medication for pain of fibro
CARI - Jul 8th, 2009 12:26 PM
[ Original Post ]

I've been recently dx with fibro, my pain generally followed nerv path, especially my hips and shoulders, for years, out of desperation I went to the emerg on time as my dr. was out. I not a drug seeker, I'm pretty med sensitive, but he convinced my to try a antidepressent that is known to be used for nerv pain, called ELAVIL or AMITRIPTYLINE (same drug) IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM NO JOKE. I started on 10mg for about a week (can make a person very sleepy) I worked up to 30mg and holding I did experience being functionaly tired for about a month before it cleared. I take it at 5pm as it has a crazy half life of 15-20hrs, it doesn't effect me prior to going to bed anymore but if I take to late I still have difficulty getting up in the am, and it gives me more solid sleep that I had definitly not been getting with the constant pain I was having, fyi 30mg is not a theraputic dose of antidepressant so there is no worry about it messing with you brain chemistry. Hope this helps someone.

Cari

Comment


 

Fantod - Jul 8th, 2009 8:47 PM

Hello Cari -Thanks for sharing the information on Amitriptyline. That is one of the standard medications given to people with fibromyalgia (FMS). Unfortunately, for most of us, it is not enough to handle all of the pain.

Only certain classes of medication are effective for FMS and they are usually antidepressants. Other choices to handle pain are Cymbalta, Savella or Lyrica. Lryica is not an antidepressant but it is specifically formulated for FMS. Savella is new the market here but has been used in Europe for quite a while.

I use both Amitriptyline and Cymbalta. I am, however, starting Savella later this week. I have mixed emotions about it as I am also extremely sensitive to medication. I would like to gently suggest that you try to be a bit more open about using medication as the stress of FMS on your system can cause a cascade effect of other problems if it is not treated correctly.

If you need to find a fibro-friendly rheumotologist , go to the National Fibromyalgia Association website and register. Then you will be able to see a list of health care professionals in your state. I am glad to hear that you have had such great success with Amitriptyline. Take care.


CARI - Jul 9th, 2009 7:45 AM

good advise, I'm not closed to investigation of other meds or info, If I was taken that way that wasn't my intention, I just wasn't seeing anything about elavil in most of what I have read and it worked for me greatfully I was in 24/7 pain with my hips and shoulders I never want to go back to that. here nor there tho I live in canada, ontario, I've probably been dealing with some sort of symptom of fibro most of my life, but I am 36 and definitly fit the bill of getting worse in my child bearing years, and the pain started about to be more consistant around 31yrs. But you know what I have a close friend with MS and I was having a lot of the same symptoms so, it took me a year but I finally got my Dr. to send me for MRI to rule it out and I had made the desicion if it wasn't MS I could deal with anything and it wasn't, sounds like, at least right now I have it easier than some with the pain, for the others don't give up no two people are the same and different things work for different people, something I beleive helps me is I do pschotherapy, and breathworks I'm not saying its easy to deal with your shit, cause psychotherapy can take you back to something that happened when you were 5, or in a past life (if you believe and I do and no I not a hippy flake) but its worth it.




axxie - Jul 20th, 2009 1:46 AM

Hey Cari, most of us, had amitriptyline at one point, and then when it doesn't work, that's when you have to change to some other kinds of medication..

No two people are alike in symptoms and pain tolerance, it's all about doing what works for you. If what you describe works for you, that's great. But with time and age, some of your symptoms sometimes goes awry and that's when you have to take something else.