Fibromyalgia Community

I have taken both at the same time with no problem. In fact I am currently out of both and in terrible pain. I go back to my Rheumy the 15th and am asking for both again. The combo worked very well for me only reason not taking now is no insurance and on unemployment and moved out of state. I am going back to him though (4hr drive) as he give me samples and break on payment to him.

Everyone is different though. I know some people on here can not take either let alone both together. Are both aware you going to be taking both? I would ask the doc prescribing the new med if aware already taking Cymbalta. But again this was the best cocktail for me.

Crystal

Just be knowledgable. Seratonin syndrome is the most dangerous here. Savella will increase the norepinephrine more so sleeping and agitaion may happen. Watch B/P and heart rate. I can only tolerate the little blue pill (12.5) mg so take it slow.

I am surprised he is doing this. Savella is not an exchange for Lyrica....and he is aware you are on Cymbalta? I am hoping pharmacy will question the doc as he is also liable to dispense this without clear doctor statement. Good luck and plese be careful.

Maybe not use the dose pak to use it. Just geta script for the 12.5mg tablet s and raise it slow on your own.

OK actually worried fo you, good luck, Nancy B

Thanks for your input, Cystal and Nancy.

I've talked to both doctors' offices over the last two days. My Psych told me to not take both, and therefore stop the Cymbalta. The Neuro agreed and gave me specific instructions for making the switch (thanks to fibro fog, i think i'd forgotten to tell her i was taking Cymbalta during my appointment on Wednesday). I expect I'll have a couple of rough weeks transitioning from Lyrica and Cymbalta to Savella, but I'm hopeful the changes will be worth it in the long run.

Again, thanks so much for answering my questions.

Karen

Karen why did they stop the Lyrica? The savella will exchange in a way for the Cymbalta and please remember what I said. Go SLOW in increasing the dose......that dose pak does alot of people in. Best to do it manually with the little tablets. If you fell you are having trouble sleeping hold at that dose and wait a bit....

Agitation and anger can be next side effect. If I take 25mg for a few days i start with this...and I have heard others here with the same.

It increases norepinephrine (adrenaline substance) 3 times that of seratonin....so all that adrenaline alters is what can be affected. Be "eyes wide open".

But back tot he Lyrica....no chance of Neurontin at night maybe...do you use a muscle relaxant? Pain med? Vit D is OK?

I hate for all the eggs to be in one basket and knowing savella so well, it doesn't stand alone in pain management well.

I don't want you to hope for a fix and it doesn't help.

I was taking soma, tramadol, Vit D, Vit B Complex CoQ10 and then was placed on Savella and it was the bow on my box....
Again I only use 12.5 a day ! Wild right, and the dose of 50mg twice a day is the perscribed dose.

We are all different and I am so hopeful for you, but please get into our toolbox in resources and see what is the mixture people have found help with.

All my best, Nancy B

I forgot to add that I do take both, but low doses of each. I take one 25mg Savella and one 20mg dose of Cymbalta. Savella in the morning and Cymbalta at night. I tried Lyrica but I had problems with it such as double vision which I have never had berfore! It also increased my fatigue.

Glad you told the docs. Fibro fog does make us forget things. I hope you find the cocktail which is right for you. I also take at night a small 25mg Elavil too. Again I take all small doses not the higher recommended dose of anything. We are all different. And of course natural supplements. Vit D is a must as it really does help with your pain level.

Hi Nancy and Crystal. Thanks again for your input!

Here's the longer version of my situation (I'm on a laptop rather than using the on-screen keyboard of my tablet, so I can type more before giving up). Oh, please pardon typos, etc. I can't see the font very well on my laptop.

I've been going through some pretty involved efforts to find the right medicine cocktail for my situation for the last couple of years. I had been coping for years with depression, fibro, and cfs, but when I hit hormonal changes mid-life, I ended up a physical and mental wreck. I've been on hormone replacement therapy for about 3 years, and am currently weaning off of it. I weaned off of Wellbutrin and Celexa late last summer and ended up wanting to be dead, so I was put on Cymbalta. Meanwhile, I had been on Lyrica for over a year and was boosted to 225 mg 2 times a day. I put on weight quickly and was seeing no pain relief. In fact, I was feeling worse. The Cymbalta saved me from wanting to kill myself, but was doing nothing for the pain. The Lyrica was making things worse. Both drugs are double-duty drugs for pain and depression. Savella is as well. They all work slightly differently and might not be listed for both conditions, but they all affect both pain and depression (in theory).

Anyway, my rhuematologist - Or rather, former rhuematologist - told me there was nothing he could do for me. Lyrica is his grand answer for fibromyalgia.

My psychiatrist, who has known me for years, ended up prescribing Lortab to help me survive the pain. And even though it just deadens the intensity of the pain, in the process it makes me able to get a little done around the house or manage to have a conversation over coffee with a friend. In other words, Lortab gave me a little quality of life back.

Then my neurologist, who is of the opinion that my chronic pain is causing my memory problems, asked me a couple of questions. Was Lyrica working? No. Was it causing weight gain? Yes. And then she said something complete unexpected - "that's unacceptable." Wow. I agree, but I never thought I'd hear that from a doctor. She then said we'd try Savella instead of the Lyrica.

Then I added in the confusion the next few days about Cymbalta, because I couldn't remember if I'd told her I was on it (I try to be totally forthcoming and transparent with my doctors, but my memory sucks). That's why I posted here and called my docs.

It's all sorted out now. I'm coming off Lyrica over two weeks, and off Cymbalta over one week. At the end of the Cymbalta I'll restart the Savella pack. I'll be careful. My DH is ready to tell me if he sees the anger popping up, or if he sees anything else that concerns him.

I'm making a bunch of changes close together. I know it isn't scientifically a good idea to make more than one change at a time, but if I did only one at a time, it would take me months or a year to phase these meds out and in. I've been on this merry-go-round long enough to have lost patience with the slower method. And I have an aggressive neurologist, thank goodness.

So out with the old and in with the new. And fingers crossed that Savella helps. Don't worry, though, I'm used to meds not working as hoped. If that's what happens, surely the doc will have another trick up her sleeve.

Oh, and yes, I take something to sleep - Restoril. And Xanax as needed for anxiety. And Singulair for allergies. And thyroid. And... I'm sure there's more. I just can't remember right now.

Oh, also, I dropped 5 pounds already, in less than a week, with the reduction in Lyrica. I decided to weigh because I realized I was peeing a lot even though I wasn't drinking that much more water than usual. Nice bonus. My clothes were all getting tight. Maybe they'll fit again.

Wish me luck, please! Thanks!! And please let me know anything else you think would be helpful or ask any other questions you have. I really appreciate the input from others that really get it!