I feel at rock bottom

[welshdory]

Hi I'm currently on duloxetine 30mg.

I was originally on 60mg but still feeling low. Over the years over tried so many different meds and my doc suggested it may be a case of them not doing very much and I should try coming off them.

On weds I reduced to 30mg and since then I've felt so full of rage, irritable and mega low mood. Is it possible to feel the side effects so quickly from the reduction in dose?.

How I'm feeling at the moment I'm too scared to try and come off them as I feel horrendous.

Just for background info, my husband passed away 14 months ago. I have been on antidepressants mostly for the last 10 years.

I'm going to speak to the doctor on Monday and say that it doesn't feel the right time to come off these meds.

I don't know what to suggest next? I'm exhausted and everything feels like hard work

[panic_down_under]

Hi I'm currently on duloxetine 30mg.

I was originally on 60mg but still feeling low. Over the years over tried so many different meds and my doc suggested it may be a case of them not doing very much and I should try coming off them.

It looks like you've only been on duloxetine for 8-9 weeks which is too early to draw any conclusions about its efficacy. It can take ADs up to 12 weeks to kick-in from when a therapeutic dose - 60mg plus - is first taken, sometimes longer when other ADs have been taken. Am I right in thinking you were on 30mg for a week or two so were on 60mg for only 6-7 weeks? Also, some of us, e.g. me, need to take high doses to get a good response from ADs. The usual maximum duloxetine dose is 120mg.

How does your doc suggest treating your anxiety and depression once you're off ADs? Is therapy an option?

On weds I reduced to 30mg and since then I've felt so full of rage, irritable and mega low mood. Is it possible to feel the side effects so quickly from the reduction in dose?.

Yes, withdrawal symptoms can begin quickly as all the SNRIs have very short half-lives. One of the main reasons I think the TCAs are better meds than SNRIs.

How I'm feeling at the moment I'm too scared to try and come off them as I feel horrendous.

Coming off duloxetine can be difficult because of the short half-life and the inability to taper by small steps because the pills can't be easily cut just adds to the difficulty. Usually switching to a longer acting AD such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and then tapering off it is the easier path when discontinuing SNRIs.

I don't know what to suggest next? I'm exhausted and everything feels like hard work

As I've suggested previously I think a TCA such as imipramine, or amitriptyline could be the answer, but I also think you haven't been on duloxetine long enough to know whether it could be effective.