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Cymbalta Ruined My Life

Last Updated on November 18, 2024 by Carol Gillette

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD

In this article, we’ll explore why some people say “Cymbalta ruined my life” after using the drug.  There are safety concerns (which are not limited to duloxetine alone). For example, in October 2024, the FDA announced a recall of over 7000 bottles of Cymbalta(c), brand name for the SNRI antidepressant duloxetine. The recall was sparked by cancer concerns linked to nitrosamine that was found in the drug.1-3

These and other safety concerns have added to the general atmosphere of distrust of both drug manufacturers, and regulatory bodies whose job is to oversee drug safety. But drug-purity is by far NOT the only concern by far. For more on the most common and debilitating problems with Cymbalta please watch the video below and continue reading for a deeper understanding of the topic as presented by Lyle Murphy, the founder of ATMC.


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Research shows that approx. 40-60% of patients stop taking antidepressants due to adverse events and poor results.16 Clients opting for nontoxic alternatives for treatment typically experience far better efficacy compared to the pharmaceutical choices, without laying in further harm. ATMC uses non-toxic, science-backed methods to not only help people reduce dependency on medications, but to discover the actual root causes for their unwanted symptoms so these can be corrected without introducing further damage or harm.

“Cymbalta Ruined My Life” — The Real Reasons?

The reasons people have found Cymbalta to be ruinous are as numerous as they are devastating. We’ll take a closer look at some of the most frequently reported ones below.

Challenges of Cymbalta (duloxetine) include the following:
  • Concerns about carcinogens or other contaminants in the capsule contents
  • Side effects and damage that outweigh any benefits of Cymbalta (more details below)
  • Lack of therapeutic results
  • Pregnancy concerns for the newborn

Recalls and Concerns about Carcinogens in Cymbalta

On inspection, one batch of duloxetine was voluntarily recalled by the drugmaker because of high content of a carcinogen called nitrosamine. Drug recalls are not unprecedented in the drug industry, such as the recalls of the quit-smoking medication Chantix(c), and Zantac(c), an over-the-counter heartburn product. These and other drugs were also found to contain nitrosamine, a known carcinogenic.1-3

Side Effects and Damage that Outweigh any Benefits of Cymbalta

Cymbalta has a fluid history, concerning what it has been officially sanctioned and promoted to treat. When it came to market in 2004, it initially was sold as a product to help with depression. It’s efficacy, as in many “new and improved” pharmaceutical products, was subject to the same over-estimations that have driven the over-prescribing trends of modern times.17

By 2009, half-a-dozen approvals were granted by the FDA for duloxetine to treat other symptoms, namely acute and maintenance treatment for major depressive disorder, diabetic neuropathy (pain in extremities), stress incontinence, acute and maintenance treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain, and to treat the pain of fibromyalgia. Sounds like a miracle drug, doesn’t it? The the sad reality is that people of all ages didn’t get their miracle, but instead have claimed Cymbalta ruined their life.

For many people, newly emerging problems began to enter patient profiles, most notably in those taking the drug long-term. This should not have come as a surprise to drugmakers who opted to remain silent. Records now show that 36-60% of the participants opted out of the drug trials, and of the ones who did complete the trials, adverse events totaled 3X greater than the placebo group.5,14

Cymbalta Side Effects Reported in Drug Trials

Side effects of Cymbalta can include:
  • Suicide, suicidal thoughts 4,15
  • Increased risk of seizures 6
  • Liver damage, more frequent than many other SNRI drugs 4,18
  • break free from the fog of side effectsSexual dysfunction 4,14
  • Emotional blunting 14,19
  • Increased blood pressure 4
  • Low sodium blood levels with accompanying nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, confusion 4
  • Falls and fractures, from loss of motor control along with decreased bone density7
  • Syncope (temporary loss of consciousness, fainting) 4,8
  • Serotonin syndrome, can be fatal 4,9.11
  • Bleeding events notably upper abdomen hemorrhage, dyspepsia (abdominal pain, digestive discomfort), decreased blood platelet coagulation 4,10,14,16
  • Severe skin reactions 4
  • Mania, hypomania 12
  • Glaucoma 13
  • Dry mouth 16
  • Diarrhea, constipation 4,14
  • Teeth grinding 16
  • Loss of appetite, weight loss4
  • Excessive sweating4
  • Insomnia14
  • Asthenia (extreme weakness)14
  • Anxiety, jitteriness, restlessness14
  • Flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, somnolence, insomnia, headache, runny nose, gastro upsets, nausea 4,14,

Side effects of Cymbalta like the ones above may well overshadow any perceived benefits. But equally concerning, when a person tries to stop taking duloxetine, things can get even worse. Never try to abruptly stop taking an SNRI like Cymbalta without guidance and support. We are here to help guide you and provide a better path to natural mental health and wellness.

