Frequently Asked Questions
and Key Definitions

Is Cymbalta addictive?

In human terms of being able to stop taking it - Cymbalta is horrendously addictive.

What is akathisia?

This is only caused by medication! "A neurological complication characterized by strong, uncontrollable feelings of abject terror, inner restlessness, and a physical inability to remain still" and the rest of the definition. Hell on Earth.

What can I do instead of taking drugs?

Find the root cause of your problem. (A functional/homeopathic/orthomolecular clinician may help.)

Use diet, appropriate supplements, lifestyle choices to manage the problem.

Can I manage anger without drugs?

Sugar, dairy and processed foods are bad foods for brain health.

Magnesium Glycinate at night 400-800mg.

Motherwort tea works wonders.

Keep Omega3 levels high.

Sleep as much as you can while your brain is healing.

Eat brain-healthy foods to support your healing.

Vitamin D, vitamin C

Can I manage anxiety without drugs?

You can work hard on nutrition, appropriate supplements and lifestyle changes. There is support in Section D of the CHW Files.

What are these beads you keep talking about?

The Cymbalta capsules contain either tiny, tiny beads or just a few chunks.

You can only use the beads for tapering. A 30mg capsule may have 180 - 200 beads in it.

Is there a special MAT I can buy?

Beadalon: recommended by Laura Vigiano. See related CHW FB posts on Beadalon

What do you mean, "Listen to your body."?

Keep a detailed journal of all the side effects. Observe carefully what happens to you and how you feel. Then you can spot slight changes which tell you to slow the taper.

What is bridging?

Doctors often add another drug, especially when tapering patients off Cymbalta. This often has a dangerous interaction with C and does not help the withdrawals.

Is there such a thing as a chemical imbalance?

There is NO evidence whatsoever of this. Millions of people have been sold this lie.

Why is my brain so foggy?

This is a common side effect of Cymbalta.

Help on Counting Beads

 by Laura Vigiano.

Why can't we take the makers of this drug to court?

It has been done. It was not worth it. They are Big Pharma and have money and power.

Is crying a side effect of Cymbalta?

Yes, this is a common side effect of Cymbalta.

How bad is Cymbalta?

Very, seriously, dangerously bad. Read this linked document. It covers all aspects of the problems associated with Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms. It deals with the unreliability of the documentation provided by the manufacturer.

https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/pdf/DrGlenmullenDeclarationSupportofCymbaltaClassCert.pdf

We do not recommend any type of detox while tapering. It can cause a variety of withdrawal symptoms.  You cannot  just detox Cymbalta out of your system.

Why do doctors keep prescribing Cymbalta?

Money. Arrogance. Ignorance. Poor training. Lack of time. Lack of interest.

It's not important - your recovery isn't worth the wasted energy thinking about it.

What is the normal dose?

There is no normal dose. Even the makers tell us there is no evidence more than 60 mg produces better results. But many people are on 60 mg or 30 or 90. Fewer are on 20 mg.

What size capsules are available?

Capsules come in 30 mg and 60 mg. Some countries have 20 mg.

Can you get Cymbalta as a liquid?

No. Cymbalta has to be taken in a capsule so it can reach the upper intestine.

I've been told electrolytes might help. What are they? Can I make my own?

What they are and what they do:

Here are some healthy, homemade electrolyte drinks. (Avoid Gatorade and similar drinks.)

• https://www.wellandgood.com/.../better-than-gatorade-diy.../
• https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-make-a-sugar-free...
• https://www.fivehearthome.com/homemade-all-natural.../

What does Cymbalta do to the emotions?

When taking Cymbalta, it may well numb your feelings, take away your emotions. During and after tapering, emotions may be more extreme than usual as they come back.

What is the enteric coating?

The beads are individually enterically coated to delay the release of the drug until it leaves the stomach and enters the upper intestine. (They are not time-delayed.)

Can I taper by taking Cymbalta every other day or skipping several days?

No. This puts you into withdrawal after the very first day. It is extremely dangerous.

Does Cymbalta affect the eyes?

Yes. Eli Lilly has documented these side effects / adverse events:

• diplopia (blurred vision) glaucoma (disease) keroconjunctivitis sicca (dryness of the conjunctiva & cornea; too few tears produced, or tears evaporate too quickly) macular degeneration (loss of central vision) maculopathy (loss of acuity) mydriasis (dilated pupils) photopsia (visual distortions) photosensitivity (sensitivity to light) retinal detachment (loss of vision where retinal layer detaches)
• blurred vision visual disturbances

What do you mean by a fast taper?

Depending on circumstances, the best taper percentage is 5% at most, holding for 14 days at least. Anything faster than this is a fast taper.

The circumstances for a faster taper may be, for example:

• Pregnancy
• Serotonin Syndrome
• Being on Cymbalta only a very short time (less than a couple months)

Can Cymbalta cause fatigue?

Yes. This is a common effect of Cymbalta, especially after a dangerous taper.

