Duloxetine... please tell me your experiences xxx

[sunshineandkindle]

Has anyone been prescribed duloxetine for fibromyalgia?
What were the side effects and how did it help you (if at all!). Doctor has suggested Duloxetine and will call me next week to discuss if I would like to start trying it. I was wondering what other people's experiences were xx

I was prescribed it for chronic back pain. It worked for a couple of weeks then stopped being effective. I stopped taking them and even with tapering off them, the last week I was in bed with horrific withdrawal symptoms.

Also, just now I’m remembering, for about three months after I got brain zaps. Which is where it feels like your brain is shorting and you can hear a “zap” noise in your head. It’s like a stomach flip but in your brain. I also had really overwhelming phantom smells for a while after I stopped taking it too.

It really was horrific.

Please do some reading about this drug before taking it. I was prescribed it for neuropathy and I took it for two days and felt like I was dying or going mad, it was awful, brain fog, nausea, dissociation just to name a few. I then looked it up on Google for side effects and there they were and so I researched a bit more and found hundreds/thousands (via uk and USA facebook support pages) of people trying to come off duloxetine and having the most awful effects even with tapering. It was so scary I threw them away and told the Dr that I would not take them. I still suffer with neuropathy and I take Gabapentin which has its own downsides but nothing like the horrors I read about associated with duloxetine.

I've taken it for 6 years - treatment for severe depression which didn't respond to Mirtazapine or other ADs. I've never had any side effects, it literally saved my life. I can't speak for it as a treatment for neuropathy though.

I have been taking 60mg for 2 weeks for fibromyalgia. First three days I had quite bad headaches, a dry mouth and felt jittery. They all disappeared by about day 4. Then by day 5 it’s like a miracle has happened. The horrific burning pain that I would get in my legs and sometimes arms has gone. I used to wake each morning in agony. Now I awake without any pain. I have had fibro for 15 years. If it continues to work it will have changed my life. I wish I had tried it years ago.

I’m on 120mg per day (since 2015) and it’s THE best antidepressant I’ve ever tried and I’ve had them all! The only downside is the sweating. I already have Hyperhidrosis so Duloxetine makes it much worse BUT…. It has also kept me alive and I mean that quite literally.

I took the bullet this evening and taken it. 30mg. Here's to feeling like a Zombie for a few weeks!

Thank you everyone for your replies. Was very helpful xx