12 replies to this topic

[tdill]

week 6 w/o cymbalta after weaning for 6 weeks. My withdrawl symptoms are lenghty to say the least, but tonight I am dealing with the rashes. I have had it for a year and since withdrawling it has gotten so much worse and here in my 6th week this weekend it is so out of control. It is up and down my legs, and on my stomach' back and starting on my arms. It is a raised itchy red rash. It's 3:10am my alarm goes off at 5am and I am trying to figure out how I am going to work! I have read that cymbalta stores itself in fat and heat such as hot tubs and baths can make it worse. I had enough energy(which is a miracle) to work in the yard for a while today and it was in the 80's. My doctor claims it was allergic to cymbalta but have been informed it is actually a SIDE EFFCT. is anyone else dealing with the rash? I would love to hear from someone who may be sharing this side effect. FYI: My fatigue is not gone but it is lifting some. I am still having muscle pain, but not as severe as in past weeks. A big help for me besides finding this website, is recognizing that I have to sometimes just stop what I am doing and rest. Pushing thru the pain and fatigue does not work. I see light at th end of this tunnel and i just want these side effects gone so i can start concentrating on loosing this 50 lbs. I gained while taking antidepressants. Even with 12 weeks behind me now, my libido has not returned, I realize the weight gain may be contributing to this. But it is still flatlining, which I am not sure how much longer my relationship is going to be able to handle this. I am crying more than I have for 4 years, but it is starting to be more appropriate..than just out of nowhere. Oh brother I am just so ready to put all of this behind me!!

[whyohwhy]

Hi! I think I have it too! I noticed it in the shower, and thought it may be from the heat, however, I still had it. It isn't too itchy or anything, but is definately there. I also am dealing with the brain zaps and major head aches. I am constantly having to pee too! I just want to sleep .

[vickif]

Hi there, I too suffer from an unexplained rash all in the groin area , which is also accompanied by yeast infections, which I never had in my life!! after a year of dealing with rashes and spending extensive amounts of money on derm creams, I started to look at a gluten free diet, thinking it was the cause..but now I know its Cymbalta..the itching & rash started in the buttock area 2 months after taking this med...I went all summer exploding with a rash that I could not control no matter what I did, went to the dr. & was told it was fungal & yeast, sent to dermatologist becuase I was so raw I could sit , I couldnt go swimming becasue the water burned me!!! shower if cold were ok,then once out the itch was unbearable! then dr. is telling me it is menopause symptons...then a growth started in my buttock crack, which was removed & biopsied, came back unexplianed autoimmune defiecney..so more blood test for lupus, RA and other stuff & nothing all test tell me I am ok...WTF!!! so I start on line research and found you all....God Sent!!! thank you ...I am going on the weaning process & right now in a itch stage, which has me taking probotics & yeast killing med again!! I am so sick of this!! I can wait to get off this crap & get my life back....I dont have brain zaps..dont know what they are. but I tried 3days off this med & I couldnt focus, felt nausea, dizzy and needed to sleep..I never felt like that even when I was pregnant!!!
I found my sons Lotrim spray helps the itching ( I know it sounds strange,but I tried everything) or Vagisil cream...I also have an RX cream called Erzacto, but it cost $65 bucks a tube!! and anohter gel from the derm dr. called Austat....I never what will help what day cause it seems to switch around...hey even diaper rash cream works(by generic it cheaper)
told you I try it all...so tried of itching~!!!

[happyzapynot]

Hi there, I too suffer from an unexplained rash all in the groin area , which is also accompanied by yeast infections, which I never had in my life!! after a year of dealing with rashes and spending extensive amounts of money on derm creams, I started to look at a gluten free diet, thinking it was the cause..but now I know its Cymbalta..the itching & rash started in the buttock area 2 months after taking this med...I went all summer exploding with a rash that I could not control no matter what I did, went to the dr. & was told it was fungal & yeast, sent to dermatologist becuase I was so raw I could sit , I couldnt go swimming becasue the water burned me!!! shower if cold were ok,then once out the itch was unbearable! then dr. is telling me it is menopause symptons...then a growth started in my buttock crack, which was removed & biopsied, came back unexplianed autoimmune defiecney..so more blood test for lupus, RA and other stuff & nothing all test tell me I am ok...WTF!!! so I start on line research and found you all....God Sent!!! thank you ...I am going on the weaning process & right now in a itch stage, which has me taking probotics & yeast killing med again!! I am so sick of this!! I can wait to get off this crap & get my life back....I dont have brain zaps..dont know what they are. but I tried 3days off this med & I couldnt focus, felt nausea, dizzy and needed to sleep..I never felt like that even when I was pregnant!!!
I found my sons Lotrim spray helps the itching ( I know it sounds strange,but I tried everything) or Vagisil cream...I also have an RX cream called Erzacto, but it cost $65 bucks a tube!! and anohter gel from the derm dr. called Austat....I never what will help what day cause it seems to switch around...hey even diaper rash cream works(by generic it cheaper)
told you I try it all...so tried of itching~!!!

