Cymbalta side effects and medication interactions
Cymbalta side effects of
this antidepressant
Cymbalta
side effects cannot really be anticipated, but if any develop or intensify you
should contact your doctor as soon as possible. Only your physician can
determine if the Cymbalta side effects make continuing this antidepressant
prohibitive.
Cymbalta side effects may
include:
Appetite changes,
constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, headache, insomnia,
nausea, sexual difficulties, sleepiness, sweating, tremor, urinary difficulties,
vomiting, or weakness.
Potential interactions with
other medications and food
You should never take
Cymbalta with other antidepressants called MAO inhibitors such as Nardil,
Parnate and Marplan. Also, this medication should never be taken with the drug
thioridazine (Mellaril). You should always talk to your doctor first before
taking drugs that act on the central nervous system such as antipsychotics,
narcotic painkillers, sleep inducers or tranquilizers.
You should not take the
antidepressant cymbalta if you drink alcohol more than occasionally.
When cymbalta is taken with
certain other drugs, the effects can either be increased, decreased or altered
in some other way. It is especially important to check with your physician
before taking this antidepressant with any of the following:
-
Antibiotics known as
quinolones, such as Cipro, Floxin, and Trovan
-
Antidepressants known as
tricyclics, including Elavil, Pamelor, and Tofranil
-
Antidepressants that raise
serotonin levels such as Effexor, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft
-
Antipsychotic medications
known as phenothiazines, including Compazine, Prolixin, Serentil, Thorazine,
Trilafon
-
Flecainide (Tambocor)
-
Fluvoxamine
-
Propafenone (Rythmol)
-
Quinidine
Some additional cymbalta
side effects and reasons this antidepressant should not be prescribed:
You should not use cymbalta
or any other antidepressant for that matter, if it causes an allergic reaction.
In addition, you should not take this depression medication if you have such
cymbalta side effects as narrow angle glaucoma, a disease that causes increased
pressure in the eyes.
Absolutely never combine
cymbalta with an MAO inhibitor such as Marplan, Nardil or Parnate. Also, a very
serious side effect of cymbalta may occur if you take the drug thioridazine
(Mellaril) with Cymbalta, as it could cause fatal heartbeat irregularities.
Information and webpage by
Paul Susic
MA
Licensed Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate
(Health and Geriatric Psychologist)
