Duloxetine

[Claraoswald36]

I have been prescribed this instead of citrlopram. It's day 4 I think and I'm very bombed out still. The first day I felt car sick all day but this has passed.
Any experiences?

I used to take this for nerve pain in my spine. I don't mean to be negative but I take a LOT of medicine, including some pretty hard-core pain relief and these are the only drug I would never touch again. Never really noticed any out of it feelings though sorry, tricky little fuckers did absolutely nothing, didn't help with the pain either. I used to take 60mg 1at night.
Now I say they did absolutely nothing, that was until I asked to come off them as they were shit. Even on a properly managed tapering schedule the withdrawal symptoms were horrific! Massive electric shocks in my head all the time, leg pain, awful. It took months of having one every second day(30mg) to finally get rid of them. Eugh.
But as for any carsick, dizziness etc I honestly felt no side effects at all. Or maybe I did but I am chronically ill so its hard to tell really as I feel pretty yucky a lot of the time.
I hope they work out better for you but felt I should warn you! Good luck!

Please, please stop taking them because they are very addictive and almost impossible to get off. There are other drugs to try - this was pretty much a last resort for me. Still not convinced they actually helped tbh.

I've managed to get down to 20mg per day (taken months) and the withdrawal effects kick in with a couple of hours of being late taking them now. I'm not sure I'll ever get any lower.

In the US the manufacturer is being taken to court due to the lack of warning about how bad the withdrawal effects are and how difficult they are to get. Loads of forums about it

Slightly different experience here. I take 30mg daily for anxiety and depression. It took about a week for the initial side effects (tiredness, constant yawning and feeling a bit spaced out) to subside. I do feel nauseous for about an hour or two after taking my dose but gaviscon helps and it does pass. I take it in the morning as I can't sleep with the nausea, at least in the daytime I can distract myself.

I feel better now than I have done for months. I was becoming increasingly withdrawn and agoraphobic but am now able to go out alone. My friends and family have commented on how much better I seem and I'm preparing to go back to work, which felt impossible a few months ago.

I've taken lots of different anti depressants over the years (for anxiety as much as depression) including citalopram, fluoxetine and sertraline. I really struggled with heightened anxiety taking sertraline and struggled to come off citalopram but know others who've had good outcomes with these. I do think it's a case of finding the medication that suits you and balancing the therapeutic benefits with any side effects.

I know I'm just a stranger on the Internet, but please ignore pp advice to stop taking them, until you've spoken to your GP. SSRIs and SNRIs are well known for their withdrawal symptoms so shouldn't be stopped suddenly. Not everyone will experience difficult withdrawal, although some will and it's unpleasant to say the least. I don't know whether I'll be affected but right now the benefits outweigh the risks for me. I'm also taking the lowest dose (up to 120mg can be prescribed) on the understanding with my Dr that we start at the bottom and only take the minimum required to see an effect.

Hope this helps and you feel better soon.

OP has only been on them 4 days so the withdrawal effects would be the same as the starting them effects. I wouldn't say it if anyone had been on them longer term.

Nor am I saying that can't help BUT I think they should be a last resort after the other ones have been tried.

Pfizer are being sued in the US over the withdrawal effects and had I known that the "rare" side effects stated in the leaflet were actually "very common with a notable risk of suicide" I would have thought a lot harder before agreeing to take them.

I have been on other similar drugs before, none have the withdrawal effects these do. When I was on the verge of attacking my family with the anger and irritability reducing the dose caused I realise just how much all the forum users weren't exaggerating!!!!

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Random. I wasn't even bloody depressed when I started on them, they were solely for pain. I tell you, I felt pretty anxious and low after months and months of withdrawing from them! I'm not surprised they are being sued. I was given them by a pain management consultant I think it is really irresponsible.

Thanks everyone. Gp prescribed them as I stated citrlopram killed my sex drive though I noted this was also in the listed side effects for Duloxetine.
Over the last 15 years I've had seroxat - massively increased suicidal feelings. Mirtazipine - not bad and no withdrawal issues. Fluoxetine can't even remember but citrlopram made me have these weird drunken feeling moments coming off it but they were just that, moments.
This dose is 60mg

I had a quick look online but couldn't find any pages referencing a law suit against Pfizer. Duloxetine was developed by Eli Lilly under the trademark name Cymbalta. There have been claims against EL but the most recent has just been thrown out by a US jury on the basis that the withdrawal symptoms of SSRIs/SNRIs are already well known and documented (search serotonin syndrome) and this was made clear to patients: fibromyalgianewstoday.com/2015/08/10/eli-lilly-co-cleared-u-s-jury-first-cymbalta-withdrawal-lawsuit/

