Anyone Else Trying Savella For Fibromyalgia? (Page 4) (Top voted first)

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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My Doctor put me on neurontin for the neuropathy, and I had migraines, but the neurontin gave me some unpleasant side effects, and the savella seems to handle most of my issues, along with trigger point injections and physical therapy, I continue to make progress. I am not willing to change anything - most of all the savella because I believe it is the most beneficial to me.

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Rebecca-- congrats for trying the Savella again.I do hope you get through the side effects and begin to feel relief.
Alex--some people have allergic reactions to medication, such as me & penicillin, Sorry the Savella didn't work for you. Lori-- i'm glad you're stopping nuerontin. I went into complete kidney failure. It can be a very dangerous drug. Everyone-- try to laugh as much as possible and remember the joy in life. Don't dwell on your pain--don't let it take over!

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Well! I just got a call from my primary doctor. I tested positive for Mono. Monday I go for more bloodwork to see what stage I'm in. This may explain the fatigue but certainly not the pain.

Oh the trials and tribulations!

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good grief!! If it aint one thing... Here I sit with my iron i.v. I cannot wait to see how much this will help, or what changes to expect. Mono? eeeww.. sorry for you and hope you feel better. Good luck to all of you who are new and just trying savella. Don't get discouraged

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I haven't read nor posted on this site during the last week because it was my week to volunteer as a tutor in an after school program. I love doing this for these beautiful little children. I agree that laughter is something that we all need to keep in our lives. It's helpful to keep us positive and it directly helps because it makes the brain release endorphins that help with pain etc. My passion for most of my life has been dancing. Not much opportunity as I've aged, but never pass up an opportunity. During the last month my husband of 41 years and I have been to two fantastic dance parties. Yahoo! Of course each time I went I knew I would pay for it the next day, and I did, but I must do some things in life I enjoy or go nuts. Sitting here feeling the pain, fatigue etc. and doing nothing only makes it all worse. I can't even imagine trying to work now. I applaud all of you who still work and manage all your symptoms. I know many who have given up their jobs because of FM. Thank you all for continuing this dialogue. It's helpful for me as I'm in the process of making the decission as to whether I'll take Savella or not. Incidentially, Neurontin (sp?) is in the same class of drugs as Lyrica so I'm not at all inclined to try it. If you read my last epistle you'll understand why. I'm going to be a Grandmother again! I only have one, so I'm excited right now. Age has a few advantages and grandchildren are one of them. I could keep on writing about my symptoms or no symptoms, but will spare you the time now. Thanks again and keep on keepin on. We all need each other. If you've been following these posts you've probably figured out why my name is Long Play!! Hee Hee

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I am taking Savella for neuropathy. I have been in pain for years. have used methodone (terrible stuff) morphine neurontin lyrica and still in pain. Pray this works.

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I just started taking Savella (day 2 of titration pack) and have also had the excessive yawning another person posted about. I also had this in reaction to Paxil, which I tried to take in the past (SSRI) for anxiety. Savella is giving me a runny nose, slightly upset stomach, and the excessive yawning beginning one hour after taking it and continuing for about an hour. Does this go away after taking the medicine for a while? I can deal with the mild upset stomach... goodness knows, the IBS has put me through worse... but I can't put up with the yawning! I am a therapist... can you imagine going in to see your therapist and having her yawn at you for the whole hour? LOL... I guess you have to laugh at yourself sometimes!

