Anti depressant withdrawal

[smogie]

After going through an awful time over the last 18mnths with one thing in top of another I stopped taking duloxetine around six weeks ago it’s the first time I’ve not been on some kind of ad for around 12 years the gp said maybe time for a break as they obviously weren’t helping since I stopped I had an initial period of what can only described as mania no sleep boundless energy talking fast couldn’t stay still now I feel bloody awful really emotional crying at anything irritated by everything still not sleeping but feel exhausted don’t want to engage with anyone or anything does anyone else think this could be withdrawal symptoms from the ad’s I just want to feel better any advice welcome

[panic_down_under]

the gp said maybe time for a break as they obviously weren't helping

It might have been better to switch to another AD rather than quitting meds.

since I stopped I had an initial period of what can only described as mania no sleep boundless energy talking fast couldn't stay still now I feel bloody awful really emotional crying at anything irritated by everything still not sleeping but feel exhausted don't want to engage with anyone or anything does anyone else think this could be withdrawal symptoms from the ad's

Like all the SNRIs, duloxetine has a very short half-life and a comparatively weak active metabolite so withdrawal symptoms often begin within a day or two of the last dose. I suspect the mania, insomnia and energy surge were the withdrawal symptoms and the latter crying, irritation and fatigue, etc, are more due to a return of the underlying disorder/s.

I just want to feel better any advice welcome

If you weren't coping while medicated the odds are you won't do much better without meds. If therapy is an immediate option then that is definitely worth pursuing, imo, but I'm guessing the waiting list is quite long so going back onto a med is probably the best bet, at least in the short-term.

[smogie]

Thanks for replying I’ve had just about every SSRI on the market over the years but the last couple of years have been horrendous and none of them have helped I’m paying for some private therapy as nhs therapies are impossible to access been offered a mindfulness course in September my triggers are always health related and I just seem to lurch from one to another the therapist thinks all stems from childhood trauma and we’ve been working on that but don’t know how long I can afford to keep it on I was really hoping it was some kind of withdrawal syndrome so I could hope for better times

[smogie]

Also would the length of time on the drugs have any bearing it’s over twenty years since I wasn’t taking anything

[panic_down_under]

I've had just about every SSRI on the market over the years but the last couple of years have been horrendous and none of them have helped

SSRIs are not the only class of ADs, nor, arguably, are they the most effective for anxiety disorders. Doctors prefer to prescribe them because they are perceived to be safer in overdose which isn't actually true of all of them.

my triggers are always health related

Health anxiety is now considered part of the OCD spectrum and while no AD is intrinsically better than any other either generally, or for a specific disorder, the TCA clomipramine (Anafranil) and the SSRI fluvoxamine (Luvox) have long been considered to have an edge for OCD disorders. Your GP will probably prefer to prescribe fluvoxamine, but I'd try clomipramine first, especially if you're taking meds for other conditions because fluvoxamine interacts with many meds.

I was really hoping it was some kind of withdrawal syndrome so I could hope for better times

While it can't be ruled out, given the timing I think most of what you're experiencing now if from your psychological state rather than withdrawal. Are you taking any meds for other conditions, or supplements?

Also would the length of time on the drugs have any bearing it's over twenty years since I wasn't taking anything

Bearing on what?

[smogie]

Bearing on the level of withdrawal symptoms

[panic_down_under]

Not to any significant extent.

[smogie]

Ok thanks back to the drawing board then ��*♀️��*♀️