Dantegra Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 Hi everyone. Need your advice and help. My story is simple: 2 years ago i have chronic pain and my doctor (neurologist) prescribed to me duloxetine for one month. I started from 30 mg - 10 days. My memory is very bad at now, so i hardly remember first days, but in 2 first day my libido and erection is crushed and probably was some strange state of mine with emotions. I continued to take, cause doctor said it's normal and adverse effects will go away. Next 60 mg - 20 days. I remember only one day, when i was very suicidal. And probably my most problems started while taking this dose. So, i took duloxetine for one month, without any relief for pain. I did cold turkey and hoped my symptoms will go away. At that moment i have pssd, anhedonia, chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, emotional numbness, no desire, vision problems, dry skin/hair. Unfortunately, passed 1.5 years without any improvements. Besides, i didn't think it can be from duloxetine, cause doctors said it can't be. I was to many doctors, urologists, neurologists, cardiologists, but they didn't have any answers to my problems. I started to read about duloxetine and psychiatric drugs and understood, where is the problem. After that i tried supplements and drugs: dopa mucuna, bupropion, sjw, pram, selegiline, armodafinil. Also i take many different vitamins, like omega 3, zinc, magnesium threonate, vitamin b complex, lactoferrin, berberine. At this moment trying to treat lyme, cause i read it can give similar symptoms, but without results. All my analysis is normal, mri and others too. My question is next: i read that is dangerously to reinstate drug after long time and understand the risk, but i don't have any other possible variant what to do in this situation, cause already it crushed my marriage, lose my job, and my life is completely ruined. If duloxetine did chemical imbalance to my neurotransmitters, so if i'll reinstate to 60 mg and for year or two will do taper, there is a chance my symptoms get relief for a little i hope? I read many successful stories at Facebook group Cymbalta hurts worse, but understand 2 years it's not 1 month. Thanks for any advice! P.S. sorry for my English, i am not native speaker. 2020 May - 30 mg( 10 days) 60 mg (20 days) duloxetine ( cold turkey) 2022 January - 800 mg, 2 capsules (14 days) dopa mucuna 2022 January - 300 mg, 1 capsules, (7 days) SJW 2022 February - 150 mg(1-3 days); 225 mg(4-6 days); 300 mg(7-12 days); 225 mg(13-15 days); 150 mg(16-18 days) bupropion 2022 March - 75 mg(1-2 days); 150 mg (3 day); 225 mg( 4 day); 300 mg(5 day) armodafinil 2022 April - 5 mg(1-4 days, oral); 5 mg( 5-8 days, sublingual); 10 mg( 9-10 days, sublingual) selegiline 2022 April - 0.125 mg (1 day) pramipexole Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus MrHappy Posted April 19, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2022 Hi Dantegra SA's tapering protocol is a harm reduction method and recommends that you reduce by no more than 10% of the current dose followed by a hold of about 4 weeks to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug. Jumping up and down in doses may cause issues and the nervous system may become sensitised. Also, the effect of changing drugs and doses is cumulative. What might have worked for you before might not work the next time you try the same/similar thing. Why taper by 10% of my dosage? Dr Joseph Glenmullen's WD Symptoms Checklist Post #1 of this topic has links to various drugs with information in the first post of those topics about ways to get non standard doses: Important topics in the Tapering forum and FAQ Please create your drug signature following these instructions: Instructions: Withdrawal History Signature This is your own Introduction topic which is the place to ask questions about your situation and where you can journal your progress. This keeps your history in one place. June 1998 20 mg Prozac April 2001 Citalopram Dates unavailable (illegible); Effexor, Venlafaxine, Amitryptiline, Fluoxetine Duloxetine 30mg 2016 Cold turkey June 2018; massive withdrawal Briefly, Mirtazipine Reinstatement on 20 mg Duloxetine Started tapering December 2018, currently at 1.6mg, 9 beads Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus MrHappy Posted April 19, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2022 Hi Dantegra Your English is fine. No need to apologise. I am sorry for your pain and emotional distress. Duloxetine has a wide range of effects and, in my experience, sadly, very few specialists have any idea how to prescribe or de-prescribe it. Doctors have no data to show that any reactions are normal. Often, adverse effects do not go away. Increasing the dose can make matters worse, rather than helping. This seems to be what happened to you. Even after just a month, going cold turkey can make the symptoms far worse and can make it harder to manage other similar drugs. In some cases, it is