Poll: What meds have helped you the most?
Hi ~
I was diagnosed with fibro in 1985, but the last 5 years, following RNY, have definitely been the worst. I have tried Neurontin (minimal pain relief, but also made me very drowsy), Lyrica (no noticable help), taking Cymbalta (no pain relief), and taking Ultram now which just takes the edge off the pain for only about half of the 8 hours that it's supposed to work.
I have a first time appt.this week with the rheumatologist - have gone to a pain management clinic this past year, but she offered no help beyond the neurontin.
What meds have worked best for you without side effects of drowsiness or being loopy? Somehow, I work 12 hour shifts and have to be able to function there.....
Thanks for your help ~
I was diagnosed with fibro in 1985, but the last 5 years, following RNY, have definitely been the worst. I have tried Neurontin (minimal pain relief, but also made me very drowsy), Lyrica (no noticable help), taking Cymbalta (no pain relief), and taking Ultram now which just takes the edge off the pain for only about half of the 8 hours that it's supposed to work.
I have a first time appt.this week with the rheumatologist - have gone to a pain management clinic this past year, but she offered no help beyond the neurontin.
What meds have worked best for you without side effects of drowsiness or being loopy? Somehow, I work 12 hour shifts and have to be able to function there.....
Thanks for your help ~
The pain management Dr. I go to just put me on two new narcotics Embeda (extended release morphine) and Nucynta ( for breakthrough pain).
I have tried everything and I hate having to take such strong meds but at least I only take them once a day and they aren't as hard on the liver as some.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find ANY relief on non-narcotic meds. My pain is very muscular and I also suffer from neck and back disc herniations as well as osteoarthritis in my back and feet.
I've been this way for 15 years....I'm only 30.
My med combination has not hindered my life at all, which I am grateful for. I have happy, healthy children, a great husband, and home. I am able to work, as long as it isn't manual labor (which my last job turned in to).
Good Luck with your med search. It is very hard and often we are judged harshly, but don't give up until you find what works for you.
I have tried everything and I hate having to take such strong meds but at least I only take them once a day and they aren't as hard on the liver as some.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find ANY relief on non-narcotic meds. My pain is very muscular and I also suffer from neck and back disc herniations as well as osteoarthritis in my back and feet.
I've been this way for 15 years....I'm only 30.
My med combination has not hindered my life at all, which I am grateful for. I have happy, healthy children, a great husband, and home. I am able to work, as long as it isn't manual labor (which my last job turned in to).
Good Luck with your med search. It is very hard and often we are judged harshly, but don't give up until you find what works for you.
"Don't sweat the petty things- and don't pet the sweaty things."
Thanks for your response ~
Do you find either of those meds make you drowsy? My only experience with any narcotic type meds - vicodin, percocet was when I was recovering from different surgeries over the years. A small amount would wipe me out. I don't know if that was the drug, per se, or just trying to recover from the surgery.
If these medical professionals could live just one day in our bodies - maybe they would have a little more compassion and a willingness to help without looking at us as "drug-seekers" !
Do you find either of those meds make you drowsy? My only experience with any narcotic type meds - vicodin, percocet was when I was recovering from different surgeries over the years. A small amount would wipe me out. I don't know if that was the drug, per se, or just trying to recover from the surgery.
If these medical professionals could live just one day in our bodies - maybe they would have a little more compassion and a willingness to help without looking at us as "drug-seekers" !
Well for total relief only narcotics work for me. Right now I take morphine 2x a day plus cymbalta. I still have some pain but it's pretty tolerable most days and I have oxycodone for break thru pain and I rarely need that. I find with the narcotics I have to take them a few days and then I build up a tolerance to the loopy, sleepy effect. Once I've used them awhile I can drive and do anything else I need to. I wish you luck, this is a nasty disease to have to live with but at least its finally getting some recognition.
Hi there! I am new to this forum. I was diagnosed with Fibro in July of 07. I started a drug study in Dec of 07 for the drug Xyrem. It was amazing and I thought I had been cured of Fibro. Once the study ended, I was back in pain again. I tried Lyrica, Savella, different various muscle relaxers and pain meds. Currently I am taking Neurontin and Cymbalta and I don't notice much difference honestly. I really hope the FDA approves Xyrem soon for Fibro because it was a miracle drug that really helped me.
