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Fed up with meds for fibro!

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 4/20/2012 7:48 AM (GMT 0)
I'm sure a lot of you know what I mean. I'm tired of the side effects and want to try a more natural solution. I was on Cymbalta but off of that now for about a month, and I'm just coming off of Amitriptyline, which my doctor said was not addictive but I'm going to disagree there. Side effects coming off that med is pure hell.

I take Vitamin D with Calcium and I also see the articles on Malic Acid and Magnesium. For those of you doing this without prescriptions, what else do you take and what types of exercise. Right now I'm walking, but going to visit a yoga instructor that has a fibro class.

I'm not letting fibro take over my life anymore. Plain fed up!

Any suggestions appreciated.
Posted 4/20/2012 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Livinglabs, and welcome!  I'm like you.  I don't take the fibro meds.  I, too, take vitamin D3, malic acid/magnesium supplements, and I also take a natural product called Curamin.  I also do stretching exercises, a daily gentle exercise (walking, swimming, yoga), gentle massages, and I pace myself.  This has all helped me be in control of my pain.

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  There are links about the malic acid/magnesium supplements that I use and also vitamin D3 supplements and how these work in your body. 

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 4/20/2012 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear about your issues.

My rheumy told me that many people with fibro are medication sensitive so I've been doing all that I can these last years to help myself through a healthy diet, trying to stay away from passive cigarette smoke, dust, mold and pets, performing my twice a day stretches to bring some relief to my tightness, taking my very good supplements, walking twice a day, and trying to keep any stress to a minimum.

I always try to help myself. For sleep I take sleep supplements like melatonin and l-theanine, sleep meds didn't help me and they caused me side effects. For pain I take Advil and Alieve quite often though I try not to. And I also try to stay active though that's minimal because if I overdo I pay for it.
Posted 4/20/2012 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
I'm doing the healthy eating as well but I have three labrador retrievers so not staying away from pets! LOL

I'd forgotten about melatonin! Used to take that yrs ago. Thanks for the reminder.
Posted 4/20/2012 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Im in the same boat--ready to kick out all the Rx drugs. I have been off all of them (except an anti-spasmodic for my IBS) since late Feb. when I quit taking Savella. It kept me awake and I was only getting about 2-4 hours of sleep a night (instead of my usual 5-6) and I was overheating really bad (night sweats). Now, I take calcium, turmeric, garlic, ginger root, B12, D, and chromium picolinate. Ive been taking them a while, hoping to see some results soon. Also going to try a couple other supplements, like the malic acid/magnesium. I also use melatonin when I absolutely need to sleep, but I try to use it sparingly.

I have also been doing a FODMAP diet for my IBS/lactose intolerance/dietary fructose intolerance which seems to be getting it mostly under control.
Posted 4/21/2012 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Don't be surprised if it isn't the cymbalta that is the culprit here. It is know for hard withdrawal. And it can take a little while to step in. Maybe even a couple of weeks after you have been off of it. It is truly nasty.

Just a little fyi...

Hope you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 4/21/2012 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

When I was on Cymbalta, it was an absolute disaster. I, due to medical insurance problems, came off it cold turkey(NEVER do that). My doctor said it was like a heroin withdrawal. It was awful.


I have been on most of the antidepressants that are out there with no relief. Recently, after elimination and testing....my doctor has added the category of antidepressants to my growing list of medications that I can no longer tolerate.

I am so tired of being tired and in pain...but winners never quit....and I am sure as hell not quitting.

I feel like I am 100 most days...and I resent it with all my being. Sorry for rant, I usually try not to feel sorry for myself...but, today I am having a "Whine & Cheese" day.
Posted 4/22/2012 9:02 AM (GMT 0)
Whine and vent away! I've been having a lot of bad days too.

Just woke up after a few hours of sleep and literally wanted to rip my skin off my body. I don't think I've ever felt this way before,just waking up and wanting to scream too. I feel like I'm in hell right now.
Posted 4/22/2012 9:50 AM (GMT 0)
Violet88880,

I'm so sorry to read about your extreme pain. I know as many of us do how that goes. Try to treat, try to help your depression issues naturally. I heard taking walks is a very good thing to do to combat stress and also eating very healthy. You'll notice a difference if you begin to eat healthy for a while and then you cheat. Baths are nice too.

Good luck to you.
Posted 4/23/2012 6:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hey folks, a good friend of mine had fibro too.

After my daughter was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease
and I sarted researching about it, I started bugging my friend to
look into it, too, as so many of the weird multi-system symptoms
seemed to fit her.

She finally started reading and saw herself! She says I was so irritating, but now she thanks me!!

Her doctor had tested her for Lyme 10 years before, but it was negative, so it was just thrown out. I told my friend the tests were not always reliable, you needed a certain test that was specific and sensitive-from a lab that knew Lyme. Well, she tested positive this time, and though the treatment will take awhile- after a year now, she has much less pain, much less fatigue, and more hope, to stick with treatment until better.

Many people with fibro, CFS, MS and others may actually have Lyme. It's
worth looking at-Do your own research, check out the Lyme groups here online. People do get better with treatment, even though it takes awhile.

Steroids can actually make a Lyme infection worse- so it's good to know if that is what you have. Research has indicated that a stealth pathogen could be the cause of some auto-immune diseases, and in many cases, it has proven to be the Lyme spirochete!

My daughter is being treated also, after eight months of oral antibiotics,
her joint and muscle pain and chest pain have resolved, now treating
neurological Lyme, the fatigue, headaches and brain fog. Takes time.
Do the research. and keep the hope!
Posted 4/23/2012 6:18 AM (GMT 0)
I'll add that both my friend and daughter are eating healhy. gluten free
[tested for gluten sensitivity] and take supplements also,
Part of their treatment will be more natural things also. an integrative
doctor doesn't like antibiotics, but knows that to kill the spirochete {Lyme
bacteria} sometimes you've gotta use them. Other anti-microbial herbs, and
other things will be used too.
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