# New Meds making me sick...Cymbalta



## bexy (Dec 6, 2007)

*hi all

anyone who read my previous posts will know my depression hasnt been great recently. on friday i saw my doc who has changed my medication to Valium and Cymbalta.

The Cymbalta is making me very ill. i feel nauseus all of the time, and gag when i put food in my mouth, shortly followed by throwing up  gross i know, i am sorry.

in the past 5 days ive only managed to eat 4 small meals, and just drank lots of tea. i feel really tired and bloody hungry, tho the gagging is actually starting to put me off my food.

NOT LIKE ME AT ALL!

so i see my doc again fri morning and will tell him about these side effects. i have read they can affect up to 38% of people taking them and they DO pass, if so i will try to stick it out. if the doc thinks they wont pass it will mean another change of meds, which would be just great 

anyone else had any experiences like this, with cymbalta in particular, or any other meds? have the effects passed?

thanks for listenin guys (well reading lol )

xo bexy xo*


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## Sweet_Serenade (Dec 6, 2007)

I'm so sorry to hear that medication isn't working.
That's really rough. :/
I really hope things can get better for you.
If the medication is perpetuating your depression, I don't know if "sticking it out" is really the greatest idea.
Just my two cents.
Antidepressants should probably not make you feel worse than usual, that's like the last medication in the world you want to fight through side effects with.
But, I'm no doctor, do whatever your doctor says, maybe the side effects will pass and I truly hope they do.

Try your best to cheer up.


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## ashmamma84 (Dec 7, 2007)

I have experienced the same thing when I was put on Effexor XR -- I couldn't eat, the nausea just wouldn't let up. I was on it for about a month when I decided that the side effect was worse than the original issue. My doc switched my meds -- I am on Lexapro -- and I'm having good results. The dosage was too high in the beginning, but now things are squared away.

Bexy, you should probably discuss your side effects with your doc as he/she will be able to prescribe a different med if you aren't feeling any better. 

Good luck with it and keep us posted!


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## Flyin Lilac (Dec 7, 2007)

I can't speak about Cymbalta, having never taken it, but I am on Wellbutrin. There was probably a 2- to 4-week spell of nausea and lack of appetite when I first started taking it, but it wasn't as severe as what you describe and it eventually went away. It's been a little more than 3 months now and once in a great while I'll have a twinge of nausea, but nothing major, and truthfully that could be attributed to anything, not just the med.

I'm still in dosage adjustment mode, though, so if it gets jacked up again I could be in for another round of the queasies, but the benefits are outweighing this side effect, so far.

Good luck finding what works for you.


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Dec 8, 2007)

I know how hard finding the right meds can be. Been there, done that, still doing that. 
I have tried Cymbalta, but not for depression. I have neuropathy (nerve pain) and this medication sounded great, it would treat the pain plus lift my mood out of the depression you can get from having pain all the time. Maybe I should have give in a little more time but after about a week or so I could not handle the side effects anymore. In retrospect I'm glad it didn't work that great as I later learned my insurance won't cover it, I had been taking samples the doctor had given me. Anyway, from what I can remember I had no appetite whatsoever, but I also had stomach ache and heartburn really bad constantly. And I couldn't see straight, I was all blurry. And I felt hyper, like WHEE bouncing off the walls hyper. And I was SO dizzy. I remember walking down my hallway holding onto the walls to steady myself as I walked. I felt as if I was on the Titanic as it was sinking! One good thing, it did help with the pain though. lol
Keep in mind that my experience is just that, mine. Other people may have different reactions to the medication. My friend took it and had NO side effects, not one. She's not really sure if it helped either so she switched to another medication.
I'd say give it a little more of a try and if it's still really bad, try another medication. Sometimes it's not just one medication that helps it's a combination.
Good luck! I know how hard it is to find the 'magic' pill!


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## bexy (Dec 8, 2007)

*thanks everyone for all of ur replies....i am still having the side effects. no appetite, sickness, heartburn and not sleeping. i saw my doc again and he said the chances are they will pass so i am going to try my hardest to stick it out until they do....i dont wanna lose any weight tho lol!!*


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## Missy9579 (Dec 9, 2007)

Cymbalta made me very sick.

It made me nauseaus, and it also made me feel like thw world was flying past me and I was in slow motion,,,kinda zombieish. It was awful.