I am also wondering if anyone has had relief staying at the 25 int he morning and 25 in the evening dose.

thanks!
Melanie

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.I do not want eat as much, sleeping better, eating less, and have fewer of the fibermyalgis
pains. HURRAY. Hope everyone, gives it a second chance. Hugs to all..Lynda

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Hey, congratulations to Linda! And everyone who is benefiting, finding the right thing for you. I am happy with having titrated up to 100mg., I knew 25 mg. wasn't enough for me, and I know if I get too much, I will have the negative aspects of too much anti depressant effect of the savella. I am also on wellbutrin so the two combined.. I know my moods well enough, and have feedback from my family regarding my mood. I don't know if 25mg is enough for you, but ask your Dr., you may find to increase the dose will help you even more, as is was the case with me. Now, a question for all the fibro. patients in the room: My fibromyalgia started in October (13 months ago), but the real big flare up of symptoms which made fibro obvious was immediately following my hysterectomy/appendectomy and bladder repair. Too much physical trauma to the body I guess is the excuse. Anyway, 3 days after that surgery, I was put back into hospital with high fever - tests indicated urinary tract infection, but only a very minimal amount of bacteria. I've had several bacterial infections since then, all of them really whoopping my butt, yet the amount of bacteria is very minimal. Does anybody else have this happen? Love to hear any/all responses, I know I'm not a freak... if I knew that it was all in the course of the normal business of fibro, I would actually be mentally content. Right now, another infection (sinus-and I feel a UTI coming on) it would be nice to know it was caused by fibro.. otherwise, what would cause the itty bitty amount of bacteria to act as if I have a severe infection. Any ideas? Going back for more iron infusion on Thursday. I felt good after last weeks 500mg., and a day later felt sick sick sick. seeya all, thanks.

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lori--i've had chronic uti's all my life. my dr. told me me that uti symptoms are very common in fibro's it goes along with the lower immune system. any thing that we get is more intense than without fibro...an example would be a simple hangnail in a normal person is tolerated but can be excruciating for a fibro....make sense? so a little bacteria can be like a thousand fold with fibromyalgia. forgive my typing...still suffering from a broken shoulder thanks to the billions of symptoms of fibromyalgia.

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Rebecca, the rheumatologist is the one who should have the most knowledge about this drug. Savella should only be prescribed by a neurologist or rheumatologist, just as a psychiatrist should be the one to prescribe meds for depression, or schizophrenia. I am an RN and I work in the field. Believe me, the drug reps give the most detailed info to the specialists and I woul be more likely to follow what your rheumatologist tells you about his medication. I'm not saying to be alert to any changes, but I am saying that he is the expert. Good luck! I am really doing well on Savella. I'm not pain free but I have not needed my cane to ambulate since I started taking it.

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I've been on Savella now for about 3.5 weeks, now taking 50mg 2x/day. It is marvelous stuff for me. I still have pain, but it is manageable now. I can do about twice what I was able to before, and am beginning to be able to reduce my dosage of hydrocodone that was my only working painkiller before.

I can feel the antidepressant half working too, but it's a very subtle and gentle support, not the cutting-you-off-from-yourself feeling that so many antidepressants give.

My only side effect is some nausea if I don't eat enough food with the pill, and you know, I'll take that!

I've seen some concern in this thread about suppressed immune systems. I will say that the swine flu has been going through our house, first my 3yo son and now my husband, but thanks to vitamins (the good-quality, whole-food ones - it really does make a difference) I'm still healthy. Fingers crossed that it stays that way.

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So disappointed... I has to stop taking Savella today on only day 3 of the titration pack. The medicine made me feel totally out of it, almost disoriented, beginning about one hour after taking it and lasting an hour. It also gave me a runny nose, incessant yawning (weird, I know), dizziness, goosebumps, some shortness of breath, and it made me feel like I had ice water running through the veins in my feet and nose! I hope to maybe try again someday, but these side effects- especially the feeling out-of it while driving- don't go along with work very well. Has anyone else had these side effects? Did they go away?

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I have been on a low dose trial of Savella for two weeks now for my fibromyalgia. I find that about 1-2 hours after taking it in the morning I feel as tho someone has punched me in the gut; also feeling that my throat is raw and raspy but not at all feeling sick. Anyone else experiencing these symptoms? How long does it take to adjust to the medication and for these to go away? I do find that I seem to be sleeping more deeply and am less fatigued by day.