What is it?

It is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. Various possible causes.

How can I treat this without drugs?

You can work hard on nutrition, appropriate supplements and lifestyle changes. There is support in Section D of the CHW Files.

FORGETTING to take my MEDS

How can I remember them?

• Set an alarm on your phone.
• Try the medisafe app 

How long does Cymbalta/duloxetine stay in the system?

• Tapering is not about getting the drug out of the system. The first dose starts to restructure the brain.
• The effects stay for a very, very long time. Tapering is about letting your brain readjust, to recover.

What is it?

The short, unscientific version: how long it takes half the dose to be out of the body. Cymbalta has a short half-life of 12 hours which means you can soon start withdrawals if your next dose is late.

Are my water-works affected by Cymbalta?

Yes. Difficulty in starting, frequency, difficulty in stopping: they can all be a problem.

Can I take SAM-e, Gabapentin, 5-HTP, Lyrica etc. at the same time?

• No, they directly affect serotonin. They should not be taken while taking or tapering off Cymbalta. Additionally, they have their own side effects and withdrawal problems. CHW is opposed to all psychotropic drugs.

• You should check ALL drugs and supplements for interactions.

Does Cymbalta cause itching?

Yes. This is a common side effect.

Why do you bother to keep a journal?

Keep a detailed record of all the tapering details - date, %, number of beads - and all the side effects experienced. Then you can learn to "Listen to your body."

What is kindling?

Kindling is what happens to your central nervous system when you take a number of different drugs or make sudden, extreme changes to the dosage. Your CNS becomes over-sensitive. Doctors may look at your symptoms and then add another drug but this will make it worse in the long term.

Can Cymbalta affect the liver?

Yes, especially interacting with other drugs.

Which sort should I take?

For sleep: 400-800mg evenings.

FORMS OF MAGNESIUM

Does Cymbalta affect the memory?

Yes. This is a common side effect.

What do the moderators do on CHW?

Moderators and admin are all volunteers. They make sure CHW is a safe place to be. They approve members, approve posts, refuse unsuitable posts (with feedback), follow discussions and make sure the CHW rules are followed so everyone is safe; provide experienced recommendations and suggestions. We are NOT medically qualified and we never give medical advice.

Can Cymbalta affect the mouth? Cause burning?

Yes. This is a common side effect.

How can Cymbalta affect the muscles?

It can cause tiny tears in the muscles and cause pain in other ways too.

Are we allowed to use the F-word and similar?

Please don't! We want to be a peaceful, inclusive group. Members have enough stress from the drugs.

How can I open the capsules?

A gentle twist is said to work, then you can reuse the capsule. Some people twist and cannot reuse it. Some use a knife.

If Cymbalta didn't work for my original complaint, will other antidepressants help?

Unlikely. You might seem to improve for a while. Eventually, all these drugs cease to work and leave you with years of tapering and side effects.

CHW does not allow any recommendations for these drugs.

Where can I find the Cymbalta package insert?

http://pi.lilly.com/us/cymbalta-pi.pdf

And the product monograph:

http://pi.lilly.com/ca/cymbalta-ca-pm.pdf

Here is the generic Duloxetine. https://medlibrary.org/lib/rx/meds/duloxetine/

Does Cymbalta help pain or cause it?

Both. The longer you take it, the more likely you are to suffer from pain.

What is PAWS?

Protracted Acute Withdrawal Syndrome - significant withdrawal symptoms, usually after an unsafe taper or Cold Turkey. This can be debilitating, even life-threatening and last months or even years.

There is a recently opened PAWS discussion on Cymbalta Hurts Worse in the Files. This is intended to support sufferers.

Why 5%? Why do we ever even mention 10%?

Depending on circumstances, the best taper % is 5% at most, holding for 14 days at least. Anything faster than this is a fast taper. The circumstances may be, for example: pregnancy, serotonin syndrome, being on Cymbalta only a very short time.

What does polypharmacy mean?

Officially, it means taking 5 or more drugs at the same time. Some people would just say "taking multiple drugs".

Why was my post deleted?

It will have broken a rule, potentially caused distress or offence or danger.

Why did it take so long to approve my post?

Moderators are volunteers and work on CHW when they can. The post may have been outside the scope of the moderator who first saw it. It may have been concerning in some of its content.

Is CHW a safe group?

We work hard to make it safe. It is a closed group. Only people in the group can see your posts.

How long will recovery take after an unsafe taper?

Everyone is unique - we have no idea. Some really rare people have had no withdrawal issues. It is very common to spend years in withdrawal.

What is it?

It is such a bad reaction to Cymbalta or other drugs that the life is in danger as the body has reached its limit of serotonin, probably by being prescribed two or more varieties of the same type of drug. The drug must be stopped immediately.

Will Cymbalta affect my sex life?

Very likely. It may affect your libido, your ability to manage a relationship, the sex act itself.

