Duloxetine experiences pleaae

[Timeforhector]

Hello, Is anyone taking Duloxetine for depression? How are you finding it and did you have any side effects when you started them. Thanks

Thanks for all the experiences.
Just to update - I took my first dose (60mg) last night. Felt slightly nauseous when I woke up in the middle of the night but that was gone by the morning. I’ve slept most of the day but that’s probably more the depression than the medication.
I feel quite hopeful that I can get some enthusiasm for life and lose the awful feelings of doom and despair.

I hope it was unintentional that your post reads as if anti depressants aren't necessary or are damaging and that everyone should just face up to it and work through it.

I'm pleased you felt brave enough to try and I really hope they make a difference for you.

I started on 30, went up to 60 and a year ago had the dose doubled. The result from that last dose increase has been amazing, its made such a huge difference to my life. I get withdrawal mood drop if I miss a couple of doses but I've been through hell with mh the last few years so if I have to stay on them indefinitely, I'm happy to do so.

Just keep in touch with your doctor so they'll can check the dose is right and they're helping

Thanks, I’m so pleased that it has worked for you. I feel that I can hang on in there with the hope that things will improved over the next few weeks.

I’m 4 days in now and feel ok expect for having no motivation at all. I’m trying not to push things too much on the basis that I will get more energy as I get used to the medication.
Did anyone else feel completely zonked out with no motivation at the start?

Tbh I can't remember, I was very ill with depression at the time so I felt like that all the time anyway. I don't recall any worsening of symptoms, but I've tried several anti depressants over the years and it's not unusual for it take a few weeks for things to settle down.

You're right not to push yourself hard, a gentle routine can help - consistency based on self-care. Focus on the basics and let the rest follow

Thanks. I think you are right that I have been feeling like that anyway. I’m just praying that it goes away soon otherwise I’m running out of options

I don't think motivation always happens overnight. The change for me has been drastic, but incremental. Smaller improvements add up to bigger improvements, i think when you move out of survival mode your mind and nervous system can start finding the energy for motivation.

Although doubling the dose from 60mg to 120mg last year made the big difference to my motivation too, so getting the dose right helps too. I'm able to be much more proactive now.

I was in a near constant state of panic too so the first change I noticed when I started duloxtine was feeling calm for periods of time, that was pretty amazing.

Anti depressants aren't a magic switch, but they help you function better at a baseline so that you can do other things which continue to improve your wellbeing, building block on building block - they give you a foundation to build upon.

I’m still so zonked out and only managing to make it from bed to sofa at the moment. Nearly two weeks into the duloxetine 60mg so I was hoping to have a bit of motivation by now. Can’t go on like this much longer

@Timeforhector how were you sleeping before you started taking it?

My post reads like that to you, by the sounds of it, but that's not what I actually said. I used 'I' and 'me' three times each in a single short paragraph, and even started with the words "In my experience," so please don't chastise me on here.

If you have doubts of your own, that's a different matter.

My sleep was awful before I started taking the duloxetine, sometimes less than an hour and usually less than 5 in total and that was mostly after about 5am.
I slept for 9 hours last night and I am up and out of the house this morning. Just walking around to get some steps in but that’s better than yesterday.

You're exhausted. Sleep is the first step, let you'd body and mind rest and catch up, once you have you should find some oomph :)

Thank you, that’s so kind of you x

Hi @Timeforhector and everybody here. I found this thread looking for content about Duloxetine as my DS has started with it about 10 days ago. He's been put on 60 and is sleeping like a log, nausea, no appetite and feels muffled, but is making more eye contact than I've had for years. I don't know if it's different with blokes (or just for him) but he's a very defensive/ ranty over-thinker and try as he might he can't do that any more at the moment. GP apparently said it might knock him out a bit at first but after 3-4 weeks he should start leveling off. I'm glad to see people here have found it's done the trick for them, he's been on and off all sorts over the years and it's never made any difference, he's lost his best years to it.

💐 for you all

Hi @Bluddyellfire, I’m glad it’s not just me who is absolutely zonked after starting Duloxetine! Ive also got no appetite like your son but no nausea thankfully.
I was really bad tempered and irritable before I started on it and that has gone completely. The lack of motivation is really debilitating at the moment but hopefully that will improve.
I hope it works well for your son when he gets over the side effects, x

oh that's interesting to know, didn't put the fact I've been taking them for a few months now together with the fact I've had an upset stomach all week, not long after increasing the dose for the first time. I shall have to see if it is that, and if so, hope it settles soon as it's not great when can't eat and risk an accident if going anywhere as can't ignore sudden need for the toilet so stuck where I have easy access to one at all times right now :/

Yeh he's been really taken aback by the complete absence of his previous thought patterns. He's been on unpteen various antiDs and they've not touched the sides. It's led to conversations about how most people actually don't feel like that all the time, they can't possibly really can they, or we'd all be dead! But stuck inside his own head with his trauma he couldn't see that or stop himself raging, just that he was right to be so angry and one of these days he'd tear someone a new one so wide that they'd see his point. All gone. He's worried about the implications of taking meds that 'make' him happy, but I've pointed out that it's only adjusting the levels (most people can slough off a bit of disappointment or somebody being a dick to them, although reading some of these threads I do wonder lol) and that there's happiness and optimism 'in there' that's part of him but has been drowned out for years by this other side of him that wants vengeance.

That all sounds really positive. Fingers crossed that he has found a med that will work for him x

Thanks you. I hope you get on OK with it too. It's just the worst thing ever when you can't seem to get along with yourself, and heartbreaking to watch when it's a loved one.

Hello all. I found this thread looking for info in duloxetine. My gp has suggested I try either duloxetine or venlafaxine for depression and anxiety. I also have chronic pain. I am currently on citalopram but it is no longer effective. I was given mirtazipine to try a couple of weeks ago, but had severe adverse effects after one tablet so couldn't continue.

OP I was wondering how you are getting on with the duloxetine.

Hi @peeweep, I’m six weeks into it now and starting to get some more energy over the last week. My mood is so much less negative and the suicidal thoughts feel like they are in the background now rather than all consuming. It feels more likely that I can gradually build up my stamina and activity now whereas before it was a monumental
effort to force myself to do anything and it got harder rather than easier day-by-day.
The only side effects I have had were the overwhelming tiredness for the first five weeks or so but that seems better now.
I found that my darkest thoughts and mood improved within a few days of starting so the tiredness was easier to deal with.
I’d say to give it a try as it has given me back some hope for the future xx

I've been on it for almost a year now for long covid (I also take lamotrigine for bipolar disorder), I feel its not as effective as it was but I'm only on the minimal dose so could increase if necessary. The only side effect for me is it makes climaxing more difficult (impossible for the first couple of months) depending on where I am in my cycle.

Hi @peeweep, my son had been through citalapram and mirtazipine along with several others to no avail, seems to be doing well on the duloxetine. He said the other stuff kind of hadn't touched the sides and while the Dulox is hefty, it is doing its job and he's able to think straight without going off on a spiral. Keep us posted if you want to 💐

It’s not working for me anymore. I’m still in bed today and the dark thoughts are back with a vengeance