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Duloxetine withdrawal

Posted , 4 users are following.

AriadneBee
AriadneBee

I hit a really bad depression after Christmas. My psychiatrist and I decided to change my medication from duloxetine to sertraline. I have previously been on a very high dose of Venlafaxine which i had to come off as it was making me ill. I struggled with duloxetine for about a year. I still had some of the same side effects as with Venlafaxine and it never helped with the anxiety or depression very well.

The last 10 days have been very hard but since i stopped the Venlafaxine completely 4 days ago it has been hell. I am deeply depressed but the anxiety is far worse. I'm dizzy, have brain zaps, feel I'm shivering inside, cry frequently and my mood swings uncontrollably. It culminated yesterday when i slashed my arm open. I self harm but never this badly before. It terrified me that I'd been so out of myself that i could do it so badly. I feel out of control and overwhelmed.

I wish i had never started taking SNRIs. I was doing well on Citalopram before they nationally limited the dose to 60mg. I then had to change to venlafaxine as a lower dose of Citalopram was not helping me. I am relieved to be getting off SNRIs at last and hope that Sertraline helps me. I'm starting on a very low dose and building up. I just want these withdrawal symptoms to stop. I'm scared and anxious all the time and feel trapped being so dizzy and out of my head. The physical symptoms are so strange and so hard to describe.

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • laudanum
    laudanum AriadneBee

    Posted

    These symptoms are extreme!! My genuine sympathy goes out to you. I have come off cold from 40mg Lexapto (escitalopram) on 3 ocassions and got used to the: drops/vertigo ferlings; followed by the muscle rigor; and finally the resurgence of intense sadness. I have just been put on 60mg per day of Duloxetine and the first 2 days I wandered about the house like a vegetable clutching the walks with dizziness and my pupils wildly dilated. Then I have now read about these brain zaps that are being experienced when ppl withdraw!! If this med doesn't play nice within 2 weeks its adios to it 😕😕. Take care of yourself. I hope you survived this horrible ordeal!

    • AriadneBee
      AriadneBee laudanum

      Posted

      Hi Laudanum, when I discussed the medication change with my psychiatrist, the other medication he suggested was escitalopram - but opted for Sertraline instead. I'd never heard of escitalopram before so didn't know what to expect from it. I think a lot of people have great success with duloxetine - I think there's something about SNRIs that just make me ill. I wish I'd taken the hint the first time around with Venlafaxine. I hope it works for you and the side effects wear off soon. Thanks so much for replying. 
  • Zio10
    Zio10 AriadneBee

    Posted

    Yes I to had come off Duloxetin. Was on 60mg for a month an half. Wasnt helping with depression/anxiety. But helped with pain of fibromyalgia. I tapered dowm to 30mg for wk then stopped. OMG! I was sick for 8 days. Dizzy,nausea, extreme headaches,brain zaps. Upset stomach. Now Im on day 12 of Prozac

    Sertraline I couldn't take. Went toxic in my body. But it works for alot of people. So far not much fr Prozac but only on20mg. Therapeutic dose is 40mg. So another wk or so if I dont notice anything Im goin up. So sorry ur sick. Sertraline has startup side effects also .could you be goin thru Duloxetin withdrawls an startup side effects of Sertraline?

    • laudanum
      laudanum Zio10

      Posted

      Thanks heaps for sharing! I went off Lexapro cold about 2 months ago and wasn't going to go back on anti-ds but my fiancé just can't handle the sads. Im also sick of crying too. But I didn't expect this med to completely kivk my ass. I've been on Valium for 20 years and also take over the counter opioids so I am relatively hard to fell. But yep ~ zombie city it's been. Im also pretty alarmed to hear that your withdrawal symptoms kicked in after only 1 and half months. Those brain zaps are not something I have experienced and I really dint want to either 😕😕
    • Zio10
      Zio10 laudanum

      Posted

      Yes, Duloxetin is quit strong. There's even a name for withdrawls. "Cymbalta withdrawl Syndrome " look it up. Lex an Sertraline didnt do that much to me when I quit. But Duloxetin I think its because it increases both Norepinephrine an Seratonin. Im glad its over! Its does help with pain though.
    • AriadneBee
      AriadneBee Zio10

      Posted

      Having spoken to my Psychiatrist again, I think this is Cymbalta withdrawl and it seems to be getting worse. Like you say, the sickness is really bad - I've lost about 8lb in weight through it. Brain zaps are horrific, I get them in my arms and hands as well. It freaks me out. I hope this starts to improve soon, I have no idea how long it is likely to last. I've had to take time off work and that's worrying me too, even though they've been really sympathetic. 

