Recent studies suggest that up to 78 percent of Cymbalta users experience withdrawal symptoms after they stop taking the antidepressant medication.

Cymbalta is commonly prescribed to treat depression as well as anxiety and fibromyalgia. Users report that the withdrawal side effects can be horrific.

Numerous Cymbalta lawsuits claim the drug manufacturer Eli Lilly intentionally omitted the risk of Cymbalta withdrawal side effects from warning labels. Common withdrawal symptoms associated with the antidepressant include brain zaps (electric shock sensations in the brain), dizziness, mood swings, and tremors.

Those who have experienced Cymbalta withdrawal side effects report the symptoms can take up to several months to stop.

What is Cymbalta Used For?

After FDA approval in 2004, Cymbalta quickly became a best-selling  antidepressant. Eli Lilly designed the medication to increase levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, which help regulate mood. Eli Lilly also claims Cymbalta may even be able to stop pain signals from traveling through the brain.

While it is most commonly prescribed to treat depression, Cymbalta is also approved to be used to treat general anxiety disorder (GAD) as well as nerve and musculoskeletal pain. It is estimated that between 2004 and 2011, Eli Lilly generated around $18 billion in Cymbalta sales.

Cymbalta Withdrawal Syndrome

Eli Lilly warned consumers that withdrawal symptoms were rare and only occur in about 1 percent of patients, yet studies and even an FDA advisory committee report show that’s not the case.

In 2009, the FDA released a report that concluded Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome is more serious and more common than Eli Lilly has acknowledged. The report also found that the manufacturers have not found a clinically proven protocol for safely discontinuing Cymbalta.

According to the Cymbalta warning label, withdrawal symptoms may occur if patients stop taking the drug abruptly. Manufacturers recommend tapering off slowly in order to avoid this possible side effect.

Cymbalta users say it’s not that easy, as Eli Lilly does not offer a smaller dose. Because the medicine is in capsules, a user does not have the option to halve the dosage.
In addition to the withdrawal symptoms listed above, consumers who tried to discontinue using Cymbalta abruptly have reported the following withdrawal symptoms:

• Severe nausea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Hot and cold flashes
• Nightmares
• Paresthesia (sensation of tingling, tickling, prickling, pricking, or burning of a person’s skin)
• Visual disturbances

Cymbalta users who felt misled by the manufacturer have filed Cymbalta withdrawal lawsuits against Eli Lilly for failure to warn about the risks.

Cymbalta Withdrawal Lawsuits

The number of Cymbalta withdrawal lawsuits continues to grow. Plaintiffs allege the manufacturers knew of the withdrawal risks but intentionally left the safety information off of the warning label so it wouldn’t hurt Cymbalta sales.

Patients claim the “rare” status misleads consumers who may even suffer from withdrawal symptoms after missing a single dose.

Some Cymbalta lawsuits allege that because the drug’s half-life is less than a day and the medication is prescribed to be taken once daily, there’s even a high probability of suffering from withdrawal effects even while currently using the product.

Plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation from Eli Lilly over allegations of false advertising, negligence and unfair business practices.