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Savella for fibro

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 1/14/2011 7:10 PM (GMT -5)
Is anybody taking Savella for their fibromyalgia symptoms.  My doctor is suggesting I start this medication.  I had no relief with Cymbalta and Lyrica.  I'm a little hesitant about starting it, because my fatigue is bad enough.  I've heard it causes a lot of fatigue.  Does it help with energy level?  I am always so tired.  Any info on the med and your experiences with it would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 1/14/2011 7:29 PM (GMT -5)
Honestly it made me rather drunk looking, literally swaying when I thought I was standing upright. But everyone reacts differently. Good Luck finding a med that works.
Posted 1/14/2011 9:03 PM (GMT -5)
I had too much trouble with nausea to continue Savella beyond day 5, even taking the stuff with a meal. But some people like it.

I didn't tolerate Cymbalta, Lyrica, antidepressants, neurontin, muscle relaxants either. Actually Flexeril seemed to work, but combined with tramadol I got a pretty bad case of serotonin syndrome.

Tramadol is all I've found so far that works .... for me.
Posted 1/14/2011 10:00 PM (GMT -5)
I had one of the worst experiences of my life on savella as far as medication goes. It hurt my stomach so bad..made my blood pressure rise..and I had to go to the er for hypertensive crisis. It was horrible. But there are others at my fibromyalgia clinic who swear by it. It affects ppl in different ways. All I can say is for me anything is worth a shot. Just go into it with an open mind. Keep an eye on any side effects. Hope you can figure things out..I'm having trouble finding a good regiment for medicine too.
Posted 1/15/2011 4:24 AM (GMT -5)
Savella brought me amazing pain relief from my fibro symptoms, but it brought with it intolerable daily headaches and additional jaw pain that I couldn't take. I actually tried Savella twice (the second time in conjunction with buspar) because the pain relief was so substantial the first time, but had to give up both times because of the headaches.

Before Savella I had been taking two naps a day. With Savella I had amazing energy and the fatigue lifted. I really thought at first it was going to be my "miracle", but it definitely was not. (Amitriptylene is the one that brought extreme fatigue/drowsiness for me).

I also had the nausea and sweating that many people experience on Savella. I would have tolerated that in order to get the pain relief, but in the end the other side effects were just too much.

Best wishes to you. There are definitely some people who do well on Savella. I hope you are one of them.
Posted 1/15/2011 8:04 AM (GMT -5)
Alice,
I've read great things about Tramadol. Does it help with fatigue as well as pain? Maybe I should give Tramdol a try first and see if it benefits me in any way. Thanks for your input!! And to all the rest who replied thank you for sharing your experiences!
Posted 1/15/2011 8:44 AM (GMT -5)
teach, I am not Alcie but I do take tramadol. I do not take it every day due to the possibility of addiction and withdrawls BUT it does help with the pain and fatigue. Plus most ins plans cover tramadol but IF they do cover savella there is a pretty big co-pay.
Posted 1/15/2011 10:24 AM (GMT -5)
I take tramadol everyday and lortab for breakthrough pain. I can say that most of the time...the tramadol helps so much with the energy and a lot for the pain. Tramadol also does lift my mood as well.
Posted 1/15/2011 10:59 AM (GMT -5)
I take two to four 50 mg tramadol a day and a muscle relaxant at night before bed. I could not function without the tramadol. it is a good drug for me.
Posted 1/15/2011 1:36 PM (GMT -5)
So what do you guys advise? Should I ask the doctor to start me on Tramadol, and give that a try w/ or with out a muscle relaxer. Most of my pain is in my neck and shoulder areas. If that doesn't work try Savella?
Posted 1/15/2011 2:53 PM (GMT -5)
Teacher, I took Savella as well. Made me grumpy/very mean & paranoid. But it helped tremendously with the pain. And it helped really quickly!But side effects were so severe my husband realized it was the meds and told me not to take it anymore. I couldn't figure out what my problem was?

But, everyone doesn't react the same with every medication. I say if you give it a shot, its sure worth a try?

I have been taking Tramadol. It seems to help me not feel so achey in the day. But I have been feeling icky lately & afraid Im going to have to go back to the Dr :( It definitely helps with my energy. I actually have the energy to do things, instead of dragging myself around and making myself do it.

Best of luck to you
Amber
Posted 1/15/2011 7:46 PM (GMT -5)
Tramadol is the generic form of Ultram and is one of the meds you can get for $4.00 from Walmart and Target.

Savella is new, there is no generic, and it's expensive. Some insurance doesn't cover it and those that do usually require a high co-pay.

They are very different medications and act in different ways. I was in a clinical trial for Savella and had to drop out due to the side effects. If you have high blood pressure, this drug is probably not for you.

You'll know right away if the tramadol will help you. It can take weeks to tell if the Savella is helping. If you do decide to take tramadol, read about serotonin syndrome, a rare but dangerous complication that can occur when you take other meds with tramadol.
Posted 1/16/2011 11:54 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you! This forum is wonderful, and all of you are great people! I also wish you the best!
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