Many Cymbalta users (and former users) have filed Cymbalta withdrawal lawsuits against Eli Lilly for allegedly misleading patients and failing to warn about the risk very severe side effects developing in Cymbalta users.

Cymbalta is typically used to treat major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, but it can also be used to treat certain kinds of nerve pain. It is not uncommon for patients to take antidepressants for longer than six weeks. 

Cymbalta withdrawal side effects are allegedly much stronger and more common than the warning label suggests. Drug manufacturer Eli Lilly implies that Cymbalta withdrawal side effects are uncommon, only occurring in 1 percent of users. Recent studies and findings suggest that withdrawal side effects actually occur in 50 to 78 percent of Cymbalta users.

Cymbalta Withdrawal Side Effects

Withdrawal symptoms can be short-term (a week or two) or as long as several months. Sometimes the symptoms occur after the patient has stopped using Cymbalta altogether.

Symptoms may include severe nausea, vomiting, mood swings, nightmares, brain zaps, tremors, and visual disturbances.

The Cymbalta labels state that the antidepressant should be swallowed whole and taken daily. Doses are set at 40 mg per day or 60 mg per day. Because of these instructions and the dosage amount, it could be very difficult for a Cymbalta users to slowly wean off the drug.

Some Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms developed as soon as one day off of the medication. Because of this, it makes it difficult to take Cymbalta every other day or every few days in order to stop using the drug. And the dosage cannot be reduced by cutting the pill.

Because of that, many Cymbalta users have found it to be very difficult to stop taking the drug. Some have claimed it took a year to stop using the drug itself, while still experiencing Cymbalta withdrawal side effects. Yet Lilly has not changed the warning label to include these risks or their possible severity.

In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a report containing information about Cymbalta withdrawal side effects. The FDA claims that the symptoms are more severe and common than Lilly has acknowledged and that advertising is misleading regarding Cymbalta withdrawal side effects.

Cymbalta Withdrawal Lawsuits

Both individual Cymbalta lawsuits and Cymbalta class action lawsuits have been filed over the past few years. Nearly 25 Cymbalta lawsuits were filed in August alone. Cymbalta lawsuits accuse Lilly of omitting Cymbalta withdrawal side effects risks from the label and from its marketing campaigns.

Lilly has made $18 billion in Cymbalta sales in seven years. A Cymbalta withdrawal side effects class action lawsuit investigation is underway.