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Irregular heart beats


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#1 Lisa44

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Posted 26 January 2008 - 10:03 AM

I have been on Cymbalta for nearly 16 months. In addition I also take Xanax when needed. My dr had also prescribed Seroquel, but I decided to wean myself off of that one about 5 mos ago. I was experiencing irregular heartbeats - which I NEVER did prior to being on these drugs. My dr. said it was not a result of the Cymbalta, however after seeing a Cardiologist and going through every heart test known and being inconclusive, my cardiol and I decided it had to be the Cymbalta. I went from 60 mg to 40 mg a day and the irregular beats stopped immediately. I went down to 20mg a day and strangely the palpitations started up again. My dr recently changed me to 20 mg every other day until March so that the winter months don't put me in a depressed stated. My point is, I do not like the irregular heart beats and also oddball dreams I have at night. Please let me know if you are also experiencing anything like this. Also, since I'm taking 20mg every other day, my equilibrium seems off balance at certain times. Can't wait to be off of these meds altogether.

#2 cleveland904

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Posted 29 January 2008 - 06:57 PM

My dosage is 60 mg a day and my doctor suggested I take one 60 mg every other day for a week. I have gone one week without any Cymbalta and having similar side effects of brain jolts, crazy dreams plus headaches, and nausea. I can't believe all of the problems with side effects for this drug. I am glad I am getting off of this and glad I only used if for a few months. I have learned a good lesson about medicines and will take more control of my health and ask my doctor more questions. I think we sometimes take a passive attitude with doctors, but we should always ask the questions and do research. Sorry you are having a hard time. I just pray that God will help me get through this.

#3 wandap

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Posted 31 January 2008 - 11:38 PM

You know what...I had an EKG ran not long ago and it was so weird they made me do a Nucl. Stress Test. It was fine but the cardio. said I should shrink my EKG, lamanate it, and keep it in my purse in case I have a car wreck and they run one or they will be treating me for sever heart disease, etc due to my EKG. I have had them run for various things (C-Section, etc.) before I ever started Cymbalta and they were all fine. This is scary....

#4 mother5590

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Posted 02 February 2008 - 10:28 PM

You know what is bothering me is : What are we not aware of that is happening in our bodies???? I began having tachycardia after amitryptilline in 2004. My resting HR is in the 150s+ if I do not take Atenalol. It never went away but stared when they upped my dose. I got pneumonia a month later and then could not get my HR to come back down. It is not painful but scary to be going that fast all the time and it can cause heart muscle damage if left untreated.

I have been feeling irregular heartbeats and have talked to several of my docs but have not been in because I cannot afford the copays for care much less for meds. So what is happening with my blood, Blood Pressure, liver and brains ???
Eli Lilly could or would not tell me anything about the specific side effects or problems. and neither could the FDA even though I was speaking to a pharmacist. He seemed uncomfortable and tried to put off on me that I should have stopped it more slowly and that it depended on the person how bad their withdrawal was. Maybe as if it was in the personal choices to have a mild or severe withdrawal. Thinking about it too much or something. I think I am going to go in to see my doc on Monday. I am Diabetic on Insulin and have other health problems and I do not want LILLY to get by with this. My symptoms and problems need to be documented or no one will be held accountable. It I do not go in then it is assumed that it is not very bad. But for me it is the money. I have to budget for every $20 copay. I am on SSDI but do not qualify for any extra help since I make a Whopping $1500 per month. Thanks for letting me go on and on. It must be the drug since I would not do that with strangers.

#5 wandap

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Posted 02 February 2008 - 11:55 PM

mother5590, One thing you can be sure of, none of us are strangers here. We all have the same problem and no one else seems to think there IS a problem. Good luck to you and I agree, you need it documented.

#6 cymbaltafree

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Posted 21 March 2008 - 12:56 AM

My EKG has been irregular every since I started using Cymbalta. I was on the drug for about 18months. I have been off the drug for a year now. My EKG has never gone back to normal, although I did not have to do the nuc med test or stress test this time. (I've had to do it twice before) My Cardio Dr believes it is due to the Cymbalta.

#7 schmb01

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Posted 21 March 2008 - 01:18 AM

Interesting topic. I recently was going to have a medical procedure, and had to have a pre-op physical, and my ekg came back abnormal as well. I ended up having to do the nuclear stress test, which came back fine, but it sounds like yet another Cymbalta effect.

