope I find away off this drug and onto something else that will work as good for me as this did for you!