Anyone Else Trying Savella For Fibromyalgia? (Page 11)
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This is a new medication that just came out for fibromyalgia. I have several other conditions involving spinal degeneration , herniated discs, arthritus, etc.
I've been taking this medication for a little over 2 weeks now and have worked up to the full dose. My biggest symptom seems to be upset stomach but I don't know if it's from the Savella or from de-toxing from 7 other medications that I've been on for over 10+ yrs.
Is there anyone else out there that has started this medication that can give me any information that they may have on it?

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i've been on savelle for a couple of weeks and i feel better .i 'm only taking 25mg twice a day and after i take the am dose i'm not hungry i can go 4-6 hrs without eating tho i wkout and walk so for my frob this med seems to wk .i haven't wt myself since being on savelle
i'm hoping that i lose wt being on blood pressure along with meds for RA i feel will make it hard to lose wt.so does anyone have a wt lose story to tell?.

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I begin having Savella injections for 5 days on Monday to help with several things. I am taking it for my fibromyalgia, spinal degeneration, nerve pain, both osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid-arthritis, and chronic pain syndrome. Everyone reports that depression and mood changes are experienced with this medication. I currently take med's for depression and anxiety do you believe this will help with the Savella? I saw that you have been on it now for awhile and would really like to know if Savella helped you or not.

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I had the head itching for a bit, too. I'm exactly like you with cold medicines. Didn't know there was anyone out there like me. It will subside after a month or two. I had the not flashes (subsided a little), dry mouth (not as bad now) and nausea (eat well and take meds consistently). I've been on Savella for 2 months. I'm feeling wonderful. Still tight and little pain but I haven't felt this way in 5 years. I've even lost 7 pounds. Not much but I'll take it! Hang in there. It took a while to feel better. I don't have nausea anymore unless I don't eat something with it. Take med same time, every day. Good luck!!

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I have been taking Savella for almost a month, I started complaining about the musscle in my right arm hurting real bad, my son-in-law says it's all in my head, will then why do I hurt so bad when I extend my arm are reach the wrong way and it brings me to tears, I called Dr and said meds didn't help and he wants me to try it for 2 months. BLA, side effects, some nausea right after taking meds, hot flashes, dry mouth, runny nose (like sinsus problems) bursitis systems in elbows (getting worse) but the worst side effect is itching head, drives me nuts, would love weight lost, but can anyone tell me what to do about head itching, it's driving me nuts, that's why I can't take diet meds either, yes at least 60 lbs over weight. I just don't want to hurt and the Savella has not helped with pain, had given me more engery about all and curved my eating.

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I have been on savella for 2 months. The pain is better but not as good as on Cymbalta. Stopped cymbalta due to extreme irritability and anxiety. The withdrawal from Cymbalta was horrible. No side effect w/ Savella.

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Really?! I've been losing weight. My mood hasn't changed. I was on Celexa. I've had dry mouth, little nausea but it went away. My pain has improved!!! I am really not liking the hot flashes though. I have to walk outside in the cold to calm it down. Does anyone else have the hot flashes and will they calm down?

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Hi Tammy. I can't address the Lyrica, but I have done the effexor/savella approach for depression. I have been on every dose of effexor for years. High doses (300) seem to work best, but the side effects were too much (zombie, bp thru roof, etc..) that I want to be off it. I have fibro which has been getting worse, so I thought switch to Savella and kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Coming off effexor was very ugly even though I was on low dose and transitioned to savella. By week 2 of savella, not much benefit for depression over effexor. Not much pain relief either. Savella makes me jittery and I can't quiet my mind with some stomach issues and strong heartbeat. Taking the savella at night trumped my ambien..I didn't think anything could make the ambien not work. So I will probably go back to low dose of effexor (75) and just deal with it...such a love/hate relationship. I didn't like how I felt on savella and I am just so sick of having side effects

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I have been on Savella for 2wks now it was rough at first I stayed sick on my stomach nausous. But it helped my fibromyalgia pain alot I found taking it during the day helped and not early in the morning. I'm doing pretty good now.

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It's been a month now of Savella and I am still on 12.5mg every night at bedtime. I have tried to go up to 12.5mg in the am and pm but I get anxious more than sick to my stomach. I haven't been having any further nausea when I take it. I usually take it with vitamins and a glass of almond milk.

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@ Teresa: I'm on Savella and amitryp., same problems, disc deg., ruptures, etc. plus primary FMS. The Savella has really helped the FMS; however, the acid produced by it has increased the symptoms of acid reflux disease and IBS. This is especially aggravated when it is taken w/ additional pain medication. My rheum. recomended Zantac over the counter maxi-strength 15 minutes before taking the Savells, but the upset stomach, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and nausea are still noticeable enough that I am mentioning it to him at my next appt. in a couple of days. So, yes--Savella, itself, is a stomach irritant and when added to other stomach irritants can cause some pretty bad symptoms.