I'm on day 19 at zero, and during this time, I've had a few instances where my heart felt like it was flipping around in my chest, and it was usually happening at the same time that I was being hit with a brain zap.

#8 coco12

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Posted 21 March 2008 - 06:12 PM

My irregular heartbeat started when I was on Effexor and continued when I was on Cymbalta. Now that I am off meds I still have the rapid heartbeat that takes mt breath away.It happens at least once a day. The Dr. said that is normal. How do you figure?

#9 schmb01

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Posted 21 March 2008 - 06:34 PM

My irregular heartbeat started when I was on Effexor and continued when I was on Cymbalta. Now that I am off meds I still have the rapid heartbeat that takes mt breath away.It happens at least once a day. The Dr. said that is normal. How do you figure?


Wow, if it were me, I'd ask another doctor!! I'm thinking it isn't normal to have it be so erratic that it takes your breath away! Please, don't mess with your heart, I'd get a second opinion!

#10 boot2

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Posted 24 June 2008 - 03:01 PM

i started having wierd tachycardia on cymbalta...and this didn't occur until a couple of months taking cymbalta, so, i can't even be sure it is due to the cymbalta....i would go from sitting to standing and get a racing heart...my rate would go from normal 60 beats to 130 just from standing up and it would take an hour to get it back down...also, i would get extreme dizziness...i know i have idiopathic bradycardia-slow heartbeat-had it all my life- and the low BP that comes with that, but i have never experienced a racing heart like this...i had a holter monitor, stress test, tilt table , ultrasound before the cymbalta to find out why i had such a slow heartrate-everything OK, but now, although the tachyardia is getting better, i have had these palpatations during withdrawal. i told the doc this and he seemed unconcerned, but it wakes me up at night and is completely distressing to me. Has this occured to anyone taking cymbalta?

#11 swan323

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Posted 25 June 2008 - 10:22 PM

Hi all, reading all your responses has helped a lot. SO, here's the thing with me. I was on Lexapro for about 8 months and decided I couldn't take the sexual side effects anymore, so the doctor pushed Cymbalta on me. I said "ok" thinking -- "she knows what she is doing" ... yikes. Well, I stayed on the Cymbalta for 12 days. In those 12 days I had really nasty side effects and decided to just stop taking it. After describing everything to the doc she agreed, saying "just get it out of your system". So I stopped cold turkey. 2 days later ... BINGO! Withdrawal. I have been having severe dizziness, nausea, headaches and heart palpitations. It feels like my heart just races for no reason and is going to jump out of my chest- when I am laying down, reading, sitting whatever. I have NEVER experienced this before. I have never got an EKG before, but now i am worried that this poison has done something to me. I have been Cymbalta free for 7 days (2 days before that but took a 20mg and then stopped). Has anyone else experienced this? It is almost like I can feel my heart in my head, chest, behind my eyes... urgh.

Withdrawals are getting better as a whole, I am less dizzy and not nauseated, but the heart thing is still here. Can't exercise because it elevates my heart rate and I get dizzy again. Suggestions?

#12 Lori

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Posted 28 June 2008 - 02:38 PM

Swan323, I could not excersise when I first started coming off Cymbalta. I knew a short walk would have been good for me, but I did not feel like it, I preferred staying in bed til the side effects went away, but I could not always do that. I went to the ER for my heart palpatations or fluttering but I was fine, it was more than likely the anxiety causing all of my problems. I would not advise exercise except maybe a walk or stretching. You have to be very kind to yourself and your body during this time. Omega 3 helped me so much. I still keep a can of Salmon in my pantry for times of stress or anxiety. I have actually been in Wal Mart, and with so many people and me being paranoid and anxious, I bought a can of salmon with a pull top, and went to the restaurant and sat down and nearly swallowed it whole!!! :D But it calmed me down. I also take B complex and that seems to have repaired my worn out body and mind and allowed me to be active again. But during the early stages of this crappy withdrawal, I was told not to watch action movies or violent movies, read the news versus watching it on TV, take long baths and pamper yourself as much as possible. Once the Omega 3 and B complex or B 12 gets into your system you will feel alittle better and be able to slowly begin to enjoy the things you used to enjoy.

I remember when I was in the worst of the withdrawals, I honestly did not feel as though I would ever be a good person or feel good again, but you will get past this. I am at day 80 without Cymbalta and it was a very tough road but it will pass.....you have my word.



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