reported that it takes years to recover. It seems to me, since you have been thoroughly checked by doctors, that it is likely to be a result of taking duloxetine. Doctors have no data - and therefore no right - to state that duloxetine can't be the problem. It concerns me that you have been taking a range of drugs which may have made the situation worse. As I don't have the details from you yet, I can only comment on your question about reinstatement. If you have not taken it for 2 years, then I would not recommend reinstating it. Tapering off 60 mg would normally take 3-4 years, or longer, where patients have taken a range of drugs with interactions. Remember, the maximum reduction for Cymbalta / duloxetine is only 5% of the previous dose. There is no evidence anywhere that reinstatement after stopping, even for just a very short time - 2 or 3 weeks - necessarily helps. Certainly, after such a long time there would be no guarantees of anything except several years taking it and tapering. Your focus on supplements is helpful, but you should always check them against any drugs you are taking, to see if there are interactions. It would be helpful to know whether you are following a careful diet, with good nutrition. If you were in Cymbalta Hurts Worse, I am sure you know their website Healing America Now has many, many suggestions on how to manage healthy nutrition. As it is a site specifically for people taking or coming off duloxetine, I would also look carefully at ways to manage withdrawal symptoms. June 1998 20 mg Prozac April 2001 Citalopram Dates unavailable (illegible); Effexor, Venlafaxine, Amitryptiline, Fluoxetine Duloxetine 30mg 2016 Cold turkey June 2018; massive withdrawal Briefly, Mirtazipine Reinstatement on 20 mg Duloxetine Started tapering December 2018, currently at 1.6mg, 9 beads Link to comment
Dantegra Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 Thanks for answer, MrHappy. I took drugs only for short periods, and, fortunately, without any negative effects. At this moment, I don't take any drugs, only supplements. I am on gluten free diet, 3-4 liters of water per day. Also trying to do some researching, cause i feel that my immune system is overactive and i didn't get ill since that time. Did analysis of b12, vitamin D, other chemical compounds and all is normal, b 12 is even slightly elevated. 2020 May - 30 mg( 10 days) 60 mg (20 days) duloxetine ( cold turkey) 2022 January - 800 mg, 2 capsules (14 days) dopa mucuna 2022 January - 300 mg, 1 capsules, (7 days) SJW 2022 February - 150 mg(1-3 days); 225 mg(4-6 days); 300 mg(7-12 days); 225 mg(13-15 days); 150 mg(16-18 days) bupropion 2022 March - 75 mg(1-2 days); 150 mg (3 day); 225 mg( 4 day); 300 mg(5 day) armodafinil 2022 April - 5 mg(1-4 days, oral); 5 mg( 5-8 days, sublingual); 10 mg( 9-10 days, sublingual) selegiline 2022 April - 0.125 mg (1 day) pramipexole Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus MrHappy Posted April 19, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2022 Please create your drug signature following these instructions: Instructions: Withdrawal History Signature I had the impression you had tried a range of drugs. My experience is that the more drugs you have taken, the more difficult it is. Please complete your signature so we can see what you have been on and for how long. Then it is easier to comment. June 1998 20 mg Prozac April 2001 Citalopram Dates unavailable (illegible); Effexor, Venlafaxine, Amitryptiline, Fluoxetine Duloxetine 30mg 2016 Cold turkey June 2018; massive withdrawal Briefly, Mirtazipine Reinstatement on 20 mg Duloxetine Started tapering December 2018, currently at 1.6mg, 9 beads Link to comment
Dantegra Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 Did the signature 2020 May - 30 mg( 10 days) 60 mg (20 days) duloxetine ( cold turkey) 2022 January - 800 mg, 2 capsules (14 days) dopa mucuna 2022 January - 300 mg, 1 capsules, (7 days) SJW 2022 February - 150 mg(1-3 days); 225 mg(4-6 days); 300 mg(7-12 days); 225 mg(13-15 days); 150 mg(16-18 days) bupropion 2022 March - 75 mg(1-2 days); 150 mg (3 day); 225 mg( 4 day); 300 mg(5 day) armodafinil 2022 April - 5 mg(1-4 days, oral); 5 mg( 5-8 days, sublingual); 10 mg( 9-10 days, sublingual) selegiline 2022 April - 0.125 mg (1 day) pramipexole Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus MrHappy Posted April 19, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2022 Thank you for completing the signature. What I don't really understand - and that may be because of the language problem - is why you keep trying different drugs for a short period of time. Have you read about these drugs? The side effects that you may get? The harm they can do? https://www.drugs.com/mtm/pramipexole.html https://www.drugs.com/sfx/armodafinil-side-effects.html https://www.drugs.com/sfx/selegiline-side-effects.html https://www.drugs.com/sfx/bupropion-side-effects.html You don't seem to explain what chronic pain caused you to be put on duloxetine