HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Diagnosed Officially Today: Meds ?

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/15/2014 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I saw the rheumatologist today and it went well. He said after the exam that I have fibromyalgia and recommended exercise (already doing that) and nortriptyline at night. (All I know is that it was used
years ago for depression) Has anyone else here used it effectively and what were the side effects?

Thank you
Bella
Posted 5/15/2014 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
I took the sister drug Amytryptiline for a year or so. I could never get it up to an effective dosage, due to nausea. I have IBD, so certain meds can exacerbate that. It really didn't do anything for either pain or sleep, so I phased it out with my new rheumie's blessing.

People have different reactions.
Posted 5/15/2014 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you both. I think I am going to try it tonight and see what happens. I am cautious about taking meds but my quality of life is being impacted a lot.
This morning after my diagnosis I woke up feeling depressed which I guess is an understandable reaction even with some relief to have it official.

Bella
Posted 5/17/2014 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
Bella,
I tried Nortriptyline for a couple of weeks. It made me pleasantly sleepy, but I still had trouble getting to sleep because of the pain I was still in (it did nothing for that.) I would wait for about 30-45 min, and then take a tramadol for the pain on top of the Nortriptyline. That would do the trick, but did not help during the day at all.
I am now back on Savella after having it stop working for me a couple of years ago (they call that "poop out syndrome"--really!) It is helping with the pain A LOT and I don't seem to have side effects. You might want to read up on Savella; there is a thread here and most of the posters did not like it at all. But for me it has been the best medicine I have tried in 5 years.
HEART
Posted 5/17/2014 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Heart, thank you. I think your first line says it all (for a couple of weeks :)) I will check out Savella.
Right now I am going to non western route but if that doesnt work, then on to meds.

Bella
Posted 5/19/2014 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
Bella,

Yes, I've been on Nortriptyline for about 20 years. Low dose, just at bedtime. It helps my sleep, thus, everything else.

Debbie
Posted 5/19/2014 5:44 AM (GMT 0)
Debbie, thank you! Have you had many side effects and if so, did they lessen as your body adjusted to it?

Bella
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply