I have been on this drug now for 5 weeks and noticed changes.
My sleep pattern now has more bad dreams. I don't feel like eating and I'm drinking the equivalent of the North Sea, (Water as I don't drink alcohol).
I used to be Metazipine, Citalopram and fluoxetine. I'm being tested for bipolar and/or a mood disorder. And upto yet, prescribed pills ain't doing jack. I do suffer with depression quite a bit, to the point of just crying without any explanation.
Has anyone been or going through similar? Have you had probs with Duloxetine?
Thanks
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metalbones16
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Never had been on that but I was on I can remember the name of it but it starts with an L and that was for my legs the paper work on that it was danger of suicide I was only on it for two days and I got off of it it took a while before it was out of my system I remember it, it was lyrica
I would ask your doctor or pharmacist what the side effects are for that drug it sounds like that is what it is doing it to you.
I think it is best to let people know that they should read about the medicines they are taking . I did read about lyrica but at the time I really wanted something to work so I took it. I found out the hard way I should have gone with my first thought and believe it or not I did look it up on the Internet as I was in the parking lot of CVS, but I wanted it to work. Always you should go with your first thought.
Lyrica is the brand name of pregabalin. There’s a similar drug called gabapentin. I know several people from my pain club, who find these ok. My current GP said I should never take any of this type of medication again, but it’s a running battle between other doctors who think they know best.
Not familiar with these meds, sorry. Could you stop the new one? May have to enquire about gradual withdrawal?
Looking back over your old posts and seeing all your conditions I am wondering if you have ever had any Thyroid tests. Some of your symptoms & conditions could point to Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis & Hypothyroidism (which I have).
Have you ever experienced unexplained weight gain? Any hair loss or facial (chin) hair growth?
With Hashimoto's we start Hyper. Also bloods can fluctuate so regular TFTs (TSH & T4) are not reliable on their own for ruling out Hashimoto's. Reliable way is to test Thyroid Antibodies : TPO and Tg (Thyroid Peroxidase and Thyroglobulin ). Other tests - FreeT3, FreeT4, T3, T4 & TSH.
Because of your Diverticular you could have malabsorption so ask GP to do blood test to check nutrients levels of
Vitamin D
B12
Folate
Ferritin
Calcium
Look up symptoms of deficiencies in each one on NHS choices and list any you have.
Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of Calcium. I was upset to discover this year that I have Vitamin D insufficiency as I love sunshine and eat well. Also have Folate deficiency Anemia.
I have Arthritis and Diverticular also amongst many other conditions! xx
I have tests once a month on bloods. No majors picked up on that.
It's kinda put me off takin any meds nowadays. The latest and it's bad dreams, need to be stopped. So went off to the docs, told them about it, and they've agreed to a lower dosage
That’s very good advice from Mary re your thyroid hormones. I have secondary hypothyroidism, which I had to diagnose & treat myself after having symptoms & problems for 40 years.
Have you had free T3 tested? If not, request this, also TSH, free T4, iron & ferritin, B12 & folate, & vitamin D3. These are all essential nutrients, as is magnesium. Thyroid hormones can’t be produced & used without high levels.
If you can get these tested, post your results with the ranges on Thyroid UK.
A lot of people with Hashimoto ‘s do better for avoiding gluten, though this takes 3 months to clear the antibodies it causes. Good gut health is essential for healing autoimmune disorders.
But which tests? Do you get printed copies of the results.
Hashimoto's can be missed by just testing TSH & T4. Also the target therapeutic level of TSH for Hashimoto's / Hypothyroidism is much lower than mid-top of "normal " range TSH anyway.
Anyone with Diverticular disease or IBD should ask for nutrients levels as above to be tested due to absorption issues. If levels are low then prescribed nutrients /vitamins are essential to bring them up to, and maintain, a good level. Low levels of nutrients can cause all sorts of problems. Symptoms of deficiencies can be found on NHS choices and other websites. NICE guidlines is worth looking up.
I was prescribed this by my pain management doctor. After one tablet, my jaw locked, & I lost my sense of taste, especially salt which makes me quite ill. This was about three years ago, & the side effects remain. A glass of good red wine is no longer a pleasure as it tastes like chateaux weewee.
