This is known as a withdrawal or antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.
Common withdrawal symptoms for duloxetine include dizziness, nausea, and trouble sleeping, among others.
Cymbalta belongs to a class of drugs calledserotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Getty Images /Bloomberg/ Contributor
Getty Images /Bloomberg/ Contributor
What Is Cymbalta Withdrawal?
Cymbalta withdrawal shows up when a person suddenly stops taking their medication or when they significantly reduce their dose.
How Long Does Cymbalta Withdrawal Last?
The recommended approach is to gradually taper the medication off over a long period.
Clinicians generally recommend gradually reducing the dose no less than two weeks before stopping treatment.
This would minimize confusion of symptoms from the taper schedule with natural stressors and help prevent disease relapse.
Taper schedules can be as long as four to six months when considering multiyear use of the medication.
You should also contact your prescriber, as abruptly stopping a medication like duloxetine can be dangerous.
They’ll have you follow a gradual tapering schedule and offer guidance on coping strategies.
Still, even when slowly reducing your dose, you may experience side effects associated with withdrawal.
The author would like to recognize and thank Chinonso Lloyd Paul for contributing to this article.
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