[thatagirl]

I've been taking Cymbalta for 17 months and (with respect to my depression) it worked! In fact, it worked so well that I would tell people that I would happily take Cymbalta for the rest of my life to avoid the horrible saddness and feelings of "Who cares" which is where depression had taken me. "Where does Depression hurt? Everywhere".

In any event, I did not want to take Anti-depressions because of the reported side -effects. I only agreed to take Cymbalta because my Therapist/RN and my Doctor said that the side affects DID NOT include weight gain or decrease the sex drive. NOT TRUE.
Since starting on Cymbalta (170 - which had increased from 150 because of my depression) I have gained another 35lbs!!! I am now at my all time heaviest weight ever.

I have noticed that my back always aches and my knees feel a pain I've never expereinced before; I assumed it was because my 5'3 frame is having a taxing time carring around the addition 70lbs. (Now 205).

With respect to interest's in the opposite sex, I have NONE. Zero - Zip. I can't even remember what or why I ever "fancied" or "crushed" on anyone.

I can say with conviction, I have been in absolute denial about the side effects of this drug. For some time I thought I'd rather be Fat and Happy then thin and miserable. However, as with any drug, it has lost it's effectiveness - and now I'm depressed, seriously obese and taking 60mg a day! As if that is not bad enough, my insurance does not cover and it cost me $130 a month (I don't make a lot of money - so that $130. hurts).
At the rate I'm gaining, I'll be 300lbs at this time next year.

My QUESTION to those with wisdom and expereince: How long (during weaning) and after before you started to see the weight loss??? And what suggestions might you have to share?

Good Mental Health and Many Blessings to you all:
Lucy

[MaureenV]

fiona, on 19 April 2010 - 09:11 PM, said:

I have been on cymbalta for 5 years in June, 30mg once a day. Went on vacation 2 weeks ago, forgot my cymbalta while packing. Went cold turkey for past ten days. No withdrawls, except some slight dizziness and nausea. Loved this drug first 2 years, last 3 years have ballooned up to 150 lbs from 118 lbs. and a dozen other side effects of this drug. Past ten days I have felt like a new person, although a little apprehensive that withdrawls are going to come crashing in at any moment; but thank God nothing major yet. Can withdrawls begin late after going cold turkey????

Yes, they can, but they usually hit before this.

Just about everyone reaches this site through having hideous withdrawal symptoms. After all, if you're not having ANY, you'd probably not give it all a second thought.

There ARE people out there who've had no problem; until proper tests are done, we won't know whether 5% of people really struggle, or 95% of people really struggle.

If you want to stay off, let's hope you're one of the lucky ones.

regards, Maureen.


p.s. if you DO suddenly strike problems, and you want to stay off, remember that your body has already started to adjust, and you will not need to take as much as you were before to alleviate the symptoms.

[saynoEliLilly]

thatagirl, on 01 February 2010 - 12:53 PM, said:

I've been taking Cymbalta for 17 months and (with respect to my depression) it worked! In fact, it worked so well that I would tell people that I would happily take Cymbalta for the rest of my life to avoid the horrible saddness and feelings of "Who cares" which is where depression had taken me. "Where does Depression hurt? Everywhere".

In any event, I did not want to take Anti-depressions because of the reported side -effects. I only agreed to take Cymbalta because my Therapist/RN and my Doctor said that the side affects DID NOT include weight gain or decrease the sex drive. NOT TRUE.
Since starting on Cymbalta (170 - which had increased from 150 because of my depression) I have gained another 35lbs!!! I am now at my all time heaviest weight ever.

I have noticed that my back always aches and my knees feel a pain I've never expereinced before; I assumed it was because my 5'3 frame is having a taxing time carring around the addition 70lbs. (Now 205).

With respect to interest's in the opposite sex, I have NONE. Zero - Zip. I can't even remember what or why I ever "fancied" or "crushed" on anyone.

I can say with conviction, I have been in absolute denial about the side effects of this drug. For some time I thought I'd rather be Fat and Happy then thin and miserable. However, as with any drug, it has lost it's effectiveness - and now I'm depressed, seriously obese and taking 60mg a day! As if that is not bad enough, my insurance does not cover and it cost me $130 a month (I don't make a lot of money - so that $130. hurts).
At the rate I'm gaining, I'll be 300lbs at this time next year.

