Reply
Super Contributor
Posts: 1,342
Registered: ‎10-13-2011

Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

I have been on Cymbalta for about 8 years for my fibromyalgia. It seems to do a great job of controlling the fibromyalgia. However, I began to suspect that a couple problems I was having were related to the Cymbalta, since they started about the time I went on the Cymbalta.

I have been having excessive perspiration (particularly on the head and face, but elsewhere too). Fortunately, I live in a dry climate, but there are days when the humidity is up, and even when it is not up, I can perspire excessively. I'm well beyond menopause age...65. Even putting antiperspirant on my forehead doesn't stop the perspiration.

Then, I noticed that almost everytime I buy bras, I have to go up a size! Maybe some women would like this, but I don't. In 8 years, I've gone from a 36-C to a 42-D. I have gained less than 10 pounds since going on this medication. I wear a size 8 in pants, and have a 26 inch waist. However, I am up to a large or extra-large in tops due to my breast size. My breasts are also very tender due to this problem.

A little research on the internet revealed that...yes, antidepressants can cause excessive perspiration and mammoplasia (breast enlargement in women). I went into the psychiatrist who prescribes my medications for the fibromyalgia and depression that typically goes along with the chronic pain. I brought her copies of articles I copied off the internet about these two issues. She was actually very surprised, and said she was going to share the articles with her colleagues. Right now, we are trying to wean me off the Cymbalta and find another medication that will help instead. It seems that the SSRI drugs are the problem and increase the prolactin...which increases breast size. One article I read said that after you discontinue these medications, your breasts can go down in size. I'm hoping this happens...otherwise, I'll be going in for a breast reduction.

I'm just wondering if any of the rest of you are noticing either of these problems? Apparently they are not common side effects, but they are being reported more and more, so they are not uncommon either. Even my pharmacist did not know about the mammoplasia. He had heard about some drugs causing breast enlargement in men, which is called gynecomastia.

Here are just a couple articles if anyone wants to check them out:

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion
Contributor
Posts: 39
Registered: ‎07-13-2010

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

HEY, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ME! No kidding, Madisson! I have been on Cymbalta for a number of years. I have major heat intolerance. When it gets hot outside, my face turns red, and I start sweating like a pig (so to speak). Very unattractive. Also, I have gained about 10-12 pounds. But the major problem is that my breasts keep growing.........I think that this might have started around the time I started Cymbalta. I used to be a small 34B, but now am a 40C! I am having problems finding tops that fit. Breast reduction is out of the question, because it costs lots of money! I have printed off your articles (thank you), and I will be taking them to my PCP on Tuesday. I want her to look them over and maybe change my medication. I have been able to wean down from Cymbalta 60mg to Cymbalta 30mg. I have been on the lower dose for about a year now. Thanks for your informative message!{#emotions_dlg.thumbup}

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,342
Registered: ‎10-13-2011

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

punky48, I'm sorry you are having these issues too, but I'm glad to know someone else who is actually experiencing the same problems. I know what you mean by sweating like a pig. I mean, I have to have a cloth in my hand and mop my forehead and face at times...also down my back, my neck, etc. I just drip. It is horrible. My hair gets wet from all the perspiration too!

As far as the breast growth goes, I'm beginning to look a little like Dolly Parton! (Not an attractive look IMO.) I'm hoping my breasts reduce in size after I go off the medication, but if they do not, I'm going to try to get my insurance to cover a breast reduction. I have been having a lot of upper back pain since my breasts inflated. This is well documented by my doctor.

Right now, my psychiatrist cut me from 60 mg of Cymbalta to 30 mg for a month. Then she raised my Neurontin to 1800 mg a day, hoping that will cover the fibro pain. We shall see. She has some other ideas too as I wean off the Cymbalta. It is all a matter of wait and see how things work.

Good luck talking to your doctor about these problems. I hope she is understanding, and I hope going off the Cymbalta will resolve your problems. Smile

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion
Valued Contributor
Posts: 698
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

i take Cymbalta for nerve pain. When it was originally prescribed, I looked through the list of side effects. Of course I get the "sweat like a pig" one. I'm overweight and really wasn't a fan of heat before because I would sweat. Now, I take a shower, dry my hair and I sweat bullets from my head. There are days I think- why did I bother to dry my hair!

I am someone who failed Lyrica (weight gain and swelling of hands and feet) and its cousin Neurontin (nightmares). I also can't take NSAIDS. Even though the Lyrica and Neurontin worked, the side effects made me discontinue treatment.

The Cymbalta works wonders for my nerve pain. Since I'm limited on what I can take, I am forced to deal with the excessive sweating.

I'm so happy to know that I'm not alone with this symptom.

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,342
Registered: ‎10-13-2011

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

pepes mom, I am happy the Cymbalta is working for you...if you can just put up with the side effects! My worst sweating is from my head also. I have a terrible time stopping the sweating after a shower also. I try to take as cool a shower as possible, but somehow, it seems to stimulate the sweating. It won't stop for an hour or so. It is horrible.

