Does Cymbalta Cause Weight Gain?

Guest · Posted: February 10 2006 Post subject:

I've been taking 60 milligrams of Cymbalta for 3 weeks, and I have no unpleasant side effects, only a loss of appetite and weight loss of 5 pounds so far. (Five pounds is a lot on me.) My appetite is slowly coming back, and weight loss is slowing down, but I'm still wanting food less and on a downhill slide on the bathroom scale.

lgunner40 · Guest

I have been taking 30 mgs. of cymbalta for 3 months now. I don't have FM but severe Restless Leg Syndrome. I have a lot of pain in my feet and legs. I was lethargic and depressed. I got to the point where I would sit in my family room and just stare out the window for hours. I'm also taking 1800 mgs of Neurontin. After the Dr. put me on Cymbalta, I felt like a new woman. I was also nauseated and experienced a loss of appetite for two weeks but now I feel like I'm hungry all the time. I've only gained 5 lbs. I try to do the Atkins diet which I was on for two years with great results but can't seem to stay on it. I've totally lost my sex drive since I've been on the Cymbalta which is really distressing because I've always enjoyed an active sex life. I can't sleep at night so the Dr. gave me Halcion. I love it!!! I'm asleep in 10 minutes and wake up feeling refreshed without the drugged, hazy feeling. I have started experiencing dizziness and headaches. Don't know what's up with that.

This is the first time I've read this sight. I've enjoyed reading everybodys comments.

verymuchalady · Guest

I have been in a fibromyalgia study since December, 2005, testing the effects of Cymbalta on the symtoms of firbromyalgia. When the study began, I was miserable, but since I have been on this drug, my life has improved drastically. My mood is so much better and the pain is gone. My sleep is much improved and I'm not so draggy. My appetite was less in the first two weeks, but it's back now, much to my regret. But overall I would have to say that I'm very pleased with my results so far. I guess time will tell, as I am in this study for a little over a year.

guest · Guest

I take cymbalta for major dep and fibro. I was dropping wt like crazy, no appetite, sad, no interest, etc. It has made me feel much better. However, I experienced ROAD RAGE the 1st time in my life while traveling on the interstate. Maybe it wasn't related but simply due to the EXTREME rudeness, impatience, reckless driving, of the other drivers. I slept better at first but then had wakenings every 2-3 hrs to urinate which made me very wiped out the next day and worse. Dr decreased to 30 mg and the wakenings stopped. I get lots of work done now. I care about things again. The weather and barometric pressure falling and less than 30 causes pain and discomfort to return. Rainy and cold weather are rough.
I previously took elavil for years but had been off of it for about 2 yrs until this recent bout of severe depression which is related to my youngest daughter's (30 yrs old) errors in judgement, financial woes, and her inability to resolve her own problems and constant calls to me to solve her problems. She had to move in w/me April-August which preceded my depression and inability to snap out of it regardless of what I tried.
I have not gained any weight fm it. I sometimes have had to add ambien at night since the awakenings began. I mostly am awake til 1 or 2am, have difficult mornings. If I work too long at a time on the computer I have a very tough time. Frequent rest breaks are necessary w/fibro or at least not working non-stop all day///////
also take ultram or ultracet.....some days i don't need it.....
i hope this helps.
Wink

Guest · Posted: February 21 2006 Post subject:

i have been taking cymbalta for about 6 months now. it replaced paxil. i love the cymbalta i noticed a difference within a week. my depression is GONE. i am now also, on clonzepam, for anxiety, (nervousness) (worry wart) it is also wonderful. thank God for these pharmacutical companies. however between the 2 drugs i have NO sex drive. the meds have also helped my leg spasms during the night. i take them at the same time every evening

blenny · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1

STAY AWAY IF AT ALL POSSIBLE! check out anxietyhelp.org/treatment/medication then click on cymbalta.

kitkat9 · Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

I have been taking cymbalta and have been experiencing rapid weight loss. It's funny cuz I have tried diet pills in the past like Trimspa and Farenheit but they didnt work too well. My dr. said the 60mg dosage may be rough on the stomach, but I didnt expect to lose 15 lbs in 3 weeks.

janeygirl · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

garde · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Posts: 3

Yes I had low libido as a side effect from Cymbalta too. My doctor advised me to take Sentia to return my sex drive and it gave the results. So now I combine them.

