drug swap problems please help

[sjlay]

Hi, I've been on and off antiedepresants for years. 3 days ago my doctor swap me from 60mg of duloxatine to 20mg of fluoxatine the last 2 days I have felt like I have a tight band around my head my eyes are heavy I keep stuttering when I'm talking and looseing my temper, to the point of throwing things. This is all most unlike me the slitest thing is sending me over. Please help is this normal with drug swap how' long will it last. I have 2 little girls don't like bing like this around them.

[Tufty]

Hello and :welcome:

I've not taken Duloxetine in the past but have been on several antidepressants, including Fluoxetine and the symptoms you're describing are similar to what I experience when starting a SSRI. I started Sertraline 2 weeks ago (another SSRI) and I have the tight band around my head and today I feel like throwing things.
So, yes I would say it is normal with a new drug, everyone is different so it's impossible to predict how long it will last but for me last time it lasted about 9 days or so. I think if we can ride out these side effects we should see the benefits of the drugs.

Take care
Sam

[JaneC]

Duloxetine can be quite bad for causing withdrawal symptoms and anger is one of them. Speak to your doc if you continue to feel like this. My GP switched me straight off another AD and on to fluoxetine and I went through hell. In the end I had to go back on the original one and withdraw slowly. I hope you feel better, I know it's escpecially tough to deal with this sort of thing when you're a parent.

[hopey]

My GP chan ged me from citalapram to flouoxetine. It is five weeks ago and still having days when I do not know what to do with myself. Today has been really bad.
But have now stopped shaking so perhaps it is going to get better now. I think
to myself I will cope if I know it is going to get better, but on a day like this I get
rather negative. Doctor did say 4 to 5 weeks so maybe !!!!!! good luck to you all.

[Mark13]

Welcome to the forum.

Some people don't tolerate SSRIs well, that certainly true in my case.

Only you can say whether you can cope with the side effects. If you can tolerate them temporarily they may subside over time.

If not you'll need to discuss alternative treatment with your GP.