Medication - What do you take for Fibro?
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I haven't been at the fibro game for long (about a year now), and I simply tried to suffer through it for several months. I was pretty vehemently against trying to take antidepressants or pain medications. Instead, I've tried to go more of a natural (as best I can).
I've cleaned up a lot of my eating and try to include more raw, fresh foods in my diet. I take my vitamins as much as I can remember (Vitamin D, Vitamin B complex, Magnesium, Potassium, Glucosamine Chondroitin, sometimes a Multi). I workout as best I can (hard when I feeling good and completely resting when I'm hurting).
I attend counseling regularly and use CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). It's been great in helping me deal with depression and anxiety. Specific to the fibro, I've realized that when I'm depressed, anxious, or stressed my symptoms flare. By being able to recognize when these things are happening, I can actively work to lesson my stress or lighten my mood and thereby decrease the pain or at least relax some to lesson it eventually.
I did give in on the sleep issue. Insomnia was a pain and I finally had trazodone suggested to me by a doctor. It's a VERY low dosage (only 25-50 mg as needed). I take it for a few days when I need to get my sleep cycle back on track and then stay off it until it's needed again.
This has proven to be really effective for me. Granted, everyone's case in different, but I always like to hope that simple steps like these could prove useful to others! Here's wishing a low-pain day for everyone!
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Haven't been diagnosed with Fibro yet, but my mom has it and I have all the same symptoms that she has. I don't take any prescription meds, but I do take Aleve every day, along with Glucosamine/Condroitin (just started that, so don't know how well it works yet), St. Johns Wort, and a standard multivitamin. I went on Amazon and looked at that OTC Fibro medication, and I'll probably get some of that and see how well it works for me. I'm really tired of this achy/tired thing every day, so hopefully that'll work. Not thrilled by the prospect of having to go to the doctor and get put on prescription meds cause I'm prone to negative side effects (I have ADD as well, and have been on pretty much everything on the market and have had negative side effects from everything I've tried). Oh, also I take some sort of sleep aid every night (Tylenol PM, Unisom, etc.).0
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Has anyone besides me ever tried the Malic Acid route? It may not be sexy and interesting because you don't need a prescription, but I'll be damned if it doesn't really work.
I started with OTC Malic acid alone and noticed a marked improvement in how I felt. Then I found you need the right amount of Potassium and others as carriers for your body to absorb it. I experimented with that. But then I discovered Fibro-Response on Amazon which combines all with a perfect balance.
I am telling you folks, it seriously works for me. I am finally off all the prescription stuff and feel better than I have in almost a decade. I have been taking it for several years now and it still works. The days I forget to take it I realize it by about 2pm because the fibro fog hits and I start aching again. I am not gonna lie and tell you that it is fun taking four giant horse pills every morning -- but it sure beats the alternative.
I know I probably sound like I work for the company or something -- but I really am just a very happy customer. I want to hear stories of others if they feel it helps them. I buy it from Amazon here: http://amzn.com/B000GFSVJQ there are others similar to this as well that would be interesting to hear how they work.0 -
Has anyone besides me ever tried the Malic Acid route? It may not be sexy and interesting because you don't need a prescription, but I'll be damned if it doesn't really work.
I'm seriously thinking about trying it. I'm not on anything prescription right now due to not having an "official" diagnosis, so anything OTC that would be helpful, I'm game.0 -
To be honest, exercise has been the best, but my motivation to do it is lacking. I just don't have the energy on the best of days. I never feel energized from excercise, just more tired, but the pain is definatley more managable if i keep it super light.
So far Lyrica is the only thing that has helped. 75mg 2x a day is best, but for my budget i only take it once per day and only if the dr has samples otherwise I take Ibroprophen 3 times a day and emtec 4 x a day.
I have sleep apnea and excessive snoring, and use my cpap machine when my sinuses aren't acting up, but then I wake up more sore because I can't move around and stretch when the mask on my face.
I would try the malic acid, but I don't have money to spend on anything not covered by my medical plan.0 -
Naproxen seems to do ok. I was also prescribed flexiril but I stopped taking that along time ago because it just made me useless.0
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Yeah, same here with the flexiril. Naproxen is also ok for me. I have never been prescribed any medication for my IBS.0
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$12 for just Malic Acid or $25 for a months supply with the proper mix of vitamins and minerals to help you body absorb it. It is silly to suffer when something so simple could make such a difference in your life. Malic Acid is nothing but concentrated apple or grape acids without any of the sugars. It may not work for everyone but I am absolutely certain that this simple stuff has given me my life back.0
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i was diagnosed with fibro 17 years ago, but wasnt until the last 7 when they finally tried treatments, tried the cymbalta and lyrica with no luck, unable to take any pain meds due to fatty liver that flared up 7 years ago also, recently my dr gave me ametrypeline and after one night thats a no go, on a low low dose and made me drunk feeling and staggering, and inflammed my liver...the most success i have is Alpha-Stim (www.beginhealings.com) has helped me regain range of motion in my arms and helps with not only pain but with insomnia, depression, anxiety..it doesnt help all the symptoms and the morning stiffness is still horrible, but it has helped enough to make it worth conitnuing. hot tubs/spas and massages when i am able...and stress management. i see some good responses to malic acid, one thing idk how much i am taking but am going to look into it. thanks for sharing everyone as i learned a few things to try!0
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Prescriptions:
Lyrica
Meloxicam -anti-inflammatory
Methocarbam- muscle relaxer
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)- muscle relaxer
Voltaren gel- for joint pain
OTC Supplements:
Vitamin D - 2,000 IU
B-12 - 2,000 mcg (1,000 2x a day)
Magnesium with Chelated Zinc - ?
