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Is this duloxetine withdrawal?

Posted , 47 users are following.

Sally271
Sally271

I could really use some advice.

I had been on 60mg of duloxetine for about 4 years. Back in April I decided I would like to slowly reduce. I spoke to my GP who supported my decision to slowly reduce and we agreed that I would manage it myself. A friend had struggled with duloxetine withdrawal but I assumed it was because his depression had returned - I didn't reckon on the hell that is duloxetine withdrawal.

I gradually reduced to 30mg daily. In July I was struggling with brain zaps, extreme fatigue, brain fog and difficulty processing thoughts and information. Oh, and RAGE!! This was gradually getting worse and I decided to ring the GP who advised increasing my dose back to 60mg. I asked if she'd heard of patients having problems withdrawing from duloxetine - she hadn't.

That was over a month ago - after an initial improvement it is now as bad as ever. I have an appointment with GP in a few days but not sure they will even acknowledge that my symptoms are due to duloxetine withdrawal.

Any advice/similar experiences would be appreciated.

5 likes, 80 replies

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  • Silki52521
    Silki52521 Sally271

    Posted

    Hi Sally, trust me your Doctor will tell you that.  I was on Duloxetine for ten years and I read up on how to withdraw from this horrible drug.  I took the advice of someone who had slowly stopped the medication over a period of time.  I was on 30mg a day.  I started to take a tablet every other day for a few months and then I missed two days for a period of months and then I went to three days for a month and then I bit the bullet and stopped the medication altogether.  I would say that it took me almost a year before I achieved my goal of stopping this medication.  My symptoms were not as bad as everyone seemed to say they would be (this had put the fear of god into me).  I was very tearful, I would cry over anything sad.  I felt rough, I felt weird but nothing major.  You need to say to yourself am I going to be better for being off this drug?  Keep going, work out your own way of stopping your medication.  Stay positive and get through the bad days and say to hell with this I am going to stop this medication.  Positive note, I feel great medication free, and I feel proud that I have beaten this drug.  I just take pain killers for my osteoarthritis and I keep myself busy by learning new things.  I never slept for years, I would walk around the house all night long and go without sleep for days on end.  I am glad to say that since coming of this medication I get into bed read my book and then I am off to sleep.  Never increase this drug, come off it very slowly at your own pace no matter what your doctor advises.  Happy days will be a head of you Sally, keep going.
  • buddha-bar
    buddha-bar Sally271

    Posted

    Hi Sally

    I have been on Duloxetine for over 13 years. prescribed for Stress incontinencewhile playing tennis, but i was not aware it was an anti depressant, though did think it strange, when I was asked to be aware that, should I feel suicidal tendencies, to call her immediatly!!

    Since then my sress incon....has not been any worse or better really ,but took it thinking ok well I dont want to get word]se as getting older(65) now, so just blindly carried on taking it.  

    When i was away on a long haul holiday and ran out of them for 10 days and I was getting the most horrendous muddled head, aching sweating and every time i moved my eyes my head made alarming chriping noises and if I moved my whole head this loud noise like express train wizzing through a tunnel. Thought it was a bad migraine. Stuggled home on the plane from Australia andalso kinda put it down to air pressure as mind was just not fuctioning. Migrain tablet was not working nor pain killer like codien. but on return just took the duloxetine again and slept just assumed jet lag.

     There came a point in my lifean op that i thought I must cut out unnecessary pills so cut my 40 down to 20 gradually, then 20 everyother day, but just felt low andhad like tinitus. then as I could not get below 20's bought some empty capsules and tried emptying a couple ofpearls out, but the head started that noise again and even sounded like pile of plateds dropped suddenly just as dropping off to sleep.  I could not cope anymore looked upwithdrawal sympons of duloxetine and cried with relief when i read the words Brain Zapping as that confirmed I was not going mental. Sad to say I am back on 20's every day just to keep sane and avoid the head noises. Dreadful dreadful tablet. I should never have been left on it so long without checking i really needed it. So Sally, you are not alone.

    Really hope you can conquer it when you choose to come off completly as not had it for so long.

    It is all to do with the seritonin in our brain it controls the electric current really and the brain sort of arc's when the chemicals are low or removed.

    All the best from Guernsey, Channel Islands

     

  • lucy63673
    lucy63673 Sally271

    Edited

    *Please ignore spelling errors, I'm quickly typing this at work*

    Sally! Thank you so much for not making me feel like I'm crazy anymore. I am coming off of 60mg, after being on it for only a few months. I am having the worst withdrawls from this drug. The rage part is an understatment. Literally last night I had a massive freak out and headbutted the wall, then punched it with the palm of my hand, (at least I was smart enough to realise I could do some real damage). Before this drug, I was completely normal, sweet girl who got angry (duh!), maybe even had a little bit of an anger problem... what happened last night was just pure evil, it started as a huge panic attack.. i tried all the tricks... somehow it just got worse. Something I pray will never, ever happen again. I then ended up telling my incredible, incredible partner that I wish I was dead because then I wouldn't have to deal with this hell. I have two cats who I love like they are my children, I had a halucination that I broke one of their necks last night. To ensure I didn't do anything in my sleep, I stayed awake all night out of absolute terror. It was hell, I felt like I had to be taken to a mental hospital because I completely lost it. Our house mate would have heard me crying and freaking out (typical it has to be my partners best mate, how embarressing). I'm terrified of these withdrawls. I got a second opinion last week and the doc told me I shouldn't even be on them. So we're trying to ween me off of them. I had three days of pure bliss. I felt normal, happy and my partner was happy because I was happy and normal! It was a long weekend, my doc had put me down for a 30mg tablet... but I thought I could control it... whoever may be reading this YOU CAN'T.

