Duloxetine / Cymbalta Diary 2013

[Mark13]

Well I actually start tomorrow, but I saw my GP yesterday evening and he was happy for me to try this drug.

I managed to find a late Chemist so I could obtain the drug straight away (as I'm at work today and don't leave till 7).

He reckons I can come off pregabalin quickly (over 3-4 days) which I am doing, although it's causing some insomnia which really doesn't help my anxiety, which is rebounding fast too.

I've taken 3 days off work in case of unpleasant side effects.

Fortunately I'm able to continue with Mirtazapine, so hopefully that should help combat the insomnia to a degree.

So, tomorrow will be day 1 on this drug - although if it doesn't work out my GP agreed that I could go back on pregabalin, but that's negative thinking - this new drug will be great

[Consider]

Congrats Mark, I am happy to hear you will be able to stay on the Mirt too! This will combat some of Cymbalta's side effects too such as low libido and nausea as Cymbalta's side effects to start up can be quite harsh for some people.

Good luck and I hope this works for you! Also, Cymbalta has a savings card you can use if you find it too pricey in the future. It's located on their website.

[Mark13]

Also, Cymbalta has a savings card you can use if you find it too pricey in the future. It's located on their website.

The beauty of the UK's NHS system, Consider, is the drug cost is irrelevant to the patient.

We pay Insurance contributions and taxes from our wages which help fund the NHS system. Although those people who don't work still get free treatment.

It costs each local NHS Trust money to prescribe these drugs, so our GPs may be reluctant to prescribe due to their own costs, but the patient only pays a standard NHS prescription cost - about £7.50, regardless of the actual drug cost.

So the only consideration for the patient is whether the GP is happy to prescribe a drug.

[bernie1977]

Good luck Mark. Fingers crossed that you have a side effect free time on these meds.

Have you thought about prepaying your prescriptions? I pay just over £10 and get 6 items every month.

[Tufty]

Good luck Mark, I've heard good things about Duloxetine and this will hopefully be the drug for you.
Keep posting about your experiences and we'll support you along the way
Take care
Sam

[Consider]

We pay loads here for our drugs. >< I swear I am paying an arm and a leg for my Nexium! The other drugs I take are generic, but the generics here are cheaper but not always great, we have to watch to make sure they didn't switch companies, that's where the real trouble comes in.

[MrRedShirt]

Good luck with duloxetine. It's been a lifesaver for me. I started it about a year ago after coming off Mirt (which didn't do enough for me). I did wonder if I could've remained on the Mirt as the main side effect I get from the duloextine is insomnia (specifically, waking in the middle of the night - every night). It's not so much of a problem though actually.. I've gotten used to it.

I had a little diary on this forum about my starting up - have a look it's still here.

From what I can tell, the benefits of dulox seem to appear somewhat sooner than with other ADs.

[Mark13]

Have you thought about prepaying your prescriptions? I pay just over £10 and get 6 items every month.

I already do bernie, although I only started doing so a few months ago when I started having 3 drugs per day. TBH it's not actually cheaper for me but much more efficient so it's worth it in that I get my drugs without having to mess about with mere money

---------- Post added at 22:46 ---------- Previous post was at 22:44 ----------

I had a little diary on this forum about my starting up - have a look it's still here.

I did read it a few weeks ago, in fact it's one of the reasons I decided to "risk" duloxetine. There's nothing like positive reviews to encourage you to take the plunge

---------- Post added at 22:48 ---------- Previous post was at 22:46 ----------

Good luck Mark, I've heard good things about Duloxetine and this will hopefully be the drug for you.
Keep posting about your experiences and we'll support you along the way
Take care
Sam

Thanks Sam.

It's the support on here that really helps, you know.

I read the experiences of others, and better than sites where reviews are left, here I can ask the poster questions about their experience too.

[Mark13]

Day 1, well ½

Took my first tablet when I got up.

About 5 hours later my anxiety hit the roof, bad as ever, already upset my wife with my paranoia, obsessions and overanalysing of everything. Back to how I was at my recent worst.

Hoping to ride it out for a few days, it could be the pregabalin withdrawal acting on me too.

I think I'll know by my birthday on Saturday (good timing to try a new drug!) whether I'll be able to cope with these.

If it causes insomnia, which really spikes my anxiety, I'll be off them like a shot, but I'm hoping my usual mirtazapine will help me get some rest.

Mark

[MrRedShirt]

Hello Mark,

If you look at the my thread http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=112780 You will see that I also had a rush of anxiety after my first dose of Duloxetine. I think this is to be expected for a few days at least. Please try and ride it out, and give the drug at least a few weeks before passing judgement.

Also, it may cause insomnia, it may not.. But if you have insomnia, but without anxiety, then I would suggest that this is a side-effect worth having. The mirtazapine may well help with this though. (is your doctor fully aware of this combination of drugs? - I've heard it called 'Limerick Rocket Fuel' before, although I know some docs are reluctant to combine such drugs).

Good luck!

Simon.