I have chronic fatigue and now, apparently fibromyalgia. My doctor has asked me to take Lyrica and Cymbalta. The Lyrica is no problem, but the Cymbalta (30 mg) I took one time while I was off work to see if it caused side effects, and I was dizzy and it made me very tired. The doctor told me to take it before bed, but when I woke up, I was still very tired and "zoned out". It took about 5 hours for this effect to go away.
I have to work, the most I can get is 4 days off. My doctor suggested starting it on my days off. What I want to know is if this fatigue and zombie feeling goes away. And if it did, how long did it take to go away? Thanks, I really need to know whether to just give this drug a pass or slog through a month of working through this
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14 Answers
KS
kstoeck
15 June 2023
Cymbalta is working great… the side effects will go away
Votes: +0
WI
WildcatVet
14 June 2023
Hi, Bhedge! For most people the side effects generally resolve in just days to a week or so and lessen as you go along. If it should last any longer let your doctor know. Are you taking the brand name Cymbalta or the generic duloxetine? If duloxetine you might be able to take a lower dose temporarily until your metabolism is better adjusted.
Votes: +0
BC
bcanal
14 June 2023
I too was taking 30 mg Cymbalta for my neuralgia in legs especially at night which disturbed my sleep but it made me so drowsy during the day and other side effects, but when trying to wean off, it made me feel more dizzy and irritable bowels. I had dry mouth, headaches, weird dreams and though it helps some what with nerve pain, not worth it. No more Pharma down my throat! B
Votes: +0
HE
Helloimrichelle
31 March 2018
I have been on cymbalta for over a year now and I can honestly say it is a miracle drug. I was prescribed it for my anxiety but it seriously helps my sciatic nerve pain dramatically. When I started, I was started on 60 mg and felt foggy and sleepy for a good while. After about a couple weeks my body got used to it and the fog slowly faded. For a few months I felt like I was in a bubble when it came to social situations. Like I understood everything that was going on but felt a little disconnected from the day. That lasted a few more months. I found that it's a little better to take the cymbalta at night so you can sleep off a lot of the drowsiness.
Votes: +0
BE
Beckstaratthebar
9 Feb 2018
I was put on Cymbalta for chronic pain, specifically nerve damage, Osteoarthritis, Rhumetoid Arthritis and sports injuries. I can't take biologics because I've had malignant melanomas that metatisized. I'm also a lifelong severe insomniac; I have all three disorders, trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep and early waking insomnia.
I take 60mg at 6:30 AM every day.I'll likely be put on a higher dose because at this point as far as medication goes this and cyclobenzaprine are the only thing I use for pain control.
The first day I took cymbalta I imediatly noticed how tired I was! I have aromatherapy, I do meditation and even take 10ml Ambien with 75ml hydroxyzine to sleep at night. I typically get 2-4 hours of sleep with those meds.
I changed the time I took cymbalta to 8:30 Pm. Cymbalta is an SSRI that builds up in your system and has a 17 hour half life. That means over time it changes your body chemistry and establishes a new base line for. It also means the side effects of the medication in this case fatigue and drowsiness are most likely to occur during the 17 hour half life.
My Dad takes Cymbalta, he works a 9-5 job and also sufferes from fatigue as a side effect. He takes his Cymbalta at 6:00 PM, that leaves him feeling "relaxed" at night instead of at work.
You can take Cymbalta at any time in the day as long as it's the same time every day. Since being on Cymbalta I still take Ambien and Hydroxyzine but only if I have too. The Cymbalta alone allows me to sleep better and by its self gives me 2-4 hours of sleep a night. I asked the pharmacist about why I was so mellow on Cymbalta and she told me that it's prescribed for anxiety also and has a sedating effect in most people. That calming effect doesn't go away because it's part of what the medication is designed to do.
I recommend that you try taking the medication early evening or at bed time. The pain relief properties build in your system and stay at a constant level. It's not like Advil that lasts for 6-8 hours; Cymbalta permanently adjusts pain receptors in your body. Good luck!
Votes: +0
SR
Srr1111
8 Nov 2016
I had great pain relief from fibromyalgia symptoms but had thought difficulties so I had to stop. It took a good 3 months to feel fully normal, but I'm hypersensitive to some medications so your experience may be much better. Also you can buy empty gell capsules and come off even more slowly by opening and putting in smaller amounts to make it smoother if it does become an issue.
