Duloxetine experiences

[lorisparkle]

So I have tried both sertraline and citalopram and they both really increase my negative intrusive thoughts (self harm and suicidal). I have been on mirtrazapine and whilst I found it great for many aspects (especially the sleeping!) I have found the weight gain really hard to accept/manage and that then increases my 'self hate'

So the GP has recommended trying duloxetine.

What are people's experiences of it?

It didn't work for me and it took a long time to wean back of it - years of careful slow reduction with no help from GP.

It didn't work though because I had undiagnosed cPTSD rather than depression through chemical imbalance.

Good for me,no complaints.

Seem to be a flurry of such threads this evening

Thank you, it is so hard to know what route to go down. I wish it was simpler.

Duloxetine has been brilliant for me. I've been through loads of other Anti-depressants. Really helped quiet distressing thoughts and stabilise things. Happy to answer any questions.

@Gaslitbygynae thank you. Did it take a while to work? Did you have initial side effects? I am feeling better when I am safe in my bubble at home but as soon as I think about returning to work or have any problems at home the intrusive thoughts rush in. Particularly when driving.

I am feeling better when I am safe in my bubble at home

I remember this feeling all too well. It took a bit of time to build resilience again, duloextine helped so that I was able to take baby steps to create an increasingly bigger bubble over time.

No initial side effects for me. Don't remember how long it took to work only that I knew it was working

No I don't remember any side effects, maybe a slight increase in dry mouth and some weird dreams? The worse thing (which wasn't to do with the duloextine) was that I had to taper off setrratoine and that was horrible. But short term challenge for gains in the medium and long term.

Duloxetine takes a little time to work - i started to feel the benefits moderately after a few weeks and then much more after a few months. But it definitely made me feel able to face the world again - I had literally been hiding away before.

I hope things improve for you soon

Oh yes weird dreams too, but only occasionally

DH took this drug to help with peripheral neuropathy. It didn’t really work and was really really difficult to wean him off of them. He had very very violent dreams and would smash the bedroom up in his sleep.

Strangly, we were talking about this drug today and how very frightening the whole experience was. I’m glad to see that lots of folk gave very positive experiences of this drug.

@GenerousGardener yes you have to taper off incredibly slowly.

I had to buy drug scales open the lowest dosage available- 10mg I think, tip some then most out and remake the capsule when I was down to a few mg took it every other day then every 3rd day. Took years as anything to quick I had horrific brain shudders.

@RandomMess It's not an episode in our lives I'd want to repeat. DH smashed up our bedroom which had been newly fitted. Lamps, bedside tables, and anything else that was in his was were demolished. He didn't even know he was doing it.

A very very frightening time. He was weaned off with the help of his consultant too.

Glad you managed to get yourself off of it too.

I take it, prescribed for stress incontinence. Side effects I've found are dry mouth, restless leg, painful acne, strange dreams, constipation, total loss of sex drive and if I drink any alcohol at all my sleep is very disrupted. If I miss even one day's dose I get brain zaps and dizzy spells. If I take it too late in the day (after about 3pm) I get insomnia.

I honestly hate taking it, and I'm not sure its actually doing all that much for the incontinence. I am planning to come off it, however the last time I came off it for a medical investigation, I did it over a month or so, and it was horrendous. So I need to be able to wean off very gradually, and there never seems to be a good time to start at the moment.

I took 30mg for 1 month and 6 days ago went up to 60mg and I feel like it’s really helping my pain! But for some reason the last 4 days or so my urine has been dark every time I’ve gone so I’ll have to contact my Gp tomorrow I hope I don’t get taken off it! Has anyone else had this? I feel fine otherwise x

I can't remember it affecting my urine even when on 120mg.

Is it possible you are feeling less thirsty and not drinking enough?

It's supposed to be good for pain relief mainly neurological conditions I believe? Glad it's working for you. If you do have to come of it you really do need to wean off slowly though.