in the first place. I can see that your reaction to duloxetine can have caused you major long-term problems. This can happen, even after only a day or two on the drug. Cold turkey is never a good step to take and may have made your condition far worse, even after such a short time. As you have been tested by various doctors and they can find nothing wrong, I continue to think the solution lies in managing the condition through clean living, good nutrition, and not continuously trying new drugs to solve the problems of previous drugs. I am unable to see any other solution, from my own personal experience with this drug and with a specific duloxetine / Cymbalta support group. June 1998 20 mg Prozac April 2001 Citalopram Dates unavailable (illegible); Effexor, Venlafaxine, Amitryptiline, Fluoxetine Duloxetine 30mg 2016 Cold turkey June 2018; massive withdrawal Briefly, Mirtazipine Reinstatement on 20 mg Duloxetine Started tapering December 2018, currently at 1.6mg, 9 beads Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus MrHappy Posted April 19, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 19, 2022 I do feel it would be worth your while trying some of the suggestions in these files: https://www.healingamericanow.com/chw-recovery-from-antidepressant-use/ and https://www.healingamericanow.com/chw-managing-withdrawal-symptoms/. There are so many alternatives to try which avoid experimenting with chemicals. June 1998 20 mg Prozac April 2001 Citalopram Dates unavailable (illegible); Effexor, Venlafaxine, Amitryptiline, Fluoxetine Duloxetine 30mg 2016 Cold turkey June 2018; massive withdrawal Briefly, Mirtazipine Reinstatement on 20 mg Duloxetine Started tapering December 2018, currently at 1.6mg, 9 beads Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus arbor Posted June 20, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 20, 2022 Hello @Dantegra--How are you doing? I send you best wishes, Arbor Zoloft: 1995 - 2015 Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on December 15, 2018 Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019 (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019 Enalapril: 2010 - 2019 Lipitor: 2017 -2017 Metformin: 2000 - 2020 Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019 Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022 Link to comment
Dantegra Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 31 minutes ago, arbor said: Hello @Dantegra--How are you doing? I send you best wishes, Arbor Hi, thanks for question, unfortunately still bad 2020 May - 30 mg( 10 days) 60 mg (20 days) duloxetine ( cold turkey) 2022 January - 800 mg, 2 capsules (14 days) dopa mucuna 2022 January - 300 mg, 1 capsules, (7 days) SJW 2022 February - 150 mg(1-3 days); 225 mg(4-6 days); 300 mg(7-12 days); 225 mg(13-15 days); 150 mg(16-18 days) bupropion 2022 March - 75 mg(1-2 days); 150 mg (3 day); 225 mg( 4 day); 300 mg(5 day) armodafinil 2022 April - 5 mg(1-4 days, oral); 5 mg( 5-8 days, sublingual); 10 mg( 9-10 days, sublingual) selegiline 2022 April - 0.125 mg (1 day) pramipexole Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus arbor Posted June 20, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 20, 2022 I'm sorry that you're suffering. The SNRI's, like the SSRI's, are horrible to get off. Have you tried supplements recommended by this site? They can help with inflammation, though it's not my experience that they will reduce the suffering right away. If you're having problems sleeping, melatonin is, in my opinion, very useful. Melatonin for sleep - Symptoms and self-care https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/ https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/ On 4/19/2022 at 1:23 AM, Dantegra said: Also trying to do some researching, cause i feel that my immune system is overactive and i didn't get ill since that time. Did analysis of b12, vitamin D, other chemical compounds and all is normal, b 12 is even slightly elevated. Yes, your immune system may be overactive. Mine has been. There are several links here discussing immune and autoimmune issues which you may find useful. For example: SSRI antidepressants may also affect human immune system I encourage you to browse the Self Care section and to contact others on the site. Above all, you are not alone. I welcome you to the community @Dantegra This suffering is unbelievable, but we know that no matter how slowly, healing will happen, Thinking of you, Arbor Zoloft: 1995 - 2015 Prozac: 2015 - 2018 (tapered from 40mg x day on July 31 to 30mg on August 31 to 20mg on September 31 to 10mg October 31 to 0mg on December 15, 2018 Gabapentin: 2016 to 2019 (tapered from 300mg x day to 150mg on August 31, 2019 to 75mg on September 15 to 50mg on September 31 to 25ishmg on October 15 to 0mg on December 1, 2019 Enalapril: 2010 - 2019 Lipitor: 2017 -2017 Metformin: 2000 - 2020 Liothyronine: 2007 - 2019 Levothyroxine: 2000 - 2022 Link to comment
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