Fibro & addiction

[Ashb83]

Help. I have fibro and addiction. Can't take anything addictive but EVERYTHING else including physiotherapy, birofeedback and most older non habit-forming meds havn't worked, atleast not noticbly. I posted this long thing on addiction forum that explains it all. HELP! what new meds work?

[LLWB]

Lyrica works very well. I don't know if you would call it addictive, but it is a long term medication that you start out low dose and increase, then cannot stop without doctor's approval and reducing slowly. But it is helping many people with nerve pain from fibro. You might look into it.........good luck, hope this helps

[Rhanithomas]

Hi,

Fibro shouldn't be treated with narcotics anyway.  They really don't work.  Recent research has indicated that fibro is a central nervous system illness.  And CNS conditions are usually treated with anti convulsants.  The research no doubt led to the FDA approving Lyrica for the treatment of fibro.  You can try that first, but if that doesn't work, there are other anticonvulsants like Neurontin that has been prescribed as well.  

Also since fibro is in the CNS, studies have shown that dopamine deficiency is also the reason behind some symptoms.  So meds that work to increase dopamine levels have been helpful as well- meds like the muscle relaxer, Baclofen, the antidepressant Wellbutrin, and the Parkinson drug Mirapex, which is also good for Restless Legs Syndrome which is a fibro symptom.  

Alternative treatments and treating underlying causes of fibro, such as sleep apnea and thyroid disease have proven helpful as well.

Veronica

[Ashb83]

Thank you for suggestions. Think I'll talk to my doc about Lyrica but I'm already on the meds Neurontin  & Wellbutrin. I know all about fibro, at least mine (dopamine deficiency, my underlying causes and the theory of narcotics working against the healing process as well as all other general facts and research). Is Baclofen or Mirapex addictive and would it be worth trying?

[LLWB]

In my experience Lyrica is much better for the nerve pain. Neurontin works for muscle spasms. Lyrica somehow blocks the nerve receptors in the brain from transmitting pain. /Wellbutrin is an antidepressant, and also helps with the pain.Don't know about the other meds you mentioned. Let us know what your doctor says...good lucl.......I just kicked sleeping pills I had been on for over a year....not fun at all. Still not sleeping the night thru.

[patsy10]

I agree with the above poster who wrote that fibro should not be treated with narcotics.  Narcotics should only be used for acute injuries, surgeries and diseases like cancer in my opinion.  True fibro is neuropathic pain and narcotics don't work anyway.  I would never take them.  I live with constant pain every day of my life.  I have just learned to live with it and have learned how to ignore it or tune it out as much as possible.  I think the other meds are ok though like Lyrica, Cymbalta etc...as long as they are non-narcotic.

[Nursebeme]

I have Fibro also and was started on narcotics for it.  It would have been okay to take them on the worst days but they releived all my pain so I took them everyday.  Then .. I was increased to twice a day... to 4 times a day... then.. it goes on and on. My Fibro was under control but I was numb to to everything else. I wasn't eating right,  not drinking enough water.  Then.... after a while (a few yrs)  I almost died at a very young age.  Because I was living to be out of pain and not living to be healthy.  Narcotics are a dangerous thing.

[Rhanithomas]

Baclofen is a muscle relaxer used to treat spacisity in multiple sclerosis.  Some fibro doctors use it because it's effective and doesn't knock you out.  I used Soma, and I felt so out of it that I couldn't stand it.  So I was switched to Baclofen because of the dopamine theory.  I don't think that it's addictive, you can double check with a pharmacist.

Mirapex-I don't know the details about this med as far as addictive properties.  But it's generally used to treat parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.  It works on dopamine and that's why some doctors use it to treat fibro.  I personally never took it because I drive a school bus and one of the side effects was falling asleep at any time.  Plus it causes extreme nausea when you first take it and usually an anti nausea has to be given with it.  

My experience with neurontin is different than LLWB.  I have facial neuralgia and nerve pain consistent with post herpetic neuralgia and I also had piercing neck and shoulder pain, the neurontin helped all of this and the Lyrica did nothing for it, especially the facial neuralgia.  Plus the Lyrica made me gain weight.    These doctors push the new meds all the time and the old ones works just fine, sometimes better.  

I must caution you that there is no miracle pill that will put you back to normal.  These meds are only designed to help you function better by relieving symptoms.  I'm better on my meds, but I still have flare ups which are very painful.  You need to journal your symptoms and track your medication progress to see what's working and what's not.  The neurontin may me working, but you could be doing things or eating things to worsen your symptoms- such as aspertame and caffeine.

Veronica

[wait2long]

Excellent posting!!
i too have FMS and addiction....although still learning how to care for myself and treat my FMS without narcotics...i have come to realize the pain of FMS (for me) was nothing compared to the pain of addiction... (in regards to me and my experience)
i understand this is a personal choice...but i simply cant let myself go back there regardless of my FMS pain...

[sfbaygirl]

My FM doesn't respond to narcotics well...I have to admit that they do take the edge off, but for long term, which FM is, first I tried Neurontin. I felt like I a total nut job...had to stop. I have been on Lyrica for several months at a low dose and am feeling really much much better. At first I was so fatigued from the drug and wanted to stop. I didn't and now I am getting my life back. If I forget the lyrica for a day I hurt big time the next day.  I get migraines so I still tke my fiornal codiene, but that is nothing to what narcotics I wanted when I was in that horrible pain!  Thank goodness for Lyrica and hope it works for you.