Potassium Gluconate - ?
One-A-Day Women's multivitamin
Can't remember the strength of a couple of them. I take other supplements, but these are the ones I know I've been told are good for fibro. I'll have to add malic acid to my cocktail...lol.0 -
I was just diagnosed Tuesday and my doctor has started me out on 30mg of Cymbalta. He said it's likely I won't feel any real relief from this low a dose, but that he wanted to ease me onto it. So far I've had quite a bit of nausea/loss of appetite and my limbs feel like useless limp noodles. I'm hoping the side effects pass fast because it's driving me nuts!0
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Wish you all the best.
Cymbalta did nothing for me but caused rapid weight gain.
Lyrica was mildly effective but also piled on the pounds.
At a loss currently. Not sure where to turn.0 -
I have been on almost everything you could of think of, but not Lyrica and have no intentions of taking it. Savella isn't available in Canada.
I am currently on:
20 mgs oxyNeo 2x's/day
10 mgs Felexeril 1/da
.5 mgs Clonazapam 1/day
.025 Synthroid 1/day
40 mgs Nexium 1/day
7.5 mgs Zopiclone 1/day
Supplements:
Magnesium
5 HTP
GABA
Ester C
Grape seed extract
I also use Polar Lotion for my bad pain areas, grain bags for heat, massage every 4'wks and liquid gel Advil0 -
I'm late to the game on this one. Every single medication that I have tried has had horrible side effects. The only one that even came close was Prozac, but that made me tired. My doctor sent me to a physical therapist and psychologist (because I was horribly depressed that I would have to live with this forever). This combine with a change in my diet and acupuncture from time to time has helped immensely.0
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I think I tried Prozac.
In fact Im damn sure Ive tried every SSRI, SNRI and atypical antidepressant popularly available.
Ive yet to find one without a drastic side effect...needless to say the depression about not being able to treat the depression is rather debilitating.
Ive tried the Mag Malate supplement and though everyone says its amazing, it has done nothing for me...0 -
I was taking cymbalta for three years, but I think it has outlived its effectiveness. I'm not too jazzed about anything else I'm taking except I am optimistic about taking my high dose vitamin D once a week. I reccomend getting vitamin D checked out. I'm also gonna connect with a sleep doctor, a cardiologist, and endocrinologist and a neurologist. I like accupuncture but don't know if it works. I will try CPAP device soon for sleep apnea.0
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prior to my diagnosis i'd already been taking an SSRI, Lexapro i think
the rheumatologist who first dx'd me started me on muscle relaxers and anti-inflam first: mobic, flexeril, don't really remember. got no remarkable benefit from the muscle relaxers.
the longest regimen i was on involved
- piroxicam/'feldene' = anti-inflam
- lexapro = SSRI anti depressant
- lithium carbonate = mood stabilizer
- levothyroxine (sp?) = because the lithium nuked my thyroid after a few yrs
- temazepam = sleep
during the last few years i took 0-4 hydrocodone (5/500) prn / day. those are helpful!
when i was on all the drugs i was depressed, unable to sleep/wake properly, had an overactive, irritated bladder and was in terrible pain all the time. after i tried to snuff it they put me on a couple of other things, including cymbalta and massive doses of gabapentin. didn't help.
a few years ago i finally stopped taking all the drugs AND started exercising like a demon. then i started feeling better. now i use ONLY exercise and herbs and i am doing super. i still won't say no to a hydrocodone, but they won't give them to me anymore and i really don't need them anyway.
i haven't seen a doctor in a long time and i don't feel the need for one. i'm doing MUCH better for myself now than anyone ever has for me.
:drinker:0 -
I was taking cymbalta for three years, but I think it has outlived its effectiveness. I'm not too jazzed about anything else I'm taking except I am optimistic about taking my high dose vitamin D once a week. I reccomend getting vitamin D checked out. I'm also gonna connect with a sleep doctor, a cardiologist, and endocrinologist and a neurologist. I like accupuncture but don't know if it works. I will try CPAP device soon for sleep apnea.
I just upped the dosage from 90mg to 120mg of Cymbalta0 -
I hope cymbalta works for you. If you read these blogs you will see I hated Cymbalta. Doctors don't know what to do and this was approved by the FDA so that is what they prescribe. Not telling you to ignore your doctor by any means, but I would challenge him on that prescription rather than think they know what they are doing. My opinoin....0
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FIBRO RESPONSE UPDATE
My sister has MS and I gave her some to try. And she notice a marked improvement also. She hasn't been specifically diagnosed with Fibro but I believe only because it is hidden and confounded with her MS symptoms.
I honestly think this stuff saved me. It allowed me the opportunity to finally get active and work out again. And as many have said, physical health is a great medication for fibro. I am so excited that after my 8 year battle with fibro I can finally lift weights and run again. Six years ago I couldn't even walk for more than 5 minutes before the pain was too terrible.
Last month they had a supply shortage and I almost freaked out. I ordered it from any place that said it wasn't on back order only to find that they really were on back order too. But supply is back and suddenly I had all these bottles come in the mail.
I feel like a salesman for them, but I assure you I have nothing to do with that company other than it is THE ONLY thing that made a marked difference in my fibro. It's not gone but it doesn't stop me from doing anything anymore.0
