Duloxetine

[d0nutt]

Hi all,

I’ve been suffering with IBS-M for over 3 years now. As a result Anxiety has been exacerbated for around the same amount of time and led to mild agrophobia and severe GAD.

I’ve been prescribed Duloxetine for the anxiety, and have also heard it can be beneficial for IBS suffers.

However, I have experienced severe stomach upset, constant stomach ache, can hear my stomach gurgling away (similar to when you have a stomach bug) and have experienced a random, sudden bout of explosive diarrhoea followed by constipation. (This is outside my usual IBS symptoms).

I wondered if anyone else has experienced the same and if it settles or if it continues to make it worse?

Thanks!

[Karula]

Hi d0nuttI'm following your post as well as mine. I have IBS mixed too and as you know have been prescribed Duloxetine. The side effects you mentioned are some of the concerns I have. I don't suffer with anxiety, although at the start of my Lupus I did, it was Lupus related but settled once treatment stated helping. Duloxetine can cause anxiety so that's a concern, I don't want to go there again and I'm sorry its affecting you, it's not nice is it.

On my post there appears to be mixed responses to Duloxetine. I don't have any experience with it as yet to help you but I'm sure others like Back-to-front will be able to share with you. Good luck.

[d0nutt]

Thanks for your reply. It wasn’t prescribed to me for my IBS but for my panic disorder. I have seen that it has been prescribed to others for IBS symptoms however.

Has it been confirmed duloxetine was the cause for the gastric ulcers?? I’ve had uncomfortable fullness after eating a small portion and it feels like unbareable indigestion, unlike what I’m used to with my ibs!

[d0nutt]

I think anything is worth trying if you feel you’re at a loose end with not many other options to choose from. I’m not sure about duloxetine & similar drugs for chronic pain & immune disorders but I’m sure they’ll be others to choose from if you’re feeling Duloxetine might not be good for you..

Anxiety is absolutely horrible, mental pain is hard to explain to those who don’t suffer with it because not everyone can feel it like a cut or a bruise ☹️

[Lamly]

Snap I am suffering the same symptoms, I went back on Amitryptiline after four months off it,it has been a big mistake after all it was Amitryptiline that caused all my stomach problems in the first place being on it for five years then it stopped working, now like you I am having panic attacks and nervous stomach, diarrhoea or constipation all the time, I am getting that I don’t want to go out anywhere and face things, and it is going to take ages to get off the ruddy tablet, try not to go on antidepressants they can make you feel much worse.

[d0nutt in reply to Lamly]

Hello! Thank you for sharing. I didn’t have a choice but to try anti depressants as I felt I was losing control of my own sanity. I was having repeat panic attacks which felt like on big one that was constantly on going.

It’s helping my mental state now, I think it’s starting to take effect and I have to say taking them right now is far better than being where I was.

As for the stomach upset it is distressing and a massive inconvenience, most of my GAD is birthed from my fear of IBS and not being able to find a bathroom in time or others judging me for doing so.

I hope you find something that works for you, be that through westernised medicine or holistically.

[Gardenlover2020]

Hi ,

I had a similar experience with Sertraline, terrible gut issues , like yourself . I have IBS-C & I have anxiety so I needed to take this , I tried 3 times and each time the same problem , so one of my friends suggested lowering the dose to start , I just took 1/4 of a 50mg tablet and very slowly over several weeks / months increased the dose & it worked . I am now on 100 mg , don’t get me wrong it’s not a complete cure for anxiety but it helps

[d0nutt in reply to Gardenlover2020]

Hello! I had the same experience with Sertraline when I was 17/18.

I stopped taking it as I felt it was more hassle than it was worth.

I agree though, the Duloxetine has started taking the edge of the anxiety. I can feel it, in my gut sometimes but with deep breathing it subsides really quickly and I find my mind is less fixated on it, thus stopping the spiralling into a panic attack

[d0nutt]

I’m sorry to hear that! I can imagine there’s lots of different factors that will determine how much or how little Duloxetine irritates the gut.

What do you take now to help with your discomfort from the ulcers etc?

Fortunately my stomach feels more settled, and Im able to eat a little more than I have been doing of late.

[d0nutt]

I feel that, feels more like just ‘existing’ sometimes right?

[Gardenlover2020]

yes it does help to ease the anxiety, I think you just need to persevere with it , even though it’s hard it does help , it took me quite a few months to start to feel it working & I think I may still need to up the dose