Can Cymbalta be causing problems with … (add your key word here!) skin, breathing, pain, sleep?

Can it increase (add your key word here), etc.?

Yes! To almost any side effects!

• Abnormal Dreams
• Abnormal Liver Function Tests
• Abnormal Manner of Walking
• Aggressive Behavior
• Altered Interest in Having Sexual Intercourse
• Anxious
• Bad Breath
• Behaving with Excessive Cheerfulness and Activity
• Bleeding Not Related to Menstrual Period
• Bleeding of the Stomach or Intestines
• Blood Pressure Drop Upon Standing
• Blurred Vision
• Bruise
• Burning Stomach
• Cannot Empty Bladder
• Chills
• Chronic Trouble Sleeping
• Collection of Clotted Blood in an Organ, Space or Tissue
• Contact Dermatitis
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Difficult or Painful Urination
• Discharge of Milk in Men or Women when Not Breastfeeding
• Dizzy
• Drowsiness
• Dry Mouth
• Earache
• Easily Angered or Annoyed
• Erythema Multiforme
• Excess Urination
• Excessive Sweating
• Excessive Thirst
• Extrapyramidal Reaction
• Extreme Discomfort in Calves when Sitting or Lying Down
• Fast Heartbeat
• Feel Like Throwing Up
• Feeling Faint
• Feeling Restless
• Feeling Weak
• Gas
• Giant Hives
• Having a Rapid Heart Action - Supraventricular Tachycardia
• Having Thoughts of Suicide
• Head Pain
• Heart Attack
• Heart Throbbing or Pounding
• Hemorrhage
• Hemorrhage of Blood Under the Skin
• Hepatitis
• High Blood Pressure
• High Blood Sugar
• High Cholesterol
• Hives
• Inability to have an Erection
• Incomplete or Infrequent Bowel Movements
• Increased Pressure in Eyes
• Increased Risk of Bleeding
• Indigestion
• Involuntary Quivering
• Itching
• Life Threatening Allergic Reaction
• Liver Failure
• Lockjaw
• Loss of Appetite
• Low Amount of Sodium in the Blood
• Low Energy
• Mood Changes
• Muscle Spasms
• Needing to Urinate Immediately
• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
• Nosebleed
• Not Feeling Well
• Numbness
• Orgasm Problems
• Painful, Red or Swollen Mouth
• Problem with Ejaculation
• Rash
• Redness of Skin
• Ringing in the Ears
• Seizures
• Sensation of Spinning or Whirling (Vertigo)
• Serotonin Syndrome - Adverse Drug Interaction
• Sleep Disorder
• Sluggishness
• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
• Stomach Cramps
• Stomach Ulcer
• Suicidal
• Sun-Sensitive Skin
• Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion
• Temporary Redness of Face and Neck
• Underactive Thyroid
• Urination During the Night
• Weight Gain
• Weight Loss
• Yawning
• Yellowing of Skin or Eyes from Bile Flow Problems

List has been alphabetized and taken from https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/prescription-drugs/cymbalta-withdrawal-lawsuit/cymbalta-side-effects/

Does Cymbalta affect sleep and dreams?

Yes. Sleep can be impossible OR we can't wake up! Dreams commonly disappear while taking Cymbalta and reappear - often violently - during the taper or after it.

Is sobbing caused by Cymbalta?

Yes. This is a common side effect.

What do you mean, wait till I stabilise?

If you are suffering withdrawal symptoms, stop tapering and keep the same dose until you feel everything is "right" again. Then hold for 3 more weeks.

If you have reinstated, keep the same dose until you feel everything is "right" again. Then hold for 3 more weeks.

Can Cymbalta cause sweating?

Yes. Sometimes great floods during the night!

Can Cymbalta affect teeth?

Yes. This is a common effect of Cymbalta.

Can Cymbalta cause Tinnitus?

Yes. This is a common problem.

Does Cymbalta cause weight issues?

Yes, Cymbalta can affect weight - either loss or gain. However, weight gain is more common. Many members report that the weight put on while taking Cymbalta/Duloxetine comes off rather easily after they have tapered off.

How do I know how many milligrams of Cymbalta I am taking once I start tapering?

If you are not good at math, ask for help.

Try adapting this: I started with a 30mg dose, and my average number of beads in 3 capsules was

178 beads. I'm now on 28 beads. Multiply 30 x 28 and divide by 178. Answer = 4.7 mg

If you enter this formula in a spreadsheet you can keep a record of your progress.

Go the HAN "Tapering Spreadsheets" page.

Is it better in the morning? Or the evening?

That probably depends on you. If you need to switch, change slowly by an hour at a time, spread over a few days.

Are there withdrawal issues with Cymbalta?

Yes! Withdrawal issues can last for months or years. Take no notice of so-called experts and doctors who say it is easy to come off Cymbalta. Even the drug insert warns that some people take a long time to reduce safely. (But they don't tell you how to do that!)