Savella medication
I am writing a journal entry since I do not know how to send out a message to everyone, lol. I am suppose to start Savella and I have been very nervous, scared about starting it. I am like this with all new medications and sometimes I don't even start them because of my fears of bad side effects! I also cannot swallow pills so everything has to be able to be crushed or in liquid form. Has anyone tried or is currently on Savella? I need some reassurance about the side effects since I am such a wuss, lol. I have episodes of rapid heart rate and palpations normally so I am quite concerned that the Savella will wreak havoc on my heart. Please, I would appreciate replies from anyone who has taken or is on Savella. I feel like it is my last hope in finding something to help me. Thanks everyone so much for any info you can supply (and any encouragement you can give on finally starting these meds!!!) Carol
Replies
Carol, I have never tried Savella, but did try both Lyrica & Cymbalta & could not tolerate either one. My doctor & I did discuss taking it, but due to my poor track record with meds, we decided to steer clear of it. I started taking meds for my condition back in 1983 & have had to discontinue about all of them due to little benefit but major side effects. Everyone will act differently to the same med so just be careful with whatever you do. These days I take vitamins & supplements. Hopefully someone else will share a better experience with you.
Most of medicine taking is a trial & error process anyway but when you have a chronic condition like fibro it is more like \"Russian Roulette\".
Good luck to you & I pray you will have better days ahead....Mike
oh honey I totally understand what you are saying I am the exact same way about taking anything new. but as I am getting worse I have come to the conclusion that there are going to have to be something I will have to try. and I will have to do it when someone is home, (never alone) and go to the hospital if something does come of it. do be prepared that you will probably have a panic attack, so try and do your deep breathing and other things to keep your mind busy while the pill is going into your system. I know it isn\'t easy but we will get to a point that we have to face our fears and just do it. I am getting there myself. many hugs Polly
Hi Carol. Have\'nt seen you on here for awhile. Glad to hear from you. I would certainly talk to your doc about the possible side affects or go to web md and look it up. The best would probably be to talk to your phamasist about side affects, especially if you are taking other meds. He can tell you if it will interact with other meds you are taking and also should be able to reassure you on how it would affect you. Pharm. usually can tell you if these side affects are common and how often they actually happen. Usually they scare the hell out of people with the possible side affects on the packaging, but they have to let the publi know what MIGHT happen to protect themselves. Also tell the pharm about your heart issues to see if it will make it worse or have some affect on that. Start you deep breathing exercises now and self talk on the positive side of taking the med and it\'s going to help. Positive self talk usually helps me out of panic attacks. My dear try not to fret or worry, it\'s going to be fine and let us know!! LOL CAT
Good luck, Carol. Try to focus on the positive affects that this may have. If it ends up not being positive, you\'ll know :), and then you will wean off, if that is what the doctor instructs. But you know that we all respond differently, so there is no way to tell how it will work on your body. But, if on the one chance it helps you to feel better without any adverse affects, it will be so worth it! Keeping a daily journal of how you are feeling...what you are feeling each day, will help you to evaluate what this med is doing for/to you. Hugs and best wishes for success!!
Hi, I am just reading your entry now. Have you started your Savella yet? It\'s always scary when you start a new drug, how do you know that you won\'t have an allergic reaction, severe side effects, etc. Can you have a friend stay with you for a couple of hours after your pill? One thing that I sometimes do with a new drug: I take only half the amount/pill as a first dose. This method is not reccommend by any doctor, its just what makes me feel more comfortable! Keep a journal next to your bed, and note down how you feel each day. Good luck honey!
Hi, I have been on Savella since October. It really made a difference for me. As far as side effects, I guess, I\'ve been lucky. I usually have a difficult time and many side effects with meds, but Savella really did not do anything to me. I took it with food because of the possibility of nausea, and I really did not have a problem. I get nauseated out of the blue sometimes, I have way before Savella. Usually, with nausea, I just take deep breaths and stay still for a while and it goes away. Savella, helped me with sleep, concentration, and fatigue, but it really didn\'t do much for the pain. I take other stuff with it. I hate taking all the meds, and sometimes when I take them I gag, but I am willing to take and do anything to get some of my life back. With the Savella, I have been getting little glimpses of my old self. That makes it worth taking. I never have pain free days anymore, and even with the meds working, I still get bad pain sometimes. I had a really bad flare recently and still trying to recover from it. I hope if you decide to take Savella, it works for you and it does not give you bad side effects. Also, I know building up the dosage slowly works the best, even slower than the two week titration pack. My doctor said that all his patients who are on Savella, have had great success with it. I wish you all the best. Take care and good luck