Med Questions

Welcome to the boards Sunny!

I don't have any personal experience with Savella, but I would keep a journal about the side effects you are experiencing....as most Drs. will want a patient to try a new medication for at least a month (barring any actual allergic reaction)...

I do know that when I am in a sad or emotional place, this can make me hurt even worse and feel every single ache and pain.

Are you seeing someone like a counselor where you can talk out these feelings? Or do you think that it's been longer than a week or so with these emotions and seeking out an actual Psychiatrist to perhaps need medication to help with a chemical imbalance. Depression is pretty common with those with any type of chronic pain but it's important to distinguish if it's situational or something that needs to be addressed by the appropriate Dr.

The only medication I really use for my Fibro is a muscle relaxer, Flexeril. I make sure I exercise daily (walk 1.4 miles with my dog), do gentle stretches and yoga in the am/pm, I eat healthy, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, and I am very careful about my sleeping habits with my sleep and wake time the same every single day.

Others will hopefully come along and share their experience with Savella but just keep in mind that we are all so different so what works for one person may not work for another. So I try to just give something the best possible try and see how it works for me.

Let us know how things go! And please take a look at the top of the Fibro board for a thread titled Fibro 101. It has a lot of good information to peruse:)

Hi SunnyCat, I can only relate my experience with Savella. I had been on it for three months. I am now in the mist of weaning off it. While it does help with pain (20% for me), I could no longer deal with the side effects. I really can't say it did that much until I was in the second month. I was having major headaches, sick to my stomach, and the biggest one of all, mood change. This started last month. I was feeling so down, hopeless, and could care less if I laid down and never got up. I'm five days cold turkey but I recommend you wean off of it because it's tough.

I called my pharmacist and they told me how to wean off of it, and I also called my doctor and he suggested I wean off of it with a lower dose, however, it was time for my monthly refill and I just did not see paying for it. By the time, my doctor contacted me, I had been off of it for five days. Rough like I said, but my mood seems to be improving even in that short time.

Please call your doctor and tell them this is happening to you. Hope things get better. Big hugs. Dixie

Hi Sunny Cat,

I completely understand and sorry you're going through this hell as well. The first month I was on the Savella, I felt a little bit clearer in mind and felt as if I had a bit more energy, but that didn't last for long and yes, the pain seemed to increase. I also had more trouble sleeping, however, I'm not sure if that was because I was taking my last daily dose too late. The second month, the doctor told me to take my last dose at 3 pm. I had been taking it at 9 pm. I felt during the time I was taking the Savella, that I was getting worse and not better but I stuck with it and thought I'd give it a chance after all the years of not knowing what was wrong. I guess I was just trying to hope it was the 'cure all'.

I've been having issues for about five years and this was the first time I actually had a doctor tell me what may be the issue...Fibro. Again, I've been trying to find out and grasp what could be wrong with me so I do think I was hoping for anything.

I too have been passed around with doctors. After a second car accident, my health started declining. I've had the OA for about 14 or so years, but I was okay. Then it all started going downhill. First my feet started swelling then the symptoms. I continue with the university after the car accident and went through several life changing events in a rather constant state but I thought I was maintaining fine. Guess my body decided to do otherwise. At any rate, because I'm getting long and I'm not even sure what I want to say. Haha, me too! I forget! (I'll just take a break for a few.)


Oh, yeah, I've been to many doctor's because they just never found any issues. I've been poke and tested like a lab rat. Just the last three months have I had 'something' that the doctor can say well there's a lot of inflammation and your symptoms seem to be Fibro. GREAT! Something to name this forsaken crap! I'm not sure if it's all Fibro as I think there is just something that the doctor hasn't linked yet, but I keep going and hoping. I do find it hard to stay positive, but I try, and I find little time for myself to take care of myself as I'm always doing something for others or taking care of my Mom who has Parkinson's Disease.

I'm sure I'm not doing myself any favors at times because I don't always feel like cooking so I grab whatever, I don't always get my walking in because by the time I do for others, take care of my stuff, I'm just too give out. I sure many can relate and I know I'm not the only one.

