Cymbalta

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with fibro, but I've had the symptoms for quite some time (like years), but I didn't really know what fibromyalgia was. Anyway, my doc wants to put me on Cymbalta, but I don't know if I want to take another drug every day. And I'm very sensitive to drug side effects. So I'm looking for alternative ways to deal with pain. I have been using ibuprofen/acetaminophen (taken together) for general pain, and Roboxin for spasms (flexeril knocks me out too much). It works pretty well, and I can just take it as needed, not every day. Right now I'm going through a calm period - yay!! But I know the pain will be back, it always comes back. So I was wondering if anyone has some experience with alternative ways to deal... thanks!

Hi Sherrine! I've been taking vit D and magnesium for a while. I read the Fibro 101 and ordered some magnesium malate from Puritans. I'll be 62 in July and also take blood pressure meds and statins. I take coq10 and it helps with the pain from the statin. about two years ago I had some crazy hypery feelings and my bp shot way up, like 200/100!! So my doc lowered my thyroid (I had Graves in my forties and did RAI and the endocrinologist kept my thyroid at the very high end of normal) and started me on bp meds, but then my cholesterol shot up... it's always been on the high side, but it went up over 300! The statins made my pain 10 times worse, but the coq10 (I take Ubiquinol) helped and the statins lowered my cholesterol over 100 points in six weeks so I didn't want to stop them. My problem with ibuprofen is that it can raise your bp with long term use, and I want to get off nsaids even though my bp is under control with meds. The thing I read about Cymbalta is it can raise you liver enzymes, as can statins and tylenol. Sometimes I think I read too much about all these drugs and ignorance IS bliss. LOL

I used to be on BP medication but then I lost a lot of weight and now my blood pressure is perfect. I know many who have BP problems who don't have weight issues either.

I am 70 and am also on statins. I too developed more pain so I take 100 mg of coq10 twice a day. My cholesterol has always been good but I'm diabetic so my doctor wants me to keep my cholesterol very low so that's why I take statins.

I also take krill oil and that does help a little.

I've been on ibuprofen for 30 years and it hasn't affected my blood pressure...just my being overweight did. My blood pressure generally runs 110/60 even though I'm taking ibuprofen. But, Fibro isn't considered an inflammatory illness so you might not need the NSAID's. I do because I have several inflammatory llnesses but fibro isn't one of them.

Lj's suggestion of stretching is a good one. I do that too and it just helps keep me more flexible. And quite a few members use the rubs too.

Stay away from Dr. Google. He can do you in. You can become anxious about what you read, have more stress and the info may not be accurate. I have a wonderful board certified doctor who keeps on top of things and runs blood work a couple of times a year. If I started having problems with what I'm doing, I would know it.

I also keep a positive attitude and that helps me almost as much as medication. It gives me peace and far less stress and that helps a bundle.

I hope you find exactly what works best for you. What I do works good for me and I live a pretty normal life now in spite of Fibro. I always keep in mind to pace myself though. That's where I primarily can run into problems.

Sherrine

Hope you will share how you do.

Physical therapy always helps me when I go, but I get a very gentle therapy.

Sometimes they will give me stretches that somehow bother me , but if there is one that hurts, they can back up and give you another version until you can do the more advanced version.

Heat is good to help the muscles relax.