My husband takes 600 mg of Lyrica a day (I think he takes 200 mg 3x a day) - has been on that for almost 3 years. He also takes Cymbalta (don't remember how much, but has been on that for about 2 years), and last year the dr added Savella.
Other than that fact that he's gained 100 pounds in the last 3 years (an unfortunate side effect from Lyrica, for sure, and probably the Cymbalta, too) - it doesn't seem that it's really made that big a difference in his pain levels. He still groans when he moves, and seems to be hurting a lot. Now, maybe the pain is not as severe as when he was first diagnosed and hadn't been on ANYTHING for the pain, but I honestly can't see where this cocktail has given him significant relief. I worry about the weight gain (he's also diabetic, and because of these meds raising his blood sugar, has had to go from one oral med to 3 plus insulin), and about the long-term effects. He's only 42, and has been on and off more meds than I can count since he first began having major problems when he was 32. He was not diagnosed with the fibro until '07.
I'm glad these seem to work for somebody, but I'm not convinced they're doing much for my poor long-suffering husband.
I have just started lyrica within the last 2 months, I am on a small dose 75mgbid, it seems to help some I plan on talking to Dr. about the Savella. I take pain meds and xanax for spasms. I am a paraplegic for 32yrs and have alot of pain, I had a posterior and anterior fusion in 2006. I is called a cage by many a I think that is a good way to put it. I am so glad that they are trying different things to try to help us who suffer in pain daily! I would suggest that if you are on several meds you check and make sure there are no drug interactions and you can d that on this site! best wishes to all and hope you find something that works for you! paraintn27
I was diagnosed with Fiboro 13 yrs. ago and have been taking Relefin, 1500 mg. daily and Effexor, 150 mg. a day for many many yrs. now. They don't seem to be as effective as they once were or perhaps as I'm aging the Fibro is progressing. I still have flare-ups that render me unable to do anything for days. I have suggested Lyrica to my family doctor, who has been managing the Fibro since diagnosed by a rhuemetologist, and he said no. So, I am going back to the rhuemetologist who diagnosed me 13 yrs. ago with the hopes that he will change my meds to something more effective. I will certainly suggest this combo to him and see what he thinks. I am worried though about going off one antidepressant and starting another, I know that can be tricky sometimes with some undesirable side effects, so we will see what he thinks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hello, saw your post. Me too, 13 years ago diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Been on several drug studies since. The best ever was Milnaciprin (Savella). I took it before it came on the market. Then because it was not available, they put me on Progabalin ( Lyrica) and that has helped me through it all. My new dr. just prescribed me to take both. So tonight I am adding Savella to the Lyrica. If I was you I would switch doctors. I've been to several searching for pain relief and trying to lead a fairly normal life. I've been in pain one way or another since 1998. Had a few surgeries and ended up with RSD in my left foot. But the Lyrica is managing it for me. It's taking time, but once you find the right doctor- you will find relief. Yesterday, I just got lidocaine injections in the my buttocks, thigh,back and groin muscles- that surprised me, but my legs hurt so much and were so heavy, my dr. wanted to try to loosen up my muscles. That was like a miracle!!! I slept 8 hours straight! Also, look for a FMS Study in your area. Call your local hospitals or ask your rhuematologist if he knows of participating clinics. It's free And they pay you! (not much, but covers the gas) Keep trying and never give up! I pray you find pain relief. Get a doctor who understands FMS. Your GP obviously does not! Good Luck. FMS in Idaho
Thanks Karen!... for yet another post concerning another study. I am happy to report that my results with both these meds has been outstanding. After finally being dx in 1991 with Fibro and only after being in chronic pain since 1984 did I find a managable answer with the help of my internist at the time. I was prescribed & had been on 40 mgs. of methadone bid for close to 9 years. Also using ms 30 mgs. for breakthrough pain and carisoprodol for the spasms.