My QUESTION to those with wisdom and expereince: How long (during weaning) and after before you started to see the weight loss??? And what suggestions might you have to share?

Good Mental Health and Many Blessings to you all:
Lucy

God Bless You. You are not alone.

After 10 years of anti-depressants and actually now that I really think about it about three years with Pamalor before that--I am quitting this tumble down the rabbit hole. I am going to get off the Cymbalta train. I have been taking Depakote for migraines, too. But I stopped that cold turkey about two weeks ago. No problem that I know of. I say that because the Cymbalta withdrawals are something to experience.

When I was diagnosed with PTSD, Dysthymia, and Major Depressive disorder, I needed some help. I didn't know that the meds would go on for ten years. I have had pouring sweats on Cymbalta, eye twitching, last three months I itch and have huge weird looking rash/hives/SOMETHING all over my skin. That was it. I started putting it together and Bingo--the skin, the sweats, the twitching--Cymbalta. But the weight gain over the years is killing me. I now take meds for high triglycerides and cholesterol which I would not need if I wasn't about 50-55-60 pounds overweight. I am small framed and short and the weight is killing my knees. (I even had surgery to clean out my arthritis but I need new knees because I am bone on bone. I have taken rooster comb shots for that!

I am fat. I am bummed about that. But I don't believe I am as depressed. Things are going to be difficult for me but my PTSD/Dysthymia isn't me. I am going to be a hothouse orchid and be a little difficult. But I yam what I yam. I am alive because of therapy. I needed the pills then I don't need them anymore. I am keeping my psychologist, but I am getting rid of the pills.

I have been stepping down on my own and I am at about 20mg every 36 hours. I need a script for 20mg. I have been pulling the pills apart.

I am dizzy, nauseated, can't sleep, then when I do I am dead to the world. My head hurts and then it doesn't.

I refuse to give up. Somewhere in all of this my thinking feels like it is going to keep improving. I am going to get to where the thinking is very clear. I am still sort of insulated from my mind, but I am better. My poor husband is tired of me snapping at him. But everything feels like a burden with this stepping down.

I wish you peace and continued success. This is hard. But it is better than the itchy broken out skin, sweating, twitching, foggy thinking from Cymbalta.

I bet I might really like myself again off of it.

I have already lost two pounds, the skin is better, until I take the 20 mg after 36 hours off. Then I itch again.

BTW You will feel things again. You may cry when before the pills blocked experiencing that. You will feel attractive/attracted again, too. It is going to be okay.

But I refuse to do meds again if the depression returns. I would rather ride it out and be in therapy every damn day than take another pill.

[saynoEliLilly]

Kitty, on 17 May 2010 - 12:32 PM, said:

I was on 60 mg a day for what I believe is now 2 or 3 years. I was always skinny and over the time of taking this I have gotten to the point where my 'fat' clothes no longer fit. Like everyone else, I was 'ok' with it at first, but like everyone else, EVERYTHING STOPS WORKING! I am trying 5-HTP, along with a host of other vitamins and minerals. I suggest the world deal with me as I am because I am no longer trying any of this shit that they claim helps people. It does not. It makes your mind 'managable' but your body sick with fat, high cholesterol, bad skin, dry skin, dry hair, constipation (my lord the first few days I cut back on this stuff you'd have thought I hadn't gone in years!). THAT is not good. No body should carry around so much sludge, waste and disease. I don't care what any 'doctor' claims, my suggestion to all of them, take it yourself.

I feel exactly the same. No more prescription meds even if I do get depressed again. I have hive like break outs--after years of Pamalor, Paxil (which makes you gain weight) Zoloft, Cymbalta and Depakote.

No more. I am probably 60 pounds heavier. Taking meds for the fat in my blood/body. I would rather go to talking therapy every day than do a pill again.

To hell with it.

[SundayGirl]

saynoEliLilly, on 20 May 2010 - 04:50 AM, said:

I feel exactly the same. No more prescription meds even if I do get depressed again. I have hive like break outs--after years of Pamalor, Paxil (which makes you gain weight) Zoloft, Cymbalta and Depakote.

No more. I am probably 60 pounds heavier. Taking meds for the fat in my blood/body. I would rather go to talking therapy every day than do a pill again.

To hell with it.

