Hello @Marybmac, and welcome!
I'm going to share with you what ChatGPT said:
Since your mom has only just started duloxetine, she is much less likely to have developed physical dependence than someone who has been taking it for weeks or months. If she’s only taken a few doses, many prescribers would simply stop it rather than taper, but because she’s 95 years old and is already experiencing dizziness and feeling detached, it’s important to check with her prescriber or the on-call clinician as soon as possible rather than waiting if the symptoms are significant.
Duloxetine can cause dizziness, sedation, feeling emotionally “flat” or detached, and it can increase the risk of falls, especially in older adults. The combination with morphine may also increase drowsiness or dizziness.
Until you can speak with her doctor, I’d encourage extra caution with walking or standing, since falls at her age can be very serious. If she develops severe confusion, becomes difficult to wake, faints, has trouble breathing, or falls, she should receive urgent medical attention.
Can you tell us:
* How many doses has she taken?
* What dose is she taking (20 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg)?
* Is she still taking morphine, or has she already reduced it?
Those details will help determine how likely withdrawal would be if she stops.
A few thoughts:
* If she’s taken only 1–7 doses, withdrawal is generally unlikely, though a few very sensitive people can notice symptoms after brief exposure. The priority is the adverse effects she’s having now.
* If she’s been on it 2–3 weeks or longer, tapering becomes more important because duloxetine has a relatively short half-life.
* At 95 years old, dizziness is especially concerning because of the risk of falls, and older adults often have stronger effects from medications.
Your mom is fortunate to have such a caring daughter. I hope the above information will be helpful to you both.
