I too have had a negative experience with duloxetine. I'd been taking Cymbalta, 60mg daily, since 2006, then in Nov 2014 I was forced off it by my insurance company because I had no history of ever trying the far less costly generic version, duloxetine. So in Dec 2014 I started taking 60mg of it daily. Problems started cropping up about two weeks later. Issues: an increase in agitation, severe sexual dysfunction (non-existent), headaches, vivid strange dreams nightly, and severe difficulty with dry mouth making it hard to swallow. I even went to my pharmacy and complained there was something wrong with the duloxetine I was taking but the pharmacist says he's received no complaints nor any recall notices. In January 2015 I went to my doctor with my issues and he suggested increasing the dosage to 90mg. Basically he said we need to make an effort since the insurance company is not going to approve Cymbalta without proving duloxetine is ineffective. So for much of 2015 I tried 90mg of duloxetine and suffered continual negative side-effects with no improvement in effectiveness. I actually was getting worst and was becoming homicidal. At the end of the year I'd had it and went back to my doctor and said get me the hell off this crap. He wrote a short note on a form to allow an over-ride to the generic in favor of the brand name. It was denied by my insurance company. At that point I sat down, wrote up a bullet formatted one page letter pointing out all the issues I had with the drug. Basically a comparison of effectiveness and side-effects of Cymbalta versus duloxetine. I signed it, took it to my doctor as an attachment to an appeal letter and he signed off although when he saw the word homicidal he freaked but it was the truth in my case. Since the appeal process can take 90 days I asked for a Rx for Cymbalta. I was not going to take duloxetine anymore so was going to buy my own Cymbalta. Went to Walmart and paid $42 for six Cymbalta 60mg capsules. A few days later I drove four hours to the Mexican border, crossed over and hit the nearest pharmacy and paid $83 for a 28 day supply. Made in Puerto Rico with hologram seals - the real deal. Within days I was feeling the difference and the side-effects started disappearing. Fortunately just as I was planning a return trip to Mexico I received my approval for Cymbalta. Night turned to day. Lessons learned: Cymbalta and duloxetine are NOT the same drug. One other doctor I saw did not believe there was a difference. Document the differences and put it in writing, its what made the difference when it came to fighting for the brand name. For those living within driving of the Mexican border, you do not need a Rx to buy it in Mexico nor will you have a problem bring it back into the US. Technically, you are "supposed" to have a US Rx and a Mexican Rx but both are ignored. I did have the US Rx just in case an issue was raised coming into the US but didn't need it. I have bought other drugs in Mexico and have never had issues with effectiveness nor bring them back in to the US. Make sure you use a reputable Mexican pharmacy. The pharmacist will advise you about any issues taking it back across the border. Prices do vary so you can do internet research but you have to use the Spanish word "farmacia" instead of pharmacy and of course the name of the drug and city. Had I made a second run to Mexico I would have paid about $70 for 28 a day supply due to researching it first.
I hope my experience helps others.
