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Cymbalta and Weight Gain

Clinical studies of Cymbalta and weight gain have shown that at least 1 percent of people taking the medication reported weight gain as a side effect. However, it is more typical for people to lose weight while taking Cymbalta. If you do notice weight gain while taking Cymbalta, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. He or she can recommend some lifestyle changes, such as eating heart-healthy foods and exercising more, or may suggest switching to another medication.

 

Does Cymbalta Cause Weight Gain? -- An Overview

There are a number of possible side effects 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.
 

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 uses of Cymbalta, 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 Cymbalta.
 

Cymbalta and Weight Gain: Suggestions

If you are noticing a weight gain with Cymbalta, talk to your healthcare provider.
 He or she will do a physical exam to look for other causes of weight gain, such as certain types of medical conditions. If the weight gain 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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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;