The post-marketing time-line of Cymbalta also saw new reports of many other side effects that are described below.

Post-Marketing Side Effects of Concern

The above list of side-effects above are those that are noted in research, mainly citing drug-trials prior to approval, or drug trials seeking to expand the uses for the drug. However, the drug’s label lists out many other side effects that were voluntarily reported by consumers after the drug came to market.4

Post-marketing side effects of Cymbalta:
  • Acute pancreatitis (painful inflammation of the pancreas, located in the upper abdomen)
  • Anaphylactic reaction (severe, life-threatening allergic reaction)
  • Aggression, anger (particularly early in treatment, or after drug discontinuation)
  • Angioneurotic edema (large areas of swelling in various areas of the body)
  • Colitis (painful inflamed tissues of the large intestine)
  • Cutaneous vasculitis (red itching inflamed blood vessels, capillaries, arterioles, etc.)
  • Extrapyramidal disorders (involuntary muscle movement disorders)
  • Galactorrhea (milk secretion from the breast of non-pregnant female or male)
  • Gynecological bleeding
  • Hallucinations
  • Hyperglycemia (excessive blood sugar levels)
  • Hyperprolactinemia (newly formed tumor in the pituitary gland)
  • Hypersensitivity (life threatening rise in blood pressure)
  • Hypertensive crisis
  • Muscle spasms
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Cardiac arrhythmias
  • Tinnitus (particularly after treatment was discontinued)
  • Locked jaw
  • Hives, rashes

If you suffer from such side effects, you may well feel hopeless, and that Cymbalta really did ruin your life. But do not despair, as true help is available. Please continue reading.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Concerns for the Newborn

Sadly, birth difficulties and damage to the newborn has been cited in research studies, and is briefly noted on the drug’s label. If you are planning a pregnancy, or are planning on breastfeeding, consider opting out of continuing any drug like Cymbalta (duloxetine) or any others that carry such liabilities before becoming pregnant. Research shows that Cymbalta may ruin your family life.4

Don’t Let Debilitating Withdrawal from Cymbalta Ruin Your Life!

The topic of SNRI withdrawal is vast, and deserves its own full study. We recommend starting with the video above, and more detailed information on strategies for safely getting off medication — we want you to get a fuller and deeper understanding of how to manage an SNRI withdrawal successfully. Duloxetine is especially tricky to maneuver because it is a “delayed-release” drug, doesn’t come in low dosages, and the capsule contains beads rather than a tablet that can be accurately cut.

It’s best to work with a prescriber who can provide accurate dosages, bridge medications, or equivalents that will smoothly allow a gradual decrease as the withdrawal goes forward. As mentioned earlier, educate yourself first and find out why abrupt withdrawal is not recommended. The safer, more successful approach is a gentle and gradual one, and always with medical care and guidance to help you.

Cymbalta’s Lack of Therapeutic Results

Drug therapy for mental health symptoms has become the wild west in medicine. Try this, try that, and if no luck, take this AND that. Maybe double your dose! And if all that doesn’t work, rest assured another “new and improved” drug is likely going to appear right around the corner. That is a losing game for so many people, and it is genuinely heartbreaking to witness. Especially so when there are so many alternative ways to find relief that don’t carry the same liabilities.

sedona best holistic mental health treatmentNutritional psychiatry and orthomolecular medicine WORK! These methods get results that drug promoters only dream about, but typically cannot deliver. We strongly suggest learning more about how nutrition, neurotoxin removal, and other holistic treatments are your mental health SUPERSTARS, that can help you achieve the real results you have been looking for.20,21

Regain Optimum Mental Health Naturally at Alternative to Meds Center

At Alternative to Meds Center we specialize in getting to the root of what causes mental health symptoms, and we use safe and proven methods to help our clients achieve their personal goals. If you are one of the many people now struggling, who feel “Cymbalta ruined my life,” we invite you to contact us directly for more information about how we have helped so many regain clarity, calmness, vigor and joy in life. You can become non-dependent on toxic drugs in a gentle and healing inpatient setting. Call today and get your life back!

1 (800) 301-3753 for Cymbalta Ruined My Life!

