Hello! My Dr of 15 years has retired. So, now I’ve a brand new Dr, and I mean brand new, just got her license to practice, 20 something yr old Dr. So begins the process of trying every medication known to mankind to treat fibro even though I’ve tried them before. I wish young/new Drs didn’t have to see with their own eyes that treatments/medications don’t help ease the symptoms/pain of fibro.
My new Dr has had me stop an antidepressant that has helped for 5 years to try Savella. The side effects from the Savella have been uncomfortable: irritability, sweating, ice cold hands, severe anxiety attacks, thoughts of suicide. So, now she’s weaning me off that and wants me to try Effexor. Has anyone taken Effexor and Lyrica? If so, did it help?
I’m so sick of Drs, pharmacists, insurance, fibro…
I’ve taken (am taking) Effexor. I’m being weaned off of it and moving to Cymbalta. The Effexor didn’t seem to do a lot to help with my pain, but it did help with my depression and PTSD.
I tried Lyrica back in 2003 and had no relief with it. Fortunately my doctors listened when I told them that and didn’t try it again.
As with anything else there are good and there are bad and some mediocre in any field. I think with a new doctor who just graduated, it is time for trying some one else who has actually has experience. Seems like this doc, is using you for a guinea pig because he/she does not know what they are doing. My opinion let her gain experience on someone else and get a doctor who knows what they are doing. If you know of other people who also have fibro, ask them who they see. Or go online and find a local support group and contact them online and as if they have a doctor they could recommend. Please don’t stay with this doc, it will cause more frustration–which you do not need.
I was referred to new pain doc by GP. he now has all my GP and ortho records. tried experimental LDN - took away all my narcotics ( 4 norco per day) - then because ablation helped by ortho 2 years ago, this new doc did ablation on one side only. so painful I screamed. will not have other side done. I discussed with him going back on the norco. i will have to sign a “pain control contract” and have random UA’s. DUH, like i am going to sell them or take too many, I retired from our prison system and random UA’s are done on all with probation when released from prison. I HATE this. and today I got a reminder notice that Monday I will NOT be seeing doc, but his NEW female PA. So…what the #%$(^& is SHE going to do. I have to flat out say dr. discussed going back on Norco, not sure why she is seeing me. THEN if he writes a script, I have to make sure its the exact strength ortho was giving me. I feel like all of us in REAL pain are being treated like Drug Addicts. Willow I empathize with you, have had fibro 40 years, and CONTINUE to be a guinea pig.
I tried Savella but it kept me awake all night. Then I tried Cymbalta which didn’t help at all. So I have an appointment next month with a rheumatologist at a big hospital in a big city in my state. I hope to find some answers:+1:.
I also have found a new internist because my former one tried 3 anti-depressants on me, and after none of them worked, she said that those 3 meds were all she would prescribe. I wanted to scream: “could it be possible that you would refer me to a dr. who knew a little more about fibromyalgia than you??.. But I just held my tongue and found another doctor. My experience has been that there are lots of doctors out there who will not refer you to a specialist. Period.
Brooke, thanks for information. I feel like since its an “invisible disease” none of them know quite what to do AND meds react different on each person. Good luck in the future.
So you can’t tell her that you want to be stay on the medications that are working for you? Maybe you should call your insurance company and see if you have the right to control your care.
Thank you everyone! Your support helps deal with everything related to fibromyalgia. I am having some success with the Effexor and will give it a month or two before my final decision. Currently my treatment will stay with the Effexor, Lyrica, nortriptyline and 10mg Percocet as needed up to 5 tablets per day. I had to beg for the 5… Now I ask what the long term affects these drugs will have on me when I’m in my 70s-80s… no one knows at this time.
Humiliation should be added as a new symptom of Fibro. Begging for help, then being given the 10th degree by your pharmacist (with who I’ve been using for 30+ yrs) about the dangers of addiction…, being looked down on by Drs and nurses, “bc there are studies showing that narcotics don’t help with Fibromyalgia pain”… just goes on and on. I don’t wish this pain on anyone but I have to wonder if the tides will change when those making the rules get older, or if they have to watch family members suffer needlessly bc of these stricter laws.