WHOA! To the PP who posted about smoking! ME TOO. Started, and stopped caring what it did to me (or my children if they lost me).

As for weight gain, I have ALWAYS been on the very thin side, so when my therapist recommended cym, touting it's stimulant and weight-loss effects, I was all for it.

Uh huh.

I gained 40 pounds, and no matter WHAT I tried it would not come off.

I will openly admit, that vanity got the best of me, when friends and fam started commenting on my weight gain - and when I started reading story after story of weight GAIN on this dumb drug, that's what pushed me over the edge. I kicked it cold turkey (I am on day 10) and for the first time in as long as I can recall, I felt FULL after eating dinner. I have to wonder about the suppressant power it has on nerve pain - and whether it kept me from feeling uncomfortably stuffed. Shoot - I was like a stuffed turkey last night!!! YIKES!

[SundayGirl]

Kaitlyn, on 11 April 2010 - 07:29 PM, said:

tornandtired, I am not sure if you still post here, but I wanted to share that I've gained a lot of weight, also in the belly. I'm a teacher and my students are convinced I'm pregnant. Waiting for an administrator to get a hold of that and call me into the office.

I've been weaning myself off since January but haven't lost anything yet. I know I should start dieting and exercising, but am hoping coming off the drug completely will help a little.

YIKES! I am also a teacher and have had PLENTY of kids ask me if I am preggers lately! WHOA.

[sandyn]

OMG! I've gained weight too and I blamed it all on a short course of prednisone taken a year ago, but now I see it's actually Cymbalta! What doesn't this awful drug do? I also noticed my blood pressure is higher (I've always had low blood pressure and, in fact, couldn't give blood when I was younger because it was so low and I weighed so little.)

Tried to go cold turkey from 30mg to zero and got so sick I thought (and maybe even wanted to) I'd die. Awful nausea, near vomiting, headache, foggy brain, leg pain, etc., all the things I've read about here except 'brain zaps' (and I may even have had those and not known what they were.)

What a horrible, horrible drug! I'm weaning by pouring out some of the beads into yogurt and eating that, saving the rest for another day. Thank God I did not take this thing twice a day as ordered except for about a month maybe, and then dropped it to one a day.

I only took this for about a year or so. How long do any of you think it will take to get off completely? Any idea?

Thanks all,

sandyn

[MaureenV]

sandyn, on 27 May 2010 - 04:06 PM, said:

OMG! I've gained weight too and I blamed it all on a short course of prednisone taken a year ago, but now I see it's actually Cymbalta! What doesn't this awful drug do? I also noticed my blood pressure is higher (I've always had low blood pressure and, in fact, couldn't give blood when I was younger because it was so low and I weighed so little.)

Tried to go cold turkey from 30mg to zero and got so sick I thought (and maybe even wanted to) I'd die. Awful nausea, near vomiting, headache, foggy brain, leg pain, etc., all the things I've read about here except 'brain zaps' (and I may even have had those and not known what they were.)

What a horrible, horrible drug! I'm weaning by pouring out some of the beads into yogurt and eating that, saving the rest for another day. Thank God I did not take this thing twice a day as ordered except for about a month maybe, and then dropped it to one a day.

I only took this for about a year or so. How long do any of you think it will take to get off completely? Any idea?

Thanks all,

sandyn

Hi Sandyn,


not really a good idea to add the beads to food - they're a slow release bead and if any get damaged on their way to your stomach, you're getting the dose faster than you otherwise would. I know most of us just swallow yoghurt, rather than 'chew' it, but the potential for some beads to get caught in teeth etc is there.

You can divide a dose in two using the existing capsules by putting half in each half of the capsule and sticking a piece of bread in each end.

You'll need to read lots of posts here to get your other info - there's heaps here.


regards, Maureen.

[EasyGoinGal]

WEIGHT GAIN
I gained 30 pounds and have been on Cymbalta for five years.
I refused to believe it was this drug, so I had lapband surgery and thought I was on my way to losing weight. No way. So, I went to a diet doctor. He did a metabolism test and found I can eat 600 calories a day without gaining weight. I didn' believe that, so I ate 600 calories a day for 30 weeks and lost 30 pounds. However, this diet is so restrictive that I couldn't stay on it and gained back much of the weight. I am still looking for the cause of my weight gain and feel I have pretty much ruled everything else out. I'm hoping that by weaning off Cymbalta my metabolism will become normal again. Hope this helps.

