What medicines are helping you?

kimiel51

I've started Savella and hope it helps. I'm only one week into it, so we'll see. What do you take for Fibro and or pain?

RILEYRED

Idon't know if you read what I said about the TENS UNIT, it is great. i have heart disease, so, so many druga are off limita to me. I take Coumidin, and alot of things can't be mixed with it. I may try Savella, the doctor is going to talk to me about it in 2 weeks at my appointment. You don't notice anything yet?

mschelle

I started with Lyrica, which helped for a few weeks then started making me (even more) spacy. We added Cymbalta, which helped even more for the next few weeks, then stopped helping at all. Came off the Lyrica, upped the Cymbalta. Spaciness got better but pain didn't.

Now I'm on Savella, just come off the Cymbalta over Xmas. So far it's doing nothing but decrease my appetite (yay! haha), but its only been a couple weeks and its only at 12.5 2x/day (he said we're going to get up to 50 2x/day). Tramadol (as needed) helps with the really icky days, but I don't want to take it too often and become dependant. Ambien helps me sleep most of the time.

gavians

I have had surprising success with Fibro-Response from Source Naturals. I was put on Cymbalta for several years which did nothing but give me side effects. So I started experimenting with various vitamins and minerals and found good results with Malic Acid. Then I found Fibro-Response on Amazon and it combined a lot of the things I was taking into one giant nasty pill. But with everything else, I am used to taking handfulls of pills everyday. I have been using Fibro-Response for just over a year -- it has been my best year yet with Fibro. So I finally feel good ENOUGH* to get back to working out. But I am going slowly to make sure I don't go past my threshold.

ales1979

Tramadol and paracetamol for pain at the moment. Am hoping a visit to my doctor next week will give me a referral to a Rheumatologist so I can get an official Fibro diagnosis, which will open up a whole new world of help to me!

I take some other stuff, but its not for the Fibro! Lets just tsay that I have to have a weekly dosage box and reminders on my mobile phone to remind me what to take and when! otherwise I could be in a right mess!! lol!! Ahh the joys!!

I AM very lucky though that living in the UK means free treatment and free prescriptions on our National Health Service (NHS) which people moan about allllll the darned time, but, a fantastic resource for us fibro peeps! I may have to wait a while for some things, but I'd rather do that than have to find thousands of GBP per month!!

kimiel51

Idon't know if you read what I said about the TENS UNIT, it is great. i have heart disease, so, so many druga are off limita to me. I take Coumidin, and alot of things can't be mixed with it. I may try Savella, the doctor is going to talk to me about it in 2 weeks at my appointment. You don't notice anything yet?

I don't notice anything yet. It's only been a week so far and I'm just today up to 50 mg. The doctor sad it would be 4-6 weeks before I would really notice a difference! I'm hoping it will be sooner!

kimiel51

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RILEYRED

I have not heard of FIBRO_RESPONSE. I will have to check that out.The Cymbaltas and Lyrica's don't seem to be the answer for too many people. I do love the TENS UNIT, as I said.It's temporary, but that is fine with me. The only complaint I do have with the unit is when you wear it like say when you have a coat on,and you get too warm, the electodes can come off, and you have to reapply them, but it isn't a problem otherwise.

aandawn

I've been on Savella (and Neurontin combination) for several months now and it works great! I feel so much better as long as I eat right and take care of myself.

gavians

I saw on ABC News last night that there are a new break through for treating MS. They were very vague on the treatement. In some people FM has some similarities to MS (although I would take FM over MS). But I wonder if there is any spill over to FM? Anyone know?

RILEYRED

I don't know but I do know that when my symtoms first started, it crossed my mind and my primary doctor's that I might have MS.Yes, I would take FM over that too. I had a friend with MS,she died 12 years into it, a very sad thing to see, believe me.

ales1979

I don't know but I do know that when my symtoms first started, it crossed my mind and my primary doctor's that I might have MS.Yes, I would take FM over that too. I had a friend with MS,she died 12 years into it, a very sad thing to see, believe me.

so sorry about your friend honey x

My local nurse at the time sent me for scans to check if i had MS. That was about 4 years ago and I still don't have a diagnosis!! arrgh!

Thankfully I now have a really good GP and we have a great Doc/ Patient relationship! Especially as I do my 'homework' before i go see him and we can agree on a course of action together! I'm so very lucky! He's diagnosed the CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) part, so I'm sure when I take him a diary of symptoms and pain, next week, there will be little for him to doubt my condition has developed into Fibromyalgia.

I'll keep you all posted!

What else do you guys find helpful apart from medicines?? I use heat a lot. Hot water bottles, microwaveable wheat/ lavender bags are great! nice soothing warm baths or showers!

Do you use any helpers or aides? such as walking aides, aides to help with grip, joint supports??

Always interesting and helpful to know whats on the market and what helps others!

mdodso001

I have been taking Savella (200mg) since I was diagnosed a couple years ago. It has worked pretty well for me. I also takeTramadol when needed.

