Experiences with Cymbalta (Duloxetine)?

June 25, 2022 4:48 AM

So further to my previous post my GP has prescribed me with Duloxetine (Cymbalta). I'm a bit worried as a lot of feedback online is about how hellish it is to withdraw from. The focus is so overwhelmingly on withdrawal that there's very little I read about peoples' experience whilst on the drug. Has anyone here taken it and what was your experience?
posted by Sunflower88 to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

I was on it for depression for three years. It did a decent job of decreasing intrusive suicidal thoughts.
posted by Jon_Evil at 6:54 AM on June 25, 2022

I switched to Duloxetine from Venlafaxine (Effexor) because the dreams I had on Effexor were very very intense and it was affecting my ability to sleep and even function during the day as it kinda messed me up. And I too was really really worried about the withdrawal from it, especially since I struggle with remembering to take my pills. 1 skipped day and the dreams intensified, 2 days of skipped Effexor... well, I don't recommend it. Duloxetine has been better for me on both fronts. Intense dreams are almost gone, and I don't even notice skipping 1 day (not that I recommend it). Both drugs worked about the same for my anxiety. But since I don't have as many side effects, duloxetine has been great for me overall, no regrets.
posted by cgg at 7:42 AM on June 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Sorry I forgot to specify, in particular, other than depression, has it helped anyone with social anxiety?
posted by Sunflower88 at 7:54 AM on June 25, 2022

Best answer: I have been taking duloxetine for about 2.5 years. I've had high-functioning depression and moderate to severe social and general anxiety (self-diagnosis) for decades. It immediately and significantly reduced the anxiety for me (90%?). It's been less effective for the depression. Side effects have been a bit of brain fog/apathy and occasional vivid dreams. I'm glad I finally made the decision to try antidepressants, and feel lucky that the first one I tried works as well as it does.
posted by bricoleur at 8:26 AM on June 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

My partner uses it for fibromyalgia, but it also treats her depression. Yes, the withdrawal is real and sudden. But it manages the symptoms staggeringly well, and she's been on it safely for years.
posted by deezil at 9:24 AM on June 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

I have just dropped my duloxetine dose in half while ramping up Wellbutrin and didn’t notice a withdrawal. It has helped me a lot with depression. The two side effects I’ve noticed is for the first few months I had sweaty palms and for the whole time it makes it hard to start peeing. Once I start I’m fine but getting my bladder to release is difficult.
posted by Uncle at 11:39 AM on June 25, 2022

Good timing! I’m just doing the last bit of tapering off of Duloxetine.

I’ve been on it for ten years and it has done a really good job with both depression and anxiety of all kinds. Reduced libido has been an issue as has (particularly in the last two years) orthostatic hypotension, also known as getting dizzy when I stand up.

I’ve gone through the trouble of tapering off so that I can try at least one new drug that may not have those side effects for me. If the experiment fails going back on Duloxetine is definitely my fallback. Side effects or no it has been a steady, reliable, and effective drug for me.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:13 PM on June 25, 2022

I’m on Duloxetine, and have been amazed at my response to anxiety while on it. Sometimes I forget what anxiety feels like, which is a miracle. It started working for me a few months in, and the side effects were totally worth it. YMMV.
posted by missmary6 at 6:30 PM on June 25, 2022

I tried it for months, hoping that side effects would go away, but they never did. I would sleep for 12 and 18 hour periods, fall asleep at random times during the day, and experience mood swings I am at a loss to even describe in words. I felt like I was in a trance most of the time. And this was on the lowest possible dose.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:35 PM on June 25, 2022

I've had good results with it for generalised anxiety. On it for about 10 years now I think, it took about 6 months for the side effects to get to an ignorable level. You do have to take it like clockwork or you'll get an immediate withdrawal kind of effect.

But like you see in the answers here, it doesn't work for everyone, and some people get really disruptive side effects from it. If you do start it, make a plan with your doctor for what you'll do if it's not working out for you.
posted by harriet vane at 11:47 PM on June 25, 2022

I was on it briefly because I was suffering from a nerve injury and Cymbalta has an off-label use for treating nerve pain. I was also depressed because of said nerve injury, so I thought maybe it could help both. It did nothing for the nerve pain, and made my depression so acute I felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin.

On the other hand, I have a friend who's been on it for over a decade for panic attacks, and she says it helps her. Having said that, when she tried to taper off it a while back, she suffered a disastrous relapse. She went back to her previous dosage with little delay.
posted by panama joe at 4:45 PM on June 27, 2022