Cymbalta (duloxetine) [SNRI]

[Helena_SAS]

Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Yentreve) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, among other uses.

More info:

• Drugs.com
• eMedExpert.com
• Wikipedia

User ratings/reviews:

• AskAPatient.com
• Drugs.com
• DailyStrength.org
• WebMD
• RXList.com
• Revolution Health

[Helena_SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by Dolly

Social Anxiety Background
I've had SAD since I was a child in grade school, but I was not officially diagnosed until March of this year. My social phobias transformed into serious forms of depression when I entered college.

Other Treatments
sam-E as a mood support (but it didn't really work)

Treatment Experience
I started taking 30 mg of Cymbalta for social anxiety and depression, and I eventually moved up to 60 mg a day. I did have some jitters, drowsiness, and "crying spells" where I wasn't really "crying" (since, emotionally, I was feeling fine) but my eyes were watering and my throat felt a little choked up. They did subside the longer I took the Cymbalta.

I think for me, the medicine was helpful. It helped mobilize me to do things I was too afraid to do before (even when I was doing CBT with my counselor). When things didn't work out right, I didn't drown in anxiety -- I stayed cool and thought of different options. It's really enabled me to develop some important problem solving skills.

The side effects are kind of annoying drawbacks and I certainly don't want to be on this medicine forever, but in the meantime it is helping me stabilize myself mentally so that I can do the things I've always wanted to do.

[Helena_SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by Noca

Treatment Experience
I was on 1 x 60mgs of Cymbalta a day for 3 months and it did absolutely nothing positive. I think I remember the sexual side effects being less than that of Paxil @ 60mgs which I'm currently on.

I started out on 60mgs from samples my doctor gave me as I refuse to pay more than $2 for any of my meds.

If your gonna give this medication a try, definitely just use doctors samples.

PS. This medication became available in Canada in May of 2008

[Helena_SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by Sasha

Treatment Experience
This medication did hardly anything for my anxiety, but it did make me lose 13 pounds. I still had frequent panic attacks, but I would have stayed on it for the weight loss if I wasn't so determined to find a medication that actually worked.

All in all, it's good for weight loss, but not much for anxiety.

[Helena_SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by geordiemilne

Treatment Experience
I was on cymbalta 60mg a day for about 7 months, it did help alleviate stress not drastically or anything.

[mark555666]

Good anti depressent. makes me less drowsy than the other ones.

[xJoshx]

Started on 30mg with some side effects for 4 weeks which didn't work to great. Up'd to 60mg for the past 6 months with average results, slows the image process and thought and relieves low to moderate anxiety.
Quite mild side effects if you do miss a dose.

[SadDad]

I am on 60mg 1X daily for about 4 months and am feeling good. I have been on Cymbalta for 8 months now. I have been on Paxil several times in the past few years and that never worked out for me beyond the first 3-6 months.

Side affects for me are fairly minimal. Weight loss has been a bonus and I am not certain how much is related to my more healthy eating and exercise. Either way I am happy.

Randomly low libido, but not all the time, and some have occasional constipation.

All in all, the benefits versus side effects has been positive for me.

[lenar]

Social Anxiety Background

I've had SAD since I was 14 years old or so. Managed to graduate from Law School, despite all difficulties. Have been on and off several meds. Somehow, depression got in the way.


Treatment Experience
I'm currently on Cymbalta, 60mg, once a day (it's been 4 months or so). Stopped Lexapro because I felt that it wasn't working for me anymore.
I'm actually surprised that Cymbalta has helped me cope with mild depression (which seems to have vanished) and SAD, without so many of the side-effects of previous medications (except for the low libido and constipation).

[MandyC]

just like the other SNRI's i've tried, it caused severe side effects: night sweats, skin rash, migraine headaches, jitteriness.

[natureiscalming]

I've been on Cymbalta for a few years now with only varying degrees of success. I'm up to 90 mg now, but it's definitely time for a new doctor and new med for me and treatment.

[Ryoshi]

Been on and off Cymbalta (30Mg) for 1 1/2 years now. Dr. prescribed for depression and when dug a little deeper found SAD. I don't take daily as my depression seems to be cyclical.

I have found Cymbalta to be extremely effective at quieting the angry, negative self talk and taking the edge off situations that would ordinarily make me curl up into a ball. I have a nasty habit of remembering bad past experiences when I have a good experience and this med seems to put those bad feelings into perspective. It doesn't make those feelings go away entirely but the lows are not nearly as low and the highs aren't as high either. It doesn't take as much "convincing" to go out and do things like it did in the past.

