2 weeks off Duloxetine - now the tears are hitting hard

As with everyone else i found this thread while googling 'duloxetine withdrawal' and although i'm not a huge fan of forums, it has given me a little hope reading through everyone's experiences. I've been on duloxetine for a year and am attempting to withdrawal off it in order to go onto another medication, as the side effects were just too much for me. i.e. nightmares, stomach upsets, sweating, dizziness etc etc. Well, I came off paroxetine to go on duloxetine and although i remember that being hellish, I can't even start to describe just how bad the withdrawal is from this medication... constant vertigo/dizziness, nausea, stomach upsets, muscle aches, flu like symptoms etc and not forgetting the bouts of incessant crying. In moments of clarity, I really do feel like never going onto another antidepressant again, however I realise I may have to be on some medication in order to keep the depression and anxiety in check for the rest of my life.

Although I'm under the care of a phychiatrist coming off duloxetine, I think they underestimate and then don't warn their patients enough about the withdrawal process. I've also found out that because duloxetine has a very short 'half life' means you need to take even more care with withdrawal. I must mean to thank my consultant for warning me about this, his advice had been to continue taking 60mg duloxetine and then just switch onto sertraline straight away. Little did I know. Good thing I'd asked the GP their advice.

I won't keep ranting, but if you do read this having googled duloxetine withdrawal, please, please, please don't go cold turkey and for god's sake just take your time, not just a few weeks to come off it. Go slow as you can and take good care of yourself.

all the best, here's hoping for some good health! x

im on dulloxetine 60 mg and 30 mg its a nightmare just trying to function
normal after years on and off all kinds off anti deppressants
as even now i have just had 30 mg off duloxetine im finding it so difficult to type this i want to come off this terrable med this week i have felt so ill and low mood i've tried to stop 30 mg tablet awfull feel sick i stoped it all once got rushed to gp hot shaking worst headache ever just got increased again 30 mg :wacko:
i cried the first time yesterday in 3yers nearly split with my husband 15 years been to gether i wish any one who gets off meds and can cope the very best luck ever and to enjoy life free i cant function properly my emotions have been so changeable am due to see my psychiatrist soon as i left home and just felt mentally and phisically drained i may seem that no one listens to you when you feel worse its just you you need an increase of tablet rubbish you need to feel well wats the use off living if you dont fell alive
i dont meen any one should harm them selves its not the answer the doctors should listen to us or try some off these meds themselves and experance what we go throug h no more good luck any one who can live drug free thanks for this site my last thaught where not alone scorpionlady 52 thanks to all :D

I have been on Duloxetine for about a month, I have to say I have not had any side effects that I can think of and am finding it far more affective than Citalopram. I was on the max dose allowed for Citalopram (60mg) until a few months ago when they dropped the safe maximum down to 40mg and my depression kicked in and I started to go into a crisis. I was put on to Duloxetine in the hope that it would help my Fybromialgia as well so hitting two problems with one drug so to speak. Its fingers crossed for me as I am balanced out again. Will keep updating everyone on my Duloxetine journey as I think the simple fact is not all drugs work for everyone and it is a case of finding one that suits you. Citalopram was never strong enough and I always felt that it was only ever keeping the depression at bay. I am on a moderate dose of the Duloxetine so we will see how it goes.
Heidi

I've had terrible hot sweats during the day and almost all night, waking up when I do occasionally manage to sleep absolutely dripping wet. This is only one of many symptoms that I'm suffering having reduced from 90mg to 60mg on 9th July.

The leaflet mentions many potential side effects of taking the medication but hardly touches on the subject of withdrawal.

Maybe drugs shouldn't be approved until there have been thorough clinical trials on withdrawal as well as those that are conducted relating to side effects when taking the medication. It's crazy that we are suffering like this.:shrug:

---------- Post added at 11:22 ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 ----------

It does seem that the USA promotes faster reduction than the UK. My GP has indicated that after reducing from 90 to 60 I then need to stay on 60 for some considerable time before reducing again.

They usually recommend 10% reductions with many of the antidepressants. It's tricky though with Duloxetine since the manufacturer makes fewer dose sizes and the most you can play about with is 20mg (by generic only), or 30mg & 60mg by Eli Lilly and the generics. You can't break them like tablets and they have hundreds of tiny beads in them (except the generics as they have a tablet in them) which you can't swallow without putting in capsules or they irritate your throat! So, it's like you can't win and have to go at 50% drops unless you can add in that 20mg generic to ease it slightly.

Another possibility it switching to a med with a longer half life like Fluoxetine. They do this with short half life drugs like Venlafaxine. It makes the withdrawal take longer so you don't get hit with the side effects as much.

I really struggle going onto the 60mg dose as the aggitation & anxiety were terrible so I hope this improves for you soon. I agree they really should do more with these meds to understand them and how withdrawals affect people but it seems thats left for us & the doctors to sort out in the real world and we pay the price.