Sources:

1. FDA Announcement Enforcement Report Event ID 95508 October 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 18]

2. FDA Updates and Press Announcement on Nitrosamine in Chantix published 05/05/2022 [cited 2024 Nov 18]

3. FDA Safety Alert, Sanofi: Provides Updates on Voluntary Recall of Zantac published 10/23/2019 [cited 2024 Nov 18]

4. FDA label ” href=”https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/2f7d4d67-10c1-4bf4-a7f2-c185fbad64ba/spl-doc?hl=Cymbalta”>Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride extended release capsule) last revised 8/20235. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

5. Robinson M, Oakes TM, Raskin J, Liu P, Shoemaker S, Nelson JC. Acute and long-term treatment of late-life major depressive disorder: duloxetine versus placebo Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2014 Jan;22(1):34-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2013.01.019. Epub 2013 Feb 6. PMID: 24314888.6. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

6. Yang W, Jia YH, Jiang HY, Li AJ. Antidepressant use and the risk of seizure: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2024 Feb;80(2):175-183. doi: 10.1007/s00228-023-03597-y. Epub 2023 Nov 24. PMID: 37996536. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

7. Lanteigne A, Sheu YH, Stürmer T, Pate V, Azrael D, Swanson SA, Miller M. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and risk of fractures: a new-user cohort study among US adults aged 50 years and older. CNS Drugs. 2015 Mar;29(3):245-52. doi: 10.1007/s40263-015-0231-5. PMID: 25708711; PMCID: PMC4380622. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

8. Grossman SA, Badireddy M. Syncope. [Updated 2023 Jun 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan [cited 2024 Nov 18]

9. Simon LV, Torrico TJ, Keenaghan M. Serotonin Syndrome. [Updated 2024 Mar 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482377/ [cited 2024 Nov 18]

10. Zeiss R, Hiemke C, Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Connemann BJ, Gahr M. Risk of Bleeding Associated with Antidepressant Drugs: The Competitive Impact of Antithrombotics in Quantitative Signal Detection. Drugs Real World Outcomes. 2021 Dec;8(4):547-554. doi: 10.1007/s40801-021-00260-9. Epub 2021 Jun 11. PMID: 34117617; PMCID: PMC8605951. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

11. Bartlett D. Drug-Induced Serotonin Syndrome. Crit Care Nurse. 2017 Feb;37(1):49-54. doi: 10.4037/ccn2017169. PMID: 28148614. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

12. de DIOS, C., & EZQUIAGA, E. (2007). Manic Switching in Patients Receiving Duloxetine. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(7), 1121–1121.< [cited 2024 Nov 18]

13. Mahmut A , Tunc V , Demiryurek E , Gursoy A. Bilateral acute angle-closure glaucoma induced by duloxetine. Ideggyogy Sz. 2017 Sep 30;70(9-10):358-360. English. doi: 10.18071/isz.70.0358. PMID: 29870629. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

14. Goldstein DJ, Mallinckrodt C, Lu Y, Demitrack MA. Duloxetine in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a double-blind clinical trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002 Mar;63(3):225-31. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v63n0309. PMID: 11926722. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

15. Carter NJ, McCormack PL. Duloxetine: a review of its use in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. CNS Drugs. 2009;23(6):523-41. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200923060-00006. PMID: 19480470. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

16. Polychroniou PE, Mayberg HS, Craighead WE, Rakofsky JJ, Aponte Rivera V, Haroon E, Dunlop BW. Temporal Profiles and Dose-Responsiveness of Side Effects with Escitalopram and Duloxetine in Treatment-Naïve Depressed Adults. Behav Sci (Basel). 2018 Jul 17;8(7):64. doi: 10.3390/bs8070064. PMID: 30018196; PMCID: PMC6071033. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

17. Cipriani A, Koesters M, Furukawa TA, Nosè M, Purgato M, Omori IM, Trespidi C, Barbui C. Duloxetine versus other anti-depressive agents for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Oct 17;10(10):CD006533. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006533.pub2. PMID: 23076926; PMCID: PMC4169791. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

18. Jiang A, Wei C, Zhu W, Wu F, Wu B. Adverse event profiles of drug-induced liver injury caused by antidepressant drugs: a disproportionality analysis. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2024 May 6;15:20420986241244585. doi: 10.1177/20420986241244585. PMID: 38715707; PMCID: PMC11075604. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

19. Ma H, Cai M, Wang H. Emotional Blunting in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Brief Non-systematic Review of Current Research. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 14;12:792960. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.792960. PMID: 34970173; PMCID: PMC8712545. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

20. Piao J, Wang Y, Zhang T, Zhao J, Lv Q, Ruan M, Yu Q, Li B. Antidepressant-like Effects of Representative Types of Food and Their Possible Mechanisms. Molecules. 2023 Oct 9;28(19):6992. doi: 10.3390/molecules28196992. PMID: 37836833; PMCID: PMC10574116. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

21. Bland JS. Glutathione, Orthomolecular Medicine, and Nutraceutical Therapy. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2022 Sep;21(4):16-19. PMID: 36644603; PMCID: PMC9542932. [cited 2024 Nov 18]

Originally Published June 19, 2024 by Diane Ridaeus


This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. Samuel Lee

Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente.  He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

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