Again, thanks everyone. May all of us enjoy our day!
Hi Carolyn,
I honestly do hate pain docs. I agree with you that you’re immediately treated like
a criminal.
I take oxycodone at night but it’s for back issues and arthritis. For the fibro the only thing that I can tolerate and that works is ibuprofen. I’ve been on lyrica, neurontin, every SSRI out there. The only muscle relaxer that helped was soma but that was discontinued because the statistics showed it was being abused more. That pissed me off too because I never did that. The best thing for fibro is exercise but at this point that’s not possible for me, waiting for hip replacement.
Good luck to you and Willow, actually to all of us on here.
Sheila
I went to pain doc yesterday. PA talked to him and they decided the best thing for me was to take away my LDN and ibuprofen and put me BACK on the NORCO. First I had to give them a UA…then sign a long Pain Contract, which Nebraska put into law the very end of last year. I have to see him once a month and take my pills with me. The nurse will COUNT THE PILLS, then a UA or blood test to see if it corresponds with my “missing” pills. Also, I am to have a RANDOM UA or Blood test whenever they choose. I will have 24 hours to get there . I did sign it, I need pain help, but I let them know I felt I was being treated like a prisoner on probation and YES, i know what that feels like because I retired from the Correction System (prison) and worked with convicts and their families. I left there feeling angry and also degraded. I have a friend with MS, maybe i said this before, but she’s been taken off all her Tramadol (a narcotic) and placed on tylenol and ibuprofen. She’s 80 and they feel she will “get addicted”.
I am unable to go back to my Ortho who gave me the Norco, because GP wants me at this pain doc and part of the “deal” is that I cannot go to a 3rd doctor.
This makes me so angry for your friend and sorry she has to suffer b/c of new guidelines and rules. Bless her heart, she’s probably too tired to even advocate for herself. Why, why, why are they taking medications away from the elderly and people with painful conditions. I’ll never understand…
Hi Sheila, we’ve some in common. I, too, have joint issues and now nerve damage bc of spine disease. I’ve had both knees and hips replaced and one of the hips replaced twice bc of an infection from a steroid injection prior to the hip surgery. The spine disease has caused permanent nerve damage in my legs, feet, arms and hands. They want to do more surgery on my back, but I’m so tired of surgeries, and afraid too.
I take the Effexor and Lyrica for the fibro and depression, ambien and nortriptyline to sleep and the low dose Percocet for the joint pain and to help manage all the misery in general. There’s not a single day free from the pain. When they started talking about taking the Percocet away I just wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the days. The pain management dr worked with my PCP and developed a plan that was helping.
Then my PCP retired and the new Dr reduced the Percocet, had me stop taking the antidepressant I was taking, and added the Savella. I had too many side affects from the Savella so I weaned off that and went three days without an antidepressant, prior to starting the Effexor. They increased the Percocet back to what it was before all the changes. It was truly a senseless and horrid week.
Fortunately, I was starting to feel better this week, before I almost fell. The jerking and twisting to keep myself upright has now caused a disc in my neck and lower back to bulge, causing terrible pain if I move to quickly or at the wrong angle. Even if I went to urgent care they wouldn’t do anything bc I’m already taking the Percocet, so I’m home and doing the ice and rest treatment.
This whole situation stinks, and some days I don’t think life is even worth living. Then one of my kids visit and I remember why I keep going.
Thanks everyone for listening. Feels good to let this all out to others who understand. Soft (((hugs)))
I was on Savella 10 years ago but had suicidal thoughts so doc stopped it. I started a new muscle relaxer last night. Cant take it during the day because it makes me drowsy. I had a hard time concentrating at work today. So much going on. Going to neurologist tomorrow.
I’m thinking of leaving my body to science ONLY for the study of finding out the cause and treatment of FM. We shouldn’t have to be in this kind of pain just because modern tests don’t know how to find it yet! I am very lucky to have a great doctor who believes me because she has a sister who has FM, but the pain is only made “bearable,” and that is only maybe half of the time. Sorry, having a flare right now so it’s hard to be positive…