Duloxetine was developed as an anti depressant but is licensed for pain relief in fibromyalgia and diabetic nerve pain, amongst others. Not just "bloody depression". It would have been extensively trialled for these indications, including withdrawal. I'm sorry you've had such bad experiences but your doctor should have explained the risks and benefits, including any withdrawal symptoms, so I'd agree that he/she was irresponsible. I'm not minimising your experiences but I think the OP deserves to hear a range of opinions. There's no conspiracy to cover up withdrawal associated with this drug and of course any forum supporting people going through withdrawal isn't going to have lots of posts from patients who've had successful outcomes.

OP, every SSRI I tried also killed my sex drive. Duloxetine did reduce it but nowhere near as much as citalopram or fluoxetine. So it's a compromise for me. I know one other person taking it who said the same.

I forgot to mention something last side effect which surprised me at first. Really lucid dreams - some are completely bizarre and I can remember them for ages afterwards. Not nightmares so not unpleasant, just unexpected!

Will you be able to see your GP again soon? It might be worth discussing the side effects and any concerns about withdrawal in detail with them. Good luck

Hellebelles I really appreciate your post. I'm not planning to come off ads any time soon it was a long decision process to start them again.

I know what you mean. I'd been off them for a couple of years but was really struggling with anxiety. But I was also reluctant to start them again and getting anxious about side effects, long term use/dependency. In the end it's been about finding a balance. I didn't mean to assume that you were going to come off them either, so I'm sorry for that. I was just alarmed by the tone of some of the previous comments. We've both had enough experience of ADs (sadly) to know how to manage coming off them.

The doctor who first prescribed them was a private psychiatrist that I was referred to via my work health insurance. I appreciate its not an option for everyone sadly, but having an unrushed hour to go through everything made a big difference. I can send you her details via PM if you're interested.

And do feel free to stay in touch if you need some hand holding or a duloxetine taking buddy! It's good to have some support. All the best

Thanks, another appreciated post. Gp referred me for counselling too which I am hopeful about. My work (v emotive and part of the issue) paid for an amazing counsellor copious of years back but the welfare at work thing has changed and I can't access her anymore.
In some ways my mental health is better than it has been in a long time but the occasional lows are so crippling they really frighten me. I can't bear to look at my dc (3 and 6) and feel life isn't worth living. It's not fair on them or me so I'm hoping reintroducing ads will create some mental stability.

Haven't read the full thread but I have been taking duloxetine for a few months now, I had quite bad nausea for the first two weeks but that passed. It also affected my sex drive for the first two months or so but that also passed and now I feel like I am back to my usual self but without the crippling depression which is great. The only side effect that has lasted is that I find I wake up more frequently during the night but as it also makes it a thousand times easier to get up in the mornings I don't actually mind.
All I would advise would be to make sure you get it from the same pharmacy each time as then you will get the same brand. Otherwise slight changes might affect you.
I have tried loads of antidepressants over the years and this is honestly the best I've ever taken.

Hi sew thanks for your post that makes me feel really optimistic

I hope they work as well for you as they do for me. My doctor prescribed them because I also have fibromyalgia and we were trying to kill two birds with one medicine as it were.
Winter is usually my worst time of year as I primarily have SAD and I honestly haven't felt this much like myself this far into winter since before puberty.

Also, if it's relevant at all, Lloyds pharmacy stock Cymbalta which is the name branded version , or at least the one near me does. I don't know if it actually makes a difference but it feels better to me to take that rather than generic versions (also the tablets match the colouring of the packaging which I find incredibly relaxing).

Well if you've tried everything else on offer that is a different situation. I can honestly say I don't think long term they have helped with my severe depression and I am now stuck on them probably for the rest of my life because the withdrawal symptoms are that bad and even tapering down slowly seems unlikely to work as each small reduction on alternate doses brings on symptoms and then if I ever forget to take one it starts with the full blown room spinning, brain shuddering, unable to function and emotional instability.

Yes it was EL just has the wrong drugs company in my head at the time. I really am not alone in these awful side effects otherwise there never would have been those prepared to take them to court in the first place.

I have never had issues like this when taking and then coming off other anti-depressants they are in a league of their own and I'm not someone usually sensitive to drugs anyway.

