Starting Duloxetine

[MrRedShirt]

Hiya,

Ye I think after I got a private p doc involved and complained about the NHS p doc she has taken me seriously. Which is what I need. I would seriously consider seeing a p doc if I were you.

Luckily my CBT guy is really good. Far better than the woman at IAPT.

Yep - I have bared the side effects for so long so I am not giving up yet. I think unless it gets worse I will give it 8 weeks. How about you?

Dan

Luckily the docs at the practice I'm currently a visitor at are good, but I still think registering and getting the referral would be better.

Yeah I'm still sticking with the duloxetine. It's only day 10 or 11, although I'm only on 30mg. The sleep disruption is not nice, I have to admit. Hopefully that'll settle down.

[dan1234]

I agree, sleeping has been a problem for me too. A bit of diazepam usually helps me sleep. I asked my p doc last time about zoplicone? But we didn't want to create a cocktail of drugs..

Got an appointment with a back specialist tomorrow, at 3 pm. Hopefully we will get to the bottom of what is going on, and he will prescribe some proper pain relief. Got a birthday party at a club to go too as well which I am looking forward too.

How are you doing?

[MrRedShirt]

I'm having a bit of a rubbish afternoon.. had to have a diazepam a couple of hours ago, hasn't really done much.

I didn't realize you were suffering from back pain.. Does the Pregabalin help with this at all? Good luck at the specialist tomorrow.

[dan1234]

I'm having a bit of a rubbish afternoon.. had to have a diazepam a couple of hours ago, hasn't really done much.

I didn't realize you were suffering from back pain.. Does the Pregabalin help with this at all? Good luck at the specialist tomorrow.

Hiya - I thought the pregabalin would, but it has done nothing for the back. The duloxetine has done more I think. I am on a whole host of medications but I won't bore you with the details lol.

2mgs of diazepam is very low. I usually take 2 together, and 3 or 4 to sleep so 4mgs for anxiety and 6-8mgs to sleep. Hopefully the duloxetine will take effect soon for both of us. Have you tried propranolol? What medications have you tried before duloxetine if you don't mind me asking?

Dan

[MrRedShirt]

2mgs of diazepam is very low. I usually take 2 together, and 3 or 4 to sleep so 4mgs for anxiety and 6-8mgs to sleep. Hopefully the duloxetine will take effect soon for both of us. Have you tried propranolol? What medications have you tried before duloxetine if you don't mind me asking?

Dan

Well now.. I was first given citalopram - I had no idea what to expect and wasn't told of the start-up effects, nor that it would take weeks to kick in (by my old doctor), so after the first dose I freaked out and didn't take any more.
I was then given sertraline and two weeks into it I had the onset of tinnitus, so I stopped in case it was caused by the sert. Well, I still have the tinnitus, so I and my current doctor have concluded that it was a co-incidence. I was given propranolol at the same time, but didn't like the way it made me feel - a bit faint and it only took away the physical symptoms of anxiety, which I found weird.

So after the sertraline I was put onto Mirtazapine - this was mid-December. It showed early promise, but never really delivered on it. Great for sleep though! Just not for properly sorting out my anxiety...

So here I am, having switched to Duloxetine - I never had any diazepam before a few weeks ago either. I think I realised when I first took them that 2mg only barely touches an anxiety attack and that 4mg would be better.. I don't want to run out though!

I suppose in effect I've only given one AD a full trial so far - Mirtazapine.

[dan1234]

Well now.. I was first given citalopram - I had no idea what to expect and wasn't told of the start-up effects, nor that it would take weeks to kick in (by my old doctor), so after the first dose I freaked out and didn't take any more.
I was then given sertraline and two weeks into it I had the onset of tinnitus, so I stopped in case it was caused by the sert. Well, I still have the tinnitus, so I and my current doctor have concluded that it was a co-incidence. I was given propranolol at the same time, but didn't like the way it made me feel - a bit faint and it only took away the physical symptoms of anxiety, which I found weird.

So after the sertraline I was put onto Mirtazapine - this was mid-December. It showed early promise, but never really delivered on it. Great for sleep though! Just not for properly sorting out my anxiety...

So here I am, having switched to Duloxetine - I never had any diazepam before a few weeks ago either. I think I realised when I first took them that 2mg only barely touches an anxiety attack and that 4mg would be better.. I don't want to run out though!

I suppose in effect I've only given one AD a full trial so far - Mirtazapine.

I know the feeling about running out of diazepam... Has your GP offered to put it on repeat??

I am still interested by how SNRI's work - something I will discuss with the p-doc.

Do you think giving duloxetine 8 weeks is enough to decide if it is worth staying on it or switching?

Dan

[MrRedShirt]

I know the feeling about running out of diazepam... Has your GP offered to put it on repeat??

I am still interested by how SNRI's work - something I will discuss with the p-doc.

Do you think giving duloxetine 8 weeks is enough to decide if it is worth staying on it or switching?

Dan

No, no offer of a repeat for the diaz. I think I'm more comfortable with the current arrangement anyway, they have so far been ok about it and even offered to give me more the last time.

I'm interested too in the current thinking about SNRIs.. I guess they're doing what the old tricyclics did (dual uptake inhibition), just in a cleaner fashion? I'd be interested in what your p-doc says on the matter.

8 weeks at the same dose seems an ok trial.. But that's probably another question for your p-doc. When do you next see him?

[dan1234]

No, no offer of a repeat for the diaz. I think I'm more comfortable with the current arrangement anyway, they have so far been ok about it and even offered to give me more the last time.

I'm interested too in the current thinking about SNRIs.. I guess they're doing what the old tricyclics did (dual uptake inhibition), just in a cleaner fashion? I'd be interested in what your p-doc says on the matter.

8 weeks at the same dose seems an ok trial.. But that's probably another question for your p-doc. When do you next see him?

Good you have a competent GP. Some don't prescribe diaz. The NHS p doc was so suprised that I had been prescribed diazepam...

I will ask him. Seeing him on the 20th. Will be 4 weeks on dulox then I think.

Dan

[MrRedShirt]

Well, I just had another night of insomnia. For some reason when I wake in the middle of the night my tinnitus is really ramped up, making it a pretty unbearable experience, all-told. Really missing the mirt in these times!

I've just phoned the surgery asking for a doctor to call me back (that's their preferred method) and I'm going to ask for a sleep aid, or see what he suggests.

---------- Post added at 09:18 ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 ----------

Doctor just called back, he's prescribed me some zopiclone in the short term.

Hopefully that'll give me some relief..

[LAURA48]

Hi - so sorry you are still suffering with that tinnitus - hopefully the Zopiclone will help you and will get a better night's sleep. You will probably feel more relaxed during the day then.

Keep me informed and hope you have a bit better day.

Laura