What to Expect from Cymbalta Withdrawal

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExperiencing Cymbalta WithdrawalHow to Taper Off CymbaltaCoping & ReliefWarningsLong-Term TreatmentResources

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Experiencing Cymbalta Withdrawal

How to Taper Off Cymbalta

Coping & Relief

Warnings

Long-Term Treatment

Resources

Close

If you stop taking Cymbalta suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, dizziness, headache, irritability, and tingling skin sensations. Abruptly stopping your medication can also lead to a return of symptoms, so always talk to your doctor before changing your dose or stopping your medication.

Cymbalta(duloxetine) is a prescription medication used to treat depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and diabetic neuropathy. It is what’s known as aserotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). SSNRIs have a powerful effect on the brain, working to increase the activity of neurotransmitters called serotonin and norepinephrine.

When SNRIs are discontinued, some people experience withdrawal symptoms. This article discusses withdrawal from Cymbalta, including symptoms, how long it lasts, and how to cope.

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When you stop taking Cymbalta, your brain has to adjust to lower levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. It can take days or weeks for your brain to settle into its new normal.

Although these symptoms are typically mild, they can be alarming when they come as a surprise. Many people are not warned about the potential forwithdrawal symptomswhen they stop taking antidepressants. If your doctor did warn you, they might have used the term “antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.”

How Long Does Cymbalta Withdrawal Last?Based on the duloxetine (Cymbalta) studies, 65% of those who experienced withdrawal symptoms, said their symptoms went away in about one week.

How Long Does Cymbalta Withdrawal Last?

Based on the duloxetine (Cymbalta) studies, 65% of those who experienced withdrawal symptoms, said their symptoms went away in about one week.

Signs & Symptoms of Cymbalta Withdrawal

Symptoms typically appear within two to four days of stopping your dose and may last for a few weeks. While tapering—slowly decreasing—your dose is a common treatment strategy, some research suggests that even with this strategy, you still may experience some withdrawal symptoms.

There is one report of a withdrawal seizureand one report of withdrawal symptoms coming and going over a period of ten months.

Compared to other SNRIs, Cymbalta withdrawal is relatively mild.If you have read elsewhere about an intense withdrawal syndrome from SNRIs, the authors were most likely referring tovenlafaxine (Effexor).

RecapHeadaches, nausea, and vomiting are common in the days and weeks following your last dose of Cymbalta. More distressing symptoms include nightmares or disturbing dreams and a pins and needles sensation that comes and goes throughout the body.Withdrawal symptoms may be more severe if you quit taking your medication abruptly.

Recap

Headaches, nausea, and vomiting are common in the days and weeks following your last dose of Cymbalta. More distressing symptoms include nightmares or disturbing dreams and a pins and needles sensation that comes and goes throughout the body.Withdrawal symptoms may be more severe if you quit taking your medication abruptly.

To help make it easier to come off Cymbalta, your doctor will likely recommend a taper lasting two weeks to several months. Tapering a medication means working with your doctor to develop a plan to take progressively smaller doses of a drug over an extended period.

It is unclear whether or not a slow Cymbalta taper will always prevent withdrawal symptoms, but it is generally considered the safest way to stop an antidepressant.

Experts recommend reducing antidepressant dosages over a minimum of four weeks.However, your doctor will make specific recommendations based on how long you’ve been using your medication, your current dose, and your medical history.

An example of a tapering schedule for Cymbalta might be:

After the third dose reduction, the individual would stop taking their medication and monitor their symptoms. While they may still experience some withdrawal symptoms, they will typically be milder and easier to manage with self-care strategies.

Work with your doctor to develop a tapering schedule that fits your needs. Your doctor may want to switch you to a different antidepressant or provide medical support for your withdrawal symptoms.

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Coping With Cymbalta Withdrawal

There are also self-care strategies and lifestyle modifications that may help you cope with withdrawal from Cymbalta. Other ways to ease the withdrawal experience include:

Cymbalta Withdrawal Warnings

Although quitting Cymbalta cold turkey is rarely dangerous, it is best to consult your doctor before attempting to do so. Tell your doctor why you are interested in quitting and ask abouttapering options.

After Cymbalta, you may require ongoing treatment. The nature of that treatment will depend on a variety of factors, including the state of your mental health and your reasons for stopping the medication.

Unlike other medications, like antibiotics, that work for almost everyone, antidepressants can be really hit-or-miss. A medication that your friend calls a lifesaver, might make you too dizzy to play with your kids or too foggy to work.

Brain chemistryis an incredibly complex system involving not only neurotransmitters like serotonin, but also nerve cells, genes, and brain structures. If it were as easy as turning up the dial on one neurotransmitter and turning down the dial on another, depression would be much easier to treat.

If Cymbalta doesn’t work for you, ask your doctor to recommend something else. Treating depression can involve a process of trial and error.

If you are quitting Cymbalta because you feel your depression has lifted, that’s fantastic. However, it is important that you keep in touch with your psychiatrist or therapist to be sure that stopping the medication doesn’t cause a reemergence of your depression. Depression is a disease with a very high reoccurrence rate.

About 50% of people who recover from one episode of depression will have more depressive episodes in their lifetime. If you have had more than one episode, there is about an 80% chance you will have another.

