Was admitted to hospital (Psychiatric ward) from Cymbalta

Diseases & Conditions Depression
1
I had a horrible reaction to Cymbalta!  It was awful.  I was sweating terribly, had hives, rash, could not eat anything (except soup or bananas) laid on the couch feeling drugged and groggy all the time.  It is delayed release, and I kept having flushing the whole time I was on it.  I was only on it for four days.  I would walk in the store, and embarrassed because I was sweating all over.  My friends called and said they started to get worried because I sounded so out of it.  I kept thinking it was only side effects and that they would go away in time.
 
Saturday I felt worse, and went to bed only to wake up at 3am having the weirdest feeling.  I could not get back to sleep.  I called my Doctor at 6am saying that I was having suicidal thoughts and felt hopeless and she told me to go to the emergency room.  I felt lousy, sweating, anxiety, just awful.  It is hard to explain.  This has never happened to me before.  I was admitted to the Psychiatric ward on the 8th floor.  A truly humbling experience and very frightening.  I was taken very good care of there and the Psychiatrists put me on Remeron for depression and Klonoplin for anxiety.  So far, I am doing a bit better, except I am still depressed.  They said it takes 4-6 weeks to get better and to give the Remeron a chance to work, but they said it was a very good antidepressant.  I am trying to be patient.  I also have a regular Psychiatrist I am seeing now and a counseler.  I won't be getting any more antidepressant advice from Medical Doctor.  I hope that helps as well.  I was just released on Wednesday.  I can't beleive I had to go to the Psych ward!  I do not like that Cymbalta!  They were confused as to why my MD put me on such a strong drug.
2
I would like to apologize if I scared anyone by my post. I will be more careful about what I share in the future.
3
I think that your post was important for people to read. I don't think that your intention was to scare but rather to inform people to really pay attention to their side effect symptoms on these kind of medications. I was put on Wellbutrin a while ago and I had a very bad reaction and started having suicide thoughts which I didn't have with my depression with no meds. My DH noticed this right away and called my doctor for me and he told him to tell me to get off of it right away. I am currently back on Zoloft and don't/never had this kind of bad reaction to it. Not all anti-d's work the same for everyone and its good that this is brought to people's attention so they know to look for the signs and realize that its caused by the meds and not them personally.

Des (dbab)
IBS, Diverticulosis, GERD, Disc Degeneration
"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it" - Mary Engelbreit
 
Please help Healing Well continue to help others by donating  http://www.healingwell.com/donate
 
 

4
Rianna, I hope that you are feeling better now. It is scarey to have bad reactions to meds.

I took quick note of the flushing you were talking about. I have been on Cymbalta for 6 months now and the hot flashes have gotten worse. I wondered if this was the result of my combinations of meds or from any one med. This week I did an experiment and missed a dose of Cymbalta and had no hot flashes UNTIL I took the next dose.
I will be seeing my Dr. on the 22nd. So this gives us a starting point.

I have no other complaints with it except extreme tiredness and will miss the restoration of my personality should I have to be put on another med. I have tried almost all of them. Have you had the extreme tiredness too while on Cymbalta ?
Thanks for posting !

Carina-1

5
Dbab, thanks for your kind post. It made me feel better about posting that.

Carina-1 - I was only on Cymbalta for the four days, and I did have extreme tiredness. I remember after taking my dose, I would just lie on the couch and feel very groggy and drugged. I think I did fall asleep a few times only to jolt awake. My friend said he took Cymbalta as well, and at work his heart started to race and was taken to the emergency room. I had the delayed response capsule (do they make other forms other than the delayed response) and every 10 minutes or hour or so, the flushing would come back and then I had a rash and prickly sensation on the back of my neck, chest and under arms. It was really weird. I am on Remeron now, and am doing well on it, and sleeping all through the night. No more waking up at 3am with night sweats. It is a pretty good drug. I hope it does not poop out on me in a month or so...
6
This is a forum of trust, understanding, love, and sharing. You felt the need to share your experience and it is important that others understand the risks medications can have. Thanks for sharing your experience.