Thanks to everyone *****sponded ~
I went to my 4.5 hour fibro clinic appt. today and was given tons of info of most of what all of you described, especially the Xyrem (date rape drug!), you mentioned Leah. This doc was in on one of the research studies they did with this drug at the university hospital clinic I went to. She saw very positive results with those that were on the med and hopes it gets approval for fibro as she saw it most beneficial in improving the quality of sleep and therefore, potential relief from pain and fatigue. She had many that had great results with it.
A couple of other interesting things - evidently, they tested my blood growth hormone level and the results were really low. That, in of itself, can cause many of the fibro symptoms, I'm told. I will have further testing done and then maybe try that if it's thought to be beneficial for me. I'm somewhat familiar with the growth hormone as my son stopped growing at age 11 and was found to be deficient. I have been giving him shots the past 4 years. (Heredity?) Too bad it couldn't put a couple inches on me - I'm only 5"1 1/2!
The other interesting thing that came out of this that I found out is the fibro and sleep cycle connection. They have done studies showing that if they interupt the subjects' sleep throughout the night, within 4 days, these average, healthy people had many of the fibro symptoms. Of course, sleep apnea produces the same type of occurence since you're being aroused throughout the night to start breathing again. In my case, I've lost 115 lbs. now and am using an auto-set c-pap machine which is averaging at a 9, which is pretty low. I would think I would not be having apnea and therefore waking up, but in the morning it still feels like I didn't even get any sleep.
I mentioned to her a fibro study years ago that I did, with the med Rotigidine. It was a double-blind study, but I was positive that I was at least getting some of the real med and not a placebo as I had some nausea in the beginning. It seemed to have helped with the fibro and it was good to know that it has now since been approved for use with fibro.
I'll still have to wait awhile to get some help - she sends the findings back to my doc, but maybe help is on the way.....
I went to my 4.5 hour fibro clinic appt. today and was given tons of info of most of what all of you described, especially the Xyrem (date rape drug!), you mentioned Leah. This doc was in on one of the research studies they did with this drug at the university hospital clinic I went to. She saw very positive results with those that were on the med and hopes it gets approval for fibro as she saw it most beneficial in improving the quality of sleep and therefore, potential relief from pain and fatigue. She had many that had great results with it.
A couple of other interesting things - evidently, they tested my blood growth hormone level and the results were really low. That, in of itself, can cause many of the fibro symptoms, I'm told. I will have further testing done and then maybe try that if it's thought to be beneficial for me. I'm somewhat familiar with the growth hormone as my son stopped growing at age 11 and was found to be deficient. I have been giving him shots the past 4 years. (Heredity?) Too bad it couldn't put a couple inches on me - I'm only 5"1 1/2!
The other interesting thing that came out of this that I found out is the fibro and sleep cycle connection. They have done studies showing that if they interupt the subjects' sleep throughout the night, within 4 days, these average, healthy people had many of the fibro symptoms. Of course, sleep apnea produces the same type of occurence since you're being aroused throughout the night to start breathing again. In my case, I've lost 115 lbs. now and am using an auto-set c-pap machine which is averaging at a 9, which is pretty low. I would think I would not be having apnea and therefore waking up, but in the morning it still feels like I didn't even get any sleep.
I mentioned to her a fibro study years ago that I did, with the med Rotigidine. It was a double-blind study, but I was positive that I was at least getting some of the real med and not a placebo as I had some nausea in the beginning. It seemed to have helped with the fibro and it was good to know that it has now since been approved for use with fibro.
I'll still have to wait awhile to get some help - she sends the findings back to my doc, but maybe help is on the way.....
I've had fibro since I was 11. Honestly? I can pop pain pills like tic tacs with no real effect. My most useful medication is the amitryptaline, which helps me sleep. Good sleep is one of the fundamentals of fibro management. If I short myself on sleep I tend to hurt more, fall asleep at the most inopportune times and am generally incredibly miserable. If I sleep relatively well then things are improved to sucky.
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