Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to prescription medication.
Cymbalta is a prescription medication that's FDA-approved to treat depression, anxiety and chronic pain. The generic version of the drug is called duloxetine, and we will use these terms interchangeably throughout this article as they refer to the same active drug ingredient.
But is Cymbalta proven effective in research studies for all of the conditions it's prescribed to treat? Does it have any dangerous side effects? Does the drug cause weight gain? And how do real users rate and describe its effects?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we review medical research on Cymbalta, document its side effects and share real patient reviews.
We'll also discuss whether or not Cymbalta causes withdrawals, and if there are certain foods that need to be avoided while taking this medication.
Does Cymbalta Work?
Cymbalta increases circulating levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
Increased levels of these neurotransmitters can improve mental health in some patients, and can reduce the sensation of pain. The drug has been studied extensively for all of the conditions that it's approved to treat.
A research review on Cymbalta for generalized anxiety disorder, published in the Adis Drugs journal, found that the drug was more effective for reducing anxiety than placebo.
The above-linked review analyzed four different placebo-controlled trials on Cymbalta in patients with anxiety.
A 2006 medical review analyzed data on Cymbalta and depression. The researchers found the drug to be effective for treating major depressive disorder (MDD), which is the most severe form of depression.
Another research review assessed Cymbalta’s efficacy for chronic pain management.
In all three clinical trials analyzed, Cymbalta was more effective than placebo for reducing pain. It was shown to be effective for reducing symptoms of fibromyalgia as well.
We will conclude from the available research that Cymbalta is effective for treating anxiety, depression and chronic pain, which is unsurprising given that the medication is approved by the FDA for these indications.
Does Cymbalta Cause Side Effects?
Cymbalta does cause side effects in some patients.
The "black box" warning shown above, from the drug's FDA label, details a risk of increased suicidal thinking and behavior in adolescents and young adults who use pharmaceutical antidepressants.
It may be beneficial for patients in either of these groups to speak with their doctor about different classes of drugs that are free of this risk.
A 2011 meta-study reported on side effects of Cymbalta in depressive patients.
Around 20% more Cymbalta patients experienced sexual side effects (such as decreased arousal) than those taking placebo, 17.1% of Cymbalta patients experienced nausea, and 1% of Cymbalta patients experienced increased blood pressure (but this was not found to be statistically significant),
One of the longer-term studies on Cymbalta for anxiety found that more than 5% of participants taking the medication suffered extremely severe side effects.
Here were the “serious adverse events” reported: acute alcoholic intoxication, alcohol dependency, anxiety, arrhythmia, cellulitis, cerebral hemorrhage resulting in death, depression, diverticulitis, mania, nephrolithiasis, two attempted suicides, one completed suicide, stress, and syncope.
These adverse events are quite severe, even if rare, and it seems prudent to speak with a doctor about these risks prior to using this drug.
Real People Try Cymbalta
A YouTube channel called "Botanical Queens" has a review on Cymbalta for anxiety after one week of use:
A TikTok creator named "Cruisin' Cowgirl" shared her experience using Cymbalta:
@cruisincowgirl #cymbaltawithdrawls #cymbaltasideeffects #neuralgia #chronicpainlife #carcrash #partiallydisabled #dependancyvsaddiction ♬ Astro Beat - Staysee
Does Cymbalta Cause Weight Gain?
Patients are often curious about whether Cymbalta causes weight gain, given that many pharmaceutical drugs (especially those related to mental health) seem to be associated with weight gain.
A meta-review published in The Primary Care Companion journal analyzed data from 10 clinical trials on Cymbalta to determine if it causes weight gain.
The researchers reported that Cymbalta was associated with an average weight gain of 2.43 pounds after one year of use.
While this may be concerning to some patients, this is a relatively moderate amount of weight gain, especially if the drug is having a positive effect.
That being said, overweight or obese patients may wish to speak with their doctor about alternative medications that are not associated with weight gain in clinical research.
Is the Generic Version Better?
We typically recommend that patients speak with their doctor about the generic version of prescription drugs when one is available.
Because both the generic and branded versions of a drug have the same active chemical compound, they should be equally effective.
An extensive meta-study published in the PLOS One journal analyzed data from over 3.5 million patients and confirmed that generic drugs are just as effective as their brand-name alternatives.
According to GoodRx, the average retail price of the generic version of Cymbalta is around $20 at the time of updating this article.
According to GoodRx, the average retail price of Cymbalta is currently around $290.
This equates to potential cost savings of over 90% for patients choosing the generic version.
Does Cymbalta Cause Withdrawals?
Cymbalta does appear to cause withdrawals in some patients.
A 2005 meta-study reported on the most commonly-experienced withdrawal symptoms after abrupt discontinuation of Cymbalta.
12.4% of patients experienced dizziness, 5.9% of patients experienced nausea and 5.3% of patients experienced headaches.
The study authors documented that 65% of withdrawal symptoms subsided within seven days.
The risk of withdrawal symptoms from Cymbalta is why it's so important for patients who want to stop using a drug to work with a doctor to set up a tapering schedule, rather than to quit without medical supervision.
A YouTube creator named Nick Borsellino published a video explaining Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms he personally experienced, including suicidal ideation:
Do Certain Foods Need to be Avoided?
Patients are often curious about whether they need to restrict their diet while taking Cymbalta, given that many prescription medications have interactions with certain foods (especially grapefruit).
Cymbalta's FDA label does not reference any food interactions at the time of updating this article, so patients should be able to eat their normal diet while using this drug.
Given the association of Cymbalta use with modest weight gain, it may be beneficial for patients using the drug to focus on eating a healthier diet and cutting out processed foods to negate any potential weight gain effects.
However, it does not appear that there are any acute risks associated with any individual food or drink reacting negatively with Cymbalta.
Patients Review Cymbalta
Drugs.com is a website that allows prescription medication patients to rate and review the drugs they're taking.
We cannot verify the accuracy or authenticity of any reviews on this site.
At the time of updating this article, Cymbalta has been reviewed over 1,700 times on Drugs.com.
Cymbalta currently has an average rating of 6.3 out of 10 for treating depression, 6.4/10 for treating anxiety and 5.7/10 for treating chronic pain.
The top positive review of Cymbalta for depression comes from a user named "Singer" who gave the drug a 10/10 rating and claims it improved their quality of life:
"I have taken SSRIs off and on for over twenty years. This was the first time I had taken an SNRI and I feel better--I'm calmer, I think more clearly, and things that bothered me a lot seem much more manageable now. If your provider prescribes this medication, at least give it a try."
The top negative review of Cymbalta for depression is written by a user named "jules" who claims that the drug caused serious side effects:
"I took a 30mg Cymbalta capsule at 9am at 9.30am it was like someone threw a brick at my head then I started to get brain zaps. I thought it would wear off but I started to get cramps, became very thirsty, vomiting, became uncoordinated and then called an ambulance. My sodium level dropped to 118 and I got hyponatremia. they took me straight to emergency dept and gave me a brain scan and a salty drink. I stayed in the emergency ward for 4 days and they said never to have cymbalta again or I could have a stroke or worse."
Our Mental Wellness Picks
Brightside Health is our top overall mental wellness pick.
Brightside is an online therapy and medication platform that connects patients with licensed therapists and psychiatrists from the comfort of their home.
A medical review published in the Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy journal found that online therapy was equally effective to in-person therapy for treating depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Mindbloom is our top alternative mental wellness pick.
Mindbloom offers ketamine therapy, and over 88% of patients experienced relief of anxiety and depression symptoms in a clinical trial on the brand.