[MaureenV]

EasyGoinGal, on 10 June 2010 - 02:55 PM, said:

WEIGHT GAIN
I gained 30 pounds and have been on Cymbalta for five years.
I refused to believe it was this drug, so I had lapband surgery and thought I was on my way to losing weight. No way. So, I went to a diet doctor. He did a metabolism test and found I can eat 600 calories a day without gaining weight. I didn' believe that, so I ate 600 calories a day for 30 weeks and lost 30 pounds. However, this diet is so restrictive that I couldn't stay on it and gained back much of the weight. I am still looking for the cause of my weight gain and feel I have pretty much ruled everything else out. I'm hoping that by weaning off Cymbalta my metabolism will become normal again. Hope this helps.

I have no doubt whatsoever that Cymbalta is the cause of your weight gain. I've seen too many posters here say the same thing. Very occasionally there's someone who's lost weight (mostly through feeling sick the whole time) and others like me who didn't put weight on with it (unlike on Lexapro, where I DID).

Congratulations on being able to stay on a 600 cal diet for 30 weeks. That's amazing! With that sort of self control, once you're off Cymbalta it should be a breeze for you.

regards, Maureen.

[necessary824]

SundayGirl, on 24 May 2010 - 01:45 PM, said:

YIKES! I am also a teacher and have had PLENTY of kids ask me if I am preggers lately! WHOA.

ME TOOOO!!!!! Went from 130 to 205 on Cymbalta. Docs told me I was way off base for thinking the drug had anything to do with it. They also told me that it helped with weight loss, not gain!

[krisann]

You know, I was thinking how strange it was that most of my weight gain was in my stomach. I usually gain weight evenly throughout my entire body. But not on SIN-balta. I look exactly like I did when I was pregnant!

[cookie]

necessary824, on 14 June 2010 - 11:26 PM, said:

ME TOOOO!!!!! Went from 130 to 205 on Cymbalta. Docs told me I was way off base for thinking the drug had anything to do with it. They also told me that it helped with weight loss, not gain!

I gained 52 lbs on cymbalta

[JustJulz]

When I first started taking Cymbalta it was a life saver. Really. I had started losing quite a bit of weight due to some other things- got a new hip and finally could exercise like I wanted to, and eventually lost about 50 or 55 pounds. Even on 30 mg of Cymbalta, I was still losing, though it did help me have an appetite again (many other things factored into not having an appetite, namely the narcotics and anti nauseals for pain from the hip surgery).

However, when I needed to go up to 60 mg when my Mom passed away, and I began legal separation from my (dirtbag) husband of 20 years, the weight loss progress stopped and WOW, it it ever come pouring back on. Like a couple pounds a week! I only stayed on the 60 mg dose for about 2 mos., then alternated with 30 for a month to stabilize at 30mg. The weight gain continued. I am back to or over my initial weight before hip surgery.

So I found this great site, and started reducing my dose, and am now at 18mg. No side effects that I can see, though I have been eating like non-stop, never satisfied, for the last week. It's also pre-period, so that may be a factor.

Hoping, waiting, to see if the weight begins to come back down or at least stabilize. I feel that I look horrible, unattractive, and just plain yucky.

I read above that others have also experienced skin problems, and all this time I was blaming it on a number of other things. I am so sensitive to drugs, and have some food allergies that I thought maybe that was the reason. One more thing to look forward to- I shouldn't have "eruptions" all down my arms and legs, all over my back. Gah, this is way worse than teenage acne!

Question to the withdrawal experienced: If I don't seem to be experiencing the common side-effects of nausea, dizziness, brain zaps (I'm still not quite sure what those are- nerve zaps or "outages"), could I conceivably reduce my dose a little more rapidly until I feel there's a problem, then stabilize, and then start reducing again? I have made myself a calendar that lets me drop 3 grains a day, for 1 mg every 3 days. It should take me a month and a half to go from 18mg to zero at this rate.

Should I just keep an eye out for symptoms, and pause there? Could I drop this stuff faster, but not cold turkey? Anyone tried this method?

Thanks so much for being here- it has made such a world of difference knowing that there are people to talk to who understand.