This was actually preferable to the effects from taking memantine for a week, which left me with waking nightmares & frightened to go to sleep for 4 months. I worry about Alzheimer’s patients being given this, who are unable to control their meds.
Metazapine made a relative extremely ill with low testosterone, & a changed personality.
Pregabalin for neuropathic pain left me unable to function for weeks after 3 days use. It was like being falling down drunk, hung over, with sun stroke, migraine, & flu.
Look up professor David Healey’s Rxisk website for drug interactions, addiction, & side effects that the pharmaceutical companies hush up.
Have you tried adding kefir or another good probiotic to your diet. Chris Kresser’s has an excellent article: Heal the gut, heal the brain. I posted a Guardian link re good gut bacteria earlier this week, on Healthy Eating. I’m using my phone, so can’t add a link just yet. Trick cyclists should be handing out kefir prescriptions, not poison!
All pain meds affect people differently, I personally found Duloxetine one of the better pain meds I took in terms of side effects, as I didn’t have a foggy head (it did nothing for the pain unfortunately). I felt really queasy when I first started taking it though, and generally felt really tired – I generally couldn’t be bothered eating, and mostly slept through meal times. I was willing to put up with the side-effects, because it meant losing weight. I think the side effects eased about 3 weeks after I reached the target dose, and eventually went away. Have you been at target dose for 5 weeks or are you still building up?
I did have a few vivid dreams on it, nothing major.
I’m interested in what people are saying about hashimotos – I have been seeing a nutritionist who asked me to arrange a thyroid test – my doctor tested for TSH & FT4, but they came back normal (if anything, they were leaning towards hyperthyroid). My nutritionist wanted a full test, so I arranged for a private one via a company called Thriva, which seems to suggest I have hashimotos. The test costs £69 if you want to go ahead with it, but I’d give it a couple more weeks to see if medication side-effects to die down.
There is something called Number Needed to Treat (NNT) with drugs. Because not everyone metabolises drugs in the same way, not all drugs work on all people.
I have a friend with fibro who found Duloxetine gave her back her life, and she has no problems with it. My son tried it and it was a disaster for him. He went back to Amitriptyline.
The NNT Duloxetine is 6, that means for one person to get benefit from this drug, a further six people will try it with little or no benefit. The lower the NNT the more people will benefit from taking the drug.
For comparison ibuprofen is 2.4 and amitriptyline is 4.
And don't just stop taking the Duloxetine, you will need to talk to your GP or pharmacist first.
Sounds like the typical side effects. Can also cause dry mouth and loss of appetite constipation, so drinking fluids is the best thing for the constipation. Metazipine was horrible, made me feel sluggish and thick headed... also gives you the munchies... 24/7 causing huge weight gain, so I came off it. .Found out later that originally it was designed as an appetite stimulant.. I guess it depends on your condition as to what is going to be the best medication, but as you're still a bit weepy maybe be best to go back to whoever is prescribing and tell them about the side effects. ...hospital consultant? Maybe they can try something else for you. Take care
Hello! I recently had the same side effects after starting Duloxetine. I spoke to a different GP at my practice and she said that it should NOT be taken at night, the full dose should be taken in the morning. I now take 60mg in the morning and the side effects have gone!
Maybe it’s something to discuss with your GP if you split the dose morning and night.
That’s strange, would have thought one could sleep away a few hours of the side effects! Taking in the morning - the full monty - would surely ruin the whole day? Maybe switch once once one has become used to it and side effects gone away? It’s all so very confusing. Does anyone have experience of the optimum time to take this stuff, bearing in mind that everyone is different, and there may be no definitive rule.
Would be good to know, that’s for sure! Many thanks
Hi, I've just been on these and for exactly same time frame of 5 weeks, I started having really bad spells of dizziness and just slept, was so drained and hand no energy at all, I was due to increase this after a discussion with my GP he said that he normally prescribes this medication at night because of the side effects but the pain clinic prescribed this in the morning, anyway I've decided for me - its not for me, it wasn't having any effect on my pain and I felt really unwell with them, in terms of my mood I just felt completely disconnected by thought and feeling. Good luck xx
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