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## moore2me (Dec 9, 2007)

Bexy,
Sorry to hear the Cymbalta is making you sick. I took a drug that did that to me called cyclosporin. I would wake up at 4 AM throwing up. Threw up just looking at one of the pills. Finally, had to stop taking it. They doc found something else for me to take. *But, don't stop taking the meds unless the doc tells you to.*

I checked out Cymbalta at my favorite drug website. Here is some of the info I found at http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cymbalta_ad.htm
(page three)

Adverse Events Reported as Reasons for Discontinuation of Treatment in Placebo-Controlled Trials

*Major Depressive Disorder*-*MDD*

Approximately 10% of the 1139 patients who received Cymbalta in the MDD placebo-controlled trials discontinued treatment due to an adverse event, compared with 4% of the 777 patients receiving placebo. Nausea (Cymbalta 1.4%, placebo 0.1%) was the only common adverse event reported as reason for discontinuation and considered to be drug-related (i.e., discontinuation occurring in at least 1% of the Cymbalta-treated patients and at a rate of at least twice that of placebo).

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
Approximately 14% of the 568 patients who received Cymbalta in the DPN placebo-controlled trials discontinued treatment due to an adverse event, compared with 7% of the 223 patients receiving placebo. Nausea (Cymbalta 3.5%, placebo 0.4%), dizziness (Cymbalta 1.6%, placebo 0.4%), somnolence (Cymbalta 1.6%, placebo 0%) and fatigue (Cymbalta 1.1%, placebo 0%) were the common adverse events reported as reasons for discontinuation and considered to be drug-related (i.e., discontinuation occurring in at least 1% of the Cymbalta-treated patients and at a rate of at least twice that of placebo).

*Generalized Anxiety Disorder*
Approximately 16% of the 668 patients who received Cymbalta in the GAD placebo-controlled trials discontinued treatment due to an adverse event, compared with 4% of the 495 patients receiving placebo. Nausea (Cymbalta 3.7%, placebo 0.2%), vomiting (Cymbalta 1.4%, placebo 0%) and dizziness (Cymbalta 1.2%, placebo 0.2%) were the common adverse events reported as reasons for discontinuation and considered to be drug-related (i.e., discontinuation occurring in at least 1% of the Cymbalta-treated patients and at a rate of at least twice that of placebo).

Adverse Events Occurring at an Incidence of 2% or More Among Cymbalta-Treated Patients in Placebo-Controlled Trials

*Major Depressive Disorder - MDD*

Table 2 gives the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred in 2% or more of patients treated with Cymbalta in the premarketing acute phase of MDD placebo-controlled trials and with an incidence greater than placebo. The most commonly observed adverse events in Cymbalta-treated MDD patients (incidence of 5% or greater and at least twice the incidence in placebo patients) were: nausea; dry mouth; constipation; decreased appetite; fatigue; somnolence; and increased sweating (see Table 2).

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
Table 3 gives the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred in 2% or more of patients treated with Cymbalta in the premarketing acute phase of DPN placebo-controlled trials (doses of 20 to 120 mg/day) and with an incidence greater than placebo. The most commonly observed adverse events in Cymbalta-treated DPN patients (incidence of 5% or greater and at least twice the incidence in placebo patients) were: nausea; somnolence; dizziness; constipation; dry mouth; hyperhidrosis; decreased appetite; and asthenia (see Table 3).

*Potential for Interaction with Drugs that Affect Gastric Acidity * Cymbalta has an enteric coating that resists dissolution until reaching a segment of the gastrointestinal tract where the pH exceeds 5.5. In extremely acidic conditions, Cymbalta, unprotected by the enteric coating, may undergo hydrolysis to form naphthol. *Caution is advised in using Cymbalta in patients with conditions that may slow gastric emptying (e.g., some diabetics).* Drugs that raise the gastrointestinal pH may lead to an earlier release of duloxetine. However, co-administration of Cymbalta with aluminum- and magnesium-containing antacids (51 mEq) or Cymbalta with famotidine, had no significant effect on the rate or extent of duloxetine absorption after administration of a 40-mg oral dose. It is unknown whether the concomitant administration of proton pump inhibitors affects duloxetine absorption.


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## persimmon (Dec 11, 2007)

Bexy, what a trooper. I wish more of my patients had the tenacity you do, but wow that is a nasty set of side effects. How are you doing now?


p


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## bexy (Dec 13, 2007)

*thank u everyone for all of ur replies...

i am still off work and worrying terribly about money and if i will get into any trouble when i go back, but the doctor is insistent i dont return just yet.

the meds are still making me feel very nauseous, at the minute i am eating one small meal a day and keeping it down and just drinking lots of sweet tea, my energy levels arent great tho and i have fainted once scaring the life outta my boyfriend, who i feel so guilty on putting him through all this.

i can feel the side effects lessening tho and i do want to stick it out if i can. atm i am just concentrating on resting, just eating and sleeping when i can and watching animal planet all day lol....

thanks again everyone

xoxo*


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## Friday (Dec 13, 2007)

Hang in there Bex. If you can feel them lessening perhaps this is the one that will work.


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