Votes: +1
AJ
ajsmomma09
1 Nov 2016
I'm on day 2 of 30 mg of Cymbalta and I've slept most of the last 2 days. I know I need to give it time but really?? This is a bit much.
Votes: +0
LA
lady2882
5 April 2013
Cymbalta has a 1/2 life of 12 hours which is why you feel so tired for so long. Try taking it 12 hours before you go to work and that should help
Votes: +0
BO
Bonnie Jean
5 April 2013
Thank you but I was having the same problem before I took the Cymbalta. So I don't think it is the med. my face is a mess from it and now after going off from it it's beginning to clear up.
BO
Bonnie Jean
5 April 2013
I have had three surgeries on my right leg plus a DVT in the last ten months. I have had severe migraines almost daily for fifteen years. I'm 63 and when in the hospital for DVT blood clot a doctor poked me with needles for two hours to try to get a pic line in. He didn't and my whole arm turned purple. After that I could hardly raise either arm and even either months later I have a lot if pain that comes from using my arms sometimes to the point of getting sick to my stomach. I start sweating and my breathing becomes labored. I have extreme sleeping problems now too so do not get enough sleep. I very rarely sleep during the day but the mornings are the worst for the fatigue. I have been in Lyrica in the past for my migraines but I can't tolerate the higher doses. After an EMG test I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I have had to resign from my teaching job and struggle daily. I do exercise and have been in PT because of my leg.
I have to say I'm not sure of my diagnosis? I guess maybe I'd like to think I can get better than this! I wanted to enjoy retirement when I got to that age and enjoy my grandchildren but now I couldn't manage to even take care of three year old for a few hours! I was put on gabepentin but couldn't stand up I was so dizzy and it made the migraines even worse. I was on Cymbalta for a few weeks but I got hard red bumps all over my face and now about ten days off it my face is clearing up. Now I'm only on Wellbutrin and don't see any help. I started massage too. I have been on estrogen replacement for fifteen years because of my migraines but because of the blood clot can no longer take it so on top of everything I have extreme hot flashes and night sweats which don't help being able to sleep. Since all if this has happened I also have more problems with side effects from meds than ever before. I don't live in a large city and feel I need to see someone with expertise to help me. Has anyone else had the same problem with Cymbalta as I did? I'd appreciate any help anyone has?
Votes: +1
BR
bruthd
10 July 2013
BonnieJean, Just read your post from 5/23/11 and was wondering how you are doing now. I am about same age, have had fibro for 25 yrs and recently was put on Cymbalta which at first made me completely crazy, then, after 1 wk got rid of fibro pain for first time in 12 yrs However, it gave me diarrhea and I lost weight rapidly. MD then put me on Savella, which also began by making me crazy, then got rid of fibro pain, but gastro-intestinal problems are awful and have lost 10 lbs in 4 wks. Now I itch all over and know it's from the savella. I'm only on 25 mgs. I just want the pain to stop. I also retired from education (counselor) after having had breast cancer which only made the fibro worse. I'm hoping maybe you have had some success with another med. I've also had migraines but those have gotten better but been replaced by dull headaches. Only want remainder of my life to be pain free. Hoping yours has gotten better. BRuthD
LA
LaurieShay
27 May 2011
Hey Bhedge,
I use to take Cymbalta for many many years actually and finally had to stop because the tiredness just did not go away. The "zoned out" feeling will subside and the tiredness may actually get better after being on this medication for a few weeks. I finally swithced to Pristiq and have had excellent results. I also take Nuvigil for hypersomnia. I use to sleep 12 to 14 hours a day and take naps in the afternoon. Not anymore. Eight hours tops and I feel great. Might want to discuss these options with the doctor. The Cymbalta does help with nerve pain though so might want to stick with it.
Best wishes,
Laurie
Votes: +1
BH
Bhedge
30 May 2011
Thanks for the info. Does Pristiq help with pain? So far it's been 8 days of continuous use of Cymbalta, and the sleepiness and zoned out feeling is only slightly better.
LA
LaurieShay
30 May 2011
The Pristiq is not prescribed for neuralgia like the Cymbalta is. You need to give the med at least a month to reach maximum effectiveness and it will take a few weeks for the side effects to subside. You may still experience some tiredness while on the Cymbalta though not everyone does. Hang in there a while longer and keep us posted,
Laurie
BH
Bhedge
31 May 2011
So for the last several weeks, on day 4 of my work week my bottom half would become incredibly painful and all but useless. I shuffled around like an 80-year old (no offense to you spry chicks!). But this week, on day 4, the pain was very slight, and no shuffling. Unfortunately, on day 5, I did get the pain, but I was determined not to succumb. I stretched and stretched and then I got a moment to massage my feet. Luckily the pain has passed for now. I can tell I'm generally more achey, but if I can get past the side effects and not have to take the caffeine, I think this stuff might work for me.
