What Does It Feel Like to Take Cymbalta?
Key takeaways:
Cymbalta is a brand name for duloxetine, a prescription medication approved to treat depression, anxiety, and some forms of chronic pain.
Some people who take Cymbalta say it helps improve their mood and decrease pain.
But some also report that the medication blunts their emotions.
Cymbalta (duloxetine) is an antidepressant prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, and certain types of pain.
Cymbalta belongs to a class of medications called serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). It’s thought to work by increasing chemicals in your brain (serotonin and norepinephrine) associated with mood, focus, and emotions. Common side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and drowsiness.
Some people who take it describe feeling “more grounded” and in control of their emotions. Others say the medication numbed their feelings more than they expected. Here’s how three people describe their experiences taking Cymbalta.
Feeling grounded
Stephy Sumner, a 30-year-old blogger in New Hampshire, has lived with anxiety, depression, and chronic pain for years.
She has ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a type of arthritis that affects the spine and sacroiliac joints where the spine meets the pelvis.
About 5 years ago, her psychiatrist suggested she switch to Cymbalta to replace the three separate medications she was taking at the time for anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.
For Stephy, the switch was a bumpy transition at first. For the first 6 to 8 weeks, she remembers having mood swings. After her body became accustomed to the medication, however, her only complaint was sometimes feeling overheated.
“When you’re starting a new medication, you ask yourself, ‘Is this going to work for me?’ and ‘When is the waiting going to end?’” she says. “The biggest challenge was being patient to see if this would work.”
Overall, Stephy says she feels stable when on Cymbalta, which is something she hadn’t experienced on past medications.
“I feel grounded and have greater control of my emotions,” she says. “I don’t have the bouts of depression where I can’t get out of bed anymore.”
Stephy says her chronic back pain can contribute to her depression and anxiety, and that has made living a balanced life challenging. One of the most stressful times was during the pregnancy of her first child. Stephy chose to slowly taper off Cymbalta because she didn’t want to be on an SNRI while pregnant. She says she had a hard time coping with her anxiety and realized it would be best to go back on the medication after a month of not taking it.
“I had a lot of racing thoughts while being off the medication, and my chronic pain flared up because of my pregnancy,” she says. “I realized how much this medication helps me during times where my thoughts can take over.”
She says Cymbalta helps keep her on track.
“My quality of life improved dramatically, and [Cymbalta] ended the vicious cycle with chronic pain and my anxiety,” she says. “I have complete control of my life now.”
Easing pain but numbing emotions
In 2011, Alison Hinman was a high school student and two-sport athlete. She played field hockey and ran track, participating in events like sprints and hurdles. Then she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition with symptoms like joint pain. The pain was so intense she had to quit playing sports. Her doctor prescribed Cymbalta.
Over the first few weeks, Alison noticed the medication helped tremendously with the pain from her fibromyalgia. But she didn’t like the feeling of her emotions being blunted.
“I felt I had tunnel vision with my emotions and felt neutral about everything,” she says.
Alison also recalls that it was challenging to remember to take the medication at the same time each day.
“If I forgot to take the medication at the same time each morning, I would feel dizzy and nauseous pretty quickly,” she says.
Despite the side effects, after a month, she felt less pain, and her mood improved. But she still had concerns about her emotions being blunted. She stayed on Cymbalta for a year before talking to her doctor about switching to a new medication. Now 28 years old and living in Hoboken, New Jersey, she takes a different medication to treat her symptoms without drastically changing her mood.
Reframing how he thought about mental health
Todd Nesloney is a high performer in his career. He has worked in the field of education for more than 15 years, moving quickly through the ranks of schools from an instructional aide, to a teacher, and then a principal.
Todd, who is 37 years old and lives in Brenham, Texas, is now director of culture and strategic leadership at the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association.
“Working in leadership roles most of my career, I was reinforced with the idea you have to have it all together and meet these quotas without taking time to step back and see how you are doing,” he says.
At a training Todd attended, one of the presenters reframed the way Todd thought about prioritizing his own mental health. He knew he struggled with anxiety, but he never thought it was severe enough to speak with his doctor.
When he did seek help, he tested high for anxiety and moderately high for depression. He and his doctor decided to treat his anxiety with Cymbalta under one condition: He would also go to therapy and work out.
“My doctor didn’t want me to become dependent on medication to treat my anxiety, and I didn’t, either,” he says. “I wanted to learn how to deal with my anxiety better. And the combination of medication, therapy, and exercise all helped.”
When Todd started a 60 mg dose of Cymbalta once a day, he saw positive side effects within a few weeks of starting. Like Alison, he did notice dulled emotions. He says this was useful, as he was learning coping mechanisms in therapy. The only negative side effects he experienced were weight gain (he gained 30 pounds), and worsening restless leg syndrome symptoms at night.
“I think Cymbalta showed me what a life with reduced anxiety would look like and that this was possible,” he says. “I wasn’t ready for the weight gain, but felt going on Cymbalta helped me control my emotions.”
Todd was on Cymbalta for about a year while working with his doctor and therapist. He stopped taking Cymbalta in November 2022 because he felt ready to manage his anxiety without medication.
“I know medication was an important piece to understanding my anxiety,” he says. “But with the care team I have in place and additional support I have in my corner, I know I can handle my anxiety without medication if I ask for help.”
What does the pharmacist say?
Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD
Director, Pharmacy Content
Cymbalta is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor approved to treat depression, anxiety, and certain types of nerve and muscle pain. Like most antidepressants, you’ll typically need to take Cymbalta for a few weeks before you start noticing a difference in your symptoms. So, it’s important to take it every day as prescribed, even if you’re not feeling better right away.
People taking antidepressants like Cymbalta sometimes report emotional blunting — feeling numb to positive and negative emotions. Some people see this as a positive side effect. But it’s also a reason why others stop taking the medication. If it starts affecting your quality of life, your healthcare provider may try lowering your dose or switching you to a different treatment.
It’s also possible to gain weight while taking Cymbalta, especially with higher doses or long-term treatment. Keep in mind that depression and anxiety can affect your appetite, too. So, your appetite may come back as your symptoms improve, which may contribute to weight gain.
If you become pregnant while taking Cymbalta, it’s important to discuss your options with your healthcare provider. SNRIs are generally considered safe during pregnancy, but your provider can help you weigh the benefits and risks.
Finally, don’t abruptly stop taking Cymbalta on your own. This can lead to antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, which can cause anxiety, nausea, restlessness, and other symptoms.
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