Does Cymbalta Cause Weight Gain?
Several side effects are possible with
Cymbalta® (
duloxetine hydrochloride), and weight gain does appear to be one of them. This data comes from clinical trials where Cymbalta was extensively studied and its side effects were documented.
Understanding Side Effects and Clinical Trials
Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies, where thousands of people are given a particular medicine and are then compared to a group of people not given the medicine. In these studies, the side effects are always carefully documented. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
In these studies, up to 2 percent of people taking Cymbalta for
fibromyalgia experienced weight gain. For the other
Cymbalta uses, weight gain was reported as a frequent side effect, occurring in at least 1 percent of people, although the exact percentage was not reported. However, it is more typical for people to lose a little weight while taking this drug.
Suggestions for Weight Gain With Cymbalta
If you are taking Cymbalta and weight gain becomes a problem, talk to your healthcare provider.
He or she will do a physical exam to look for other causes of this, such as certain types of medical conditions. If the problem remains unexplained, your healthcare provider may give you some suggestions, such as eating
heart-healthy foods, exercising more, and limiting your intake of alcohol. If the weight gain continues, he or she may also recommend other lifestyle changes or possibly switch you to another medication.
(Click BMI Calculator to see if your weight is within a healthy range.)
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