duloxetine - extreme anti depressant?

[Broomsticklady]

For reasons I won't go into, I had a really bad anxiety / nerve / hysteria attack lasting 3 days and getting worse, and my OH, worried about my taking an od, called the GP out. Knowing my history (secondary breast cancer, just about controlled insulin diabetes and severe depression for years) that wasn't a problem for him, and he dosed me up with diazepan (which I hate but which worked) and I ended up taking it for a couple of days to see me thru the crisis.

My question is tho when he spoke to my OH about me (with my permission) he commented I was on an extreme anti depressant. I know after 13 years fluoxetine didn't work for me anymore and the dulox was first prescribed in 2006 and the dose gradually increased from 60 to 90 to the current 120, but I hadn't realised it was 'extreme' - I know it's an SNRI and works on neo adrenaline as well as serotonin, but extreme? Am I loopier than I thought?!

[charliedaker]

I guess they use Citalopram/Ciprmamil (SSRI)in most cases initially (which I guess they may think of as mild.... or cheaper?) and if they're not successful then try other drugs such as what you're taking (might be more expensive).

Its common for sufferers of nervous/depressive disorders receiving drug therapy to have tried a few different types of medication before finding a brand and a dose that suits them.

Loopy is not a word i'd use to describe somebody with a nervous and/or depressive disorder.

May I suggest reading anything by Dr Claire Weekes (if you haven't already done so).

Somewhere there's a cure for you however I suspect that the only part Duloxetine plays is in making the suffering easier to contend with.

[SirSamuelBuca]

You need to get the linden method and get off all anti depressants.

[Silent1]

SirSamuelBuca said:

You need to get the linden method and get off all anti depressants.

Brilliant

[Broomsticklady]

Silent1 said:

SirSamuelBuca said:

You need to get the linden method and get off all anti depressants.

Brilliant

No Silent1, this is exactly what I needed. I mean, I'm just terminally ill so have no reason to be depressed, just need a kick up the ass obviously. I think while I'm at it, in the spirit of Sir Sam's excellent advice, I'll just stop the bone hardeners, hormones and calcium, and use splints instead to keep myself upright. While I'm at it, I'll stop the insulin - my sugar will only go up to mid 30s, and I'm sure if I quaff enough vinegar as a sour counteragent that will control that...

My life is sorted!

[BlackVanDyke]

Broomsticklady said:

Silent1 said:

SirSamuelBuca said:

You need to get the linden method and get off all anti depressants.

Brilliant

No Silent1, this is exactly what I needed. I mean, I'm just terminally ill so have no reason to be depressed, just need a kick up the ass obviously. I think while I'm at it, in the spirit of Sir Sam's excellent advice, I'll just stop the bone hardeners, hormones and calcium, and use splints instead to keep myself upright. While I'm at it, I'll stop the insulin - my sugar will only go up to mid 30s, and I'm sure if I quaff enough vinegar as a sour counteragent that will control that...

My life is sorted!

And to think, if it wasn't for Sammy boy you'd still be sat there on all those nasty drugs.



I don't like words like 'extreme' in relation to medication or dosages thereof; it all divides into a) makes it worse, b) does nothing, c) makes it better or d) fixes it/stops it from progressing and it doesn't really matter what drug it is or what dose it is, if you can achieve c) or d) with it then it's generally good news. Especially in the arena of palliative care - I've heard of people on doses of morphine more than 300 times what I take, in order to keep pain under good control... in some countries/hospitals/wards you Just Can't Have more than whatever somebody thinks is standard, which neatly sidesteps the minor issue that people's bodies don't always behave in standard and predictable ways.

If the antidepressant you're taking is (mostly) working, then that's grand - you do get even 'mild' depression that just doesn't respond to the basic drugs or the 'starter' doses sometimes.

I came off my antidepressants early this year after a 6 year process of stabilising myself emotionally/psychologically, dealing with the causes of the mostly-reactive depression, recovering from a few deeply bad experiences and generally coming to terms with Stuff. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I end up back on them at some point; they're a reasonably good tool for dealing with that particular problem.

[SirSamuelBuca]

I didnt know you were terminally ill and am very sorry to hear that

But seriously READ THE LINDEN METHOD if you are struggling with anxiety and depression. Anti depressants will make your anxiety worse. I am talking from experience and now suffer with no Anxiety what so ever.

Edited by SirSamuelBuca on Tuesday 7th August 11:15

[BlackVanDyke]

SirSamuelBuca said:

I didnt know you were terminally ill and am very sorry to hear that

But seriously READ THE LINDEN METHOD if you are struggling with anxiety and depression. Anti depressants will make your anxiety worse. I am talking from experience and now suffer with no Anxiety what so ever.

Edited by SirSamuelBuca on Tuesday 7th August 11:15

Anti depressants saved my life. Pressure to do things someone else's way made everything much worse. Generalisations like yours above - especially with regard to mental health or medication - are incredibly dangerous; fair enough to say it's worked for you and that's great (genuinely, anxiety/depression are horrible and being freed from it is good news) but please don't present it as if it's a universal and objectively provable fact because it's not.

[SirSamuelBuca]

I agree its just a different outlook I think would be worth exploration for her.

[Silent1]

This quote:

SirSamuelBuca said:

I agree its just a different outlook I think would be worth exploration for her.

DOes not fit with your earlier statement that seems to suggest the linden method is the be all and end all, it isn't, it's an option but it's no more acceptable to tell someone to stop taking anti-depressants than it is to tell them to stop taking any other drug unless you know their medical history and have a scientific reason to do so, which unless you're their Dr is highly unlikely.

SirSamuelBuca said:

I didnt know you were terminally ill and am very sorry to hear that

But seriously READ THE LINDEN METHOD if you are struggling with anxiety and depression. Anti depressants will make your anxiety worse. I am talking from experience and now suffer with no Anxiety what so ever.

Edited by SirSamuelBuca on Tuesday 7th August 11:15