[Attorney_Victim]

I know some of you have mentioned missing work time because of Cymbalta, I think someone even said they lost their job because of this drug. This is another "fact" that can be used to show how this drug can affect your whole life in a negative way. So, I'm curious to see how big of a problem this has been for people.

I missed a lot of work when my doctor increased my dosage. Now that I have done some research, I think I got "Seratonin Syndrome" with the increased dose. The increased dose caused many negative side effects, one of which was akithisia (extreme restlessness). At the time, I just thought it was me not getting along with my supervisor and basically hating my job...I would work the mornings and by mid afternoon I "had to leave." I can't explain it other than to say I just literally could not sit at my desk and function...I had the "urge" to leave.

I was also late every morning because I couldn't get out of bed. When I woke up, my head felt so heavy that I had to struggle to lift it off the pillow to hit the snooze button. So, even though I was restless in the afternoons, I was also very lethargic in the evenings/mornings. Looking back, after stopping the drug, I realize that it was the drug because I no longer have those same weird feelings! Now I have "normal hate my job" feelings, ha ha!

Was your work life affected by this drug while you were on it or during withdrawal??

[DaveG]

I've missed a lot of work, and I lost my contract position as a result. At least they understood, and it's being done with no hard feelings. This coming week is my last, and it's only until Thursday. I hope and pray I'll be able to collect unemployment, cuz I really screwed if not.

It really leaves me in a bind,,I'm not feeling really able to be at my best, to start another job, tho' I'm applying like crazy. I can't afford to be off work for too long.

The depression itself has cost me friends, a lot of "time",,,But the cymbalta seems to have really packed a lot of punch in a relatively short amount of time. I've essentially lost any quality of life in the past month/month and half. I've now lost a job clearly because of it. It adds more worry to an already bad situation.

Dave

[Attorney_Victim]

Hang in there Dave! You will start feeling better soon!! I'm sorry to hear you lost your job, but hopefully something even better will come along!!

[marbles]

I lost 2 nursing jobs because of not the patients but because I would get very angry at the co-workers who I (felt) were insuffcient and when they said any remark to me I would get angry . I was told I needed to go to anger management. Never had that been said to before in my life. The ironic thing is that if people BEFORE described me it would be (sweet, kind, passive,quiet...) Cymbalta made me feel at one pendulum >hurry hurry hurry and on the other side I just wanted to burrow away from people.2 weeks ago i had 2 days that I wanted to do all kind of things....mind racing ,excitable.I have NEVER been like that. My daughter noticed and said "mom,whats happened to you",and she was happy as we went shopping after work etc...2 days later I sat on the couch and said to my daughter"hon, I feel weird,I feel like I am getting sad again. I asked my daughter did she think I was bipolar". She replied no.I was very frightened and drove to the library to see if I had symptoms of the book A BRILLIANT MADNESS by Patty DUKE.I was not scared to be bi-polar ,I was scared that I needed different medicine for bipolar>lithium,etc...But The dr, always said I had severe depression and I felt I was changing...I got so many fears and worries in my head. I felt I was becoming paranoid.I have always been an anxiety person but cymbalta made me feel if I did not have the answer right away , I would have to take a tranquilixer to calm me down.In my case I took xanax and thank God for that but someday I want to even be off that.I have suffered so much and I know the rest of you have . People always measure pain from a 1 to 10 as 10 being the worst and my mental pain has been a 10 nearly the whole time.....shirl

[lisa]

Me! I thought I had a strange flu. Moving my eyes gave such a bad feeling, and then I'd get a headache, and then I'd get this weird "c" shaped geometric pattern in my eyes, black, yellow, white and red.

I had no idea all these strange things were from the lack of Cymbalta! Can't wait for my friends to get to know the real me, I've been on Cymbalta for 4 years or so.
lisa

[rachel298]

Wow Lisa, that geometric pattern thing is bizarre. Are your withdrawal symptoms gone yet or are you still dealing with that weird stuff?

I don't know if anyone else here has ever done LSD but these symptoms all remind me of being stuck in a very BAD trip.

[Angela of Green]

I haven't missed work yet, but I wasn't very productive for about 2 months when I went back on Cymbalta... and I haven't been very productive since I quit taking this crap...

Then again, 200 hours a month will kill anyone...really should be typing up the ol' resume instead of lurking around a forum

[iliao93]

I've posted this before but yes, I not only missed work but had to quit working altogether. I was basically forced into early retirement. I was 63 and believe me the SS retirement isn't even cutting it!
Be Well,
Bobbie