Several plaintiffs have recently filed Cymbalta lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer, Eli Lilly. The lawsuits allege that Eli Lilly failed to warn the medical community and the general public about severe withdrawal side effects associated with taking the popular antidepressant.

Product liability lawyers believe the number of Cymbalta lawsuits filed against Eli Lilly will continue to grow as information spreads and consumers learn more about Cymbalta withdrawal.

The U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) approved Cymbalta in August of 2004. Cymbalta, generically known as Duloxetine, is a popular antidepressant often prescribed to treat severe depression and generalized anxiety disorder. In some cases the medication is used to treat nerve pain caused by diabetes and fibromayalgia, along with chronic musculoskeletal pain resulting from chronic back pain and osteoarthritis.

The medication is an SNRI inhibitor, which works by affecting the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Some neurotransmitters can cause stress or anxiety when their excretion levels are elevated. SNRI medications help to regulate these excretions.

Medical professionals have known for many years that abruptly stopping SNRI antidepressant medications can cause patients to suffer from antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, or antidepressant withdrawal. In patients who have taken the medication for 2 months or more, 1 out of every 5 will experience withdrawal symptoms. Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms usually include disturbances in sleep, mood, and sometimes flu-like symptoms. Usually these symptoms are fairly mild and self resolve after a week or two.

Unfortunately this has not been the case for many patients experiencing Cymbalta withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms were so widespread and severe that the FDA released a warning about the severity of the Cymbalta withdrawal and the extended duration of the symptoms.

According to the FDA report, Cymbalta withdrawal affects many more users than Eli Lilly initially admitted. Eli Lilly told consumers that Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms occur in 1 to 2 percent of patients, but studies have shown that the actual percentage is 50 to 78 percent of patients. Studies suggest that withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe and can take between one week and several months to resolve. Withdrawal symptoms include brain zaps (shock-like sensations), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, vertigo, insomnia, nightmares, and dizziness.

Overview of Cymbalta Lawsuits

Product liability attorneys are available for potential plaintiffs looking to bring Cymbalta lawsuits. Awards and settlements from these lawsuits may help victims pay for medical bills, as well as compensate victims for the pain and suffering they endured due to taking the medication.

Whether to file a lawsuit is a decision that should be made on a case-by-case basis with the advice of a legal professional. The lawsuits that are currently filed against Eli Lilly assert claims for negligence, breach of warranty, false advertising, and product liability.

The Cymbalta lawsuits also allege that Eli Lilly aggressively advertised and marketed Cymbalta even though the company knew patients were unaware of the actual risks associated with taking the medication. The plaintiffs allege that Eli Lilly chose not to disclose the actual risks of taking Cymbalta because they feared it would affect their overall revenue.