As of three months ago I along with my pain doc have been able to find the perfect cocktail for me. First I was precscribed Lyrica 100 mgs. bid~ it was too much for my system, never losing the side effects. I was disappointed. Then it was suggested to add cybalta, another bad time with side effects. Next we triede Savella at my request. But... I thought I would be trading Lyrica for Savella.
What works for me is 100 mgs of Savella bid and at night before bed 150 mgs of Lyrica. I am so charged up about this cocktail because not only did it minimize my pain more it seems to help with some of the other symptoms of Fibro. I am happy to tell you Karen that my methadone rx has been dropped to only 5 mgs once a day in the morning. I look at it like a kick start in the morning when I tend to be the most stiff and have a hard time moving. My doc made me feel so good declaring how proud she is of me. In fact told me I was her "poster child"
How great is that?
Thanks again Friend for another timely subject that effects so many of us.
Have a great week!
tonij
I am happy to see that some people have had good results. I have tried all three meds - not together though. The results were not good for me. Too many side effects that I was not willing to live with along with the fibro pain. Right now doing myofascial and muscle work with a chiropractor, doing a little better with the spasms. Good luck to all with our endless search - whatever means that you get there!
Dear Christine,
Your continued fight to find comfort and to minimize your symptoms is something that is close to my heart. I am praying that your myofacial work is going to just keep improving your pain level. I know that this is not an easy struggle and the smallest things seem to be things that can trigger flares.
I also understand the sensitivities to many medications and their side effects. I know for myself the theraputical level for Lyrica was something I could never reach due to side effects. My eyes continued to stay blurry even after the first weeks use. I finally cut the dose in half but than no benifit. Cymbalta was a bust for me as well. I did not like the feeling of anxiety it left me with. Finally Savella with my one daily dose of Lyrica for me has been the magic fix. I believe that due to the Fibro our bodies are incredibly hyper sensitive to different things, for different people. Your story and mine are perfect examples of how there is just not a "one fix all" for everyone.
My pain doc calls me her guinie pig as she too is trying anything, everything to help her patients. I was her first patient to be prescribed both Savell & Lyrica to take at the same time.
Please keep us posted as to how you are doing with your chiro-work, I am most interested. I have tried most modalities except chiro-work. I have a muscle disease as well as fibro and have been somewhat fearful.
Please take care,
tonij
Hi Toni - thanks for your reply. I went to my first decompression session today. Felt a little weird but the stretching did feel good! She also did some trigger point accupressure and that I did not like. Unfortunately with us some things hurt to help us and I think this is one of them. I'll let you know if I can walk tomorrow!! Have a great weekend and keep in touch. Chris
Hi Chris,
Hope your weekend was quiet and comfortable. I worried about you even though we do not know one another. The whole chiro-work thing frightens me. I know this comes from my own ignorance of the treatment but I honestly believe you are very brave. The idea of someone twisting or pulling on my body that all ready is in pain is more than I can take, even imagining. SHower water hurts me for crying out loud.
I do have experience with accupuncture. With the needles. I loved it. However, that being said I know for me the practioner means everything. When I lived in Seattle for 10 yrs I had the best chinese doctor who I would spend 2 hours with in the most calming enviroment. The reason 2 hours was because after my treatment she would always leave me to rest a bit before just getting up and leaving. I would always fall asleep and she would let me be until I woke up on my own.
Since returning to my tiny hometown in Oregon in 5 yrs I have not ben able to find a practioner here I like as much. Bummer too because I receieved great benifit from accupuncture. I since have tried pressure/trigger accupuncture and I do use it at home myself for migraines and neck pain.
I am keeping you in my thoughts and hope that as you naviagate through your journey of finding the "right mix" pleaseknow that support is only a click away~
With gentle hugs,
tonij
Hi Tonij - Unfortunately this week has been terrible! I think doing the trigger point accupressure and the decompression put me into a horrible flare. The pain is always there, but this was like smashing into a brick wall - fatigue like I have not had in quite a while. I skipped my Tues appt and will go tomorrow but will tell her only one or the other, I can't keep missing things with friends and family - makes me very depressed and I don't need any help with that!! I really appreciate your kind words and thinking of me. Let me know how your week went. Take good care, chris
Hi Christine,
I had a feeling when I was thinking of you that it may be too much at one time for your body. I know how incredibly hyper-sensitive I am to anyhting new I try. I so understand what you mean about the pain always being there but this flare feels like hitting a brick wall. I related completely. I always use the term " feeling like I have been hit by a mack truck" when I am flaring something awful.
