Duloxetine - please has anyone tried this medication?

[Max3]

I have been prescribed Duloxetine (20 mg.) for fibromyalgia. I have a high sensitivity to medication eg 5mg of amitriptyline can make me groggy for 3 or 4 days. I already have dry eyes and mouth, acid reflux, insomnia, IBS symptoms and I have recently tested positive for Coeliac disease. I am also chronically exhausted and have balance problems. - All of this is without taking Duloxetine.

I have no other treatment plan but have been referred back to Pain Management after 3 years and will be referred for Psychiatric support as it has been 20 years and I am now not able to work, and in lieu of pain medication which did not work in the past.

I have been prescribed it because the Occupational Health physician for my ex-employer who is assessing me for early retirement on the grounds of ill health now says I would improve within 18 months if I tried it. So my GP has had to prescribe it to prove otherwise. Has anyone found this so? Does anyone have any advice?

My half pay from current employer ends on 13 April and they will not keep me so it has now become urgent. Please can anyone help by letting me know if they have had an experience similar to above?

Thank you, Max

[Hidden]

Hi.

I'm so sorry you are feeling so rotten.

I had to take ill health retirement in June 2018, my boss had tried everything and she was and still is brilliant. I'm on touch with work as I have many friends there. Have you support at home. I have a great support network of family, friends and of course everyone on here. Please take care Lynne

[Frogge]

I have taken duloxetine as a last resort and it had helped me immensely. More energy, less fogginess, less pain. It has been great for me!

[bobbybobb]

I'm sensitive to medications. A few I've tried I've not been able to continue to take. The thing is if you have been prescribed it you should give it a try because if it works it could make such a difference to you. If you have any problems with it your GP will stop it. xx

[kejusa]

Hi, it is one I have been on for years, it is the max dose I take - one twice a day

[Hidden]

I've tried more than 10 antidepressants for anxiety and depression but I'm so sensitive to meds I get all the bad side effects and only mirtazapine works but it made me put on a stone,

so after finnaly coming off all medication my aches and pains got worse and now the doctor realises its fibromyalga she wants to try duloxatine

Arrrrghh isn't the 10+ antidepressants with side effects enough, apparently no as a low dose of duloxatine won't cause side effects apparently,

the net dissagress, as I'm little miss Google, and after joining here looking up reviews on other sites etc I'm not taking it, the withdrawals from it are one of the worse out of the lot, and even if they work to start with they could possibly drop out and stop working a year or 2 later, by then your addicted

I've heard enough bad stuff to put me off and put up with the pain or try something else, but I've also heard good things, these people with good things to say haven't tried stopping yet, no offence to anyone on duloxatine I'm only giving my opinion to the person wanting advice, I don't want her taking them then getting side effects so trying to stop and going through hell

You never know though you might not get a bad reaction, and it might help

I'm going to the doctors telling her I'll try them just to shut her up, I might even try them for a day just to bloody prove they're going to make me manic and cause insomnia and nightmares

[Simmeke83]

Hi

Sorry you feel this way.

It's a bit presumptuous of the occupational to say you will improve definitely 🙄 It is common knowledge that there is no cure for fibro and ME and only different aids to help the symptoms which may or may not work depending on individual.

As to Duloxetine yes I have been on it for nearly 2 years in the past. Unfortunately like you I am sensitive especially to antidepressants and have tried several to find the best one to suit me. Now I am on sertraline and this one seems to be working best but not without side effects. Duloxetine was working fine for me probably one of the best ones. Obviously the 5 to 6 weeks at the beginning you have to live with severe side effects until your brain gets used to it. Sadly after 2 years I have developed severe insomnia due to restless leg syndrome and decided with my gp to come off it. A word of worning, coming of it was absolutely horrific and lasted months. Any other advice you seek let me know and I will try to help.

Wishing you lots of energy and pain free day

Kam

[Max3 in reply to Simmeke83]

I already have insomnia ... apart from one I have all the side effects already. Plus sciatica and recently coeliac That’s why I am going for early retirement. My job is not without pressure, and since 2014 constant restructures bringing more responsibilities. Plus health issues within my close family. By last year I was in constant flare, finally collapsing at work in May. My current employer approves the retirement; my old one not - and that is where the bulk of my pension lies. The occupational physician is presumptuous - no idea about my condition or the job I do now. And it is no accident that in 18 months time I can claim my pension without asking for it with ill health protection. I can do it now as I am over 55 but it would be less and again no Ill health protection. Which is what he is trying to save my old employers. He has never seen me (which has to be, as he has to be independent) but nor has his team as I left there in 2006 when I held a junior job and was younger so dealt with fibro differently. And I was not a manager. Although now I am not fit to do work as a librarian at any level now because I kept going for 20 years with very little support or treatment that could work because I had a family to support and the advice was alway I must do my job.

With previous employer, I had fibromyalgia, carpal and a stiff spine but I had no sciatica then or Sicca, or H.Pylori (so no acid reflux) or Coeliac and therefore no insomnia or chronic fatigue. I was not so tired and in pain or anxious and not often depressed. I now am not very mobile, in pain and exhausted band have a lot of cognitive dysfunction - overstimulated, over sensitised and often overwhelmed. It has taken me an hour to write this on my phone! Apart from anything else I am just worn out where I used to fight being sick. And so frightened of the future ... No way am I as I was in 2006 and I survived a bullying boss then! Sorry for so much detail ... your term presumptuous triggered me (in a good way!) He is and he has ignored the implications of specialists’ report which agreed that medications made things worse. But the Specialist Unit at Guys/ St Thomas offered nothing else except that I might need psychological support as work meant so much to me. Mind you, they were not fibromyalgia specialists but a hastily cobbled together Unit (as an administrator confirmed) and my much awaited appointment with them was ‘one-stop, one-off’ and heartbreaking for me because they sent me back to already baffled GPs for treatment. And so it continues as GPs feel that they cannot sign a letter contradicting him as they are not specialists and the specialist clinic was a one-off with no re-referrals. I would laugh but I will then cry so am going to read some Jane Austen instead.

Signing off now - no worries if you couldn’t read this. It helped just getting it down! Many thanks 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[Hands_1]

The first medication I took for fibromyalgia was steroids off the doctor the tablets worked within hours. The nerves in my legs were painful to the touch so was put of amitriptyline they were good for me. I do have symptons whilst on tablets but found that I did not have any bad ones on the amitrip. They make you tired but it is worth keeping on them 2 at night I took. I have found out that they are not good for your heart so at the moment I am on one a night. The reflux you get lansoprosole for your stomach . Hoped that the information might help you.

[Debs10]

May i ask why you take Amitriptyline ? i will try to help as i have been on this drug for some time.