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Doc just gave me Savella.

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 3/11/2011 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
This stuff sounds scary. Anybody have any input?

 

Posted 3/11/2011 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Martha and welcome to the family.

I have never taken Savella, so I really can't help you w/ that. We have some members who do/did take it, hopefully they will be along soon to give you their take on the med. Some ppl like it, others, not so much. We are an interesting lot, some meds work for some ppl - and not for others.

I was given Lyrica 2x, didn't help either time. Caused more problems.

When you get a chance, take a look at 'Fibro 101' at the top of the 1st page. It has tons of good info to help and enlighten you. I have read it and REread it. Especially, with the Fog, everything old is new again. lol

Hope to hear more from you.  Have a wonderful day.

God bless.  Alice.

Posted 3/11/2011 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
I just started it yesterday and my doctor told me to stick with the blue pill dosage 2 times a day and see first how that works for a week or two. That you don't have to up the dosage unless it's not working. Also must be taken with a meal. So far I've virtually had no symptoms. We'll see I'm in the same boat.
Posted 3/11/2011 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
If you have high blood pressure or heart problems be very very careful with this drug.

You can do a search in the forum for Savella and see what people have to say about it. I personally know quite a few people that have tried it but only one was able to continue taking it.
Posted 3/11/2011 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi and welcome to the forum. I took savella and had to quit at week 5, couldn't take the sides. I hope you have better luck!
Posted 3/12/2011 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I took Savella and it helped a lot with the pain, but unfortunately it made my bp jump to unacceptable levels.

Best Wishes,
V
Posted 3/12/2011 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
I took Savella as well, it worked and I was so excited but then about 2 months down the road, I would get hot flashes then get nauseated and stay that way all day. I immediately stopped it when I was vomiting from it. Probably shouldn't of abruptly stopped it but couldn't take it anymore. Everyone is different however. I took Lyrica and it didn't help at all then they gave me Savella. I thought wow, at least the pain is a little less but then it went down hill. I am supper sensitive to meds so that doesn't help. The only thing helping me now is the Ultram which I have side effects with that but I can deal as long as I don't have to work. I was put on Zoloft for depression and my primary said to give that a shot since they are suppose to help with Fibro but as of right now, NO GO! I'm getting worse.

Good luck with you! Hope it works and you don't get side effects!
Posted 3/12/2011 9:58 AM (GMT 0)
I was on Savella for 10 days. I spiked my blood pressure to 210/180. I was passing out, falling down, vomitting, and felt hot all the time, not just flashes, and had the brain zaps. Everyone was afraid I was going to have another heart attack or a stroke. I also have atrial fibrilation and mitral and tricuspid valve regurge and have had 2 heart attacks.

I hope it works for you, I know it's helped some people. But try to keep track of your blood pressure, a BP cuff if possible or just checking it at a pharmacy like Walmart or Kroger/Dillons while grocery shopping.
Posted 3/12/2011 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
I stopped Savella after the second dose increase. Side effects were intolerable.
Posted 3/12/2011 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
I'm curious, those who had blood pressure spikes with it, was your blood pressure ever an issue before? Or borderline? Or was it to always normal and then just shot up in this drug? Also what dosage were you on a day? My doctor told me to just take the 12.5 blue pills starting with one on the first day then 2 but to see how that goes for me for a week or two then maybe I'd move up to the 25 dose but maybe not...depended on if I needed to. So far I dunno how I feel, it's the 3rd day...haven't noticed a major difference in pain, have had some hot flashes not bad though, and noticed I'm a little more alert/hyper then usual. I took one before my bowl of cereal which it did make me a tiny bit nauseous but went away quickly, think I'll stick to taking it directly after big meals, had no other issues than that. Worried about this blood pressure thing, I've never had high blood pressure ever, even when I was pregnant with twins last year but still nervous anyway. For those that it worked for, how long did it take to work and what dosage?
Posted 3/12/2011 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
My blood pressure was borderline but went up pretty high on the Savella. A few friends had really low BP and the Savella brought it up into the high range.

Unfortunately, the hyper/alert feeling went away after a few weeks, it was the only side effect I liked.

The one guy I know that stuck with Savella was taking about 100mg/day (I think) and he started to feel better rather quickly. He was in the drug study so he was taking a lot, I don't know if they later decreased his dose. He said it didn't help much with his pain but he slept better so he had less brain fog and had more energy so he moved around more. He went from not working to working part time (teacher).

I haven't seen him in a while but last time we talked, he was thinking about stopping the Savella because he was sick of the side effects. He had been on it for a few years and still had side effects.
Posted 3/13/2011 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
Before Savella my BP was in the low range, 80/50 to 90/60. I never got the hyper/alert bit. Just brain zaps and the feeling my head was a balloon floating above my body, not at all pleasant.
Posted 3/14/2011 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, this all scares me big time.  I think I mentioned in another post my dr. just prescribed this for me and told me it would only cost $4 but when I went to get it they said it was $135.. um, no thanks.  Plus I already take amolidipine for high bp, why would she even give it to me in the first place? Ugh!!!  That is so what I mean about getting let down so often.  I try really hard cause I know all about this nasty fibro...some days it sure is hard tho!!

Gentle hugs

Michele

Posted 3/20/2011 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
I tried it slowly, but on day 9, could no longer tolerate the extreme dizziness, hot flashes, nausea. It did seem to elevate my mood, but all he other stuff was horrible. Doc took me off, put me on Cymbalta
Posted 3/20/2011 6:06 AM (GMT 0)
I took savella for about three days it was horrible had to go to the er for hypertensive crises and tachacardia. My BP jumped so high..they kept me until it was flushed out of my system and BP lowered. I've not had way high BP before usually normal unless anxious. I would never try it again but it works wonders for some people. I pray that you are one of the ppl that benefits from it.
Posted 3/20/2011 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
I too had a bad reaction to it. I did ok ith the lowest dose but when i started going up, i got evil... that stuff is satan in a pill for me! I was horrible threaatend to run someone over!
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