Duloxetine

[Cakeandslippers]

Has anyone taken duloxetine for chronic pain, in particular for pins and needles/ shooting pains, electric shock sensations etc.

I am considering trying it as my symptoms, which I've had for many years, are worsening and it's an option I've put off.

Interested in any experiences, did it help, to what extent and how did you find the side effects?

Following with interest as I've just been prescribed this but haven't started them yet

My niece took them for pain. Didn't seem to help (her) pain but improved her mood immeasurably (duloxetine is an antidepressant)

However she is now trying to come off them....oh boy! What a nightmare. The online stories about withdrawing from duxy do not lie!

Hi i take it for pain and depression,
I have severe nerve damage and have the symptoms you are describing.
It works to an extent but I found 30mg to not be that effective so I'm up to 60mg and doing better.
I am on other pain killers (relatrans patch, pregabalin, paracetamol)
For context I have a brachial plexus injury and post ICU neuropathy.
One thing I do need to mention is that it needs to be taken around the same time everyday or you will get brain zaps every time you move.

Google “Cymbalta ruined my life” (that’s what they call Duloxetine in the US). It can cause some horrible things such as increased anxiety and suicidal thoughts, liver damage, brain zaps if you forget to take one, and if you try to stop taking them you go through withdrawal and have to be weaned off like a druggie. I was offered it but frankly I’d rather have the pain.

I take it for chronic back pain, (broke 5 bones in my back), it really works for me.

I've been on and off it a few times. It's worked well for me until my symptoms changed. Coming off it I just made sure to reduce it in a very controlled way over at least 2 weeks. The first time I came off it the gp didn't mention the withdrawal and I had 3 days of feeling nauseous, off balance and dizzy but still not completely debilitated, still functioned through it.

I was prescribed it, lasted a month before I went back to the doctors & asked for something else. I got prescribed mirtazapine & gabapentin for the pain.

I've just come across this thread and wondered how you had got on with duloxetine, OP? I was prescribed it today by the pain clinic for herniated disc pain, to take alongside codeine (which I've taken for two years now) and a very low dose of naproxen. I said that I wouldn't take gabapentin or pregabalin because of the way it affected my mother and also the link with dementia that I've read about recently. I had never heard of duloxetine before and didn't realise that it's mainly used as an antidepressant. After what I've read tonight I'm very reluctant to start taking it.

Hi @Growlybear83 did you take Duloxetine in the end? I'm currently coming off pregabalin but wondering about asking GP to try something else for pain

@Topjoe19 No, I decided that it sounded so awful that I'm still trying to avoid taking it. I had managed to reduce my codeine quite a lot, to just over half the maximum dose, so am just taking an extra one when my pain is really severe.

Codeine makes me feel awful & weepy so I try to avoid it if I can help it. Thanks for answering, hope your pain improves really quickly