The side effects...there are several and they seem to vary from person to person. When I start taking them my digestive system reacts rather badly for a couple of days then it goes away, i.e. you'll be regular as clockwork. They also wake me up in the middle of the night for about an hour as if a switch was thrown. Mentally I can tell when I take than but it is not intrusive. When I stop I get lightheaded easily but nothing serious.

All in all I have found them to be very helpfull and see no reason to look elsewhere. But as with any other type of medication your mileage my vary.

[chase04]

I have been taking cymbalta (30 mg) for about a month now. Before I was taking zoloft which was extremely ineffective. As for cymbalta I have definitely noticed some minor improvement. One thing I noticed about the 2 drugs I have taken is that you cant expect a miracle, it is unrealistic to think any drug will change your life. Neither of the drugs gave me any serious side affects.

[swim]

Im currently taking 60mg at morning,cymbalta shows to be very effective on anxiety (more than paroxetine,citalopram and remeron) but no so on mood, no relevant side effects.

Compared to Efexor sleep quality is worsened but there are less sexual side effects.

[rockyraccoon]

I was on this drug for only a week. I experienced instant impotence and as a consequence anorgasmia. I also had sleeping problems on it as well.

[SpacedOut3]

I took 30mg of Cymbalta for a week and was happy, upbeat, and noticeably less anxious in situations that would have really bothered me before. It would have been a life saver if it weren't for all the side effects. Sexual issues (couldn't get it up even though i wanted to), Hot flashes, Moments of extreme "brain fog" that shut down anything i was doing for 10-30 mins, moments of being high but not in a pleasurable way, etc etc...

[Mojorizen2]

I am 27 and have had moderate to severe SA since junior high school. I only recently decided to try medication to treat my SA. I previously tried to make progress with my SA by speaking up in class, at meetings, etc. I would make small steps, but they would never transfer from one situation to the next similar situation. My doctor tried Zoloft for two months, and I didn't really notice any effects at all. Xanax works really well for me, but obviously that is not a solution for everyday anxiety. My doctor decided to try Cymbalta with me, and after reading the reviews on here, I was not very optimistic about the chances for it to help me. He started me on Cymbalta, straight from stopping Zoloft. He started me on 30 mg for the first 3 days, and then 60 mg afterwards. To my surprise, it started working from the first day I was taking it. However, I was on Zoloft the day before I took Cymbalta, so that is probably why it started working so quick.

The effects for the first few days I started taking it were that I felt pro-social, and just comfortable talking. I also felt a little foggy headed the first few days. The fogginess went away, as did the pro-social feeling (not completely, but for the most part), but it has really taken the edge off my anxiety. For situations that are higher anxiety for me, I will still take a Xanax, but I am comfortable in everyday encounters that were difficult for me before. Overall, my experience with Cymbalta has been very positive, and I think it is worth a shot.

[Afterburner]

I was on this medication for depression (in part caused by SA) and it had no effect other than to dilate my pupils and cause some bizarre dreams.

[Minnow]

I was prescribed Cymbalta for depression/social anxiety after not responding at all to Celexa. I increased slowly to my initial dose of 60mg, which I was on for about three months. I felt a slight increase in mood, but my anxiety didn't budge. We increased to 80mg, and I started feeling not-so-good. Most days I stayed pretty emotionally static - I wasn't feeling awful about anything, but nothing made me particularly happy either. That was okay. But I'd just hit these dips, usually at night, where I'd just get completely overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness. It happened about once or twice a week.

I explained this to my psychiatrist and we decided to try another SSRI. I came off the Cymbalta and started taking Paxil. Within the first week after decreasing off of the Cymbalta, I felt an immediate brightening of my mood and my baseline mood was noticeably higher than it was when I was taking Cymbalta. I don't know if it was from starting the Paxil or getting off the Cymbalta.

It did give me crazy dreams, which was interesting. I could fall asleep easier, however, I still had a lot of trouble with early waking. My focus didn't seem to have changed, however, when I got off of it I had severe problems with concentration and motivation (which has been the only bad part about changing to Paxil for me, so far - I've augmented with Welbutrin, but it's too early for me to know if it's working).

[Jkujawski]

I have no issues. Maybe a little sweating I notice if I have a couple drinks it's bothersome and doesn't mix well but other than that 0 side affects and it works pretty well