cymbalta gave me withdrawl symptoms straight out of a heroin movie. Anyone else?
By firequeen
@firequeen (50)
United States
9 responses
@somnolence (460)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I don't think people should be put on Cymbalta (or Effexor) short term. Withdrawls are not an issue if you do not stop taking the medication. But if you're going to have to go off it at some point, then it's probably not the best med to use in the first place. That said, tapering off slowly makes the withdrawls barely noticable.
1 person likes this
@samm20065 (11)
• United States
10 Dec 06
Yes!!! Taper off very conservatively under a doctors direction. When they put me on Cymbalta, I was told it was not addictive. Uh,,,yeah it is. I have been on 60 mg for over a year and it is expensive and 2 or 3 times i have run out and didn't have the money for a refill. After reading a lot of forums and such on line, I have decided i need to get off it completely or at least titrate down on my dosage. I was given cymbalta for IBS and panic attacks. it has worked wonderfully and my mood has been tremendously changed. But i'd like to get off and see what happens. And I've never had a liver function test since I've been on and you really should every 6 mo if you are taking that stuff. Good luck!!!
@somnolence (460)
• United States
14 Jan 07
Technically it isn't addictive. If it had addictive properties then eventually you'd need a higher dose to get the same effect, and you'd crave it. When I accidently miss a dose I don't crave it, I don't even notice till I start getting withdrawls.
1 person likes this
@jennawinseverytime (377)
• United States
3 Sep 07
Anything is addictive if you are having withdrawals from it.
@dharvell (1)
• United States
4 Jul 09
I realise that I am coming to this party 2 years after the fact, but just to set the record straight for anybody who comes across the site - withdrawal symptoms are not signs of addiction. They are signs of physical dependence. There is a HUGE difference.
Addiction means that you are seeking the medication in larger and larger doses, in order to maintain the desired effect. Physical dependence means that your body comes to require the medication in order to function properly.
Quitting a medication that you are physically dependent on causes withdrawal, because your body is reacting to the sudden lack of a chemical that it has come to expect.
Hope this clears up any confusion on the two terms...
@tiffanymarie (191)
• United States
2 Mar 07
Unfortunately, I gained 10 pounds in 5 days on Cymbalta. I was so disappointed because this medication really made me feel much better than any other antidepressants I have tried. It is tooooo bad because it helped me so much. Anyway, Doctor took me off and said that I could not take this medication. So now back to trying to find something that will work for me.
@Snickey (157)
• United States
19 Jun 07
Did you have an allergic reaction to it which caused such a weight gain? I have gained a ton of weight from Effexor, and have been told by a couple of doctors that patients do not experience nearly as much of a weight gain when on Cymbalta. I am changing to Cymbalta in hopes that I can lose weight in comparison to gaining so much on Effexor.
@ChaJudLeoBit (1656)
• United States
23 Mar 07
I'm taking Celexa. This is the first time I've ever had to take anything like that and it's for situational depression. It works wonders! Everyone around me can tell the difference, and they could probably pin point the day it kicked in! I sure could! Since I won't be taking it forever, I hope there are no withdrawls. I have never forgotten a dose because I'm actually afraid to! I'm afraid of sliding back into that dark pit, so I'm obsessive about taking it every day. Sometimes I end up taking it at a different time, but I never miss a whole day.
@setroc (853)
• Philippines
10 Jun 08
im taking cymbalta but not regularly, i cant afford to take it regularly, and its coz i also hate the side effects, i do feel weird when i havent taken one for a long time, i agree with you, the withdrawal is indescribable, your mind kinda play tricks on you
@xdancing (8)
•
1 Aug 08
omfg YES. Haha. It worked great, but once I had to get off of it (90 mg, mind you) withdrawal symptoms were the WORST. I'm not sure why :\
@brideofchristnj (30)
• United States
13 Feb 07
I am on cymbalta now and it has worked miracles for me. I was hospitalized and everything for my depression and I havent had too much of an issue since. I have forgotten to take my pills a few times and I do notice withdrawl symptoms pretty much right away, so I do encourage those on cymbalta to not miss any doses otherwise you will certainly feel it!
@celestialceece (260)
• United States
4 Mar 07
I once forgot (okay, I didn't forget) to take my cymbalta for a few days, and I felt like I was dying. I couldn't function. My heart was racing, my head was pounding, I was sweating, some of the same things you describe above (a heroin withdrawal type deal)! It was extremely unpleasant, to say the least. Don't withdraw without first consulting a Doctor!
@chazsgirl (256)
• United States
2 Apr 08
I have not tried to get off of it yet but I have had herion like withdrawl from klonopin. that is some hard to deal with stuff. what was the milligrams you were takeing?