We can respond to irritation with a smile instead of scowl, or by giving warm praise instead of icy indifference. By our being understanding instead of abrupt, others, in turn, may decide to hold on a little longer rather than to give way. Love, patience, and meekness can be just as contagious as rudeness and crudeness.
 
Randy
 
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating: http://www.healingwell.com/donate/

7
PLEASE DO NOT APOLOGIZE. PEOPLE NEED TO BE SCARED OF CYMBALTA. MY COUSIN COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER BEING ON CYMBALTA FOR NEARLY SIX WEEKS. 13 PATIENTS COMMITTED SUICIDE DURING CLINICAL TRIALS, BEFORE THIS GARBAGE WAS EVER MARKETED. THESE WERE PERFECTLY HEALTHY PEOPLE, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. ONE LADY REPORTED HAVING AN OVERWHELMING URGE TO RUN OVER HER HUSBAND WITH HER CAR. MY COUSIN WAS A BUBBLY, HAPPY, UPBEAT PERSON. I KNOW EVERYONE SAYS THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY LOSE A FAMILY MEMBER, BUT SHE REALLY WAS. NOONE COULD BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE IT WAS SO OUT OF CHARACTER. IF ANYONE READS THIS, PLEASE, DO NOT EVER TAKE THIS DRUG. IF THIS SAVE ONE LIFE, THEN MAYBE SUCH A PRECIOUS LIFE WASN''T LOST FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON.
8

HI. I POSTED LAST NIGHT about MY COUSIN WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE LAST WEEK.  I AM VERY SORRY FOR WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH, AND AM SO THANKFUL THAT YOU HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO GET HELP. NOONE SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER A LOSS IN THIS WAY.

     I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS. IF IT IS TOO PAINFUL TO ANSWER, I UNDERSTAND. I KNOW THAT HAD TO BE A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. MY COUSIN HAD NEVER TAKEN AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT BEFORE. I''M FINDING THAT EVERYONE WHO IS TAKING CYMBALTA HAS BEEN ON SEVERAL OTHER MEDS FIRST. IS THIS BECAUSE IT IS NEW? IT SEEMS TOO STRONG A DRUG FOR SOMEONE WITH SLIGHT ANXIETY, AND NO DEPRESSION OTHER THAN THE NORM.  SHE DIDN''T GET  THIS FROM HER DOCTOR. IT WAS A DOCTOR SHE HAD NEVER SEEN, AND HE WAS A GENERAL PRACTICIONER.  ALSO, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT NIGHT.  OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE ABLE TO CONTROL IT, BUT DID YOU FEEL OUT OF CONTROL AT ANY POINT? A LIFELONG FAMILY FRIEND WAS  LESS THAN 100 FEET FROM HER TRYING TO STOP HER WHEN SHE RAISED THE GUN AND DID IT. HE SAID IT WAS AS IF HE WASN''T EVEN THERE, AND SHE DIDN''T EVEN SEEM LIKE RECOGNIZABLE TO HIM. TO UNDERSTAND HOW UNBELIEVEABLE THIS WAS, YOU SIMPLY WOULD HAVE HAD TO KNOW HER. IF OUR FAMILY HAD MADE A LIST IN ORDER OF MOST LIKELY TO LEAST LIKELY, WE WOULD HAVE LEFT HER OFF COMPLETELY.  I DON''T WANT TO ADD TO YOUR STRUGGLES, BUT IF YOU CAN HELP US FIND SOME ANSWERS WE WOULD FOREVER BE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.

9
They put my daughter (no previous medication) on cymbalta just after Rianna's post. Because of Rianna's post, I read posts on many forums and everything I could find. Also because of Rianna's post, I have her call each day to tell me what side effects she is having and monitor her mood. Thus far about 10 days all is well and she is thinking more clearly than in a long time with what appear to be manageable minor depressions over things that would mildly depress anyone.