      I was prescribed prozac years ago, when I was a teen, I didn't feel it helped me that much but I had no issues with it at all. I'm on 50mg Sertraline for a couple more days before we start discussing upping the dose. I hope the Prozac works for you. 

  • gloria_231946
    gloria_231946 AriadneBee

    Posted

    You poor poor girl how you are suffering.Did you have a break before trying a new medication?

    on a positive note my daughter who has had low self esteem and social anxiety all her life has been prescribe sertraline by a very caring young doctor.To say she has been reborne is an understatement.Gradually built up her dose to 150mg.I have tried Duloxatine many times for fibro and depression but its side effects of insomnia constipation and restless was intolerable.Have given up with them all just have a good cry and except I will never feel well again and the old energetic painfree me has gone.Im nearly 70 after all my daughter is only coming up 40 with so many lost years.I hope you will persevere with Sertraline as it really is for anxiety and social anxiety.

    • AriadneBee
      AriadneBee gloria_231946

      Posted

      Hi Gloria, thank you so much for repying to my message. I spent a week on 30mg duloxetine before swapping straight to 50mg sertraline - so no, I didn't have break between. 

      I'm really pleased to hear about your daughters experiences, that's really encouraging. I've always struggled with low self- esteem and social anxiety too. I think I crashed after Christmas because it has all become too much of a struggle, I've been trying to manage on a medication that just wasn't helping for a year and now I'm just exhausted emotionally. Since October I've felt I was running on empty. It's great to hear abot someone who was helped by medication - it helps remind me that it is an illness and that I can get better. It's hard not to be down on myself, I can't get over the feeling I just need to pull myself together. But I'm so tired of doing that. 

      I'm sorry to read that you haven't had such positive experiences - do you have support from a doctor yourself? Did you try other medications or techniques? I know some people find mindfulness very helpful with pain management and depression. 

      My mum has been an amazing support to me, she's been through all of this with me. I wish you and your daughter all good things for the future. 

  • chad47956
    chad47956 AriadneBee

    Posted

    hi ariadnebee i have been on 150mg of sertraline only 50 to start it has side efects but if the side afects are better than your last with other meds then stick with it for at least one month to get started when you say you was hard for ten days what did you mean? your self harm did you go to your doc hospital? infections can caues people to act really off there headsim a care worker the last 7years but now ive got ptsd thats why im on meds.. it will make you a bit sleepy are you sleeping at the morment? feeling trapped well ive got a spine which is going to give up soon and no more walking it should be me feeling that but no that could be the meds which you have just started so it can help also talk more about how you feel about things to people you can trust hope this lot helps sorry for going on n on etc
    • AriadneBee
      AriadneBee chad47956

      Posted

      Hi Chad, I've been on Sertraline for 1 week now - not sure whether some of my symptoms are withdrawl from duloxetine or going on to sertraline. Stomach pains and nausea are bad - but I've woken up feeling a bit better today. The cut on my arm is healing really well, there's definitely no infection, I've had it looked at. I'm not sleeping well, but my shrink has given me a prescription for mirtazipine - which really helped in the past. I'm going to make the most of feeling a bit better and go out and get some fresh air. I'm going to stick with taking the sertraline just hope it doesn't make me sick. Reading what people have said about it is a bit scary though but I'll see what happens. I hope you're doing OK - sorry about your back, I hope you're getting help and support with that. Take care of yourself and thank you for replying.
  • chad47956
    chad47956 AriadneBee

    Posted

    hi ariadnebee and thankyou for ur reply i was on mirtazipine aswell but my dose was put up on the other n doc wanted me to stay awake  in the day time however the morhine patches  when refreshed once aweek puts me to sleep on first 24hours of wearing it now doc going to put up the morhine so it might be night night time for two days... if it helps the pain and able to stand up then its working  you seem more possative thats nice glad ur arm is on the mend only just got ur reply been drinking for two days it helps with the pain and more fun!!! dont you think? goodluck with ur doc n treatment
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