Justine: Length of endgame taper duloxetine from 1mg to 0 in 10 months, too short?

[Justine]

[KenA]

Hi @Justine. Seems that none of what you have typed has come across on your post. Do you mind posting it again so we can assist you?

 

Thanks,

KenA

[Justine]

Hi KenA, thanks for your feedback. So I post my text again.

[Erimus]

23 hours ago, Justine said:

Hi KenA, thanks for your feedback. So I post my text again.

There's still nothing there @Justine. Are you trying to copy text from a translator?

 

This is what we see.

[Justine]

Hi everyone,

First of all thank you very much for accepting me in this forum.

As indicated in my drug story: on duloxetine 30mg since october 2017, I started weaning in october 2020:

I lower my dose by 5% each month. Currently at 1.3mg, my withdrawal will end in april 2025.

 

I do not weigh the beads or count them either. It is the chemist who makes the capsules for me according to my prescription which mentions the exact quantity of active substance in mg which must be put in the capsules.

So I'm starting endgame taper soon. My next steps: 1.2mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, 0.9mg, 0.8mg, 0.7mg, 0.6mg, 0.5mg, 0.4mg, 0.3mg, 0.2mg, 0.1mg, 0mg.

For my weaning protocol (excel), I put one decimal place and rounded down to the lower number.

the formula is: =ROUNDED.INF(previous month's quantity - (previous month's quantity/initial quantity of 30mg);1))

My jump: at 0.1mg (=0.03% of the initial dose of 30 mg)

The problem that arises is that with this calculation formula, that is to say one decimal and rounding down, the percentage of reduction increases at each level (we see clearly, at the end of weaning it will be from 0.2mg to 0.1mg = 50%.

My question: Do you think that the length of my endgame taper of 10 months is correct or too short?

Do you think that I should change my formula, for example 2 decimal places and rounded down. The withdrawal with this formula would last until march 2028!

In this case, the next steps would be: 1mg, 0.95mg, 0.9mg, 0.85mg, 0.8mg, 0.76mg, ..........0.03mg, 0.02mg, 0.01mg

However I dont know if it is technically possible. The chemist surely has an analytical balance that weighs within 0.0001g, that is to say 0.1mg, but I don't know if he has a balance that weighs 0.001mg.

And above all, the chemist is limited by the granules. they weigh on average 0.111mg (for a capsule of 30mg active ingredient with an average of 270 beads per capsule) and we cannot crush the beads.

Thank you in advance for your advice!

[Erimus]

That's much better!

 

Hello and welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.

 

It seems like you have already been doing a great job tapering nice and slowly.

 

As you approach 0 the jumps will inevitably increase in % reduction, this is unavoidable.

 

Please read the thread on tips for tapering from Cymbalta/Duloxetine (if you haven't already).

 

The composition of the drug means it cannot be dissolved into a liquid, or crushed (as you mention). Therefore your best option is to continue with the bead counting, but to increase the duration of time between drops, to mitigate any withdrawal symptoms.

 

Personally, I would prefer to make the capsules and count the beads myself, rather than having the pharmacist do it for me, but that is up to you.

 

Please see Larry's Topic, for an example of someone who succesfully tapered off venlafaxine using only bead counting.

 

Do not hesitate to ask further questions, and please continue to read all the resources available on the site.

 

[Justine]

Hello Erimus,

thank you for your exhaustive response. So I can continue with confidence my endgame taper 1.2mg; 1.1; 1; 0.9; 0.8; 0.7; 0.6; 0.5; 0.4; 0.3; 0.2; 0.1mg; 0. And if I feel withdrawal symptoms, I will increase the time between steps. I will not hesitate to contact you if necessary.

Best wishes

Justine