I currently take Flexeril for muscle spasms in my back and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen for pain. Everything else I've been allergic to. I'm also currently using a TENS Unit for pain.
Hello Deb,
My doctors have had me on Nortriptyline 40mg daily for the last 6 years now. It keeps my nerve pain down to a manageable level. I am constantly low on vitamins B & D, so I take 1000mg daily along with a pile of supplements like Sandy. Still I have my endless bottles of Hydrocodone for pain, and Valium for mussel cramps which I use as little as I can.
-Bill Sr.
Be careful with narcotic pain killers. I started out on Percocet, and over the last 13 years I have fully uploaded to Diluadid. Now I want to back off it and am having mentally hard time with it because I also have PTSD. It's just I would upgrade to something stronger about every year and never even considered the consequences, SO please be careful with narcotic pan pills. That sucks about the Lyrica, you could always try nuerontin. Good luck on your medical journey, I hope you find something that helps.
I am on 300 mg of Lyrica with Tramsfol and Skelactin. It seems to work fairly well in combination. A friend bought a lotion that has helped some as well. It’s called “three old goats”.
I strongly advise ANY natural remedies/wholistic medicines before trying prescription meds. I think most of us (I know I am) are sensitive to medication because of the fibro and they all seem to have bad side effects. I was immediately put on tramadol for the first two years after I was diagnosed, which was awful and later gabapentin. I slowly weened myself off of both and it cleared my head up and lessened my pain. I will rarely take a muscle relaxer when my pain is bad enough but it knocks me out so I can’t do that often. Instead of traditional meds, I try my best to stretch, eat healthier than I did pre diagnosis, and pace myself a lot. I also use essential oils and have gotten rid of all products I used to use that have bad chemicals in them. It’s amazed me what a difference it’s made by just making those few changes. Hope you can figure out what works best for you, and glad you found us!
Hugs!
Karli
There are several medications...but some to most of us have "sensitivities". I have tried Lyrica and Cymbalta and Neurotin.
I can not use Lyrica and Cymbalta; even though the medications do not work the same way...I developed severe edema in all four extremities with use of these medications. Neurotin was ineffective. I am on a current regimen that works for me. I take a pain pill every am (so I can move) and pm (so that I can sleep). I take citalopram (SSRI) each morning and tosemide (a long-acting diuretic), At night I take amitriptyline for sleep and cyclobenziprine.for restless leg syndrome...and sumatriptan for the occasional migraine headache.I have recently included FIBROLIEF. This is a includes many vitamins, supplements, and minerals that are particular to FMS. I find it easier to take this than the multiple bottles of supplements that took up a shelf in my medicine cabinet.
FMS seems to demand alternative therapies for relief or maximizing of symptoms. They may include Yoga for patients with FMS, chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy, various forms of massage therapy, exercise, and [my favorite,] swimming. If you are able to attend any support groups, that is extremely important. You can hear and see people who are dealing with this daily...(tips like Biotine for a dry mouth, using desk chairs for dining chairs, the importance of sleep and routine, methods of relieving stress, etc.) ...and if you can stand it, a hug....and the comfort of voices that want to help you and can say truthfully, "I know your pain."
Hi Deb and Welcome!!!
I am on several meds, tramadol 200mg slow release with 50 mg tramadol shirt acting for when I need extra pain relief. I am finding that the 200mg tramadol is really helping with the overall body ache during the day. Evenings are my worse. I also take Gabapentin 1200mg daily ( 3 x 400mg) and celebrex 200 mg. I suffer from fibro, obviosuly, lol and pretty bad osteoarthritis. I am starting to think that they trigger flares in each other. I just starting taking trazadon a sleep aid as it can be taken with tramadol, amitryptiline a common meds can't be taken with tramadol. I also have included daily stretching and stress reduction exercises mainly meditation and deep breathing, I find this in conjunction with meds does help as well. It has taken me almost three years to get a combination of meds and activities that seem to work for me, with lots of doctor conversations, and trial and error. Each person seems to react differently, so it is so important to find what works for you. I wish you the best in finding your combo and just remember to be gentle with yourself as you go through the process. Each step is a step forward. Hugs.
I am on Cymbalta 60 mg, and Tramadol 50 to 100 mg depending on the pain. I take Ambian 10mg at bed time with 800 my of motrin. I cant take tramadol at night.
Hi Deb, I've was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1986 and been on a variety of medications some worked some didn't. This past year I had a new PCP DO and she suggested taking magnesium. First you start with a low dose and keep increasing it until your stool becomes loose. For me it has helped with the pain of my fibromyalgia with no side effects. A lot of her patients found this helpful and no wait gain. I'm on lyrica too but and I do have to watch my weight gain but for me it has been worth it. Good Luck! Cinnamin
You can get Lyrica FREE if you go to their website and apply. They send out 90 day supply at a time with a prescription and send out refills when you ask for another supply. You have to be low income or show that your insurance won't cover it. Lyrica along with Cymbalta does wonders for me. You have to make sure you have the right dosage, start around 20 mg which works for me. I also have degener disc, arthritis and muscle cramping. Skin and muscle soreness and cramping is normal for fibro.
Cymbalta might cause dry mouth but there is a med for that- Pilocarpine.
As for weight loss, it did stop me some but pain also stops you. Look at the food you are eating, stop eating foods that create inflammation and change your exercise program.