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I had side effects the first time I tried savella. I went off, then after discussing with Dr., we dropped off one of my anti depressants and started over. I didn't have anything other than being really really CRANKY (code for b**tch) but the second time into savella, no problems. If you have other prescriptions, contact your pharmacist if your Dr.'s appointment isn't too soon. They are really good about knowing different interactions and possibilities of them. I stick with one pharmacy (walgreens is who I use) so that they are completely knowledgeable of what I am taking.. and keep me well informed of any concerns of interaction potentials. good luck

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Lori, Yes, UTI symptoms plaged me for years, but were never true infections. The diagnosis? Interstitial cystitis. At the time many people thought this was a catch all diagnosis when doctors couldn't give a real diagnosis. I was treated for several months and it finally cleared up (just as all my FM, etc. symptoms went into remission.) During the last couple of years I've had some symptoms again. Finally saw a urologist and had a cystoscopy. She allowed me to watch the monitor when she inserted the fiberoptic scope (what a wonderul change from the old cystos). She showed me what interstitial cystitis actually looks like. It is real and it is more common with folks like us. She said mine is not active enough to treat now but if it gets worse I'll go back for more treatment. I too had multiple sinus infections for years. I no longer have these because of two things I do. I take one sudafed 30 mg. every morning. No more as it would keep me awake at night if I did. I also sleep with a cool vaporizer every night. These keep the germs that cause colds and sinus infections from having that perfect place to grow; dried out nose and sinuses from dry heat in the winter and air conditionong in the summer. I don't know if this would work for everyone, but my husband no longer gets colds. It's much healthier air to breathe also, because we finally invested in a really nice vaporizor that has a great filter. We have to change the filter fairly often, but that's better than being sick.The answer to your question is, yes. According to my doctors we have more physical diagnosis than other people,. No one knows for sure why this is but it must have somethhing to do with our immune systems. Though FM has been proven not to be an auto immune disease. Hope this helps some, Lori and that you are feeling better.

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I'm on day 7 of Savella. At the same time I was put on Savella by neurologist who was treating me for sudden hearing loss and mini-strokes (I'm 64) internist took me completely off Celebrex 400 mg. Was using Celebrex for arthritis relief. It wasn't working well after having been on it for a long time. Well, on day 7 I woke up and my level of pain is significantly decreased. I have body mobility again. Don't know if it's the Savilla, the stopping Celebrex, or combo of both.

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My doctor put me on it about 2 1/2 weeks ago and it is working very well. It has taken away about 50% of my pain which has allowed me to cut back on other meds.I feel better everyday and my mood is much better. Depression seems to be gone. I think my depression was mostly caused by the constant pain. What a great feeling, I hope it keeps working. Still have some pain, but not constant. I have lost my apetite which is not good, but I have had this problem with meds before. I would rather live with that then the constant pain. A little trouble falling asleep and a little constipation, but tolerable. No one hardly believed I had Fibro before this, so what a releif to know that something might work. We shall see. Need to remember to eat.

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I've been on Savella 10 days. Same time I went on Savella, went off Celebrex 400mg. and went on Darvacette. I take a tums when I take the Savella. I am extremely exhausted which may be due to the Darvacette. Previously when I went of Celebrex I was almost bed ridden. Assume the Savella is helping. I have loss of appetite which is a good thing, pain level is much improved, but don't know what to attribute anything to because all occured same time.

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Hi! I have been on Savella for a few weeks now, and the difference is incredible. My mood is much better and my pain is the lowest it has been in 15 years. I did have a nauseous stomach (bad) but have also discovered that if I take it with food I do much better. The down side? I have gained 7 pounds and feel hungry all the time. I'm going to stay on it anyhow because the pain relief is such a miracle, and with this new energy I am starting to walk again. Hopefully I can stave off the weight gain with exercise! Good luck to everyone. I feel like I have some control over my life again for the first time in years. I hope it works this well for you all as well!

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