Medications and their side affects

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 8 months ago. Initially I was prescribed Savella and Meloxicam. I have to say that within a couple of months I was feeling better than I have in years; however, the side affects that came with taking the medications seemed to be nothing more than a trade off. The Savella caused me to sweat uncontrollably. I literally looked like someone had dumped a bucket of water on my head 24/7. Sweat would run down my face all the time and my shirts were soaked and the Meloxicam gave me an excruciating, gut wrenching stomach ache.

I tried to continue to take these meds but had to stop. I am now taking Cymbalta and Celbrex and as each day goes on I find my fibromyalgia symptoms getting worse and worse.

I'm 47 years old and this is what my life is now? Constant pain that makes it so I can't sleep at night; extreme muscle stiffness, so bad upon rising from bed or from sitting for a minute that I can barely walk; almost unable to go up and down stairs due to the pain and stiffness, hands that hurt so badly my husband has to help me dress and I find I may have to stop driving because my hands hurt so badly I can't hang onto the steering wheel; restless leg syndrome that also makes it impossible for me to sleep; migraines; facial pain; asthma; acid reflux; muscle weakness in my hands that at times is so bad I simply cannot pick up a pencil at work; depression that makes me want to simply stay in bed and never get up; extreme fatigue; days when even my teeth ache; blurred vision that even glasses don't seem to help....... just to name a few things I am feeling.

My doctor has thrown her hands up and is referring me to a reumatologist. What medications have you had good luck with? I have always been super sensitive to medications. Is this a fibromyalgia thing as well? What makes this worse is the fact that for awhile I was feeling so much better. I even went to a movie and literally bounded down the steps after it rather than creeping down the stairs one at a time while hanging onto the railing or being assisted by my husband. Feeling that wonderful feeling for awhile has made me even more depressed now that it is gone again. I find myself falling deeper and deeper into a dark hole that I simply no longer have the strength to climb out of.

What medications have helped you...what things do you do to simply get through the day?

Thanks so much for any information you can share that will give me a shred of hope.

Dear Cindi,

I was diagnosed with Fibro when I was 47, I am now 50. I started Fibro treatment with a Dr. at one of the Fibro and Fatigue Centers. I was prescribed Tramadol for pain, Klonopin for anxiety and sleep. Right away having something for pain was a huge improvement in my quality of life. I'd been taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen and neither touched the pain. Directed by my Dr. who had no idea what was wrong with me, I would take 800mg of Ibuprofen and 1000mg of Tylenol and still had so much pain. I knew I had Fibro for at least a year before I broke down and saw a Dr. I kept reading and researching online. I learned there was no cure, so I kept being in denial. I actually thought if I pretended it was not there it would just go away. And, I also thought if there is no cure why waste ones time seeing a Dr.? I continued to try to work full time, take care of my husband and sons in the same fashion I'd always done. Eventually I fell flat on my face.

I take the same 2 meds today. My Dr. at the time, wanted me to take Ambian for sleep but I did not fill the prescription. The possible side effects were too bothersome to me and I was to afraid to take it. This Dr. also prescribed many supplements and in the beginning I did begin to feel better. Pain levels were down and I imagine my body was deficient in many vitamins and minerals. I could no longer afford that clinic and for the past 2 years I have been seeing a Naturopath. She is wonderful. I still take several Dr. prescribed supplements, am on bio-dentical HRT for menopause and also take Armour for Hashimoto's Disease. I also take Melatonin at bedtime for sleep. My sleep is still not optimal. I manage about 6 hours a night. I am ecstatic if I get 7 or 8. I feel so much better on the days I get more sleep. I also wake every morning stiff and sore. I call it the Frankenstein walk in the mornings until my pain meds kick in. I can't stay in bed, the pain is too severe most mornings, hence the trouble getting enough sleep. I have never taken the most commonly prescribed drugs for Fibro. I did try Cymbalta which made me very, very ill. This was prior to my diagnosis. I knew something was wrong with me and the Dr. I was see at the time instead of looking further said I was suffering from depression. I've tried 5-HTP for mood which seems to help. I am currently taking SAMe. I think this is helping very much.

It takes time to find your new self. Don't be hard on yourself and give yourself permission to take care of you. The symptoms you describe I have also experienced, even when you said your teeth, I can also relate to this. I mentioned this in conversation to a friend who's Mother has Fibro and he was baffled. This guy understands Fibro as he grew up with his mother's pain. But, he had no idea it can also make your teeth hurt!

I am sensitive to meds, and I don't know if this a Fibro thing or not, but I can imagine how it could be. I have not taken any of the meds you have. I also have not been to a Reumatologist. A lot of people see this type of Dr. They also prescribe more meds. I'm just not into trying all those meds. It depends on the person as everyone is different but most of the time it seems they don't really help. What helps more is finding your own balance of nutrition, rest, stress reduction and self care.

When I joined my very 1st support group for Fibro when I was 1st dx. A kind woman told me about the stages of acceptance. Check out this link http://www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/jkirst/spst48/stages_of_acceptance.pdf. This was helpful, I still refer to it from time to time. The stages are listed in a certain order, but one can go through them in a different order than how they are listed and, also go back and forth between certain ones. I also went to therapy to learn how to deal with the Fibro monster in my life. My husband went to, we had to learn how to live with this and how it changed our 20 year marriage. As neither of us signed up for this.

