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What was your experience with duloxetine (US Brand Name; Cymbalta)?
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Mar 24, 2023 | Replies (86)Comment receiving replies
Hello @crlwks269 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm so glad that you joined this discussion about Duloxetine. It is so good to find something that works, isn't it?
Side effects are very common with most meds. I suppose we all need to weigh the side effects versus the positive impact that they have on our feeling of health and discomfort.
I look forward to getting to know you better. As this is your first post on Connect, would be comfortable sharing a bit more about your neuropathic/ muscular upper back pain?
Replies to "Hello @crlwks269 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm so glad that you joined this discussion..."
Teresa,
Hi, I will try to make my story as brief as I can.
I am 67 years old and until 4 years ago I was active running, biking , hiking, cross country skiing etc. I was healthy and happy.
In June of 2018 I had an electrocardiogram done and experienced some burning in my rib cage where the technician was pressing with the probe.
Two days later while lifting a table I got electrical shocks all through my thoracic region. This went on for three days and I was afraid to move, if I used my arm I would set off a shock. I went to the emergency room and they could not find a cause. I had an MRI of my spine but it was fine. My upper back thoracic region was very painful when I walked or used my arm, I could not rotate my trunk. I developed chest wall pain.
My Dr. tried prednisone but it didn’t help. I then took gabapentine for a while but it really wasn’t helping. I tried CBD tincture and lotion but it didn’t help. Tried Prozac , that helped a little.I saw numerous specialist , did massage, acupuncture etc nothing helped.
I was unable to run, swim, hike cook etc
This has been going on for 4 years, has interfered with my and my husbands retirement dreams. He has been a saint.
Recently a friend of mine who has neck pain told me she just started taking duloxetine after trying various other things and that it was really helpful. She had no side effects.
It convinced me to give it a try. It is helping, I’m not 100% but feel a lot better pain wise. I started swimming and will try biking once it warms up. I live in Maine.
First time in 4 years that I am hopeful that things will get better.
I am also starting a meditation class through the Benson Henry institute in Boston at the end of the month.
Hope this info helps.
Carol
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Yes I will share more later as it’s a long story .