@peehoo
Don't worry, your reasons are your reasons.
But upgrading also removed pfSense as being an issue : as we all use the same code (bit by bit, byte by byte).
Upfront, I presume this : many people are using pfSense with "ducknds hosts". If something went wrong on their, the "duck" side, you would see post on this forum and on the duck support forum right away.
Your mission : you found them ? If so : they have an issue, you have to wait it out. (or stop paying them, that always motivates people).
If the above isn't the issue neither, then it's the one and only thing left : your settings.
Because you have question, tell pfSense you want answers.
Check :
97a65d56-884d-4864-954c-6c25c0d79bb2-image.png
Now hit :
65fc9f38-0e97-4346-b284-4eef7099f943-image.png
and from now on you have detailed info here Status > System Logs > System > General
Tell use what you saw (images please), and if all goes well, some one here (especially those who use the duck service) can tell you what's ok and what isn't.