    I also forgot to mention that even on Duloxetine I was experiencing incredible rage, this is how I believe my experience was so full on. I also ended up experiencing 95% of the side effects. I'm considering creating a blog to note down my experiences. Right now, even though I'm at work, I'm experiencing horrible dizziness/vertigo (?) and feel like I'm not under control.

    Can I please make everyone understand that even though I did technically cause physical harm to myself it was NOT serious. And even though I had huge amounts of rage I certainly did not lay one finger on my loving boyfriend, he has been the only way I've gotten through this hell and I'm so lucky to have this man in my life. Whoever has had the same issues as me, I hope you were able to get through this with someone like him... because I don't know what I would have done without him.

  • clarence72227
    clarence72227 Sally271

    Edited

    Hello, I was on cymbalta 60mg for about 4 years and tryed to get off the first time by taking 1 pill every other day. That didn't work so several months later I tryed 1 pill every 4 days and I got off but it was hell with the brain zaps, fogging brain, some pains in chest and arms. I told my doctor and he put me on 10 mg of Prozac which only helped about a week so he took me off. The tension headaches started and my blood pressure stayed high. Now at this moment I'm not on any antidepressants but might have to get back on them because of brain zaps and feeling more sadness and depressed. Hang in there, im for sure trying.

  • sugar61929
    sugar61929 Sally271

    Edited

    I know your post was 7 years ago. But this may help other.

    I was taking 60mg of duloxetine for 2 years for depression. I thought it was a wonder drug until I developed allergy to it and had to adruptly stop taking it.

    The withdrawal is hell, for me anyway. The nerve pain, sickness, headache, vertigo, bowel problems and wetting myself, it's just awful. My gp has given me diazepam and stemital. I'm taking the stemital as it's taking the edge off. I'm terrified of taking the diazepam incase of withdrawal from that. I feel like I'm in an eternal nightmare, when is it all going to stop?? Its been over a week now and gp has put me on sertraline.

    My mood is stable. I'm craving the duloxetine so badly. Has anyone else felt like this.?😣

    • ellie40250
      ellie40250 sugar61929

      Posted

      Hi sugar, have been taking Duloxetine 120mg for eight for severe depression. I was started on 60mg and then I developed fibromyalgia and the dose was doubled by my doctor.

      I have reduced them myself to 90mg. I am afraid to approach my doctors because they are dismissive and I never get the same doctor. Each one doesn't read my notes and just want rid of me fast.

      I am experiencing nausea, rage, brain zaps vertigo and generally feeling terrible.

      Personally I have found these symptoms less aggressive when I take Phenergran for nausea and insomnia.

      I have also reduced my sugar/cabs significantly and I am taking a multivitamin and apple cider vinegar.

      I hope one day this hell will end and I can be free of this terrible drug!

  • helen51921
    helen51921 Sally271

    Posted

    Hi I don't know if I'm posting this correctly but here goes. I was at A& E last night having bloods and a brain scan due to headache from hell, nausea, dizziness etc. All ok thankfully! I think it's duloxetine withdrawals but struggling to get any help . I was on 30mg then 60mg and then doc put me 0n 120mg. Side effects were horrendous. Asked if it was possible to go back to 30mg and he said that was fine. Dear god what a mistake I've been so ill, the headaches are awful. Sitting in bed with an ice pack on top of my head waiting for doc to call me back. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

  • joan48646
    joan48646 Sally271

    Posted

    Ive been on 60mg of Duloxatine for about 5/6 months. I was perscribed it for nerve damage leading to constant headaches.

    It stopped working and my Dr told me one week would be enough time to wean off. Its now been one week.

    Ive had:

    Brain zaps

    Dizzy spells and light headed / vertigo

    IMMENSE ANGER

    Feeling irritated

    constantly crying

    loss of appetite

    Feeling sick

    being sick

    pins and needles

    flue symptoms

    night sweats

    shakes

    Two stints in A&E because my blood sugar dropped.

    Eating, then throwing it back up

    Blurred vision

    feeling so weak

    trouble getting to sleep but also cant stop sleeping

    I cant concentrate at work and do simple tasks

    brain fog and confusion

    I HATE this drug. I was dead against going on this in the first place. My Drs answer to everything its "oh that sounds bad, here try these drugs".

    I hope these symptoms go soon.

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