I eventually left my full time job of 15 years of which I loved. It was one of the hardest things I ever did. It has helped tremendously to not be working. Yes, we have a lot less money. But, money never has and never will bring happiness.

I hope this is been somewhat helpful. I wanted you to know - I hear you. I understand what you are going through. And, it does get better. I promise. With time it will get better. You will adjust and find ways to make yourself more comfortable and it won't seem so hard. Not that I am saying this is an easy process, and I have days when I feel like I will just go crazy trying to deal with it. Fibro has taught me many lessons and I am grateful. Yes, I wish it would go away and I could return to my previous life, but I do my best to be happy with the life I have been given now.

My best to you

I found this site this morning by checking on the effects of savella and tramadol together. As well as seeing the difference between savella and effexor. I was diaginosed with fibromyalgia about two years ago, and I've found nothing that last long. I become immune to most pain meds, because I've taken them so long for other conditions.  Having this condition is so hard, people even doctors don't know what to do for me. I feel like a experiment gone wrong. Between the pain everywhere,the eye jumping,the blurred vision,rapid eye movement, never fully resting,feet and hand numbness, dropping things,memory loss,depression,feeling unbalanced, panic attacks, and more things I probably cant remember right now. I am 43yrs old and since 1997 I have been ill. I've been diaginosed with so many things but doctors never could tell me why or how, so I excepted none of it, and im happy I did'nt because the only thing wrong is this unexplained condition.

I normally can't read much info on the subject or other ppls conditions because it sends me into a panic.  If  I read the side effects to med I panic.  My condition limits my life and I've never admitted that or thought it, but I go to work, church, and home.  I food shop once a month only because we have to eat.  It brings me to tears just to think about it.  I've been to counselling for 6mo and diaginoisis I'm not crazy.

I feel a freedom just by knowing I'm not in this alone and knowing that someone cares.  I read a bumper sticker that said "FIBROMYALGIA IS REAL".  I need that because everybody needs to know that and stop telling people they are crazy or depressed.

I admit I go through depression but not because of life.  I've been with the same man for 15yrs and just go married this past september, and I am truly happy but it doesnt show because its so much going on with me. My faith is what keeps me going on and knowing that this makes me strong.  I would not wish this on anyone but if you have it, don't give up. Eventually we will find what works best, and with a forum like this we have each other to vent and learn from.  GOD Bless.

Robin:

You indicate you are on Savella. Do you suffer with extreme sweating from this medication?

Cindy

Cindy, I've been on Savella for a couple years now...taking 50mg 2x daily.
Really been lucky not to have any bad side effects at all with it. Savella has helped with some of the pain and fatigue. I was one who couldn't tolerate the Cymbalta...it really made me dizzy and nauseas,

It is frustrusting, but you learn what helps you all through trial and error.
And....you do find that you can still have a good life regardless of the pain :)

Hoping you don't have to wait long to see the rhuemy...I'm sure you are anxious. Make sure you bring a list of all your symptoms and questions.
Have the rheumy write things down for you. I really make my rheumy work :)

Good luck to you!

hugs, Robin

Truthhurts, have you been checked for MS? The reason I ask is that a lot of the symptoms you described (...pain everywhere,the eye jumping,the blurred vision,rapid eye movement, never fully resting,feet and hand numbness, dropping things,memory loss,depression,feeling unbalanced, panic attacks,) are all also symptoms that are listed on an MS web site. I remember reading that last week because my doctor has discussed the possibility of me having MS. You talking about the blurry vision, the rapid eye movement, dropping things, and feeling unbalanced made me remember reading that. I also have constant numbness in my left thigh, but I believe that is from a car accident I was in many years ago. If you have a good relationship with your doctor, you might research it and bring it up if he/she hasn't thought about it. There is a visual evoked ..something...test they can do to document the rapid eye movement. Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark the website, but it was an MS organization website. Or you could go to the mayo clinic website and look it up. I hope they find out what they can do for you soon...

Hi, Cindy. I had the sweating problem after my rheummy changed me from 30 mg to 60 mg Cymbalta. Oh, good grief, the sweat poured off me! I didn't notice any difference between the two doses in regards to my pain, so I asked him if I could go back to 30 mg after a week. In the 6 months since then, the pain has become more noticeable so I'll occasionally take a 2nd 30 mg at night. I rationalized since the half life of Cymbalta is about 12 hours, I was more-or-less keeping myself on a 45 mg level throughout the day. My rheummy agreed and said I was doing the right thing, adding more when needed. I may have to ask him for either a higher dosage or for a change in my prescription to more than 30 pills per month because if I do take it twice a day, I wind up running out before the month is over and that's bad. As soon as I skip even one dose, I can barely move and I hurt so much it makes me want to cry.

My insurance limits me to no more than 60 pills per month so I have to work on the dosage vs quantity formula to get it nailed down.

On the upside, I have also noticed the Cymbalta has greatly helped my anxiety issues and has leveled out my mood. I don't get depressed hardly at all anymore except when I have a really bad flareup.