I also would like to know what side effects were seen, how the cousin responded to the med early on and later, and if warning signs were noticed prior to the suicide or in looking back.

bev
10
For these reasons, I think it is very important and critical to have Medications strictly monitored by Psychiatrists, as well as being seen by a Psychologist or social worker while on the medication. Medications are good, but they can't do it all. Lab tests are also (or should be) important as well. I will never again take a family Doctors advice to take a medication and will go to a Psychiatrist from now on. I feel Doctors only prescribe what the "newest" drug is or what they have the most samples of and that many do not know a lot about depression or antidepressants.

RANDIW, I am terribly sorry to hear about your cousin. My Doctor prescribed it to me as I have major depression and bad anxiety and they thought it would work well for me. I am on a different class of drug right now (Remeron) and except for strange, unusual dreams, have not had any other side effects and it has even helped with IBS, and joint pain...
11
HI BEV AND RIANNA. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY I TOTALLY AGREE THAT ONLY A PSYCHIATRIST SHOULD PRESCRIBE THIS TYPE OF MEDICATION. AS FAR AS ANY WARNING SIGNS, THERE WERE NONE. SHE SEEMED TO DO GREAT ON CYMBALTA TO START WITH. ONLY PROBLEM SHE HAD WAS TROUBLE URINATING. WE ARE PRETTY SURE THAT SHE MISSED 2 DAYS OF THE MEDS.  THAT CAN CAUSE A FAST ONSET OF MAJOR DEPRESSION. THING WAS, SHE WASN'T EVEN DEPRESSED BEFORE TAKING THIS MEDICATION. SHE WAS HAVING A FEW PROBLEMS, AND THOUGHT SHE WAS ON SOMETHING SIMILAR TO VALIUM. LIKE RIANNA SAID, GP'S JUST HAND OUT SAMPLES. BY LAW, CYMBALTA HAS TO HAVE THE BLACK BOX WARNING, AND ALTHOUGH IT IS CALLED AN ANTI DEPRESSANT, IT IS AN ANTI-PSYCHOTIC. JUST WATCH YOUR DAUGHTER CLOSELY, AND ABOVE ALL MAKE SURE THAT SHE NEVER, NEVER, EVER, EVER MISSES A DOSE. THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. MY COUSIN WAS GOING THROUGH SEVERE WITHDRAWALS AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH, BUT SHE DIDN''T REALIZE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO HER. THAT IS WHAT SEVERAL PSYCHIATRISTS HAVE NOW TOLD US. IT ISN'T LIKE AN ALCOHOLIC, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, SO IT WASN'T AS SIMPLE AS GETTING ANOTHER DRINK.
12
Rianna,
I know from personal experience the psych ward horry. Years ago, I had a reaction to Lorazapam. I took four .5 mg one night after a fight with my husband so I could sleep. I was in a conscience amnesia state for three days where over that course of three days, I took about 90-100 Lorazapam's. My husband did not call the paramedics til the night of day three. When the paramedics came, they pumped my stomach. I was told later if they did not, I would not have lived thru the night. My husband told the paramedics I tried to kill myself which I did not so they threw me into the psych ward. I woke up not knowing what the heck had happened. I was locked up against my will and could not leave. On day three, my husband comes into the psych ward to tell me he wants a divorce. The hospital would not release me for another two days because of the stress from the divorce news. During my 5 day stay, it was quite a life awakening experience. I met some scary people and other people quite normal like myself who were just depressed, in pain and lost. I was thrown in there with nothing but the clothes on my back so I've learned I can go anywhere with just a Q-tip and cotton ball if I had to. (and shaving my legs because quite the luxury) It was the absolute rock bottom of my life and yet the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned so much from the psych ward, the nurses and other patients.
The only disconcerting thing to me is the system. I never tried to commite suicide. I should have been in the medical part of the hospital not the psych ward. They just assume that since you're depressed, if anything happens, it's a suicide attempt.

Fibromyagia since 1997
Osteoarthritis
Bi-lateral Cervical Radiculopathy from C4-C8
Bi-lateral Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Bi-lateral Ulnar Neuropathy
Costochondritis
Cervical cancer-in remission
Depression w/anxiety attacks
Meds:
Wellbutrin
Xanax
Ultram
Plus vitamins and herbs
Accupuncture
Doctors want me on more meds but every single thing gives me awful side effects.
 