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Consider Maintenance Therapy

If you have had one or more episodes ofsevere depression, you may be a good candidate for maintenance therapy. Typically, this means continuing with a therapeutic dose of antidepressants to reduce the risk of relapse. Other forms of maintenance therapy include psychotherapy.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for symptoms that your depression is returning. Common symptoms include:

If your doctor isn’t helping, consider finding a new psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist in your area. TheSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)has a searchabledirectoryof qualified providers. You can also call them at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you have health insurance, you can also search the company’s list of local providers who accept your insurance.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Final Thoughts

If you gave Cymbalta a good try, but you still don’t feel like yourself, don’t give up. There are other medications, doses, and combinations of medications that you can try. If you don’t think you need medication anymore, that’s great, but don’t neglect your mental health.

A qualified therapist can help bolster the effects of antidepressants and help prevent a relapse. Just like medications, there is no one-size-fits-all therapist. Keep trying until you find a combination that works for you.

Common Antidepressant Medications

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Perahia DG, Kajdasz DK, Desaiah D, Haddad PM.Symptoms following abrupt discontinuation of duloxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.J Affect Disord.2005;89(1-3):207-212. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.09.003Fava G, A, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J.Withdrawal symptoms after serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor discontinuation: Systematic review.Psychother Psychosom.2018;87:195-203. doi:10.1159/000491524Qadir A, Haider N.Duloxetine withdrawal seizure.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006;3(9):10.Hou Y, Lai C.Long-term duloxetine withdrawal syndrome and management in a depressed patient.J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014;26(1):E4. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.12110265Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S.Switching and stopping antidepressants.Aust Prescr. 2016;39(3):76-83. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.039Harvard Health Publishing.How to taper off your antidepressant.Burcusa SL, Iacono WG.Risk for recurrence in depression.Clin Psychol Rev. 2007;27(8):959–985. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.02.005Blier P, Keller MB, Pollack MH, Thase ME, Zajecka JM, Dunner DL.Preventing recurrent depression: Long-term treatment for major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychiatry.2007;68(3):e06.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Perahia DG, Kajdasz DK, Desaiah D, Haddad PM.Symptoms following abrupt discontinuation of duloxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.J Affect Disord.2005;89(1-3):207-212. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.09.003Fava G, A, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J.Withdrawal symptoms after serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor discontinuation: Systematic review.Psychother Psychosom.2018;87:195-203. doi:10.1159/000491524Qadir A, Haider N.Duloxetine withdrawal seizure.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006;3(9):10.Hou Y, Lai C.Long-term duloxetine withdrawal syndrome and management in a depressed patient.J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014;26(1):E4. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.12110265Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S.Switching and stopping antidepressants.Aust Prescr. 2016;39(3):76-83. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.039Harvard Health Publishing.How to taper off your antidepressant.Burcusa SL, Iacono WG.Risk for recurrence in depression.Clin Psychol Rev. 2007;27(8):959–985. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.02.005Blier P, Keller MB, Pollack MH, Thase ME, Zajecka JM, Dunner DL.Preventing recurrent depression: Long-term treatment for major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychiatry.2007;68(3):e06.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Perahia DG, Kajdasz DK, Desaiah D, Haddad PM.Symptoms following abrupt discontinuation of duloxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.J Affect Disord.2005;89(1-3):207-212. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.09.003Fava G, A, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J.Withdrawal symptoms after serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor discontinuation: Systematic review.Psychother Psychosom.2018;87:195-203. doi:10.1159/000491524Qadir A, Haider N.Duloxetine withdrawal seizure.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006;3(9):10.Hou Y, Lai C.Long-term duloxetine withdrawal syndrome and management in a depressed patient.J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014;26(1):E4. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.12110265Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S.Switching and stopping antidepressants.Aust Prescr. 2016;39(3):76-83. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.039Harvard Health Publishing.How to taper off your antidepressant.Burcusa SL, Iacono WG.Risk for recurrence in depression.Clin Psychol Rev. 2007;27(8):959–985. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.02.005Blier P, Keller MB, Pollack MH, Thase ME, Zajecka JM, Dunner DL.Preventing recurrent depression: Long-term treatment for major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychiatry.2007;68(3):e06.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Perahia DG, Kajdasz DK, Desaiah D, Haddad PM.Symptoms following abrupt discontinuation of duloxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.J Affect Disord.2005;89(1-3):207-212. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.09.003

Fava G, A, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J.Withdrawal symptoms after serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor discontinuation: Systematic review.Psychother Psychosom.2018;87:195-203. doi:10.1159/000491524

Qadir A, Haider N.Duloxetine withdrawal seizure.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006;3(9):10.

Hou Y, Lai C.Long-term duloxetine withdrawal syndrome and management in a depressed patient.J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014;26(1):E4. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.12110265

Keks N, Hope J, Keogh S.Switching and stopping antidepressants.Aust Prescr. 2016;39(3):76-83. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.039

Harvard Health Publishing.How to taper off your antidepressant.

Burcusa SL, Iacono WG.Risk for recurrence in depression.Clin Psychol Rev. 2007;27(8):959–985. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.02.005

Blier P, Keller MB, Pollack MH, Thase ME, Zajecka JM, Dunner DL.Preventing recurrent depression: Long-term treatment for major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychiatry.2007;68(3):e06.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed (DSM-5-TR); 2022. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

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