What Are the Side Effects If You Abruptly Stop Taking Cymbalta?

Cymablta is a brand name for the prescription medication duloxetine hydrochloride, which is used to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder, nerve damage caused by diabetes, and fibromyalgia. Patients who abruptly stop using Cymbalta are at risk of developing a number of side effects.

Significance

• Approximately 1 percent of patients who abruptly stop taking Cymbalta develop withdrawal symptoms, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trials published on rxlist.com.

Types of Side Effects

• Side effects caused by the sudden cessation of Cymbalta include dizziness, nausea, headache, tingling in the extremities, vomiting, irritability, nightmares, insomnia, diarrhea, anxiety, vertigo and excessive sweating.

Cause

• Cymbalta is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, meaning it causes an increase in the amount of a chemical known as serotonin in the brain. When Cymbalta use is stopped suddenly it can cause a severe drop in serotonin levels, which produces the unwanted side effects.

Risks

• In some cases, abruptly discontinuing Cymbalta use results in confusion, a severe, constant irritable mood and seizures.

Solution

• When it comes time for you to finish taking Cymbalta, your doctor will slowly decrease your dosage over a period of weeks or months. While using Cymbalta, be careful not to miss a dose or run out of the medication.