Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Has anyone had good results with cymbalta to treat RLS. I think it is approved for fibromyalgia. My neurologist gave me a Rx but I am cautious about trying because one of the side effects is RLS.

Cymbalta, duloxetine, is a SNRI. It increases serotonin and norepinephrine. Some people with PLMs and RLS/WED can take this class and similar classes (SSRIs) without issue. But, some cannot. None, that I know of, are ever helped by this class. The best you could hope for is no change.

BUT - if you have fibro, you may have to try it (or another similar) as these drugs are very beneficial for many with fibro. The good news is that only a small percentage of us are bothered by this class of drugs (depending on the drug, between 1 and 20%) but, since they can help so much with depression or fibro, they should not be avoided if they work.

I was first prescribed cymbalta by my rheumatologist when i was first miss diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It mildly help with my rls

I've found cymbalta to really help for my anxiety. Feeling less Anxious has helped with my restless legs. Now that I have been diagnosed with rls I know what I'm dealing with and have been able to cut out foods and add vitamins to my diet and modify my day which have helped, I've gone from 90 mg of cymbalta to 60gm without any symptoms, I'm hoping in a couple weeks I can go down further and hopefully be off it completely which is a wonderful thought as I've been on SSIR/SNRI for over 10 years. I don't think cymbalta is a great first line treatment for rls unless you suffer from anxiety. I hope my story helped

I don't think cymbalta is a great first line treatment for rls unless you suffer from anxiety.

You are correct in that Cymbalta is not a treatment for RLS/WED, but can treat anxiety and depression, fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes. Improvement in any of these can have an indirect beneficial effect on co-existing RLS/WED. Cymbalta is not a treatment for RLS, and appears to have no effect or, in some cases, a worsening effect on WED/RLS when taken for co-existing disorders.

I am likely among the very small class of people whose RLS was relieved measurably by Cymbalta. I still experience difficulty getting to sleep (I find myself waking after about 1.5-2 hrs), but during the last 80 percent of the night I do get decent sleep. Prior to that time I generally didn't get to sleep until about 4 a.m. and only slept until about 6.

Thank you for that. I didn't know.