As suicidal ideation and behavior in clinical trials are rare, the results for any drug taken separately usually do not reach statistical significance. The potential for liver damage and worsening mental health symptoms makes it a combination to be cautious about. Always prioritize your health by staying informed and working closely with your healthcare provider. Cymbalta, the brand name for duloxetine, is a powerful antidepressant that works by balancing brain chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine.

Alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain function and alters perceptions and emotions. While moderate alcohol consumption can be relaxing, excessive use can lead to dangerous impairment. Understanding these effects is crucial when considering the additional impact of mixing alcohol with Cymbalta. Some say that an occasional alcoholic drink may be OK while taking Cymbalta, but only if you discuss it with your provider first. It’s difficult to determine how much alcohol it takes for a harmful interaction to occur, which is why it’s usually discouraged. Essentially, no amount of alcohol is considered completely safe while a person is taking an antidepressant.

• The inclusion of an event in the table is determined based on the percentages before rounding; however, the percentages displayed in the table are rounded to the nearest integer.
• This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice.
• SNRIs alleviate depression by altering chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) used to transfer information between brain cells.
• Combining Cymbalta and alcohol may heighten the risk of liver damage, especially in people with a history of heavy drinking or liver problems.

Quitting Drugs or Alcohol Comfortably: The Power of Gallus Medical Detox

Study FM-1 was three months in duration and enrolled female patients only. Study FM-2 was six months in duration and enrolled male and female patients. Studies FM-1 and FM-2 enrolled a total of 874 patients of whom 541 (62%) completed the trials. A total of 354 patients (234 CYMBALTA, 120 placebo) were enrolled in Study FM-1 and a total of 520 patients (376 CYMBALTA, 144 placebo) were enrolled in Study FM-2 (5% male, 95% female). The patients had a baseline pain score of 6.5 on an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worse possible pain).

Worsened Side Effects of Both Substances

Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications affect dopamine levels in your brain. This can help you have fewer food cravings and feel more full or satisfied after eating. Alcohol can also cause these symptoms, so using both together may make them worse. Alcohol also affects your blood sugar levels and can lead to other side effects that Ozempic can make worse. Please call our center to learn more about how our medication-assisted treatment can help you reach your health goals. We also offer a variety of aftercare programs to provide you with support once you’re back out in the real world.

When the Side Effects of Cymbalta and Alcohol Worsen

Otherwise, if you feel you’re not having problems with the amount of alcohol you consume, speak to your physician regarding the amount of alcohol that you actually can drink while you’re on a Cymbalta regimen. The FDA reports that alcohol has depressive effects on the nervous system and can interfere with the positive effects Cymbalta has on the brain, thus making treatment less effective. Shannon Weir, RN is the Chief Nursing Officer at Gallus Medical Detox Centers. She has been a Registered Nurse for 30 years, Shannon’s experience ranges from critical care to flight nursing, medical detox, sexual assault exams, and SWAT nursing. Shannon has been with Gallus Medical Detox Centers since 2010 and is a vital part of our organization. Experiencing any of these symptoms after mixing Duloxetine and alcohol should prompt an immediate call to your doctor.

• Each medication is different, so don’t assume that because it was okay to drink when taking another antidepressant, it will also be alright to consume alcohol when taking something else.
• If you experience side effects or have concerns, it’s essential to seek medical advice.
• There is no information on the effect that alterations in gastric motility may have on the stability of CYMBALTA’s enteric coating.
• There is no evidence that doses higher than 60 mg once daily confer additional significant benefit and the higher dosage is clearly less well tolerated.
• CYMBALTA demonstrated superiority over placebo as measured by greater improvement in the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS) for GAD severity score see Clinical Studies (14.3).

Alcohol may heighten this risk if it is consumed while you are taking your medication. While it may seem like alcohol can lead to improvements in mood in the short term, it likely will contribute to an increase in mood symptoms such as depression and anxiety over the long term. Cymbalta (duloxetine) is used to treat major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder and …

2 Postmarketing Experience

Serious skin reactions (eg, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome) can occur during treatment with this medicine. Make sure your doctor knows if you are also taking other medicines that thin the blood, such as aspirin, NSAID pain medicines (eg, ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, or Motrin®) or warfarin (Coumadin®). Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. Since diabetes is frequently complicated by renal disease, consider a lower starting dosage and gradual increase in dosage for patients with renal impairment. Cymbalta is not generally considered addictive, although your body can become dependent on it.

Quitting Cymbalta cold turkey can produce unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Some doctors is mixing cymbalta and alcohol safe may use a titration approach, starting with a lower dose of 20 mg daily and then increasing the dose by 20 mg every week until the desired effect is reached. Symptoms of MDD include overwhelming sadness, anger, loss of interest in activities and trouble sleeping.

These enteric-coated pellets are designed to prevent degradation of the drug in the acidic environment of the stomach. Inactive ingredients include FD&C Blue No. 2, gelatin, hypromellose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sucrose, sugar spheres, talc, titanium dioxide, and triethyl citrate. Activated charcoal may be useful in limiting absorption of duloxetine from the gastrointestinal tract. Administration of activated charcoal has been shown to decrease duloxetine AUC and Cmax by an average of one-third, although some patients had a limited effect of activated charcoal. Due to the large volume of distribution of duloxetine, forced diuresis, dialysis, hemoperfusion, and exchange transfusion are unlikely to be beneficial.

In conclusion, while Cymbalta can be a valuable tool in managing depression and other mental health conditions, it must be used responsibly. Mixing Cymbalta with alcohol poses significant risks, including worsening depression, liver damage, and heightened side effects. Individuals should prioritize their mental health and well-being by abstaining from alcohol or seeking guidance from healthcare professionals if they choose to drink while on medication. In addition to the increased risk of liver damage that occurs when it’s mixed with alcohol, Cymbalta can make symptoms of depression and other mental conditions worse. The concomitant use of serotonergic drugs (including other SNRIs, SSRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, buspirone, amphetamines, tryptophan, and St. John’s Wort) with CYMBALTA increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during treatment initiation and dosage increases.

Syncope and orthostatic hypotension tend to occur within the first week of therapy but can occur at any time during CYMBALTA treatment, particularly after dose increases. The risk of falling appears to be related to the degree of orthostatic decrease in blood pressure (BP) as well as other factors that may increase the underlying risk of falls. A major depressive episode may be the initial presentation of bipolar disorder. It is generally believed (though not established in controlled trials) that treating such an episode with an antidepressant alone may increase the likelihood of precipitation of a mixed/manic episode in patients at risk for bipolar disorder. Whether any of the symptoms described above represent such a conversion is unknown.