I had really long hair until last week when I got it cut very short. I have a horrible time now even getting my hair dry because I am sweating profusely. I drip from the top of my head also. Once I get my hair styled, I keep sweating from the exertion of styling my hair, and my hair literally gets totally wet again and causes it to turn into ugly pin curls. I don't know where that curl came from all of a sudden! Any little thing I do that causes exertion (even just dusting) will cause the sweating to start up again. I even sweat when it is cool out.

I saw a dermatologist for my sweating once. He called it hyperhidrosis. He said he could do botox injections in my head to stop the sweating. Otherwise, he recommended putting antiperspirant all over my body wherever I sweat from (but I can't put it on the top of my head, and it doesn't help anyway!). He also said there is a medication that may help. It is called Robinul. It is supposed to perform miracles. You have to take it in addition to your Cymbalta. Unfortunately, I was allergic to it.

I can't wait until I am completely off this medication. I feel for you having to stay on it, but talk to your doctor about adding Robinul. You might want to read some of the reviews online about Robinul. Here is a link to some of them:

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=12827&name=ROBINUL#top

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion
Super Contributor
Posts: 503
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

I not only have the perspiration, I have the blurry vision as well that goes along with Cymbalta. I can only take 30mgs daily, anything higher and my vision gets too darn blurry and I can't drive :-/

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,342
Registered: ‎10-13-2011

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

Hi FatCat, I've heard of the blurry vision problem. Thank goodness I don't have that in addition to everything else going on! I feel for you having the perspiration. Sometimes I have to change my clothes two or three times a day...especially my underwear. Let's hope that researchers are working on another type of antidepressant that doesn't cause this problem.

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion
Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,238
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

OK, so maybe 6 or so years ago I noticed I was sweating like crazy. It was embarrassing. I started reading and it kept point to possible thyroid problems.

Every time the thyroid was tested it came back very low, but just over the OK line (this is a problem most people experience with thyroid problems, it doesn't show up).

I finally went to an Endochrolologist (I still can't spell it). Long story short, I took care of my 34 year old daughter in May as she had 1/2 of her thyroid removed (she had a growth the size of an orange, all on the inside of her throat).

My oldest daughter gets growths 1/2 that size, but her's are fluid and she gets them drained.

Mine aren't big but the Dr says it is almost certainly cancer (even though it keeps coming up 'questionable'.

I have been told I will have to have at least 1/2 of it removed (they won't know til they get in there).

I'm telling you this because (check it out) the statistics prove that at least 38% of females have thyroid problems. My oldest daughter has friends who've had operations. It is amazing at how many people have had thyroid problems.

Many of them (like me, like my daughters) when tested showed borderline thyroid low levels. Yet Drs continue to check them (which is fine) but they say, "It's acceptable". Meanwhile women continue to suffer with symptoms like you and I had. There are also other symptoms that I bet you have that goes along with Thyroid.

Please have it checked but if it is OK, don't rule it out. I hope you feel better soon.

Oh! The irony of the sweating problem is that even though I sweat like crazy (still) I have to take a prescription that increases the saliva because I have terrible dry mouth. It has caused enormous dental problems.

Please check all of this out. Don't let these Drs brush you off and tell you there is nothing there.

Super Contributor
Posts: 299
Registered: ‎01-30-2011

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

I haven't read all the responses yet because I got so hyper reading the OP's post. I have been on Prozac for over 10 years for depression and anxiety. My chest has gotten so huge, and I never thought that it might be the Prozac. It just is so frustrating. Yes, I know that weight gain is something to expect after menopause (age 61), but this chest thing is something else. I am grateful that they are healthy, but they are huge and make me look so much bigger than I am. I never had that issue. I had a chest, but not of this size. I read that someone said that their chest could have their own zip code... yeah..that is me. I also have really bad night sweats. I get drenched.

I was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The Dr. was thinking of putting me on Cymbalta in place of the Prozac. I was on Lyrica, but it also causes weight gain and I had some side effects (calf muscle tightness and pain)....so I went off of it.

I am really going through a rough time with the fibro, and I also have degenerative arthritis in my lumbar...cervical and lumbar stenosis.

There used to be a thread for those of with fibro. I wish there was a thread that we could start so we can discuss...etc. If anyone is interested, maybe we can start one.

Anyway...going to read the rest of the posts. Thanks for starting this discussion.The timing for me was perfect.

Michelle

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,342
Registered: ‎10-13-2011

Re: Question For You Gals on Chronic Antidepressant Therapy

Mishell5, isn't it exciting to finally find a possible answer to your problem? I know what you mean about the size of your breasts. It does make you look fat when you have breasts that are too large for your body. I had to LOL when you mentioned that one woman said her breasts could have their own zipcode! {#emotions_dlg.laugh}

I'm sorry to hear that you have fibro too. Hope you can find a medication that helps control that and doesn't cause mammoplasia. I looked all the way through the Cymbalta package insert, and nowhere on it is mammoplasia mentioned. The hyperhidrosis is mentioned.

You might want to try Neurontin; however, you have to go on it very, very slowly. Otherwise, you will be very groggy. I have been on it about 14 years, so it doesn't bother me anymore. It does help with various types of pain though.

Good luck. I agree that we should start a fibro thread.

Some people do drugs. I do shoes....Celine Dion