Thanks for everyone's knowledge and support.
LA
LaurieShay
31 May 2011
Hang in there and if you are still experiencing the pain and discomfort after being on the med for a few weeks, you might want to discuss some physical therapy with the doctor. It will teach you appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises for your condition that you could do daily and alleviate that pain on day 4.
BH
Bhedge
6 July 2011
I'm still on the original dose, going on 2 months due to an unexpected required doctor change (mine went to Afghanistan for a year), so I'm stuck in a holding pattern. Trying to get in with a neurologist and get all this worked out. Thanks for all your help. I definitely want to do some physical therapy because I can't figure out how to stretch to get my gluteus and back, which are starting to have some pain and stiffness.
LA
LaurieShay
6 July 2011
Hey Bhedge,
Sorry to hear you are in a holding pattern. Have you found the cymbalta to be beneficial? What dose are you on? I really do recommend physical therapy. Once you learn the exercises at the office you can do them at home. It really might help if you continue to do them.
Laurie
BH
Bhedge
6 July 2011
Hi Laurie, I'm on 30 mg of Cymbalta. I want to increase because I have seen some relief with the fibro pain, but I'd like to see if I can get better relief. It's hard to work full time and have to put up with the pain. I'm also on 75 mg of Lyrica twice a day which causes more side effects than the Cymbalta. I finally got past the sleepiness that Cymbalta caused. Still having some problems with the side effects of Lyrica. It's not to bad for the dose I take at night, but the AM dose causes some shakiness. It's hard to function normally when you feel shaky.
I'm seeing my new primary care doc next week to see if I can get that neurologist visit set up and to see if he'll agree to increase the Cymbalta before I see the neuro doc. I'm also scheduled to see a Rheumotologist at the end of the month since I have a couple of autoimmune diseases and my RA and ANA are high.
I hate going to doctors. This list of doctors and all these appointments are pure agony for me. I'm used to being healthy, and all this uncontrollable pain is so demoralizing. Thanks for your help. It's nice to not feel so alone. I tell my husband I wish I had a disease everyone could see, because I don't think people believe me about how agonizing all this is. Bhedge
LA
LaurieShay
6 July 2011
I understand Bhedge, having a hidden disease or several in your case is very difficult indeed. I do hope the doctor will increase the Cymbalta. Just be prepared for some drowsiness when the dose is upped though this will hopefully pass. Good luck with the doctor visits and keep me posted.
Thanks for your responses. My doctor is aware of my chronic fatigue, but considering all the drugs that help with pain have the same side effects, he things Cymbalta has the most chance of the drowsiness effect going away over time, and in combination with Lyrica has the best chance at helping with my pain symptoms. I was just wondering what to expect as to the time involved in feeling tired and zoned out. I've tried Co Q10 before, and it's like swallowing a placebo... does absolutely nothing for me. The only supplement out of the tons I've tried that works is caffeine... which actually helps me with my migraines as well.
I was taking Wellbutrin for a few weeks before I was switched to Cymbalta, but it was for pure emotional problems as a result of menopause, so the cymbalta should cover that area as well. When I was taking Wellbutrin I didn't notice any energizing effects. I'll have to check this site's section on chronic fatigue and see if there's anything there that has helped anyone else that I haven't tried.
Votes: +1
IN
Inactive
27 May 2011
Hello again Bhedge. Thanks for posting us with an update. I kind of chuckled when I read the part about the caffeine. Most everyone here knows that and coffee are one and the same. Like you in that respect, it keeps me boosted. Well, as to how long it took to loose that tired, worn down feeling, it really never left me, and that was the reason I stopped taking it the first time. I was also on wellbutrin, and it was stopped because it did just about nothing. amazes me, so often, how one medication will work for one, and does almost absolutely nada for another. Trial and error. best wishes.
SU
susiebrown
10 April 2012
I have been taking Cymbalta 60 mg once a day for the past 7 years. This year I have become very fatigued, but realized through a blood test that I was extremely low in Vit D. I have been taking 50,000 ml once a week of Vit D and find it helps some. This Easter Dinner at my sisters, I drank a glass of wine and had a coffee with Kulua. I slept most of the day after and agree with the alcohol effects. Does anyone have the same problems with alcohol and taking Cymbalta.
