I'm the same as peaceNyou... I have been taking Norco for like 7 years and have actually decreased over the years and use just enough to be able to hold my job and be a single mommy. It has never given me side effects that the Wellbutrin did, the extreme nausea, confusion, anger and made fibro fog 10 worse. I'm grateful for the pain relief I do receive from my painkiller and have never thought of upping the does or going to stronger med. But this is just MY own experience, I know everyone's pain and bodies are different.

Happyface, yes one of the side effects of Cymbalta is joint and muscle pain. Here is the link to list of side effects.

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/cymbalta-side-effects.html

Someone was talking about Cymbalta, Lyrica and Savella not being habitual, but I disagree. These medications aren't narcotics, true, but they do cause withdrawal symptoms and need to wean off them.


Cymbalta: http://www.drugs.com/answers/wht-are-the-withdrawlal-signs-for-cymbalta-319607.html


Lyrica withdrawal side effects info: http://www.lyricamedication.info/withdrawalsymptoms.html

Savella
http://www.drugs.com/pro/savella.html

For those that are only taking pain medications do any of you have anxiety disorders or depression? I pretty much have to take an antidepressant for anxiety.

There are lots of different anti-depressants. I used to have depression in my early twenties and it has always been my understanding that which antidepressant works for you is very individual. In my 20s I took pretty much every kind of tricyclic, (drugs in the amitryptilline family) and they did nothing for me except make me sleepy and my mouth dry. Years later when a friend was dying I took Zoloft (because it seemed to help my mother and sister) and that was the magic drug for me. I took Cymbalta and had a near death experience. If you are having side effects from Cymbalta move on. My rheumy gave me a larger dose for Zoloft saying that before Cymbalta they used it alot for pain. I know they have been using amitryptilline forever for pain, sleep and depression.

Hope you find the drug that helps you.

Tramadol and Cymbalta was mentioned by my fibro MD as potentially causing serotonin syndrome. I don't think she uses them together. I see her every month because I go to her support group.

I heard in a psychiatry grand rounds podcast (I listen/read anything I can get my hands on since my diagnosis), that a small dosage of aspirin can make non responders of Cymbalta into responders. BUT, whereas I have no qualms recommending a prescription medicine because I know that no one can get it without a doctor, this is a different story because aspirin is over the counter. PLEASE, if you are going to consider this, ask your doctor!

What a fascinating discussion thread, thank you for all the different experiences and opinions. I don't know if I qualify as a newbie but I am 'new' in terms of trying to understand my fibromyalgia and what and more importantly how it affects my.

My primary problem has been myofascial pain syndrome and through that I've read a lot of information about fibro as both conditions are sort of like conjoined twins! Or different sides of the same coin. Tracking down my muscle knots makes a major difference in the fibro, I understand all that side. What I'm trying to get a handle on is the physiology of fibromyalgia. It's weird, causes weird things to happen and is so unique to each person. What's happening? Where does it start in the body and how does it manifest into all the different symptoms? why? why? why?!

One thing I'm completely sure of is that fibromyalgia is treated differently not just by different specialists and complementary therapists (I suppose like each sees or deals with one side of 'the ice-berg') but more fundementally by different countrys. So the treatment regime you guys generally have in the US is different to the one I have here in the UK; these sort of differences are interesting in terms of medication regimes. Some countries seem to have lots of pills for the patient whilst others hardly any.

In terms of dietary regimes for managing symptoms I go for a high level of starchy carbs and making sure to eat regularly (at least every 2 hours). I read a book about combating fatigue that recommended as balanced as possible life style to reduce symptoms and this high-carb diet for increasing energy and, for me, it works so well it I finally realised quite how little energy I had (if that makes sense)! 18 months later my energy stores are so much better and yet I get utterly exhausted, totally shattered, on a regular basis for various reasons. Back to 'symptom control' rather than 'cure'.

This is one of the things that is baffling...why do so many of us react in so many different ways as part of the same condition? (that one's actually quite easy to answer in broad terms, less so with finer details).

Right now, what I'd love to know, is "does anyone else feel like your brain overheats when you get overstimulated or do too much or have a reaction of some other kind?"!!!

The more I track my symptoms the more I notice this weird feeling of my brain (rather than my mind) over-heating and also the nerves firing too quickly to cope with sort of like my brain is whizzing along too fast to cope with. It might be more of a 'trauma response' than just a fibro response; who knows!

Anyway, I just wanted to say it's been useful reading all your different experiences with fibromyalgia - the differences are as interesting as the same experiences.

And all those fibro-meds? I've got a suspecion at least one isn't licenced for use in the UK so it's not even an option.