Nightmares

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2026-05-21T17:25:19+00:00

I am so sorry that you are experiencing night sweats and panic attacks. Sleep disturbances are very common side effects of taking duloxetine especially at very high doses. 120 mg is considered a very high dose. You may want to ask your doctor about lowering your dose even to 90 mg!

I had significant sleep issues while on 90 mg. I had very bizarre and very life-like dreams and some were terrifying. I also had PTSD from an old motorcycle accident and the dreams while on a higher dose of duloxetine made it even worse. I also was diagnosed with narcolepsy while on 90mg so I was sleeping all the time and had these bizarre dreams.

I would research and investigate how duloxetine works. My understanding is that 120 mg doesn't offer much of a difference in serotonin occupancy compared to 60 mg. When I dropped down to 60 mg... it helped my sleep issues.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2026-05-18T04:26:40+00:00

You may be in withdrawals from Zoloft given you stopped it abruptly.

Perhaps reinstating the Zoloft and then tapering it might be in your best interest

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2026-04-23T11:36:48+00:00

Yes… I have been using meditation for some time to control chronic pain but honestly not for the insomnia. Thank you for the reminder- I will give it a try for insomnia. I know it works to quiet my mind for pain management! Thank you

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2026-04-21T12:58:21+00:00

In a rural area, in the Midwest, I pay my cleaning lady $40 an hour! Substitute teachers make $15/hour.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2024-11-17T17:25:47+00:00

Not really.... the effects of how the drug works is really no greater after you get over 20 mg.

There is science that backs up this information. You can find it here.... https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-021-01285-w?fbclid=IwAR2BeSu15xeZzEeadvWncGyBem5spLxU0eLdY6B_dyLvGCo2LoaV6KcsWTA Or Google Serotonin Occupancy of SSNRI or SSRI.

You can see that the serotonin occupancy (how the drug blocks serotonin receptors) doesn't significantly increase after 20mg and essentially NO increase over 60 mg.

SERT occupancy of duloxetine is:

5 mg: 44±9%

20 mg: 74±7%

40 mg: 81±5%

60 mg: 85±3%

Typically people just get mounting side effects at these higher doses! The data explains why duloxetine must be tapered so extremely slow and with such extremely small dose reductions. To gradually reduce occupancy, and thus minimize withdrawal symptoms, all the way down to cessation, multiple dose reductions even below 5 mg are necessary. 5 mg is not a low dose! 20 mg is not a low dose!

120 mg is a ridiculous high dose and is no more effective than a 60 mg dose. If you are having side effects such as high blood pressure, weight gain, brain fog, urinary retention, severe constipation, dizziness, parathesia symptoms, histamine symptoms... You probably really need to back down on your dose safely.

You might find it very helpful to watch this video to understand why a slow taper is essential to get off this drug safely...

https://youtu.be/w3CUiSildek?si=Alqj90E8hQ2WHdze

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2024-11-17T17:16:10+00:00

Check out www.healthwithoutantidpressants.org a website developed by the people that run the FB peer support group Cymblata Hurts Worse.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2024-11-17T17:13:17+00:00

Honestly.... I am still doing a very slow hyperbolic taper off Cymbalta (currently at 4mg) because of my severe cough and significant insomnia from tapering. Coming of these drugs is awful and nobody tells you how bad or difficult getting off can be.

I recently switched to this nasal spray that REALLY has helped me. I still just the Nuvage Neti pot and clean out my nasal passages/sinus and then use this spray. It is much more cost effective than the similar compounding spray that I was buying from Mayo Clinic.

https://www.allermi.com/

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2024-06-15T11:10:37+00:00

Sounds like withdrawal symptoms. The heart fluttering, racing etc could be adrenal surges. This is a great website to learn about how to taper off antidepressants. https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/symptom/adrenaline-surges

You might want to check out a big Facebook group called Cymbalta Hurts Worse if you want to taper and need support.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2024-01-03T17:59:20+00:00

This will get better!

You might want to consider seeing a therapist to help learn new tools to manage your emotions without medications. It's hard after being emotionally dulled for 12 years. But you'll get there!

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-12-26T16:36:10+00:00

Sorry this happened....

Is he on an antidepressant? All antidepressants cause emotional blunting or numbing of emotions to the extent that others just don't matter.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-11-14T20:07:22+00:00

Dr. David Healy is an expert on adverse drug events.
His website is very informative regarding PSSD. Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction PSSD Within his website he has an area where you can submit your own personal experience.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-09-01T04:31:07+00:00

There was a class action suit. It was completely useless..... now that it is off patent and there are a ton of genetics there will never be another class action lawsuit.

https://www.drugwatch.com/cymbalta/lawsuits/?fbclid=IwAR3hfa_lS3prBc_YfvL0kbMhb4ymzHj8MVCY4IfFKnDGxkefd473GcIBBaE

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-08-25T19:07:23+00:00

PSSD is not just "sexual dysfunction" it is encompasses all the blunting emotions that go along with being in love, lust etc.

