Switching to Duloxetine for anxiety & depression

[Catlover12334]

Hi all

Does anyone have any experience, I'd mainly like to hear of any good experiences but also not so good, of taking Duloxetine (also known in the US as 'Cymbalta') for anxiety & depression?

I've been on Escitalopram 20mg (also known as Lexapro) for 10 years but in the last year or two it has stopped working. So my psychiatrist has recommended Duloxetine, and that I start 30mg of Duloxetine whilst taking Escitalopram 20mg for one week, then down to 10mg for the next, then just take the Duloxetine.

Has anyone taken Duloxetine for anxiety and/or depression and did it help you? Did you get any troublesome side effects? If you switched from one AD to another, did you take them both together for a few weeks?

Any info and experiences, good and bad, will be welcome.

Thanks

[Zappa61]

Hi I was on 90mg Duloxetine, it was ok for me, helped with sleep as well, I came off it after two years wasn't helping anymore, Hope it help's you, Stay safe

[Catlover12334 in reply to Zappa61]

Thanks for the reply. Did you have any problems coming off it?

[Zappa61 in reply to Catlover12334]

None at all dropped 30mg each week, i was waiting for withdrawals but none done as Dr said for once, Lol take care Catlover,

[texasbonnet]

I am taking duloxine and I am having good results. I am new to the drug but I can already tell I am better. Duloxine, according to my psychiatrist was developed to help Fibromyalgia patients for pain. It is helping with body pain and anxiety/depression. So far I have had no adverse side effects. I take 20 mg in morning and 20 a night. Hope you see great results.

[Nad1971 in reply to texasbonnet]

Dear Texas bonnet. I am thinking of switching from Fluoxetine to Duloxetine and worried about the side effects. I tried a similar one last year - Venlafaxine - and felt very very ill/ nauseous. Any advice would be welcome. I would like to try this one but worried about the side effects.

[Lin1944]

I am on 60 mg Duloxetine and no side effects or weight gain. I would recommend it x

[Whiskers16 in reply to Lin1944]

Hi how long did it take to kick in.

I’ve changed from citalopram to duloxitine. I’ve been on 30mg for 1 week and now 60mg for4 days but Anxiety seems to be worse than ever

[Catlover12334]

Thanks for the replies so far. I am a bit more reassured now about starting Duloxetine, as the internet is full of horror stories about people's bad experiences on the drug, but it's much more difficult to come across positive experiences with it.

If anyone else is happy to share their experiences of Duloxetine (Cymbalta), good or bad, please do.

[Kamp2020]

I've been on it for several years and it has helped lots. No side effects either. I wish the best for you

[Catlover12334]

Can anyone say how long it took for Duloxetine to work for them, and at what dose you noticed it starting to make a difference?

I'm only on my second day of taking it so obviously I won't notice any difference yet, and I'm also on the lowest dose for anxiety & depression of 30mg, although I expect my doctor will increase it to at least 60mg eventually.

[Jblog]

Hi 👋. I’ve recently started taking duloxetine having taken Prozac for 10 years (the Prozac stopped working). I gradually tapered off the Prozac before starting 30mg of duloxetine. I then increased to 40mg after 2 weeks & then 60mg after a further 2 weeks.

I’ve now been taking 60mg duloxetine for 5 weeks but am reducing back to 40mg as I’m finding the vivid dreams & night sweats disturbing and it takes me too long to come round in a morning. Apart from that duloxetine is working well for me & I started to feel better after 2-3 weeks.

Hope that helps.

[Catlover12334 in reply to Jblog]

Thanks for this response. Can I also ask how you got on with Prozac (Fluoxetine) before it stopped working? It's another AD that has previously been suggested to me. As you were on it for 10 years I assume it had a beneficial effect on easing depression and/or anxiety?

