Lasix - help for fibro?

[geminigirl1963]

I was at my doctor's office this morning because I've experiencing fluid retention/swelling.  It's been unbelievable hot and humid lately and I tend to have this problem during the heat of the summer.  I do not have any heart problems and all of my recent blood work has been fine.  Heart and lungs are totally clear - not having shortness of breath with the swelling.  Blood pressure is fine also.

My question/comment is - she has prescribed me lasix to see if it helps with the fluid retention.  What surprised me when she did this was when she said that I may find that the increased pain I've been having from my fibro, arthritis and lupus may actually get a bit better on the lasix.  At first I couldn't understand why, but she explained that with the extra fluid retention, of course, everything is stiffer and more difficult to move and if we can relieve some of that extra fluid retention, it may relieve some of the extra pain I've been having.  Once she exlpained it that way, I as like "Oh yeah, that makes sense!"

Has anyone else either a) heard of this or b) been on lasix or another dieuretic and found that it helped with their pain?

I've been having such a hard time lately with the pain, that I REALLY, REALLY am hoping that she's right and it will help not only with the fluid retention, but also the pain.

I haven't gotten the script filled yet - I was in so much pain by the time I was done at her office that all I wanted to do was come home and try to rest - and I can't take it until tomorrow morning anyway or else I'll be up all night in the bathroom - so I'll get it filled first thing in the morning and take my first dose.

[donjoe341]

Hi, I recently wrote a post on how my doctor figured out the cause of my fibromyalgia. If you have the same condition I do then you suffer from insulin resistance. It is caused from your bodies inability to utilize your insulin. You produce enough insulin but, for some reason the insulin does not break down the glucose in the body. This causes a blood sugar imbalance (reactive hypoglycemia), muscle pain because the muscles aren't getting fed, brain fog because the brain isn't getting fed, fatigue, edema because insulin controls the potassium and sodium ratio and many more. You constantly crave carbs because of your blood sugars ups and downs. Check out my post.

[acker]

yes, hope things keep going in that direction - at least it's not having negative effects - ?
and - absolutely, it's not that misery loves company (what crotchetty sod coined that phrase?) but more that we're communicating what's going on in our lives; it's simply the fact that we gather where we're understood; we run from misunderstanding and rejection! to a well person it appears as though it's all negative conversation, but this is our everyday life!
got a bit diverted there...
thanks for the update!

[geminigirl1963]

Well, I've been using the lasix now for several days and while it has helped some with the fluid retention/swelling - I don't totally feel like I'm dragging around extra 50 pound weights on my legs -- I haven't noticed any difference in my pain levels.

Such a shame - would have been an easy, relatively safe "treatment".

I'm not giving up on it - like I said, at least it has helped with the fluid retention, so it's obviously doing SOMETHING that my body wasn't doing on its own.  Who knows, too, maybe it's more of a cumulative effect that my doctor thought might help with the fibro pain - maybe the longer I take it, I'll start to notice some improvement there.  Here's hoping....


I hope everyone is having an enjoyable, safe and as pain-free a 4th of July as possible.

[geminigirl1963]

It is sad that so many of us experience these things and that our chronic pain issues have so intruded on our lives.  But it is also reassuring and comforting to know that we are not alone.  Not "misery loves company", but more "knowing we're not alone" and that there are people out there that DO understand.  It's so hard for those around us who don't deal with chronic pain or other health issues to truly understand.

I want you to know I DO understand and you are NOT alone.  I really appreciate you also :)

[WitzEnd1997]

eee, gads,  you really do know what going out or trying to say yes to an event is like for me.  I so could've written that piece.  I'm actually quite sad to hear such a precise description of my life by someone who's experienced the very same thing.  I know you wanted to be consoling.  It sounds just awful to see it in print, ya know?  But spot on.  Again, eee-gads. I'm truly not alone. I think I'd rather be than know someone else lives with the timidity I do about participating in life with others.  Thanks for your effort and time to put your personal thoughts into words.  I really appreciate you.