CU
Curlysue1
21 March 2017
Bhedge wondered with low in vit. D if you had a parathyroid issue. Do you have osteoporosis? I off and on felt bad then had a parathyroid go rogue and eating D from my bones. No fibromyalgia. As a lot of us Cymbalta users, 60 mg, Land of Nod my new home.
DZ
Dzenger
23 April 2018
Hi. I just started on 30mg for severe nerve pain in my back from an accident. I feel horrible. I am exhausted but can't sleep. My dreams are awful. Dry mouth and dizziness. Couldn't with by hand today. It feels like the worst hangover ever and it hasn't touched the pain. I couldn't function at work today.
I have been on Cymbalta for about 5 weeks. I have felt tired,dizzy,constipation and weird dreams since taking the medication. I started at 20MG working my way up to 60MG. I have cut back to 40MG. and feel much better. I do have some side effects but not daily. It can take up to 8 weeks to adjust. if then it doesn't I would talk to your doctor. I also took the medication in the morning. A few hours later I took a CoQ10 to help with the fatigue. IFound this dietary supplement helped me feel a lot less tired. Though I am not sure I will stay on the medication it does settle down. I have pudendal nueralgia,Fibromyalgia,IBS,IC,Migraines and osteo arthritis. The Cymbalta is helping with some of the all over pain. I am also taking Amitryphiline 30MG. with Ambien at night too sleep. This is working for now. Remember sleep is important. Good luck
Votes: +1
LI
LiverLips
4 July 2011
Hi sheila! Nice to meet you. I've been taking Cymbalta for a couple of months now for generalized pain. I wanted to let you know that my dreaming patterns have changed also. They're not really "weird", however, before I felt in control of my dreams, now I don't. Also, after I wake up, the land of Nod is still trying to pull me back. LOL It's very hard to resist if I'm tired. I feel as if the Cymbalta wants me to sleep 8 - 10 hours nightly, which I don't usually. Perhaps if I did sleep longer I'd feel less groggy, like a cotton-head. LOL
I do feel dizzy sometimes. My hubby calls me "Weeble-Wobble" but I had that even before the Cymbalta. I don't get constipated; I keep really hydrated because sometimes I experience dry mouth.
Good luck with your health! All the best, sheila! from Wendy :)
IN
Inactive
23 May 2011
Hello Bhedge. I just answered another question about cymbalta. Fatique was the culprit. I was on it, my dose was 60mg for over a year. Last december, I dropped it altogether. Because of that constant feeling of being run down, tired. And I am fortunate in this regard, no longer working, it allowed me, being at home, to put up with this chronic fatique. In april I went back on it, only because my anxiety levels, were beginning to run high. I was taking it only for that reason, anxiety. Three weeks into the month I had a severe allergic reaction. My forehead broke out into a rash, and my windpipe felt as if it was closing up on me. I stopped it, immediately, and the following week, saw my dr. and put on a different medication. Imagine, being on a medication and still having a reaction to it, after such a period of time. I'd get a hold of your dr. and ask her/him to prescribe you a different medication. No need to put up with these side-effects, if they are that uncomortable.
Today there are so many medications out there, it really is to the advantage of the patient. Thirty plus years ago, it was a different world. Most drug families only had a limited selection to choose from, today, its the opposite. And the side effects in general are much, much less. Almost non-existent in many cases. best wishes to you.
Votes: +2
AC
ace_rick
23 May 2011
Hey Bhedge, since you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome,Cymbalta is not the right one for you.Many patients discontinued duloxetine for it side effects and one of these is lethargy which contradicts with your chronic fatigue.Your doctor apparently is focusing on your fibromyalgia,and overlooked your fatigue.Moreover,
Lyrica can reduce your pain,so why need Cymbalta,I'm confused !You need another med that stimulates your body and gives you energy.Check users' reviews on meds for chronic fatigue and write down the highest score meds,then check them for interactions with Lyrica.Usually Lyrica is quite safe .Some members recommend the atypical antidepressant Wellbutrin,bupropion.Wellbutrin XL once a day is the most active and has less side effects.this med helps many patient become energetic,active,and also helps smokers quit.It takes 2 weeks to start notice its effects.Users reviews can be seen here on drugs.com and rxlist.com.P.S Wellbutrin increases libido.I,for one,love to fly instead of lying down on a boring coutch.'Who sees luck gets it!'regards.ace_rick.
