Lyrica and Cymbalta perfect for pain control

Greetings folks, I'm new to this neighborhood, and new to the website in general.  What is not new is fibromyalgia, first diagnosed when I was in my 20's....a good many years ago.  I've taken just about all the anti-inflammatories out there.  Nothing helped the relentless pain in my muscles until Lyrica.  Then I asked to trade in good old Prozac for Cymbalta, and my goodness, I have a life....well, except for the arthritis, bursitis, hypoglycemia, ruptured discs, and last, but not least, morbid obesity.  I also have been 'officially' diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

I am seeing an Infectious Disease doc and he told me that he thinks the chronic fatigue is something 'left over' from an infectious process in your body that has taken up residence in the muscles.  Anyway, he tried different things, but nothing has really made a difference.  Anyone know how to help the overwhelming fatigue?

I am planning on surgery soon, no date yet, but I have met all the criteria prior to surgery.  Lost the weight required, attended the classes, had the labs and the tests.  Boy, you know I'm anxious now.  Until then I hard core diet.  Lost 22 lbs. the first month.  I exercise formally 3 times a week in the gym and use the 'Biggest Loser' kind of approach....work when you don't think you can, keep going.

How's everyone else?
Love to meet and chat,
Mary

Welcome to one of the slowest boards here but the best none the less.We are the only ones who truely know what you feel and how much pain you are in, so we're always here for each other. I just recently started taking the Cymbalta and have had truely amazing results, I hardly hurt at all anymore and that's truely a blessing after 30+ years. Fortunately I haven't had too much trouble with the chronic fatigue part of the syndrome, which I'm very thankful for, but I do understand it's debilitating. I hope you'll join us often and go back and read some of the past posts to get to know us.

Hi, Pup!

You sound like me, in terms of diagnoses, but I also have lupus.

The fibro seems to be the worst of the two, for me.  I call lupus my "surprise" diagnosis, because I never know what's going to be found when I visit the PCP or rheumy.

Cymbalta and Lyrica have made my pain more bearable on many occasions! 

 

I'm so happy you have some relief, but Lupus?  Now that is serious business.  I have been seeing an infectious disease physician who is being very helpful to me.  I sat in his office and wept as he exactly described what was happening to me and how all my doctors saw was the fat and had the same predictable response, "if you would just lose the weight you'd feel better."  While that is true for many things that are wrong with me, it does not touch what he found. 

Underlying disease processes are often missed because the fat is so distracting from any other issue.  Take care of yourself.  Losing the weight is absolutely essential to your health, but it will not change lupus or the virus that has invaded my muscles and encapsulated itself. (post-polio)  But it will help us with the fibro, depression, arthritis and a host of other disabilities.  We are on a good path. 

I look forward to sharing healthy stories soon!!!
Blessings on your life, your journey and especially your health,
Mary

Mary-

Lupus is serious business, once it decided to rear its ugly head and do the damage it does.  Plaquenil is keeping it at bay for now, along with panniculitis (infection of fatty tissue, that just showed up last year).  Also last spring, my kidneys just stopped working.  No explanation, and by the time I got to the nephrologist, they started working again.

I agree that being obese does affect the quality of health care you get.  In fact, I'm in the process of suing the health system and the doctor *****fused to treat my lymphedema because I was too fat!  That was his only reason!

I have found a clinic to treat it two hours out of town, but the fact of the mater is, I shouldn't have to resort to having the taxpayers foot the extra transportation and treatment costs (I'm on disability) because some lunkhead doctor doesn't like fat people.  Lower limb lymphedema is more prevalent among obese people than any patient group.  Why don't I go to another local clinic?  Well, there is only one lympedema clinic here with a therapist qualified to do manual drainage.  The doctor in question is the head of that clinic.