Cymbalta Side Effects....

Hi J.,

I work for a company that does investigational drug testing. It typically is normal to have side effects when you first start taking a new medication. It should subside after a few weeks. One of the hardest things about starting a new med is the side effects are the worst and the benefit is the weakest. Please give it time and hopefully you will see a positive result...unless the side effects are unbearable. Good luck to you!

Just remember that there are many anti-depressants out there. If it's hard dealing with these side effects you could always try another one and see if that one works better for you. Most of the time anti-depressant are trial and error. It can be very frustrating cause you are not going to see results from it right away either, it will take a few weeks. I would suggest giving it a week and then trying to switch to something else if your not getting any relief. Your on the right path to getting help. Hang in there.
A.

I have a bit a of depression myself, but I won't take anything that is a drug, because if it makes one nauseated it can't be good for you. I use St Johns Wort and a good B Complex vitamin, its also important to eat right and get a lot of green leafy vegies. ST Johns Wort works for me and fast too. I don't have to wait for weeks to feel better. Also it is very important to get a lot of exercise. It gets the endorphins working which helps you feel better

hi, J.,
I'm a psychologist and have a number of clients who have found Cymbalta helpful. having said that, different people will react differently to different drugs. Check out a reliable medical website such as www.webmed.com for info on side effects. Most people will adjust to a med within a few days. If not, ask your psychiatrist to change your med. If you are not seeing a psychiatrist, but were given the med by a general practitioner and/or didn't get enough discussion of the potential side effects or how long it would take to work, please think about seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in mood disorders such as depression and who can best monitor these types of drugs. I can't emphasize strongly enough how important it is to see a specialist when you are on these medications.

Also, depression impacts your life in many ways, and seeing a therapist to help with talking about your feelings and changes needed in your life can be hugely helpful, whether or not you take meds. Just wanted to mention this, just in case you hadn't considered it.

take care, S.

Does the nausea and headache come right after or does it linger all day? I found that taking my meds before I sleep helped when I was adjusting to them.I would second Peg's suggestion of trying to take it with some food. I have not been on Cymbalta, but have tried several different drugs for depression. It seems like there can be an adjustment period that takes a little while to adjust. So perhaps give yourself a few weeks and see if the side effects get better. I would suggest to also talk to your doctor and see what he/she says. I also learned the hard way that if you dont like how you feel on a drug you are more likely to quit your medication before you need to come off it. So after a month ( take everything a week at a time) if you still dont like the way you feel do not be afraid to tell your doctor that you dont like the side effects and ask to try something else. I good doctor is going to work with you. Best of wishes to you.

Hi ~
I just got off of cymbalta. I took it for about six weeks, starting at 30 mg and moving up to 6 mg. 30 was ok but only took the edge off the depression. At 60 I felt foggy and confused all the time, like I'd taken too much of a drug and was kindof high with a weird buzzy feeling. I didn't have any nausea, but I did have headaches. After about three weeks on 60's the nausea went away but the fogginess didn't, nor did the confusion. It seems to take my body about 10 days for me to adjust to a new med so if you can keep with it for about that long, I understand the side effects should go by then if they're going to. So for whatever it's worth, I'd try at least a week before giving up on it... but of course you should talk to your p-doc about it as well.
Just an additional note, I tried the "natural" stuff before trying various medications and they didn't work for me. When it comes to medications you're going to get alot of advice, the best thing to do is to research it for yourself and talk extensivly with your doc about it. Know side effects, look up how long they should last, and don't put up with any side effects unless the med is really helping you. Now I take Citalapram and bubproprian and the combo of the two seem to be working well with very few side effects.

I was never on Cymbalta but I was on Prozac and now am on Zoloft. I had horrible nausea and headaches with Prozac but they were mild with Zoloft. I was on Prozac for over a year before I switched to Zoloft (safer while nursing)and the transition was easy. I had very few side effects with Zoloft, mild nausea for the first week of Zoloft and then smooth sailing. I personally think its more important to be mentally stable. I would have kept trying different drugs until I found one that worked.. It was more important for me to be happy again...Give it some time and if the side effects don't subside, ask to be switched to a different drug, your happiness is worth it too! Keep smiling! :)

Yes, it will subside. Be sure to always eat something with it, I found that helpful too. The headaches also subsided some, but it seemed I always had a kind of lingering headache, but I get migraines which may have contributed to that.

Hi J.,
It is odd but Cymalta can reduce headaches which is why I take it. I have been taking it for several months now and have no nausea but I do recall having a mind case of it for the first few days. I recommend you giving it 4 to 6 days and if it doesn't go a way talk with your doctor. I do know I am happier but I am not sure if it is the reduced headaches or the Cymalta. Either way it has improved my day to day incredibly.

J., I don't know about this medication. However, if you are interested, I would be happy to talk with you about a pure, safe, and beneficial botanically-based remedy for depression. (If you happen to be a nursing mom, this is not recommended.) Just let me know if I may be of help. D.