Has anyone else experienced elevated blood pressure and heart rate when on Cymbalta? Does it go away? I'm on day 12 and I cant help but worry it's COVID. Like is my heart rate that much faster or am I out of breath? Or maybe the out of breath feeling is because I'm anxious and don't know it.
Cymbalta or COVID: Has anyone else... - Positive Wellbein...
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Cymbalta or COVID
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Plato38
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Hi Plato38,
I don't think that you can assume it's one thing or the other. If you are worried, you should seek proper professional advice.
The symptoms of COVID-19 and the side effects of Cymbalta (duloxetine) would generally be quite different, but of course it's always important to report back to your GP if you have side-effects from any drug, because sometimes those can be serious in their own right. So unless you have been warned that there will be side-effects from Cymbalta, and that they will go away, please do seek professional reassurance.
It does sound like you may be a bit anxious which I can totally understand.
I would definitely contact your GP to say how you are feeling and your symptoms.
Take care and stay safe
4fishylady• in reply to
I took Cymbalta for 2 years and do not remember those side effects. I can only say that I wish you weren't on that drug. I remember having an extremely high stress level even while on that drug. I would have bouts of uncontrollable anger. When I got tired of having no emotional feelings, being numb to everything, I decided to taper down and off of it. It was much more difficult than I ever had any idea of. I would advise you to look up the withdrawal effects, if you decide to come off of it. (It took me being on Lexapro and Xanax for several months to get off of it.) I have taken Lexapro on three different occasions for 9 months or more and was able to easily taper off of it, when my life settled down. I am currently taking no antidepressant.
I honestly tapered off Zoloft before Cymbalta and I had a difficult time with that. I felt dizzy and had vertigo and head rushes, so I feel like they are all hard to come off of. What dose did you take?
I don't remember the dosage exactly, but it was the normal dosage, and I asked to be reduced from that and got the lower dosage. When I was tapering off, I broke those capsules apart and took half, as best as I could for several months. I read afterwards that some people took just a few of the granules at a time while tapering off. My daughter, a nurse, said she read that this med was meant for you to never come off of it. I'm sorry, but that med is bad stuff. During this covid mess, I will admit to having a lot of anxiety, but I am still taking nothing except for 1/2 of a xanax .5 at bedtime. I pray and turn to my faith in God, through reading my Bible, a couple of times each day, and He gives me peace and even joy inside to keep on going. You are in my prayers.
Yes!! The same thing happened to me with Cymbalta - it was HORRIBLE. One of the worst things I've experienced coming off of it. It took about three months for me to get better. I wish everyone luck and support trying to get off Cymbalta! And yes to the original poster - I had elevated heart rate and increased anxiety when I was on it. And when I was trying to come off it all of that got worse. But you will get through it. If you are not comfortable being on it, I would say work with your MD to taper off before you've been on it any longer.
I was on Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia and never had any of those side effects, and do not recall those being any of the "known" side effects, at that time.
However, I highly recommend you contact the MD who prescribed it for you. They know you and your medical history best and will know is this may be a new side effect or maybe something related to another med you might also be taking?
We are ALL unique and all can have very different side effects from, when in doubt always reach out the medical professionals.
Good Luck and hope you feel better very soon.
Did you have a hard time coming off Cymbalta? I keep hearing horror stories and that is not making me feel great about being on it. The pharmacist said it's the same coming off it as any other antidepressant.
I took it for Fibromyalgia (not as an antidepressant) so I do think it's different and the dosing is also different. It was pretty much brand new back then and it's been many years.
If I remember correctly my dose never was higher than 40 mg (started with 20 mg once a day and slowly move up to 40 mg, but I think now they go to as high as 120 mg, so that may also make a difference in how you feel and how you will need to taper.
It was no longer working for me, and because I don't like taking any 'meds' that are not helpful, I knew it was time to me to stop it. I did taper off very slowly. I went from 40, first down to 20mg...then 20 every other day for a week, they every 3 days etc until I was finally off. It took quite awhile and because I went slowly it saved me from the side effects.
I have heard that it can be difficult to go off for people, and that's why it's very important to taper slowly. I did not have any problems going on or off, but again, it varies by patient and by dose. It's definitely not a mediation that you should never just stop, I'm sure your MD will instruct you in what is best for you.
Take care,
Lisa
Thank you Lisa. I'm glad to hear you had a good experience. It's been weighing on me all day. The worry about if this is the hell I will go through when going off it. I now know if I miss a dose, to take it right away and not wait till my next normal dose.
I never had those side effects while in Cymbalta, but realize we are all different and it can vary.
To be safest I'd suggest you call your doctor and get their professional opinion and ask about a Covid test.
Take care and be well.
Thank you. It's definitely withdrawal syndrome. It's a very familiar feeling I get every time I ever missed zoloft. Only zoloft had a longer half life so when I missed a dose, it didn't mess me up this much.
Very sorry.....
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