13

I have been on Cymbalta for about 9 days now and I feel SO much better! I've never been treated for anxiety/depression before so I can't say if this is better or worse than other drugs but it's working for me. I've had no thoughts of suicide or anything like that. I notice that things that were way stressing me out before now don't bother me at all. I'm better able to function without the crying jags, panic attacks and the feelings that I was all alone and no one understood me.

However, the first time I took it I thought I was going to throw up. Now I know to eat something more substantial than a few crackers before taking it. The nausea persisted for the first few days but it's gotten better and I think completely gone. Also, for the first few days I had a mild headache that I just couldn't get to go away. Now that's gone too. My only concern now is that I am having to urinate like 100 times a day. Getting up to use the bathroom is also disrupting my sleep. I've had plenty of UTI's in the past so I really don't think it's one of those. I'm wondering if anyone has every had kidney problems from taking this med. I'm going to call my doc today to find out what's going on.

Thanks for listening!

14

Hello Everyone,

I so agree that a Pdoc should follow the patient closely but having a family member montior you too is a great idea.

I had serious reactions to Serzone and Imipramine and ended up in ER with one admission overnight do to the physician not listening to me on one and the other he prescirbed the wrong dose(Overdosed me)

So stay educated and if it seems like something is wrong then insist on being your own advocate. Do not let your physician blow you off as it is "just your anxiety etc."

Patient's have rights..............

Forgot to mention, I do take Cymbalta but am weaning off as I want off so many drugs.  I am not sure who I am sometimes. :)

Kitt


 
Moderator Anxiety ~ Panic Disorders
*~* Not a mental health professional at all *~*
Dx: Anxiety/Panic, Depression, GERD, Osteoarthritis
*Wife of a Crohnie*
******www.healingwell.com/donate***
It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.~Mahatma Gandhi~
 

15
question-what is flushing?
16
btw, i personally think that was really brave of you to go to the ER.

thank you for sharing your story. i appreciate it in ways not even i understand yet. i hope that all gets better and feel better!
17
Glad that you got to ER-- sorry to hear that you had a Terrible experience,
unfortunately... some meds cause come poele to ahve Serious Life threatening reactions..
ny son became Suicidal on EFFEXOR he was on it for just over 6 weeks, he slept 18 hours a day... and he missed school, then was told not to come back to school until his meds were worked out..

The Dr decided to wean him off to the 1/2 doze 1 pill ; and that week he got EXTREME
suicidal talking, drawing,.. scared us we called the police & also doctor...
he was changed to
ZOLOFT -- instantly he was better NORMAL....
noraml WOW
eating
sleeping
balanced
**yesterday after being on it for a month -- he took it & 1 hour alter threw up,,
he said hsi stomach felt like ACID had invaded it...


ON another note, my Husband , also had terrible side effects from Effexor, and paxil... and Celexa;

after 4 years of terrible bechavior, loss of jobs, almost loss of marriage...
he started taking
Remeron -- after 2 weeks I ahd a NEW husband.
hes been on it a year; for the most part hes level... he worked ever since.. changed jobs 4 times but working full time none the less, he helps at home too,.\willingly.. he's rarely nasty any more
seems REMERON for him is the right chemical...

but there are side effects.. he lost sexdrive 100%.
so we aer more like roomates...
He has no feeligns any more...
its the medications...