[cookie]

JustJulz, on 14 July 2010 - 05:18 PM, said:

When I first started taking Cymbalta it was a life saver. Really. I had started losing quite a bit of weight due to some other things- got a new hip and finally could exercise like I wanted to, and eventually lost about 50 or 55 pounds. Even on 30 mg of Cymbalta, I was still losing, though it did help me have an appetite again (many other things factored into not having an appetite, namely the narcotics and anti nauseals for pain from the hip surgery).

However, when I needed to go up to 60 mg when my Mom passed away, and I began legal separation from my (dirtbag) husband of 20 years, the weight loss progress stopped and WOW, it it ever come pouring back on. Like a couple pounds a week! I only stayed on the 60 mg dose for about 2 mos., then alternated with 30 for a month to stabilize at 30mg. The weight gain continued. I am back to or over my initial weight before hip surgery.

So I found this great site, and started reducing my dose, and am now at 18mg. No side effects that I can see, though I have been eating like non-stop, never satisfied, for the last week. It's also pre-period, so that may be a factor.

Hoping, waiting, to see if the weight begins to come back down or at least stabilize. I feel that I look horrible, unattractive, and just plain yucky.

I read above that others have also experienced skin problems, and all this time I was blaming it on a number of other things. I am so sensitive to drugs, and have some food allergies that I thought maybe that was the reason. One more thing to look forward to- I shouldn't have "eruptions" all down my arms and legs, all over my back. Gah, this is way worse than teenage acne!

Question to the withdrawal experienced: If I don't seem to be experiencing the common side-effects of nausea, dizziness, brain zaps (I'm still not quite sure what those are- nerve zaps or "outages"), could I conceivably reduce my dose a little more rapidly until I feel there's a problem, then stabilize, and then start reducing again? I have made myself a calendar that lets me drop 3 grains a day, for 1 mg every 3 days. It should take me a month and a half to go from 18mg to zero at this rate.

Should I just keep an eye out for symptoms, and pause there? Could I drop this stuff faster, but not cold turkey? Anyone tried this method?

Thanks so much for being here- it has made such a world of difference knowing that there are people to talk to who understand.

JustJulz:
Yes, cymbalta was also a life saver for me when I first started it. But then it lost it´s effectiveness over time and gained too much weight.

It´s great that you are already at 18mg with no side effects or at least not the common ones brain zaps, nausea, dizziness.

Everyone is different, there is people that can go faster than others or make bigger drops than others. You are the one who knows your body, and can tell if your able to go faster or not.
Like you said if you feel there is a problem then wait until these symptoms go away before doing next drop.

I am at 20mg right now, and plan to reduce to 18mg next week. I would love to hear how you are doing since we are on similar dosages.

In my case I rather take the same dose for one week, than doing drops a day. It is easier for me “logistically” to determine which dosage I am going to take the next week, and make the pills for that week. Taking one bead a day, means that I will have to sit down every night to make my pill, I rather do it weekly. However I´ve read that when you get to smaller doses, it is better to take one bead a day to diminish withdrawal symptoms.

Keep me updated!!!
Hugs
Cookie

[JustJulz]

Hi Cookie,

Do you think you get a better sense of 'how things are going' if you hold one level for several days, like you are doing, rather than a steady reduction each day like I am attempting? I don't make up my doses ahead of time, I just dump out the required number of balls that I am reducing by into my palm, and put the capsule back together each day. That will probably get silly when I need to dump out 84 balls, won't it? LOL

It's good to bounce these ideas off others- maybe my plunging ahead might need to be tempered. I sure don't want to crash. No, that would be bad.

I'll let you know how it's going. I really want to be off this by the beginning of September. It could happen!

thx bunches,
Julz

[cookie]

JustJulz, on 14 July 2010 - 10:28 PM, said:

Hi Cookie,

Do you think you get a better sense of 'how things are going' if you hold one level for several days, like you are doing, rather than a steady reduction each day like I am attempting? I don't make up my doses ahead of time, I just dump out the required number of balls that I am reducing by into my palm, and put the capsule back together each day. That will probably get silly when I need to dump out 84 balls, won't it? LOL

It's good to bounce these ideas off others- maybe my plunging ahead might need to be tempered. I sure don't want to crash. No, that would be bad.

