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Cymbalta is an antidepressant used to treat anxiety, major depressive disorder, and pain for some patients.[1] It is the brand name for the generic drug duloxetine.
Cymbalta is an SNRI (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), which means that it increases the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine found in the brain.[2] It is slow-acting, and it can take days or weeks to have a noticeable effect.
Cymbalta is not a common drug of abuse and is not regularly included on drug tests. It is typically passed out of the body through urine within 5 days, but some traces can be found in hair follicles for significantly longer.
This table shows how long after use Cymbalta can be detected by different drug tests.
| Drug sample type | Cymbalta detection time |
|---|---|
| Urine | Can last up to 5 days, but no urine tests are currently available |
| Blood | 2-3 days |
| Saliva | No saliva tests currently available |
| Hair | 90 days after use |
- Cymbalta is an antidepressant that is rarely included on routine drug tests.
- Cymbalta takes around 6 hours after each dose to reach maximum concentration in the blood. It builds up with regular use to reach a steady state.
- It’s not recommended that patients stop taking Cymbalta suddenly, as this can lead to withdrawal effects.
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Cymbalta half-life: How long it takes duloxetine to clear from the body
Cymbalta has an elimination half life of 10-12 hours, although this can vary between individuals.[3] This means that half the amount of Cymbalta in the bloodstream is cleared from the body within 10-12 hours. If no more of the drug is taken, half the remaining Cymbalta will be removed over the periods of 10-12 hours until it has all been eliminated.
It typically takes 5 or 6 half-lives for a drug to be fully removed from the blood. In the case of Cymbalta, this is approximately 72 hours or 3 days.
Duration of therapeutic effects
Because Cymbalta is vulnerable to acids, tablets and capsules are coated in a substance that protects the medication until it has passed through the stomach. This means that it takes about two hours after taking the drug before it starts to be absorbed.[4] This can be delayed by several hours if the tablet is taken with a large meal or at bedtime.
Duloxetine typically reaches peak plasma concentration approximately 6 hours after taking a tablet. It usually takes approximately 3 days of regularly using Cymbalta to reach a consistent level of duloxetine in the blood.[4] It can take several weeks to feel the therapeutic effects, however.[5]
Cymbalta detection in drug tests
Cymbalta isn’t regularly included on standard 5- or 10-panel drug tests because it is not listed as a controlled substance or considered a drug of abuse. It also has accepted therapeutic purposes, meaning that employers should not consider the presence of Cymbalta a cause for concern.
Urine testing
72% of Cymbalta is excreted in urine, meaning that it can show up on specialized urine tests.[6] There are no urine tests for Cymbalta currently available, however. If such tests were available, they would be expected to detect Cymbalta up to 5 days after the last dose.
Blood testing
Cymbalta is found in the blood for up to three days, but blood tests for levels of Cymbalta are not routinely carried out.
Saliva testing
There are no currently available saliva tests for Cymbalta. Saliva tests are most commonly used by law enforcement or in crisis situations to detect whether someone is currently under the influence of a drug. This wouldn’t normally be a concern for Cymbalta.
Hair testing
As with most other drugs, Cymbalta can be detected in hair follicles for a significant period of time after ingestion, usually around 90 days. These tests can show the pattern and duration of use but they are rarely performed.
Factors affecting cymbalta detection
Cymbalta elimination can be faster or slower for particular patients, but these differences are relatively minor.[6]
Men typically have shorter elimination times than women, and smokers will often have shorter elimination times than non-smokers. Similarly, older people will usually take slightly longer to remove Cymbalta from their systems than younger people.
Practical guidelines before stopping Cymbalta
Stopping Cymbalta suddenly can lead to unpleasant withdrawal effects. The FDA recommends reducing dosage slowly to minimize these symptoms, although this doesn’t eliminate the possibility of experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
When stopping Cymbalta, potential withdrawal symptoms can include dizziness, headaches, and strange tingling sensations that feel like electric shocks (paresthesias).
It is imperative for individuals to discuss with their doctor before reducing or stopping Cymbalta. They should also contact their doctor again if withdrawal symptoms occur, especially if they are becoming difficult to cope with. Individuals may need to adjust how quickly they reduce their dosage or consider other medications to reduce the effects.
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