[geminigirl1963]

I'm so sorry for everything that you have been through.  it sure is a LOT and you are absolutely right - stress DOES add to the pain and other symptoms of fibro - at least for me, and I know of several other sufferers that it does also.

I do do whatever I can to try to keep my pain levels at a "tolerable" level, whether it be medication, relaxation, heat, etc.  In my own experience, I've definitely discovered that if I just try to "grin and bear it" rather than trying to "control" it before it gets to a out of control level, then I am definitely going to be in worse shape.  However, there are still many, many (TOO MANY) times, that no matter WHAT I do or try, the pain just keeps escalating.  It's very frustrating and sad sometimes when I have to change/cancel plans with friends or family because I know that if I were to partake in the activity, then I'll end up suffering even worse afterward.  I also never want my inability to partake in something restrict someone else from enjoying themselves or make it less enjoyable for them by them thinking they have to "entertain" me rather than going and having fun.  Therefore, if there is any doubt in my mind as to whether I would be able to fully enjoy and partake in something, I usually end up bowing out.  I'd rather NOT go and miss out comlpetely, than to go and either find out at that time that I can't do whatever it is that was planned, or worse yet, go and find that out AND ruin a good time for the others that are with me.  I think I have a harder time trying to fulfill what I expect for MYSELF rather than trying to live up to the expectations of what others may expect from me.  It's been difficult, but I've definitely learned that I have to listen to my body.

[WitzEnd1997]

I'm one of those who's witnessed a budding psychosis on Ambien given to a family member with Fibro to help with sleep.  Lyrica did nothing me.  Nor Cymbalta.  Not tried nor offered Savella or Lasix. (I never retained fluid until Fibro)  I think my daughter,21, is trying Savella.  I lost a son a few years ago so I have the daily reminder and mourning that goes with that plus the fun of Fibro.  I have success with 300mg of Wellbutron, an older neurotransmitter supporting anti-depress.  It helps with keeping my emotions level, not surpressed or daffy just not as hair-trigger.  Consequently, it helps with pain.  High stress emotions really go straight to my Fibro, so it's good to keep a lid on that as much as possible.  

I commend you on being cautious about taking more and more Rxs.  Many meds that are suggested are off-lable or pretty darn new. Some docs, it seems, have their pen on the script pad as you begin your conversation.  I hope you're doing what you can outside of taking Rxs.  I'm no know-it-all, can only report what I've experienced or learned.  I've shared some of that on my posts to 'kitonthemoon' which I believe (?) you can glean off my profile. If you can find those, I hope there is something useful there.

Lastly, I urge you to aggressively ( a relative term difficult to discern here) work on keeping the pain down.  Don't laugh or hit the pc....I and others I know can attest to the phenomenon of the body esp muscles having its own memory.  The more pain runs rampant, the more sensitive you may become to pain taking on a life of its own.  It seems to build momentum unless it is stopped or sufficiently curtailed.  

I tried to tell my older sister this when she first realized what she had and was still trying to work.  She had some pain pills, not too powerful but not Motrin style.  She would wait until about 3 in the afternoon and she couldn't take it any longer.  Well, it got so as soon as the pain would start, it was like her body whistled to all the rest of her body to get every body in on the pain game.  I warned her about the momentum being easier and easier  to build up.  It's like you body says to itself, 'oh, ok, I see what we're trying to do' and POW!  Once she let go of her fear of pain relief, she began taking the same one pill earlier in the day and the pain never got out of control.  

Now that she has stopped working, she essentially uses the same strategy.  If she starts to feel a certain level of pain, she doesn't ever try to just work through it.  With the flexibility of being home, she just shuts down, puts some heat on an area, takes a hot shower, does some yoga, takes a nap--whatever it takes to stop the cycle.  That way it never gets unbearable. Sure some days are naturally worse than others, due to the demands of the activity she's engaged in, how stressfull things are emotionally or even the weather, like damp or cold. But she's a firm believer in doing what it takes to squelch the rising pain.