As far as doctor's, I'm tired of them. I feel like I have an extra job just going to appts. This month so far, it's been 10 between myself and Mom. I'll be so happy when the day comes when the any of my doctors say, "Okay, I'll see you in 6 months!". Until then...

Keep positive, and hang in there. I wish you the best. Dixie

I'm still searching for more answers, but it's insanely difficult. Everyone sees the dx of fibro and blows off anything I say. Plus they all say they don't treat fibro which drives me nuts. Last week I was told I have a pars defect even though I had an mri months ago. Obviously I'm angry about that and it explains why I'm having so much pain in my lower back, hips and pelvis. I am in tons of pain, but feel like I'm not allowed to get any relief because the spine/pain clinic has "narcotics will never be recommend for this patient." in my file. They say it's because of the fibro. I say that's bs. I'm just not ready to go from "hey, you have this" to burning the nerves when there are other options. I want to give the fracture time to heal, because I'm hopeful and my pt could be tailored to help. I figure if the nerves are burned I'll never heal and make things worse without knowing it. Sorry... I'm ranting now. I'm just stressed. But while I'm at it I'll say that I'm sick of winter weather. There's never-ending snow here and it's 12F outside! Only like 8 hours till spring, lol.

Hi Sunny,

I'm also sensitive to a lot of meds that have been tried on me. They did nothing for me and caused me a lot of side effects. So I do all that I can naturally to help myself and it helps.

Concerning when we get a diagnosis like you did with the Pars, try and do all that you can by googling and seeing what options are out there to make you feel better. To me, meds are just band aids sometimes. I really feel empowered when I can do things to help myself like lifestyle changes.

But I do have to be careful with my diet and how much I do and I'm glad my fiance is vey supportive about this because he watches and admires how much I help myself and how the littlest thing can hurt me physically or bring on a night of little sleep.

I have a lower back injury and seeing a neuromuscular massage therapist has helped along with getting good chiropractic treatment. If you choose to check out chiropractic treatment make sure they're knowledgeable about what's going on with you. You could either talk to them on the phone or see if they'll do a free consultation.

Good luck to you.

Dixie- This site best describes what a pars defect is http://www.chirogeek.com/005_Spondylolisthesis_main_final.htm
I think I actually found it in one of these forums, but I could be mistaken. It helped me understand things and know I'm lucky there's just a fracture in my spine and no movement.
I would LOVE for it to be in the 80s! I'm currently in a winter weather advisory, haha.

Almost- I have never heard of a neuromuscular massage therapist. I think something like massage would be good for my upper back. That and my chest are my main fibro areas. PT has helped tons so maybe that'd be a very useful cherry on top.

Smartred- I got a nice rash when I took gabapentin and awful weight gain. Part of the weight gain was because of prednisone too. Those meds have been gone for a year and a half, but sadly the weight stayed lol. I know Topamax was horrible for my mom too. I think she had it (and everything else under the pharma sun) for migraines. How helpful is your tens unit? I think I want one of those, but have only had one used on me once in pt.



I've been very antisocial in all aspects lately. That pain clinic visit got me so down. After the branch block failed (and traumatized me) the called wanting to try other injections. I'm not going back to them. I don't want to go anywhere that I don't feel like part of my own team. I don't like feeling like a dollar sign. The only reason I went to them was because I had a new pcp and he wanted me to, so I figured I'd try doing his things. Nothing good has come from seeing him.
Today I had an appt with a different pain clinic and I think they helped me more psychologically than anything. It was refreshing to be treated well, to be part of my own care and have thing I said heard. I get to have a new mri of my lower back. X-rays of my hips. Which is a start because they've been popping a lot and very painful as well. I was given a pain medication as well. I'm grateful that I don't have to have constant pain in my lower back/hips/pelvis so that I can work on stretching and more at home pt stuff so hopefully I won't need the meds, or at least not as much.
I've been to this clinic before. They did the first mri and sent me to pt. I'm glad I decided to go back there.

I'm not sure if I said all I wanted to, but my headache is getting bad with the storm creeping up here.