Thanks for asking about my week. I kept is pretty low key because I had the weekend before an IBS flare. Also part of what triggers a Fibro flare for me if I am not careful. The only good thing about having Fibro "plus" for almost 25 years is that I am learning what can triger me, and what I can get away with.
I am blessed with a wonderful man who I have been married to for 39 years and two adult daughter's who are pretty supportive as well. Our youngest is my angel only disguised as my daughter~ she is so wonderful to me and unfortunately I am having the pleasure of giving back to her right now. Janis is 34 years old, a single mom to our beloved 10 yr old grandson. On April 1st she had a cerebreal bleed in her front left lobe. She was in an induced coma for 3 days after her emergency surgery and 10 days in total hospitilized.
She was very lucky in that the town's best nuro-doc was at the hospital thatmorning so he operated on her only two hours after she presented in the ER room. No permanant impairments, but she is working with an occupation therapist and we still have no clue when she'll be able to go back to work. I get so frustrated sometimes because it seems that the these kind of things happen to people aho are really making a contrubution and are trying as hard as they can to make it. She has supported our grandson solely for 8 years of his almost 11 yrs. His dad is "very" involved a couple week-ends out of the month, cannot make the two hour drive to see his own son's basketball & football games. I am sorry, I get so rattled when it comes to him. And I know that my daughter chose him to have a child with. errrghh..
On a brighter note. (I am really sorry do not know where the anger came from all of a sudden)
I received a call this morning from a lovely woan that I know who just turned 85 last month. She called she said because she was thinking of me and had not seen me for awhile and missed me. It made my day! I belong to a Red Hat chapter aand she & I are co-queens with about 7 other ladies. Our entire cchapter number is over 100 but we have only about 40 women who attend our weekly breakfast meetings and other events such as monthly bunco, craft days, etc..
I have not been attending anything for a few months. Winter is really cold and snowy where I live so I tend to hibrinate until spring. This year I have not been back yet because I have other things that right now take a higher priority.
The first few weeks after our daughter's stroke I was so busy and emotionally wrung out that I believe my body kicked into auto-pilot for me. My husband & kept waiting for me to no longer be able to stand up. I am extremely grateful for our niece who came over the mountain to be here with Janis but also help with our grandson. She also brought with her her 10 yr old son so the two cousins were able to occupy themselves and was a greta distraction for our grandson.
I was good until two weeks ago and then was hit with the first IBS flare I have had in years. That's why I am still laying kind of low. The myofacial pain level is up incredibly and I am trying to keep a positive attitude that I will not get a migraine too. Oh such fun we have...
Well my friend, how's that for a story right off the bat. I sat here for a couple of minutes trying to decided if I should just start over~ maybe too much info...
As you see obviously I decided to take the risk. I do hope I hear from you again and that this message did not make you run for high cover. ;)
Take care and have a beautiful Memorial Day week-end.
Tonij
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I take Lyrica (100 mg am and 150 mg pm) and Savella (50 mg am and 100 mg pm) and have noticed a marked improvement in my pain scales. I have both RA and Fibro and at the last visit, I reported a pain score of .5 for BOTH disorders. I'm also on Humira (40mg every other week) and Methotrexate (.8cc weekly) for the RA, but it wasn't until I added the Lyrica and Savella that my pain scores dropped below a 5. I love my little cocktail and swear by it. I'm glad to see this study released and had to laugh at first thought, I joked, do you think they looked at my files! haha.
Lisa in Orlando, FL - RA, Fibromyalgia and Celiac Disease, oh my!