[Nad1971 in reply to Jblog]

Dear Jblog. I am thinking of switching from Fluoxetine to either Paroxetine or Duloxetine. I has been on Paroxetine for 20 years previously, and initially, it helped a lot. Thereafter not so much in overcoming my daily challenges, but it kept me stable at least. I would like to try Duloxetine, but scared of the side effects. I tried a similar one last year - Venlafaxine- but had a very upset stomach for two weeks and had to come off. Scared in case this one doesn’t agree with me. Any support/ advice would be welcome.

[Jblog in reply to Nad1971]

I would definitely give duloxetine a go! It’s a much newer AD than paroxetine with very few, if any side effects. If you don’t tolerate duloxetine, you can always go back on the paroxetine. If you don’t try, you will never know!

[Nad1971 in reply to Jblog]

Thank you very much for your advice 🙏

[kittenkisses91]

I’ve been taking 120mg of duloxetine for about 2 years now. I was previously on lexapro and I was tapered off of that when I became depressed and it just wasn’t helping enough. The duloxetine seems to work for me with no side effects. The depression went away eventually. I forget how long it took me to feel better on the new meds. I also take Rexulti too which acts as a booster for the duloxetine.

[Hidden]

I didn’t sleep through night for a few months on it. After two years I felt it was a placebo to me and after not having it accidentally for two days I felt good so I stopped cold turkey. I felt good for few days then came the weird balance loss pulses in my head. Started to feel anxious all the time. Had to return to taking it and I’m trying buspirone on top of it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

i Was on it for 3 mths wasn't doing any good,now coming off it was another matter.The Doc ssid it would be ok coming off cold turkey WRONG,thought I was going to die, I had pains all over brain zaps around 50 every hr, dizzy, bad Migrains sickness,then of course the depression and anxiety back This went on for 9mth still get shooting pains in legs and hands.and get occasional zaps. If it works for you thats great, but if not be careful coming off them.

[Catlover12334 in reply to Hidden]

No one should ever come off any anti-depressant medication cold turkey. Only a very slow, gradual withdrawal will ever work with minimal side effects. I was taking Temazepam for years to help me sleep, it must've taken me a year to wean myself off it completely.

[Whiskers16 in reply to Hidden]

Could I ask you about this... I have been on duloxitine for about 2 months and been on highest dose for about 3 weeks it’s actually making me feel worse, now getting dreadful sweating especially at night so thinking about asking my doctor to come off but I read some horror stories about withdrawal which has really frightened me.

[Lin1944]

I agree no one should just come off anti depressants cold Turkey. Just shows how little G.Ps know about depression/ Anxiety. I have suffered for 26 years and been on lots of different meds, been on Duloxetine for years and just last month went up to 90 mg every morning, I also have diazepam to help me when really bad. But not very often. Everyone has side effects when they change anti depressents but soon wears off. I have no problem with Duloxetine.i have spent thousands over the years on holistic therapies but none worked. It’s different for us in UK as I don’t know anyone who goes to a Therapist. Good luck to you all from Lin xx

[Goodbadugly]

I've been on duloxetine 3 times now I'm on 30mg, the first time was the longest just over 12month with a antipsychotic I was fine with it, the second time for some reason I looked drunk and just not right so I came off them, so I'm back on them again I've only been taking them for 6wks and I have noticed a good difference but unfortunately I have not taken them for the last 2 days, so tomorrow I have to take them and make some decisions, everyone is different and I find the more you think about medication the more it becomes a problem, you can only give them a go and see how you are on them, good luck and take care, things will get better.

[blueeyes2021]

i was taken off Lexapro 20 mg, not decreasing it and put on Duloxetine. It has caused some weight gain but is helping with my anxiety so I will try to stay on it. It also makes me tired. I take 60 mg.

[Nad1971]

Dear Catlover, I came across your post whilst researching the move from Fluoxetine to Duloxetine. I also have the option of going to Paroxetine which I was on before, but would like to try something different as it no longer gave me the boost I need. I am just very frightened of the side effects as I tried Venlafaxine last year and it made me feel really sick. Any help/ advice would be welcome.