venita · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 1

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I have been on every antidepressant known to man, always seem to go back to proza even during pregnancy and nursing. I changed Dr's and she had the idea that cymbalta would help me since I had just lost my dad and had alot of headaches, stabbing in my back etc. she started me out at 30mg for the first week, i was only nauseated for the first day. after that week she bumped it up to 60 mg and I began not being able to shut my eyes at night even with taking .05 xanax, I stayed up and ate carbs ans sweets all night, eventually would fall asleep around 2-3am MY appetite was through the rough I gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks, and continually kept going up. now I am afraid to weigh. I went back to the dr. she stopped the cymbalta and kept me on wellbutrin wich i was taking with the cymbalta and we are waiting to see what happens I told her to expect a call. I don't know If I will ever shed these pounds, my sex drive is zero, Can't even stand the thought of it. Like some ofyou others I have a wonderful husband who is trying to help me find help in any way he can. I also have pms really bad cymbalta did seem to help with that. but it was not worth all the weight gain. Also, I burned up all the time I prespired when it was zero degrees so embarrasing!!! so here I am back to the old faithful prozac and wellbutrin it is a pretty good cobination for me. Hope this helps. I have enjoyed reading everyones input and hang in there surely some how some way we will make it through all this.

rtlopez · Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 1

I have been on Cymbalta (60mg) for approximately 3 months now. I have gained 30 pounds within that time. My eating habits haven't changed. I am not exercising as much as I should. But this is a huge amount of weight to gain in such a short period of time. It initially did help my anxiety and depression somewhat. But now I am even more depressed and feel isolated with the weight gain. I know that Cymbalta is supposed to be weight neutral but I feel that maybe since it's a newer antidepressant there may not be enough long term studies. Just my opinion. Best wishes on your decision.

acadang · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

i'm not quite sure if Cymbalta causes weight gain, but it might be a huge possibility. I currently under the 60mg dosage, and have not seemed to lose weight.In fact it feels that I have put some on. I am a "full contact fighter" in training, and despite the hours of intensive training and decreased food intake, I seemed to gain rather than loose, people say i bulked up, but that doesn't help. What does help is the fact that I feel so much more in control of myself than I did when I was on Zoloft, or Buspar. I guess nothing is perfect. It seems that there is some evidence that Cymbalta initially caused decreased appetite, but doesn't it stand to reason that after tolerance, it may increase appetite? Anyone with info send me an e-mail to acadang@hotmail.com. Aloha from Hawaii Question

chays · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

Overall I think Cymbalta is a good antidepressant but I'm in the process of weaning off it (which is KICKING my backside!) because I've gone from 125 to 145 lbs in the past 5 months! I've never gained weight like that, aside from being pregnant (which I'm NOT). I'm not a fitness nut but I'm careful to exercise and eat moderately most of the time. I'm not concerned so much about the end-weight but that it's extremely uncharacteristic and there's no apparent reason for it (i.e. my eating and exercise habits haven't changed). One thing that was confusing to me was that I was on it for about 6 months before I started gaining weight. I did a little research online and found a couple of articles that said it's common for weight gain to start 6-9 months into treatment. I hope this helps because being unfamiliar with common side-effects of SSRI's, I wracked my brain trying to figure out what could be putting weight on me that rapidly. I guess I'll know in a couple of months if Cymbalta was the culprit afterall. Laughing

karin · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 1

I started Cymbalta in March because my doctor told me I was depressed. I went from 118 to 131.5 as of today. (5'3.5") I have no appetite and eat very little, but It seems I gain a pound every couple of days. Before, I could eat anything and not gain weight. I had a metabolism to be envious of at my age of 46. Also, libido is DEAD. Before sex three or four times a week and an orgasm 80/90% of the time. Still have fun sex with hubby, he is so wonderful and understanding, but I miss my "icing on the cake."

aveedazane · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 1 Location: Milford, NH

I too am taking 90 mg of Cymbalta and have gained 40 pounds in six months. I've been seriously thinking about coming off this medication. I take it for depression and bi-polar disorder. I experience blurred vision and diziness especially when I forget to take the meds first thing in the morning. I think I'm going to try taking 60 mg and then 30 mg to wean myself off this stuff gradually. Of course I'll also mention it to my doctor as well. The weight gain is dangerous for me because I have diabetes as well and now weight over 200 pounds at 5:5. Thanks for the input about Cymbalta, this forum is great.