Be cautious with the withdrawal because it is a horrible experience. However, it is survivable. Read through the posts on this site to find what worked for other people. Everyone is different. For me, opening a capsule and taking 50-100 granules when the symptoms became unbearable helped. You may want to consider either weighing granules or counting them.
PLEASE report your symptoms to the FDA. You report counts. Every honest report made concerning the horrors of $ymbalta could help get this poison off the market sooner and keep others from suffering. I had itching problems, too, and it is torture.

Here's the FDA link:

www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Best wishes for withdrawal and recovery. Please keep us posted. Every bit of info we put on this site will help someone in the future.

[vickif]

thanks goodfriend..I am going over to site now to report the symptoms...one step at a time hope we can get these horrible drug manufactoreers...my husband says first they create a drug then a disease! they never know the side effects!!! he told me to throw out the shit...I told him not that easy, I cant be that sick it took away 2 days plus 1 day to recover by going back on the drug!! I counted out the granuales so taking 50mg now...in 8 days I will go to 40mg...hoping this will work!!!

[happyzapynot]

thanks goodfriend..I am going over to site now to report the symptoms...one step at a time hope we can get these horrible drug manufactoreers...my husband says first they create a drug then a disease! they never know the side effects!!! he told me to throw out the shit...I told him not that easy, I cant be that sick it took away 2 days plus 1 day to recover by going back on the drug!! I counted out the granuales so taking 50mg now...in 8 days I will go to 40mg...hoping this will work!!!

Your husband is right about the way drug companies create diseases to match the meds. "overactive bladder" is a classic example. There was no such thing until they realized that a med had an effect on the bladder so they marketed. How can someone make it through medical school and be stupid enough to believe the marketing bs that the drug companies put out???
Hope the slow withdrawal works well!

[IndyGirl24]

I have had major hive like rashes since early May after a Neurologist put me on Cymbalta for a pinched nerve in my neck. I was on steriods from that time in May until 5 days ago; every time they tried to ween me off the steroids my body blew up with edema and welty hives. I am under the care of an Immunoogist who has treated me with antihistamines slowly loading me with OTC medication until the steriods could be stopped. I am taking Allegra, Claritan, Zyrtec, Zantac, Benedryl, and Zyzal twice a day. Each med was added at 2 week intervals to allow my body to adapt to the drowsyness, etc. I am getting over the hives but it is so frustrating and I too am fatigued easily and have difficult times keeping up with my job. I propose a class action law suit against Eli Lilly for the pain, suffering, costs of doctors and medication to cure the reactions and side effects not to mention the time lost from work and family interaction.

[IndyGirl24]

Your husband is right about the way drug companies create diseases to match the meds. "overactive bladder" is a classic example. There was no such thing until they realized that a med had an effect on the bladder so they marketed. How can someone make it through medical school and be stupid enough to believe the marketing bs that the drug companies put out???
Hope the slow withdrawal works well!

I agree some companies do cause problems that they then market a cure for and it is not just Medications. I trully believe DCON actually feeds the mice and rats so the exterminator people have reason to make repeatitive calls, just one example. "Overactive bladder" is another issue. I am an RN and worked for a Urologist for several years. I saw many a miserable patient (especially women) come thru the clinic and up until the newer meds there was not much to offer them except pads and adult diapers. Bladder urgency and incontinence is one of the hardest things for people to deal with as it affects every facet of their lives. These new drugs have help millions of people get there dignity back and not feel like they have to stay home because of their bladder urges.

[olikunvrhav]

uuuuhhhmmm...think i answered this at another thread, well i will share here too - sorry for the 'repeat':
"i am most disappointed loosing the swimming - but i too have acquired mysterious insidious rashes - painful and blazing after ANY exertion/exercise. Interesting that fibromyalgia itself is debilitating, but now the pain on cymbalta is so fkn weird - EVERYthing causes intense suffering. again i am/was chalking it all up to old-age & the fibromyalgia - an illness that has been unnamed & undocumented in my lifetime.
as an athlete of the dumbass era of "no pain no gain" {possibly why i eventually developed fibromyalgia?!!} i try to console myself that my body is telling me to slow down and no more abusing it! it helps that my mantra is "i too will pass" = someday i might actually feel nothing {not the cymbalta numb&dumb BS} and pain is sometimes a reminder that we ARE still alive!
So i guess i am sharing that some of us will have to give up the exercise regiment and allow ourselves to be 'pampered' and treated more tenderly for a time..."
yeah = good luck with this eh!!

[getsetgo]

Ive been getting thrush sooooo often over the past 18 months or so. I've been on Cymbalta for three years. I almost never had thrush before in my life! I've only just started to put two and two together. A friend of mine who has been on Cymbalta for five years said she's had thrush heaps too! Is this a common symptom? I've tapered to 30mg now

[fishinghat]

Well getsetgo, I couldn't find any official complaints in the FDA data but I sure did in many of the health forums/blogs.

[thismoment]

GSG

 

I'm sure you've researched this yourself-- Thrush has not been associated with duloxetine specifically, but it has been reported in patients that have depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure. 

 

Of course it would be wise to have your immune system checked as Thrush is related to a depleted immune system.

 

Take care.

[gail]

Getsetgo,

Do you mean oral thrush? If so, as you might know, steroid inhalers and antibiotics can cause that also!