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Mental health

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Original poster

I am a bit confused about my medication.

13 replies

FourFortyFour · 27/02/2011 13:25

I was on 20mg of citalopram but are now on 60mg duloxetine. This sounds really stupid but are the new tablets 3 times as strong?

OP posts:

madmouse · 27/02/2011 16:10

Not necessarily - they are all very different, ie you can't translate them straight across and say that 60mg of one is more than 20mg of the other.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 27/02/2011 16:50

So they could be the same level?

OP posts:

madmouse · 27/02/2011 16:51

entirely possible - I would think a pharmacist can tell you

AimingForSerenity · 27/02/2011 16:53

Different drugs have different potencies so 1mg of one drug may be equivalent to a different no of mg of another.

Comparing the "mg" of medications is a bit like comparing different alcoholic drinks. A pint of beer will not have the same effect as a pint of wine or a pint of gin!

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 27/02/2011 17:13

So it is a waste of time wondering then? I really wish I had asked why they were being changed rather than assuming I knew why.

OP posts:

AimingForSerenity · 27/02/2011 17:25

Did your doctor not discuss the change with you? Were you having side-effects or were the Citalopram not effective for you?

If you are uncomfortable about it I would contact the prescriber and just ask them to give you some quick reassurance.

FWIW 20mg is the most common dose of citalopram and 60mg is the usual starting dose for duloxetine so it doesn't sound odd but do ask for ressurance as worrying about it won't help your health!

noddyholder · 27/02/2011 17:31

The dosage could be differnt in mg but not in strength iyswim.EG paracetomolo you can have 1000mg for aheadche etc but ibuprofen only 400 but they both work

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 27/02/2011 18:11

My GP doesn't know why they were changed either as it was a hospital doctor who changed them. Citalopram was working but caused a lot of weight gain.

OP posts:

Keziahhopes · 27/02/2011 20:17

All I know is that duloxetine is one of the new ADs about. You could ask a pharmacist for information, until you can see the hospital dr who changed your meds.

onepieceoflollipop · 27/02/2011 20:20

You could ring the doctor's secretary and ask if it would be possible to have a very brief telephone discussion and ask him/her directly.

Or your GP should get a clinic letter and the doctor will hopefully have given a reason.

Odd that the prescribing doctor didn't explain.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 27/02/2011 20:21

Thank you but a pharmacist won't know why he changed them but I hope they will be able to explain the difference in how the drugs work.

OP posts:

Keziahhopes · 27/02/2011 22:40

Yes, sorry that is what I meant - a pharmacist can tell you about the actual drugs and how they work.

Duloxetine was originally created as a drug for incontinence but was found to have good antidepressant qualities at different dosages... so you might get leaflets from the dr about it that appear confusing, but it is a drug that is different at different doses.

MogadoredMemoo · 27/02/2011 23:16

I was on 60mg of citalopram at one point and now I'm on 225mg of venlafaxine so it is common for the doseages to vary hugely between meds.

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