Starting Duloxetine

[MrRedShirt]

I have an eye condition that flares up with excess cortisol (they think!) and I came across evidence that duloxetine lowers cortisol in the short term, whereas Venlafaxine might raise it. That was the main reason for me requesting the Duloxetine.

Venlafaxine acts as an SSRI at lower doses apparently (below 150mg?), but duloxetine acts as a SNRI at all doses.

How are you finding the Venlafaxine?

[nicola1980]

Im tolerating it alot better than cit, i increased to 150mg last week and it increased my anxiety but apart from that its going ok touch wood! X x

[MrRedShirt]

How long have you been on it in total?

I took a total of one dose of citalopram, back in November. I wasn't warned about the initial side-effects and was put straight onto 20mg - needless to say I freaked out~!

[nicola1980]

4 weeks i cross tapered over from mirtazapine, only started on 37.5mg and have gradually worked my way up to 150, the few weeks were the worst with the mirt withdrawal and the intiatial side effects of the ven am now on the dose i hope to stay on x x

[dan1234]

Im not on the extended release of ven yet so have to take 75mg am and 75mg pm, what made you have duloxetine over ven? X x

Longer half life then ven, quicker acting, and at low doses ven only acts like a SSRI. Duloxetine is meant to be have less side effects when withdrawing which was the main thing for me. Duloxetine is a lot more expensive as well.

Dan

[MrRedShirt]

How are you doing today Dan?

Yesterday for me was pretty rubbish, had high anxiety all day. I just managed to calm down for bedtime, thankfully, and slept okish.

This morning, day 6, I've woken up feeling ok. Not great, but ok. I'm also finding I'm feeling really tired physically in the mornings, but again, mentally a bit jittery.

[LilyPad1991]

Hello everyone...

I've been on Duloxetine for about 6 or 7 weeks and it has been amazing for me. For the first three weeks I was coming off citalopram. I started up on 60mg of Duloxetine. Anyway, as I said the Duloxetine has been really good until the past few days when I've started to feel a bit jittery and spaced out again. I don't really understand why this has happened. I don't know if it's just a blip but i'm so worried.

Anybody got any ideas what's going on? I do think my diet has maybe got something to do with it. I'm a bit rubbish at eating regularly etc.

[MrRedShirt]

Hi Lillypad,

I'm only on day 6 at 30mg, so can't really give you any insight beyond that..

How long was it before you felt any positive benefit? It could be that after 6 weeks the duloxetine is still evening out in your system? I've seen plenty of reports of folk not seeing any positive effect until 6 weeks or later.

MrRed.

[LilyPad1991]

I was fairly evened out by about two and a half weeks but was still on the citalopram at that point. Who knows! It's all a guessing game I suppose and I'll just keep mooching onwards! Thanks for your reply how're you feeling today?

[MrRedShirt]

Yes, keep mooching onwards.. (I like that phrase!)

Let us know how things develop. I think 6 weeks would still be considered as pretty early on, relatively speaking.

I'm okish today. No massive anxiety, but just an underlying feeling of 'not quite right-ness' though. A bit physically jittery too.

MrRed