Review of Cymbalta

Cymbalta - What is it?

Cymbalta is an antidepressant among a group of drugs known as selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Cymbalta has an effect on brain’s chemicals that might have become unstable and result in anxiety, panic, depression or obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

It is used in the treatment of general anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. It is also used in the treatment of chronic pain disorder known as fibromyalgia and the pain from nerve damage in people having diabetes (diabetic neuropathy).

Cymbalta could be used for other purposes than what is mentioned in this medication guide.

Cymbalta - Important information

Cymbalta should not be taken together with a thioridazine (Mellaril) or monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) for instance phenelzine (Nardil), isocarboxazid (Marplan), rasagiline (Azilect), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam). You have to wait for a minimum period of 14 days after stopping the use of an MAOI before Cymbalta could be taken. Also, after quitting the use of Cymbalta, you should wait for a period of at least 5 days before you can take an MAOI.

Your suicidal thoughts could become more when you initially start taking an antidepressant, particularly if you are younger than 24 years. Your doctor will require checking you regularly, especially for the first 12 weeks of treatment using Cymbalta.

Immediate medical attention is required if you experience any new or worsening symptoms for instance, mood changes, anxiety, behavior changes, panic attacks, difficulty in sleeping, or in case you are feeling reckless, agitated, irritable, hostile, restless, violent, hyperactive (physically or mentally), have suicidal thoughts or are more depressed. Refrain from consuming alcohol while taking Cymbalta. Alcohol could increase the risk of liver damage.

Inform your doctor if you take medications that make you drowsy, for instance any cold medication, allergy medicine, sleeping pills, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and drugs for anxiety or seizures.

Cymbalta could have harmful side effects that may weaken your reactions or thinking. Be cautions in driving or engaging in any activity that requires you to stay alert and awake.

Cymbalta - Before taking it

Before you start taking Cymbalta, inform your doctor if you are allergic to any medication or have:

* liver or kidney disease;
* a history of drug abuse or suicidal tendency or thoughts;
* epilepsy;
* glaucoma;
* seizures;
* a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; or
* bipolar disorder (manic depression).

In case you suffer from any of these conditions, you might require a dosage adjustment or special tests to ensure Cymbalta is safe for you.

Your suicidal thoughts could become more when you initially start taking an antidepressant, particularly if you are younger than 24 years. Inform your doctor if the symptom of depression or having suicidal thoughts worsens in the initial weeks of treatment, or when your dosage is modified.

Your caregivers or family must also remain watchful to your mood changes and symptoms. Your doctor will require checking you regularly, especially for the first 12 weeks of treatment using Cymbalta.

This is categorized by the FDA as a pregnancy category C. Cymbalta could cause harm to a fetus and can result in problems for a newborn baby in case the mother has the drug in pregnancy (usually during the third trimester). Inform your doctor in case you are planning to get pregnant or are become pregnant whilst taking treatment. Duloxetine passes through breast milk and can cause harm to a breast-fed baby. If you are breast feeding, do not take this medication without consulting your doctor first.

Older adults might be more sensitive to Cymbalta side effects. This medication must not be given to a person below 18 years without the recommendation of a doctor.

Cymbalta - How should it be taken?

Cymbalta should be taken exactly as prescribed to you. Never take higher doses or take it for longer durations than what has been recommended by your doctor. Occasionally, your doctor might alter the dose of Cymbalta to ensure you derive the maximum results from this medication.

Try to take your Cymbalta dose everyday at the same time. You should follow the directions that are on the prescription label.

The delayed-release table should not be crushed, chewed, broken or opened. The tablet should be swallowed as a whole. If the tablet is broken or opened, it causes too much of the drug to be discharged at one time. It could take 4 weeks or more for improvement in the symptoms. For maximum results, take the medication as directed. You should not quit taking Cymbalta without consulting your doctor first. You might experience harmful side effects if you quit using this drug suddenly. Cymbalta should be stored at room temperature and kept away from heat and moisture.

Cymbalta – Missed dose

In case you miss a dose, it can be taken immediately on remembering. But, if it nearly the time for the next dose, you can skip the missed dose and continue with the scheduled dose. You should not take an extra dose to make up the missed dosage.

Cymbalta - Overdose

You should seek immediate medical attention if you believe you have taken an overdose of Cymbalta. The symptoms of Cymbalta overdose could include faintness, seizures, sleepiness, nausea, fast heartbeat, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, shakiness, and coma.

Cymbalta - What to avoid when taking it?

Refrain from consuming alcohol when taking Cymbalta as it could increase the risk of liver damage. Cymbalta could lead to side effects that might weaken your thinking or reactions. Be cautions in driving or engaging in any activity that requires you to stay alert and awake.

Inform your doctor of all other medication you regularly take, especially drugs that make you drowsy, for instance any cold medication, allergy medicine, sleeping pills, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and drugs for anxiety or seizures. These medications could increase the sleep effects of Cymbalta.

Cymbalta - Side effects

You should seek immediate medical help in case you experience any of these signs of allergic reactions – difficulty in breathing; hives or rashes; swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue.

Seek medical attention in case you experience any of the mentioned serious side effects when taking Cymbalta:

* nausea, fever, stomach pain, appetite loss, jaundice, dark urine or clay-colored stools;
* bloody, black, or tarry stools;
* difficult of painful urination;
* stiff muscles, sweating, high fever, uneven or fast heartbeats, overactive reflexes or tremors;
* headache, hallucinations, difficulty in concentrating, confusion, memory problems;
* nosebleeds, easy bleeding or getting bruised; or
* weakness, becoming unsteady, fainting, coordination loss, shallow breathing, seizure.

Some of the less serious side effects of using Cymbalta could be:

* blurred vision, dry mouth;
* sleepiness, faintness, spinning sensation;
* nausea, gas, constipation;
* lack of sleep (insomnia);
* muscle or joint pain;
* changes in weight or appetite ; or
* decreased libido, impotence, or trouble having an orgasm.

There may be side effects that are not listed here. Consult your doctor if experience any side effects to seek medical advice. You could report side effects to FDA at the number 1-800-FDA-1088.

Cymbalta – Other drug interactions

Inform your doctor before you take any drug for arthritis, pain, swelling or fever. It could be aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), diclofenac (Voltaren), piroxicam (Feldene), indomethacin, nabumetone (Relafen), etodolac (Lodine), or others. Using these medicines along with Cymbalta could cause bruising or bleeding.

Prior to taking Cymbalta, inform your doctor if you are using:

* a blood thinner for example warfarin (Coumadin);
* a diuretic (water pill);
* cimetidine (Tagamet);
* fluvoxamine (Luvox);
* lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith);
* linezolid (Zyvox);
* St. John’s wort;
* tramadol (Ultram);
* an antibiotic like enoxacin (Penetrex) or ciprofloxacin (Cipro);
* tryptophan (known as L-tryptophan);
* any other antidepressant such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), desipramine (Norpramin), paroxetine (Paxil), and others; or
* almotriptan (Axert), sumatriptan (Imitrex), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig) or rizatriptan (Maxalt).

There might be other medicines that are not mentioned here that could interact with Cymbalta. Inform your doctor of all the prescription as well as over the counter medications you are taking, including herbal supplements, vitamins, medications prescribed by other doctors and minerals. You should not begin taking a new medication without consulting your doctor first.

Cymbalta - Where to obtain more information?

You can ask your pharmacist for more information on Cymbalta.

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