I haven't written for a while and glad to be back.
BTW if you are on a statin for high chor- like lovastatin, STOP immediately, can cause muscle weakness and deterioation
Another thought- I found ACUPUNCTURE was the best holistic pain reliever, saw him every week and it not only controlled all pain (from all problems) but also helped with emotional flareups, mental confusion, and brain fog, and anxiety. FInd someone who understand fibro.
I had been going to Kaiser but when we moved needed a new doc. Could not really find a PCP who believe in/understood fibro but the rheumatologist I saw was FANTASTIC. Trained at Loma Linda (So Calif) and keeps up on all the research and latest treatments. So keep trying docs until you find someone who truly gets it. He tests my thyroid, muscle enzymes, potassium levels every 2-3 months. Also vit b12 levels.
Unfortunately all 3 three (savella, cymbalta, and lyrica). None of them helped me, they all have given me terrible side effects.
Good luck.
–Wenz
Marijuana helps me
Please remember that you should ALWAYS talk to your doctor before stopping ANY medication. Stopping a medication can be dangerous and should only be done under the care and advice of your doctor.
Linda said:
You can get Lyrica FREE if you go to their website and apply. They send out 90 day supply at a time with a prescription and send out refills when you ask for another supply. You have to be low income or show that your insurance won't cover it. Lyrica along with Cymbalta does wonders for me. You have to make sure you have the right dosage, start around 20 mg which works for me. I also have degener disc, arthritis and muscle cramping. Skin and muscle soreness and cramping is normal for fibro.
Cymbalta might cause dry mouth but there is a med for that- Pilocarpine.
As for weight loss, it did stop me some but pain also stops you. Look at the food you are eating, stop eating foods that create inflammation and change your exercise program.
I haven't written for a while and glad to be back.
BTW if you are on a statin for high chor- like lovastatin, STOP immediately, can cause muscle weakness and deterioation
Hi Deb,
Sorry to hear your diagnosis. A positive attitude and listening to your body go a long way to helping. I took lyrica and cymbalta and put on the weight. We took a step back to the Gabapentin and it helps,without the weight gain. I also take Flexeril, again for some people it works for others it doesn't. My INS company does not want to pay for flexeril so they tried me on Zanaflex, had wild dreams on it. So now I pay for my flexeril, till we get the insurance issues worked out. I take celexa and wellbutrin to balance out the serotonin and Norepinephrine receptors. I also take diclofenac for the pain, it seems to work most of the time. There is a creme Volteran that is diclofenac and you can apply this directly to area of pain. The creme works better (I think).
I agree with Val, talk to your Drs. about what is available. give them the info you have received from us and TOGETHER you work as a TEAM to find the right protocol for you. My daughter and my cousin also have fibro. we are on some of the same meds but at different dosages. Neither of them are on Diclofenac. We are all on thyroid meds and differing dosages of B12 shots.
You can also get benefit from natural remedies, however beware some do interact with prescription meds.
Hope this all helps and you find the right protocol for you.
Blessings,
Thank you all so much for sharing and your suggestions. I did try Neurontin but had terrible brain fog, even worse than just from the Fibro. As with the Lyrica, my insurance won't cover Cymbalta. I'm going to write down some of the meds and supplements that you guys suggested and go over it with my Neurologist next Tuesday.
I am so so glad that I have found you!!
#feelingblessed
Hi Deb! Glad you found this group. I take Gabapentin 100 mg as needed up to 12 tablets per day for the nerve pain; Percocet 7.5/325 every 6 hours for joint pain; and Prozac for the depression/anxiety that comes with never ending pain and discomfort. I also take B12, magnesium, potassium, multivitamin, and vitamin C supplements.
You will probably try lots of medicines to find the right combo that works for you. Best wishes and gentle ((hugs)).
Kim
Hi deb,
If lyrica worked gabapentin is a sister med to it that might work. Gabapentin came out first, I think the drug manufacture was losing the patent on it so they tweaked the molecules and released it as lyrica. There is no generic for lyrica yet, but the gabapentin is a generic. Lyrica also caused weight gain with me but helped so much with pain. While I have fibro too I also have polymyositis And also djd too. My dr has me on percoset and flexeril, as well as arthritis all over. I can’t say that the combo works but it eases my pain to a more tolerable level. I hope this helps and also everyone deals with issues in different ways,what works for one might not work for others, but don’t close the door on an idea until you’ve given it a chance. Oh also one other med. cymbalta helps with chronic pain from these disorders, not sure why but it does. I can’t take it because of some unrelated side effects by while I did it also worked nicely.
Welcome Deb
I want to mention one thing that no one mentioned which I use for weight control. Ritalin/Aderall are prescribed for Add/Adhd however I use them for fatigue symptom. Not only it helps me with drowsiness but it curves appetite. It’s prescribed by my psychiatrist and keeps my weight under control from other medications side effects. Good luck. Candy
I've been prescribed Aderall as well by my pain doctor for fatigue and brain fog. It has helped with both of those.
Candy said:
Welcome Deb
I want to mention one thing that no one mentioned which I use for weight control. Ritalin/Aderall are prescribed for Add/Adhd however I use them for fatigue symptom. Not only it helps me with drowsiness but it curves appetite. It's prescribed by my psychiatrist and keeps my weight under control from other medications side effects. Good luck. Candy