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I was on Cymbalta and had horrible swelling of the feet and hands, mouth and sweated like no bodys buisness. LOL Stopped Cymbalta started taking Savella and only noticed some improvement. i do get hot when i'm up moving around but not like with Cymbalta. They just upped my dose today to 100 mg in the am and 50 mg in the pm, so we shall see if this helps. No other symtems yet.

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I have been on Sevella for over 4 months now and have experienced just recently nausea and vomiting a hour or so after taking it..I am on it three times a day totaling a 150 mg a day..I have seen some releif from the FM but not really enough to keep throwing up everything that I eat in the evening...At first I thought it was from a different medication that was a new medication but I stopped that and it's from the sevella..Oh Joy!! I go back to the Dr next week and we will be having a discussion about this...

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I been taking Savella for 4 months now! It has been s great help to me with few side effects. My sleep pattern has improved and my energy level is better than it has been in a long time. If taking the starter pack it only goes up to 50mg 2 a day they can increase it to 100mg twice a day if it really seems to help you. My appetite has decreased which to me isn't such a bad side effect. Also just started a glutten free diet a month ago really seems to help with any stomach issues I had as well. Which when reading on fibromyalgia they go together, isn't that great stomach always in knots as well as our bodies feeling like they are on fire!

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I've had Fibromyalgia for about 4 years now and Savella has worked better than anything else. I too have degenerative disk disease in my spine and whole body and I'm only 39. My insurance doesn't cover much of the cost for it either but the benefit is too good. I know what it's like to get tired of taking so many meds, but it will be worth it in the long run.

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I am now on day 15 of Savella and I LOVE it! The pain is so much more tolerable then ever. I do have side effects, sweating, a little anxiety and a lot of energy( not used to that). No weight gain.

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So far the savella has not caused me weight gain. I also gained weight on lyrica, but lost it when I went off of it. I think Savella is a better drug for fibro. One piece of advice I have received from another Savella user is to start the dosing VERY slowly ...I've been taking 12.5 mg daily for a week or two, and only now am I increasing to 12.5mg to am and pm....So far, so good. I know, as others how you feel, hope you'll feel better soon.

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I have had Fibromyalgia for many years and am in impossible unbearable pain. Went to pain mgmt doctor two days ago. No pain meds! Nada! I hurt so badly that I almost cried in his office. I think he thinks I'm a drug addict. Not in the least - just want out of this unbearable pain. He gave me a two-week trial of Savella but did not tell me to stop my Cymbalta, so I'm taking both. I'm kinda worried about that. I was on Lyrica for a year and it didn't help the Fibro but I gained 30 pounds! I'm hoping the Savella won't cause weight gain.

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I would advise anyone with FM to go to your local library and get as many books on FM as you can find and read up on FM I have done this recently and have found other ways besides taking medication to help with my daily living with FM I have met several challenges with being a single parent and having to do everything around the house..I was just diagnosed with FM back in June of last year but have had symptoms of it for almost 7 yrs just never had a Dr who thought and or beleived that FM existed and did the point test to see if that is what was causing my pain..I take Savella but still have my good days and bad days with FM and have learned to do what I can do when I feel good and let the rest wait until I feel better when I am not feeling good which has been a major adjustment for me who has always been able to do everything that needed to be done when it needed to be done and not have to do it in shifts..However I also have very bad neuropathy in both feet even though I am not diabetic which makes it very difficult for me to walk most days add FM to that and it's a challenge to get up everyday..Learning to live with both conditions has been a challenge to say the least..However I have been reading as much as I can possibly find on FM and ways to make life with FM easier since it's not going away and they have no cure for it yet..Life is a challenge anyway but for those of us with FM it's even more of a challenge!! I don't have the name of the 2 books that I have just finished reading on FM from a lady who has had FM since the 90's that have been amazing helps but I will write them down and post them here later..

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I have medicaid and it pays for Savella oddly enough! I know not every insurance compay pays for it just like Lyrica but if you have a Dr who believes in it as a medication for Fibromyalgia then they should be able to get it approved through your insurance compay so that they will pay for it..

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FINALLY got my savella covered by insurance. I will be taking a maintenance dose of 12.5mg. I have noticed that the stiffness is better, however, I have noticed side effects of anxiety, and also a runny and or itchy nose, like I have an allergy.
If I take the lyrica at night (25mg) I have no anxiety, however, both drugs can cause some blurred vision if taken consistently --I can't take that because I feel like I am in a fog ! so I am taking the lyrica on a PRN basis for now.

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