I'm guessing I'm telling you something you already know.  But just in case, this is an important means of controlling the rising level of pain on an on-going basis.  It does take a commitment to watch out for yourself no matter what other people expect or want you to be doing.  

[geminigirl1963]

Well, I took my first lasix pill about 10:15 this morning and it sure has been working as far as making me use the bathroom more often!  LOL  I haven't noticed any difference in pain levels yet, but of course, I've only taken one dose so far, so I'm definitely not giving up on it.  Even if it doesn't help reduce my pain levels, it's still bound to make it easier for me to get around without all that excess fluid to haul around.

I've tried both Cymbalta and Savella for the fibro (as well as MANY, MANY other medications and non-medicinal therapies) - wasn't able to take either one of those due to severe side effects.  I've also tried Lyrica and it worked for me for a couple of months, but again, the negative side effects started to far outweight the benefits - and it had pretty much stopped working for me, even though we had increased my dosage.  I was one of the unlucky few that it seems to bring on suicidal thoughts with - I've never in my life had a severe depression or thoughts of suicide until taking the Lyrica - and once my doctor realized that might be causing the problems and discontinued the med, they almost immediately went away.  It was very, very scary - even though I'm quite sure I never would have acted on those thoughts, it still was very frightening to even have them go through your mind.

Well, I'm off to the potty AGAIN!!  LOL  I'll keep everyone posted on how things are going and if I notice any improvement in pain levels - it would be so wonderful if I did and it could help others who suffer also.

[vintagechicken]

Please keep us posted on whether or not the swelling improves.

I've been taking fluid pills for almost a year before I was diagnosed with Fibro, and really didn't notice any improvement at all, until I was prescribed Savella which was specifically for Fibro.

This will be interesting to watch.... thanks for the information!

[geminigirl1963]

Thank you for your response and congratulations on being in remission from your lymphoma.  I'm so sorry that you have had to deal with that and have all the bad effects from the treatment, but so happy to hear that those treatments have helped and you're now in remission.

My swelling is mostly in my feet and legs, but I do have some in my hands/fingers.  I tend to NOTICE the swelling in the hands/fingers more in the morning, but it is there all day long, same as in my legs and feet.  Sometimes the swelling in my feet is so bad that I can't even get my shoes on and if I can manage to get them on, there's not much lace available to tie them.  I do try to elevate my legs as much as possible during the day and I think that at least helps to keep it from getting totally out of control.

I, too, thought that what my doc told me made sense - after I thought about it for a minute.  With my arthritis, my joints are quite often swollen just from that disease process and I do know that when that type of swelling is worse, the pain and stiffness is worse.  So it makes sense that swelling from fluid retention in any part of the body would make you hurt more.

I know this won't be a "cure all" and won't help, like you, with the burning pains and knots that I have in other areas.  Nor will it elminate some of the other pains associated with fibro.  But I 100% agree with you - some relief - any relief - is better than none.

I'm just waiting for the pharmacy to open and then i'll go get the lasix filled and give it good try.  I figure even if it doesn't help with my pain but does help with the swelling, it's worth it, as lugging around the extra weight I've gained becuase of teh fluid is not easy with a body that is already a) too large and b) dealing with mobility issues and chronic pain.

Again, thanks for your comments and I'll be sure to let everyone know how the lasix is doing for me.

[paisley717]

I have fibromylagia and am in remission from lymphoma. The cancer and treatments have caused major damage to my chest veins and major vessels off of the heart, which leads to fluid retention. I take Lasix. My swelling is pretty widespread.

What you've been told does make sense, and I find that when I lose fluid I do feel less pain in the areas that have the worst fluid build up. A relief of pressure. I mostly notice the relief in my legs.

But, it's not affecting the burning muscular pains and terrible knots I have had for so long in my back shoulder/back/arms area.

The one relief that I had hoped for when diagnosed with lymphoma was that perhaps I was misdiagnosed with fibromylagia from the beginning. My primary doc felt my symptoms would improve once the cancer was dealt with. Unfortunately, it has not.

I suggest you try the Lasix though, some relief is better than none. Good luck and please check in and let us know!