RJG Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Hi! I wanted to warn everyone taking Cymbalta about the Liver damage it caused me. If I hadn't gone to a new PCP, then I would have never got my blood drawn and never realized that my liver was being damaged. My PCP told me that another 3 months on Cymbalta would have KILLED ME. My liver is seriously damaged badly. PLEASE WHATEVER YOU DO EVEN IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE.... GET.... ROUTINE.... BLOODWORK.... DONE. JUST DO IT. I have been off of Cymbalta for about 4 weeks now and my liver tests are much better, but are still extremely high. As of friday my AST were a 214, and that is a LARGE decrease as to what they were. What would you prefer.... Happy pill or Happy liver? Personally I'm going for the happy liver. TAKE THE FUCKING LIVER TESTS IF YOU AREN'T AND EVEN IF THE DOCTORS SAYS THEY AREN'T NECCESARY BECAUSE THEY ARE. MY PSYCHIATRIST SAW NO REASON TO DO BLOOD WORK ON ME.... GUESS WHAT? HE WAS WRONG. YOU DOCTOR IS NOT SOME BENEVOLENT ENTITY, AND MEDICAL MISTAKES ARE THE 3RD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chUCKIT Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 scary thanks for the warning think I'll talk to my gp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 So after a year of cymbalta + wellbutrin + drinking heavily and Tegretol now added to the mix . . . I'd rather not know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Thanks for the warning. I had the summer off from all my doctors, but I'll see my PCP next week and tell him what happened to you. Wait 'til he sees my cholesterol, after a summer of corn on the cob (with butter), pork ribs and no exercise. Now I have my liver to worry about. sigh Not that we're beating up the messenger with the bad news!!! olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfreaks Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 How long had you been on Cymbalta before you discovered this? Is severe liver damage listed as a side effect on the PI sheet? That is scary and makes me want to insist on some periodic bloodwork even though my pdoc said it was not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJG Posted September 6, 2005 Author Share Posted September 6, 2005 I had been on Cymbalta from November to February then wen't off of it for personal reason, although bloodwork done at that time showed elevated liver tests and functions. And then I restarted it in early May and stopped it this past August. I don't know if the side effect is one the PI sheet or not, but my pyschiatrist said he wasn't planning on doing any, anytime soon. But with the successes of Vioxx and increased suicide risk of antidepressants that wasn't listen for almost 15 years as a side effect, I'm willing to bet that most PI sheets aren't exactly accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_mel1_* Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Ok, I'm really glad I stopped taking cymbalta, even though it took a lllooooonnnnngg time to taper off of. mel1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulu Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Good info to know. I know these things don't happen to everyone but pdocs need to do follow up blood work on anyone prescribed meds that mess with your liver, so often they don't. That is another reason I love crazyboards, the exchange of information that you can follow up on if it seems applicable. Lord knows the pdocs don't tell you anything about possible serious side effects unless pressed. When I was first dx'ed bipolar and pdoc put me on Lithium, she had not ordered any blood work first or after, until I went mental and went to my GP who ordered the tests for me. Same with Epival/Depakote, had to ask for blood tests again. When I went to pdoc today I was to see about going on Cymbalta and she said it is not available in Canada. Lucky me I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 BetsyRocket---just a "heads-up"---Cymbalta is one of the ADs that clearly says in the PI sheet that it is not to be taken with alcohol. There's also a warning on the pill bottle. Don't know if you're a smoker, but that decreases Cymbalta's efficacy by 20% or so. I'm not as knowlegable about meds as others on this board, but I understand that Cymbalta is very hard on the liver. That would make it foolish to take this drug with a lot of alcohol. My doctor said the proverbial "one glass a day" is okay and probably not dangerous. But wine or beer, not the hard stuff. Just trying to help! olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJG Posted October 9, 2005 Author Share Posted October 9, 2005 I just wanted to bump this for any of the new guys/girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jafco Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 I've been taking all these meds, which are all going to give the liver a good work out. It's not just Cymbalta. It's called hepatoxicity, some drugs are worse than others. I have been diagnosed with HEP C which only complicates matters. The way I look at it, it's better than drinking a case of beer a day and abusing opiate analgesics (your Norcos, Vicodin, and such). Now that I'm not drinking and popping pain meds all day (all that Tylenol, geez), think I probably would qualify to be put on the liver transplant list. For now I have some hepatic impairment, and my enzymes run high, I've had EVERY liver test on earth and even a biopsy. The combo treatment, Pegalated Interferon and Rebetol, are worse than the disease. Don't blame it on one drug, everything we put into our bodies have to be metabolized by the liver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Liver update: Had my bloods done a few weeks ago and my liver function is fine. I've been on Cymbalta (60mg) six months now. My primary care doctor says that everyone on crazymeds should have the blood test on the liver function every 3 months, and a urine test to stay on top of sugar and protein levels. He also kids me that he's checking for illicit drugs...strange sense of humor. As Jafco says, everything goes through the liver. I'd be ready to blame most people's problems on alcohol abuse before I panic about Cymbalta. olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jafco Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Liver update: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfreaks Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 My primary care doctor says that everyone on crazymeds should have the blood test on the liver function every 3 months, and a urine test to stay on top of sugar and protein levels. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What about those of us w/ no insurance? Can we get away with having it done less frequently? Funny, neither my GP or pdoc thinks I need to have any tests done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kthreekids Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 So glad to hear your labs came back ok...I get mine done for cholesterol ...hum....that could be a problem huh? Lipitor and Cymbalta....both through the liver? well...I will have it checked! kelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bianca Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 This is very good news to take to heart. But like a few others have said the likely hood that Cymbalta alone will do all that liver damage is very unlikey. Alot of other drugs such as Wellbutrin also say don't drink with it either. I really think that if someone has a some what bad liver then it will have a serious effect. Obviously we shouldn't be drinking like mad people. But a few here and there shouldn't quite hurt us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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