He works,eats, watches tv,eats, watches tv sleeps,... REPEAT

I wish all the Best to you in finding the right medication.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength, they shall mount up on wings as eagles, they shall run & not grow weary, they shall walk & not faint..."  Ish   40 v. 31
 
~
Sjrogrens Syndrome, Asthema, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain, Head aches, Migraines, Gastro Intestinal Problesm, Fibro Myalgia ,Kidney Stones Esophegial Spasms,( L4 & L5 Vertebrae Misaligned,  Spinal Stenosis and Degenerative Disc Disease , Bulging Disc, anterolisthesis L4 L5 , caused by osteoarthristis ,  slipped Disc,  bone spurs, causing pinching or pressure  on spinal chord...), ~
 
 
Medications:    I am  TAKING   Lorazepam   1 mg  works well  when I am in   pain....  and Robaxacet as needed Tylenol Arthritis as needed ,vitamins  B complex, Calcium & Magnisium,  extra  Vitamin D ,Garlic,Acidophilous, 
 
  I am NO Longer taking   Endocet,(oxycodone HCL) Cyclobenziprine, Amitripline, Celebrex 200 mg ,Rhodiola RX (GNC brand) ,  
 

18

To Rianna and others whom have posted:

Rianna, I am so sorry to hear about your experience with Cymbalta and its end-result of you having to go to the hospital and end up in the psych. section.  I'll be honest, your story has always been one of my utmost fears.  I have been on meds now for about six years and everytime I have been switched to a new one I get nervous all over again.

A few months ago, I was switched over to Cymbalta.  I had been on Zoloft for 5 years and it was no longer helping me.  My therapist, who is also a pyschiatric nurse (APRN) that has prescriptive authority, suggested that I consider Cymbalta.  I of course came here to HealingWell to hear what people had to say about their own experiences.  As you can respect right now, I did hear a lot of poor feedback (and if I had read your story I most likely would not have switched over).  However, I also did hear some positive feedback too.  And with all the pros and cons that I read I then discussed them with my therapist as I truly respect her opinion and qualifications as well.

She let me know that in my case she was recommending Cymbalta because the initial SSRI (and the two supporting ones) were no longer working for me.  She explained that there is no exact science with these drugs, but that SSRI's alone (i.e. such as Zoloft and Celexa) are usually tried first and if these are not proven effective within a reasonable amount of time or stop working after XX period of time, then a second tier or class of drugs should be used.  I believe she mentioned Wellbutrin was one but she thought Cymbalta would be a good fit for me as it has both the SSRI and also norprhemine (spelling?). When used together these two drugs affect two different sides or different elements of the brain, and could help in minimizing the depression. 

Thus far, Cymbalta has changed my life....although it certainly hasn't made my problems go poof.  I am no longer a couch pillow 90% of the time, I have the ability to focus about 80% of the time now versus almost nothing before.  I do have the hot flashes, but I thought it was just me...now I'm not so sure.  I still do get extremely nervous and have other serious issues related to that; but I also still have a lot of serious stressors in my life. But, at least now I get some good days along with the bad ones, which for the first time leaves some room for hope for me.

In closing, I am in no way minimizing your experience(s).  I think it is truly awful and scares the heck out of me.  I will be paying even closer attention to my body and feelings. And I certainly understand and respect that you will never again take Cymbalta or recommend it to others.  However, I cannot deny the good it has done for me.  Perhaps it is something to do with the "not one drug fits all description"?? Or perhaps it could have something to do with the qualifications of the person who prescribed it - such as a general doctor versus a specialist?  Who knows?  Either way, you have been in my thoughts and will always continue to be.  You had such a terrible experience that you didn't deserve.  I'm hoping that you are feeling better now and will never have to go through this again. 

Cass

 

19
I to was in the Hosp p-ward Nov 16th I checked myself as I was hitting a real low.
I was at my family doc and was in the process of try to get a refill of Lexipro and she asked me if I had thought of suicide(I said yes) and she said I need the care of the Hospital as it was beyond her realm of help she could give and the meds they have would work faster, it was scary at first at the Hosp but I got a lot out of being there with other people like me. I hope you feel better and get the right meds.
20
This is to Carina-1.  Your question is the exact reason I have signed on to this forum.  I have never done this before.  Cymbalta makes me so tired, all I want to do is sleep.  I think all day about when the next time I can sleep will be.  I can function normally, drive, etc. but can't stand feeling like I need a nap and then afterwards, do not feel refreshed.  I drink coffee, sodas, take green tea and hoodia pills, to no avail. confused Does any one else have this problem and know what can help?