RILEYRED

Ales, did you read what I wrote a week or so ago about the TENS UNIT I use? Let me know if you want to know more about it. It's pretty great.

bouquet77

VITAMIN B COMPLEX OMG what a discovery i have only been taking them a couple of weeks but the fog has gone and I am able to stay awake for much longer periods of time ! give them a try they are half price at holland and barrett at the moment

kimiel51

VITAMIN B COMPLEX OMG what a discovery i have only been taking them a couple of weeks but the fog has gone and I am able to stay awake for much longer periods of time ! give them a try they are half price at holland and barrett at the moment

I do take B12, what 's in the complex?

RILEYRED

Kimiel, how is the Savella working? I go to the doctor next Tuesday, and I think that is what we are going to talk about. Any adverse effects?

kimiel51

Kimiel, how is the Savella working? I go to the doctor next Tuesday, and I think that is what we are going to talk about. Any adverse effects?
[/quote
I have had no bad side effects whatsoever. The doctor said it would be 4-6 weeks before I would notice any difference in my pain! Good luck with your appointment and let me know what you find out!

BeautySansTheBS

I've tried Savella, Pristiq, Lyrica, etc... and they all worked for a little while, then the effect tapered off. My doc started increasing my dosage and stacking them to the point that the side effects were worse than the actual symptoms.

Former daily prescriptions: tramadol, pristiq, trazodone, lorazepam, lyrica

Still taking: Tramadol, Pristiq

I feel better off those last three meds than I did on them! Yes I have days where I hurt more, but I have more GOOD days, and less fog.

I'm also not drinking soda and cutting back on the packaged foods and processed carbs, which I'm sure is helping. And drinking more water! It's amazing how much better I feel when I'm well-hydrated.

Hope you all find a treatment that works for you!

kimiel51

I've tried Savella, Pristiq, Lyrica, etc... and they all worked for a little while, then the effect tapered off. My doc started increasing my dosage and stacking them to the point that the side effects were worse than the actual symptoms.

Former daily prescriptions: tramadol, pristiq, trazodone, lorazepam, lyrica

Still taking: Tramadol, Pristiq

I feel better off those last three meds than I did on them! Yes I have days where I hurt more, but I have more GOOD days, and less fog.

I'm also not drinking soda and cutting back on the packaged foods and processed carbs, which I'm sure is helping. And drinking more water! It's amazing how much better I feel when I'm well-hydrated.

Hope you all find a treatment that works for you!

What side effects did you get fromt he meds?

deedeewiita

HI. I am taking Cymbalta for the past month and have noticed a world of difference. I was able to stop taking the tramadol with this. I have felt a heat/warmth sensation in the area where I have a bulging disc in my cervical spine area. I asked the doctor about that and he said that Cymbalta can actually heal the nerves. I have had constant sciatic pain for over 10 years and used a TENS unit for many years, but then it started to irritate instead of soothe so I have not used that for some time. I am praying the Cymbalta will heal those nerves. I will not go through a third back surgery. The fibromyalgia diagnosis has thrown me for a loop, but I believe in healing and if I am healed, well wonderful, but if not, God will give me the strength to endure. Hope you find the relief you deserve. Good day!

redbird99

Hi, all! I have taken Savella since August 2010, with no side effects, and I think it helps a lot. It takes about 6 weeks after you begin to get to full strength (50 mg 2x day) and a little longer for the full effects of the medicine come to bear.

I also take tramadol for pain, zolpidem for sleep, and 3000 mg fish oil (prescribed by doctor for fibro). I also take lon-n-n-g list of prescription and OTC for other conditions. I also get a weekly massage, use my jacuzzi frequently, use heating pads and ice packs, do my physical therapy routine daily and take an occasional ibuprofen.

It has taken almost 2 years to get to where I have feel "normal" some of the time. Although it changes from day to day!

BeautySansTheBS

I've tried Savella, Pristiq, Lyrica, etc... and they all worked for a little while, then the effect tapered off. My doc started increasing my dosage and stacking them to the point that the side effects were worse than the actual symptoms.

What side effects did you get fromt he meds?

Weight gain, headaches, sluggishness, dizziness, nausea...all things that my doc had attributed to the fibro, but all went away almost completely when I stopped taking the meds. Not to mention the side effect it had on my wallet every month!

gavians

Weight gain, headaches, sluggishness, dizziness, nausea...all things that my doc had attributed to the fibro, but all went away almost completely when I stopped taking the meds. Not to mention the side effect it had on my wallet every month!

I think Cymbalta was partly the root of a lot of my life problems. Now they want me to go on an antidepressant for the mood helps. But I am scared to death because they all seem to have the same side effects. I don't want to be on ANY drugs.

kimiel51

Weight gain, headaches, sluggishness, dizziness, nausea...all things that my doc had attributed to the fibro, but all went away almost completely when I stopped taking the meds. Not to mention the side effect it had on my wallet every month!

I think Cymbalta was partly the root of a lot of my life problems. Now they want me to go on an antidepressant for the mood helps. But I am scared to death because they all seem to have the same side effects. I don't want to be on ANY drugs.

Don't be so quick to give up on the meds! I suffered for a long time, because I hate taking pills, but there is only so much misery that I can stand before it gets downright depressing!