I'll let you know how it's going. I really want to be off this by the beginning of September. It could happen!

thx bunches,
Julz

Hi Julz,

The advantage of taking same dose for several days is that if you start to feel bad or symptoms appear you know that you´ll have to go back to the previous dose.
If you drop one bead a day, and you feel bad, you won´t know to which dose to increase/go back to.
But the main reason why I do it, is because it is easier for me to do the capsules for the whole week, and then forget about having to do my own pills for a week.

The advantage of taking one bead out, is that the changes are so slight that you won´t suffer much withdrawals. If you don´t mind having to adjust dose/make the pill everynight, then you could stick with your –one bead a day- approach

When you get to lower doses it is easier to count the beads that will remain in the capsule and not the beads that have to be taken out from the capsule.

You are so lucky you are not having strong withdrawals.

Keep me updated
Hugs
Cookie

[JustJulz]

Quote

When you get to lower doses it is easier to count the beads that will remain in the capsule and not the beads that have to be taken out from the capsule.

oh Duh! Why didn't I think of that? LOL Sometimes I just take that backward approach. Maybe when I am off this stuff I'll have my head on straight!

Thanks again Cookie
Julz

[cookie]

JustJulz, on 15 July 2010 - 11:33 AM, said:

oh Duh! Why didn't I think of that? LOL Sometimes I just take that backward approach. Maybe when I am off this stuff I'll have my head on straight!

Thanks again Cookie
Julz

LOL

[arteest]

saynoEliLilly, on 20 May 2010 - 04:43 AM, said:

God Bless You. You are not alone.

After 10 years of anti-depressants and actually now that I really think about it about three years with Pamalor before that--I am quitting this tumble down the rabbit hole. I am going to get off the Cymbalta train. I have been taking Depakote for migraines, too. But I stopped that cold turkey about two weeks ago. No problem that I know of. I say that because the Cymbalta withdrawals are something to experience.

When I was diagnosed with PTSD, Dysthymia, and Major Depressive disorder, I needed some help. I didn't know that the meds would go on for ten years. I have had pouring sweats on Cymbalta, eye twitching, last three months I itch and have huge weird looking rash/hives/SOMETHING all over my skin. That was it. I started putting it together and Bingo--the skin, the sweats, the twitching--Cymbalta. But the weight gain over the years is killing me. I now take meds for high triglycerides and cholesterol which I would not need if I wasn't about 50-55-60 pounds overweight. I am small framed and short and the weight is killing my knees. (I even had surgery to clean out my arthritis but I need new knees because I am bone on bone. I have taken rooster comb shots for that!

I am fat. I am bummed about that. But I don't believe I am as depressed. Things are going to be difficult for me but my PTSD/Dysthymia isn't me. I am going to be a hothouse orchid and be a little difficult. But I yam what I yam. I am alive because of therapy. I needed the pills then I don't need them anymore. I am keeping my psychologist, but I am getting rid of the pills.

I have been stepping down on my own and I am at about 20mg every 36 hours. I need a script for 20mg. I have been pulling the pills apart.

I am dizzy, nauseated, can't sleep, then when I do I am dead to the world. My head hurts and then it doesn't.

I refuse to give up. Somewhere in all of this my thinking feels like it is going to keep improving. I am going to get to where the thinking is very clear. I am still sort of insulated from my mind, but I am better. My poor husband is tired of me snapping at him. But everything feels like a burden with this stepping down.

I wish you peace and continued success. This is hard. But it is better than the itchy broken out skin, sweating, twitching, foggy thinking from Cymbalta.

I bet I might really like myself again off of it.

I have already lost two pounds, the skin is better, until I take the 20 mg after 36 hours off. Then I itch again.

BTW You will feel things again. You may cry when before the pills blocked experiencing that. You will feel attractive/attracted again, too. It is going to be okay.

But I refuse to do meds again if the depression returns. I would rather ride it out and be in therapy every damn day than take another pill.

Holy moley! Lucky you! When I came off of 15 years of Depakene for migraines I had a manic episode that lasted a few days. It was crazy and scared me to death. I lit my dog on fire, thought a garden shovel would quench my thirst, and almost drove into oncoming traffic! It scared my GP and she sent me to a neurologist and he was surprised but since Depakote/Depakene is used off-label for Bipolar disorder, he said I'd had a manic reaction to getting off of it. Have to say I felt reeeeeally good for a little while but the crazy stuff wasn't worth it.