Random sounds grim

It has been! I am no utterly religious about taking them at the same time each day and I'm at the point where the next step is trying to reduce the smallest capsule somehow on alternate days but won't be even trying for a few months yet.

What frustrates me is that is the length of time that it took (and takes) to access any proper MH therapy support that meant I relented and tried them in the first place! I still have bad days that are incredibly bad because all the core reasons why I struggle still exist so they really don't see to have helped. I cope with life better because so many external factors have changed - no longer bullied at work, have a partner who is being emotionally engaged, have come to terms with some issues sort of thing.

The reduction from 60mg to 50mg took months as I'd been on them a couple of years at this point.

Few years back I was referred to mh support in my nhs trust. Before I could access cbt they insisted I went on a stress management course with about 50 other people it was horrific and I couldn't cope with it. I have told new gp I need talking therapy and that the above is not an option. He thinks he can sidestep it but I'm not optimistic

I first had long term therapy that ended in 2003, I then had to go through the system again with this next episode (which took years) so had therapy from Oct 2013, it had to end Nov 2014 as the therapist left the NHS. I had since moved PCT areas so couldn't just go on the top of the waiting list there; despite a referral letter from my therapist and having been seen by psychiatrists I have had to start again from the beginning - including a 3 month wait for the phone assessment, waiting until Sept 15 to see a counsellor, thankfully as he was also a fully qualified psychotherapist he agreed that the prescribed 8 sessions of counselling weren't going to be any help so he referred me on. Finally see someone for the next assessment in a few days time.

There is no psychotherapy department in the whole county anymore, it is so frustrating when you know you need help and CBT isn't it as there seems to be virtually nothing else available anymore. The whole MH system is in crises and they wonder why suicide rates are increasing - you can't get help if you ask for it and finding the right type of help privately is difficult too not to mention unaffordable for most if you're looking at long term intervention.

I hope you get appropriate help quickly, I'm sure if I had accessed the help I need back in 2010 instead of having to wait over 3 years I wouldn't have got as ill plus I would have recovered much quicker. As for the PCT contracted out counsellor I saw back in 2013 was so awful he actually made me worse - he kept telling me off for expressing my feelings rather than exploring them with me. Nightmare!

Haven't read the full thread but I take duolextine (q
120mg daily) . Felt sick at first but 6 months on my depression is much, much better good luck with them.

Random, that sounds awful

Mental healthcare provision is just awful, not to mention patchy and disjointed across different trusts. I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time. I hope you're next assessment goes well and you get the support you need. ADs can help (or not!) but I don't think they tackle the root cause of distress for a lot of people. It seems like there's minimal non-drug help until a patient reaches crisis point and by then surely it's more costly and difficult to treat.

Best wishes for your treatment and recovery

Thank You so much for the info I have just collected a percription for these, over 30yrs ive tried all the ones you have, just want the old me back but always very nervous about new ones but ive had 2 horrible weeks of what they called a 'medication holiday' before starting them. I assure you it was no holiday!! 😢

Been on 60mg duloextine for 6/7 months. Side effects to begin with weren’t as bad for me as venlafaxine was. Besides frequent night wakings can’t say I have any other side effects now. As for withdrawals if I happen to miss a couple of days (I’m sometimes forgetful) then I can feel nauseas and head feels whoozy. Wouldn’t advise just quitting them or any medication cold turkey.

I can say I did eventually get off them!! I had to but special scales open the capsules and tip a bit out so would alternate between 20 and 15 mg for several weeks then 15 each day for a few weeks, then alternate between 15 and 10 and so on.

In the last months it was literally a few mg every other day. Much better off them and now don't take anything and don't need to.

I hope they are still working for those with chronic pain conditions

Duloxetine is highly addictive and will destroy your gut if you stay on it for a long time. I’ve been on it since 2006 and been trying to come off since 2014 after a number of lifestyle changes and surgery for a chronic pain condition. The withdrawal effects are horrific. In that period, I’ve reduced it from 90 mg per day to 30 mg every other day and 60 mg every other day. That’s been a Herculean effort. I’ve now found out about tapering and have started opening the capsules to count beads and reduce the dose in much smaller, daily increments. Be very sure this is the right drug for you, because it is extremely difficult to come off.

@KristinaMum it comes in 10 or 15 and 20mg capsulises as well, get those so you can taper down to 10 then split those

I found doing 30 then 20 alternate days, then 20 every day then alternate 20 and 10 not too bad and was able to shift the dosage down after a couple of weeks each time.

I bought special scales in the end to split them!