Cymbalta is one of the many options of antidepressants for American patients to choose from, to manage their mood disorders. Unfortunately, each antidepressant comes with its own set of risks and side effects, with one of the constants being Cymbalta antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is when an antidepressant prescription is suddenly stopped, interrupted, or reduced in dosage, resulting in a variety of negative side effects. The Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms can vary from minor flu-like signs to sleep deprivation or disturbances in sleep and overall mental functioning. Medical experts state that this side effect occurs in approximately 20 percent of all antidepressant patients who discontinue their medications they were on a prescription for six weeks or longer.

While some antidepressant withdrawal syndrome symptoms are normally mild, lasting up to one or two weeks and are normally gone after the medication is reintroduced, antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can cause extreme confusion and disorientation patients and should be treated with caution. Medical experts warn that this antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is more likely to occur with long-term prescriptions and if the patient is making self-imposed discontinuation decisions regarding the antidepressant. In other words, patients who suddenly take themselves off their antidepressants are more likely to suffer this condition.

However, healthcare providers state that the best way to prepare patients for this antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is by having physicians educate their patients, as well as encouraging patients educating themselves. By having a strong awareness of potential problems that could arise from abruptly ceasing the antidepressant medication, patients may be more likely to follow prescription instructions. Ultimately, this will reduce the risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome to the patient and will allow the patient a better understanding of the antidepressants he or she is taking.

While this condition is common, experts stated that is associated with several well-known antidepressants, including Cymbalta.

Overview of Cymbalta Withdrawal Complications

As mentioned before, Cymbalta (Duloxetine) is a popular antidepressant that is used to treat major forms of anxiety and depression. It was approved by the FDA in 2004 and is proudly manufactured by Eli Lilly, turning millions in profit for the company every year. Cymbalta is apart of the SNRI (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) drug family. SNRI’s work by inhibiting certain hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, which allows for a balanced control of mood, emotions, and pain. While many patients have reported positive results after using Cymbalta, many have also reported that this drug comes with severe withdrawal symptoms, including antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

Patients have reported experiencing several Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome side effects, such as blurry vision, vertigo, nausea, and other withdrawal symptoms. The most infamous of Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms would be the “brain zaps,” as patients report experiencing electric shock feeling in their brains.

Eli Lilly has been repeatedly criticized for misleading customers to believe that discontinuation syndrome was an uncommon event in the case of Cymbalta withdrawal, suggesting patients are only a 1 percent risk of experiencing Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms. However, in an analysis published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers found that the change of severe withdrawal symptoms from Cymbalta was much higher, stating that about 44 percent of all Cymbalta patients are vulnerable to withdrawal symptoms.

This has spanned a series of Cymbalta withdrawal syndrome lawsuits, filed by patients who suffered severe withdrawal symptoms after stopping Cymbalta. Each of these patients claim that they were insufficiently warned about the risk of Cymbalta discontinuation syndrome, stating that they never would have taken Cymbalta if they had known about the possibility of withdrawal symptoms.