New medication

[Denford]

Hi guys, so My doctor has changed my medication from pregabalin to duloxitine,I stared yesterday and have felt really sick and no appetite, also my face feels warm and is a bit flushed! Anyone else have experience with this and will it go away once my body gets used to it? Thanks in advance

[LoneEra]

Hi - sorry to hear this. I would call NHS 111 as a precaution. I certainly didn’t experience anything like that. Please take care x

[KellyM46]

Hi I have recently swopped my medication over to duloxetine too. I felt terribly sick for the first few weeks and lost my appetite too. I’ve stuck it out for 2 months but certainly don’t feel any better so im in the process of cutting them down to come off them. Not sure what I’m going to do next. I was previously on fluoxetine and amitriptyline. It’s so hard trying different medication as it isn’t a quick fix.

[Fizzwizz35 in reply to KellyM46]

Can I ask why you came off the Fluoxetine and Amitriptyline? That’s what I take but I’ve seen any benefit for the pain?

[KellyM46 in reply to Fizzwizz35]

I came off them because I have been on them for a long time and I still suffer pretty much on a daily basis. I went back to see my Rheumatologist and he told me duloxetine is the new drug for fibromyalgia and advised I gave it a go so I did.

[Fizzwizz35 in reply to KellyM46]

The amitriptyline helps me fall asleep but like you they do nothing for the pain. My GP is pretty useless so I’m stuck really.

[KellyM46 in reply to Fizzwizz35]

Yes the amitriptyline definitely helped me sleep better. I would suggest changing your doctors. That’s the only way I got diagnosed my old doctors were useless too. They kept telling me I was just stressed and depressed but needed to go back to work. This is when I could barely pick up a cup and walk up the stairs. My new doctor was brilliant done lots of tests and sent me to the Rhuematolagist and that’s how I got diagnosed.

[Hmesseter]

I have been on Duloxetine for many years and would never have started it had I been warned about the consequences. The side effects do clear after time but it is almost impossible to come off the drug due to the awful ‘cold turkey’ effects. It took me over six months to reduce to a half dose and I don’t feel up to coping with coming off completely so I feel addicted for life. I could never recommend it to anyone and it certainly did not eliminate pain.

[Shortnsweet54 in reply to Hmesseter]

From the court case that went ahead in the USA about this drug and a couple of others it would appear that the manufacturers were less than honest about the side effects and the horrendouds effects of coming off them. Google Cymbalta and US courts, it really is horrendous.

Eli Lilly “Overstated the efficacy of Cymbalta” and “downplayed and/or failed to state the true withdrawal side effects associated with Cymbalta”

Failed to properly warn patients about the risks and of the “frequency, severity, and/or duration of Cymbalta withdrawal”. Hence why I've refused these meds and any of the pentins foir the same reason. Good luck with coming off it, slowly does it x

[Geriinaz in reply to Hmesseter]

Your experiences with Duloxetine have been the same as mine. I call it my 'devil" drug. Have been on it for years. At this point, I can only assume that it is helping me. When I started taking it, it gave me horrible brain zaps, anxiety, shakes and difficulty with sleeping because of the psychedelic flashes and dreams. My doc at the time said it wouldnt last long and was worth it because the drug, although primarily an antidepressant, was also found to be a good nerve pain reliever. I remember it did help, but I started reading about it and got scared, so I decided I wanted to stop taking it. When I cut the dosage in half, the withdrawl symtpoms were the same as when I started taking it.......only WORSE. It is called AWS (antidepressant withdrawl symptoms). I am 72 years old, and don't see the need to make a change now, since I have many other conditions I deal with. I agree with you, Hmesseter, I would not recommend it to anyone.

[Shirls12345]

Look it up and see if thats a serious side effect and maybe ring gp .. best to stick with it if it's not a serious side effect as duloxetine is considered the main drug for fibromyalgia I think so best not to be taken off of it.. I had pretty bad side effects to one of my drugs but only lasted a few days.

[Mille21]

Hi I've been on duloxetine for a while and its done nothing for my pain but I have been sleeping well but I have also felt very sick with it and had flushes plus tingling today I've restarted citalopram and zapping to see how it goes I had a lidocaine infusion just over a week ago it seemed to ease my pain but now got horrendous pain in shoulder neck etc again xx

[Mille21]

Sorry zapain xx

[aber218deen]

Hi, this probably isn't relevant,but the pain clinic suggested that I'm prescribed Duloxitine and Pregabalin together for Fibromyalgia pain, so my GP started me on 30mg of Duloxitine and 1 Pregabalin Daily, and I never had any obvious side effects, but my level of pain didn't subside so my GP increased both medication over the next few weeks until I was on the highest allowed dose of Duloxitine of 120mg per day and the highest allowed dose of Pregabalin of 3 capsules per day,(I think the Pregabalin capsule dose is 150mg), and again, not a single obvious side effect, so I guess it's just a case of what's good for one can be poison for another!! But just to add, I still need to take 8x50mg of Tramadol and 8 Paracetamol daily,along with the Duloxitine and Pregabalin. I really hope you find something out there, but if the specific meds cause you more negative issues than what they are supposed to do, definitely ditch them and say to your doctor..... NEXT!! Take care and good luck.

[rosewine]

Unfortunately, it didn't suit me at all. I felt sick and headache and really peculiar stuck it out for 6 weeks but the side effects didn't get any better. To be honest, I have tried low dose antidepressants of three different kinds and they all had bad side effects for me so it could be just me but it sounds as though you are having similar. Often side effects will get better after a few weeks so it is up to you whether you decide to tough it out and hope for the best. Good luck whatever you try.

[KellyM46]

If you go on everyday health there are lots of reviews on duloxetine. Obviously what suits one may not suit the other but I’ve read lots of reviews on duloxetine and the bad are out weighing the good. Goodluck with what ever you decide to do.

[Kat_hath]

I felt sick too, and rubbish in general I spoke to my specialist and got my meds changed to venlafaxine, less side effects and seems to help!

[Inthesticks]

Reading all these negative reviews of Duloxetine, I felt shocked and felt a positive review was in order. For me it has been a wonder drug reducing my pain level by at least 80%. I had tried many different drugs to no avail and wasn't expecting any relief, I had given up hope. It took about a month before it's benefits showed. My severe connective tissue pain just slowly melted away, especially the ligaments behind my knees which had made it almost impossible for me to walk. My GP put me on 60mg 2 x daily. I had no side effects whatsoever and have been taking them daily now for over 2 years and they've changed my life greatly for the better. Give them a chance, you may be like me and have no problems and huge benefits.

[Sallyann58]

I have tried all sorts of drugs was on tramadol for over10 yrs before realising how bad it is for you, and how it messes with the brain, took about a year to come off it, used the tramadol liquid which can be reduced by very small amounts as withdraw can be awful, surprised by how much I must have been doped up on it. The best painrelief I get is by taking CBD 2000 2 drops aday...hope people give it ago as so much better than a lot of prescription drugs with all there side effects