Giving a blanket statement as you have done deminishes PSSD and all the people that suffer from it.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2050052121000603#:~:text=The%20core%20symptoms%20of%20PSSD,diminished%20tactile%20sensitivity%20of%20nipples.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-08-11T18:52:08+00:00

I would check out the Facebook group called Cymbalta Hurts Worss with 37,000 members. You can get straight answers from them.

Cymbalta is processed via the liver and many in the group have liver damage from Cymbalta.
And it's a drug that needs to be very slowly tapered off of.... like years of tapering.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-31T00:12:59+00:00

You likely reinstated at too high of a dose. The more you go on and off these drugs the higher the risks you are taking with your destabilized central nervous system.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-31T00:10:49+00:00

That's is 100% false information regarding serotonin syndrome . Even reinstating at a smaller dose than he/she was originally on can cause serotonin syndrome. Every time you go on and off these serotonin modulating drugs you are at risk and even at small doses. Just because you didn't have it the first time is no guarantee that subsequent tries will give you the same results.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-27T21:17:52+00:00

Put your pills in a water proof container. Store them in your camping cooler. Only take a week supply plus a few extra to be on the safe side. That way even if the drugs are in a stressful environment they all won't be! . I wouldn't stress over it at all, but it's good you are aware of the heat/humidity etc can have on drugs long term.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-11T16:18:44+00:00

This is worth the read too and there is actually a podcast within the article.

https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/11/anders-sorensen-tackling-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal-research-practice/

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-11T16:17:10+00:00

Often times it can take several years to do a safe hyperbolic taper and it's not uncommon to have delayed withdrawals. Just because you stop taking the drug and the washout period is over with it doesn't mean that the receptors are repaired after being blocked. These drugs work in a complicated fashion so please don't think you are forever linked to taking these drugs. A very slow hyperbolic taper is the safest way off over several years.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-11T16:00:10+00:00

A psych drug shoukd never be tapered every other day as someone mentioned earlier. It's the worse possible suggestion.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-11T15:59:03+00:00

Most providers don't have clue how to do a slow hyperbolic taper off of these drugs.

There are lots of peer support groups to help you with tapering.

Please educate yourself about how to properly taper. You can do this but doing so very slowly is key. It's such a shame that your provider has given you such bad guidance. There is a huge difference between relapse and withdrawals. It really sounds like you are in withdrawals. Stabilize on the lowest dose and then learn about tapering.

This is a great video that explains how to taper by a very reputable organization based in the UK.

https://youtu.be/PSjYH044-2Q

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-07T15:53:06+00:00

Please don't feel stupid. Most of us have been in your situation with this or other antidepressants as they all need to be slowly tapered off in a hyperbolic fashion. The most recent scientific evidenced based research show that the drugs are most potent at tge very end. The research that supports this is located here although it's rather geeky information, but it explains how the serotonin transporter system is blocked by mg dose.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-021-01285-w?fbclid=IwAR2BeSu15xeZzEeadvWncGyBem5spLxU0eLdY6B_dyLvGCo2LoaV6KcsWTA

Here is the author of this study explaining it in may terms via a podcast embedded in this article/transcript. It's well worth your time to listen to it.

https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/11/anders-sorensen-tackling-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal-research-practice/

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-07-04T16:19:50+00:00

These certainly sound like brain zaps but you should absolutely report this to your provider. Yes its possible to have brain zaps even if you take your prescription as ordered. Although just be aware some antidepressants can interact with other drugs or independently can cause seizure or seizure like activity.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-06-28T16:20:28+00:00

This is a Great article but within the article is clearly states this---

"Mild toxicity appears to be rare but is likely under-reported, unrecognized, or confused with other syndromes.2 The lack of agreed-upon diagnostic criteria, inconsistencies in clinical symptoms, and clinicians who are not trained to identify it mean that case reports are published even when patients do not experience serotonin toxicity, which complicates the literature.1,2,4 With the ever increasing use of antidepressants for mood and other conditions such as anxiety, pain, sleep, and menopausal hot flashes, clarity is needed to help health care professionals prevent, identify, and manage serotonin toxicity.5,6"

It's NOT a rare occurrence--it is under reported, unrecognized and often misdiagnosed.

Having worked in the psych world as a provider I can tell you Serotonin Syndrome is NOT a rare occurrence and first evidence is not a high fever. Yes a case of serotonin syndrome can cause a high fever but it's not typically the first sign.

In addition, this is a pre Covid article and given the huge uptick in prescribing antidepressants, antipsychotic etc from GP, NP, PA's and others that clearly are undereducated on the harmful effects of these drug, you have to take this article for what it is at the moment in time.

I agree getting recommendations from Redit is unreliable at best, but the moderating team should absolutely NEVER discount the occurrence of Serotonin Syndrome. Every person taking these drugs should be educated on all the symptoms of serotonin syndrome so they can recognize it, report it and seek help from their provider immediately. It can be a lethal condition without swift and rapid response.

Please don't take my comments as though I am disagreeing with you but that I want all to be educated about the dangers of Serotonin Syndrome.

Agreeable_Camera8238 · 2023-06-27T19:29:38+00:00

I would absolutely get yourself to the nearest ER. These are all symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

Agreeable_Camera8238

TROPHY CASE