Frustrated! Not tolerating meds...

[mwp921]

I am so frustrated!  My body is not tolerating any of the meds we've tried.  Has anyone had similar experiences and found something that worked?

I was on Lexapro already when I received my diagnosis (Lex was for anxiety, which wasn't helping)...

Fibro & Migraine diagnosis:
1st Med:  Doc added Nortriptyline.  I felt great with added energy but couldn't sleep at night.  He said I was in the 10% because 90% of people are sleepy from Nortriptyline.

2nd Med:  Taken off Lexapro & Nortriptyline, given Savella titration pack.  Pain was gone on 2nd day (wow) and I had tons of energy but I was angry and easily irritated.  Did somewhat okay until increased to 50 mg twice per day.  Migraine returned and my blood pressure & heart rate increased.  Dropped back to 25 mg twice per day but I broke out in a rash.  They took me off Savella saying I was allergic.

3rd Med:  Cymbalta 30 mg.  I started this last Friday evening and it's been nothing short of a nightmare for me.  The first night I couldn't sleep.  Was EXHAUSTED and sedated the next day.  I've played with taking it morning versus night but it doesn't matter.  I'm a sedated doped up mess on this medicine.  I'm slow & numb.  Feel like I've taken a lot of phenergan (sp?) or benadryl.  Extremely dried out and sedated feeling.  Called today and they told me to discontinue the Cymbalta.

I'm frustrated!!  SSRI's, the ones I can tolerate (Lexapro), do nothing for the pain yet increase my Migraines.  Tried two SRNIs now without success.  What is wrong with my body?  Why oh why can't I tolerate meds?!?!

I don't see my doctor for 6 days so I'm without anything, except withdrawals I'm sure I'll go through from stopping the Cymbalta.  I just want to run!!  I almost don't want to try another med for fear of how it will make me feel.

Has anyone had problems with meds such as the ones I've had but found something that works??  Please share!!

[Phtartist]

Thats really stinks that you have had that much difficulty. I live with headaches and have an appt. with a new Neurologist next month to see if meds are the reason. Is Somnolence sp? when you're tired during the day?
I don't know why but I wake up every day with anxiety lately. Nothing going on, and sudden anxiety when I wake up. The past few days, during the day, it pops in. I was told living with pain can cause mood and anxiety changes to slip in,.....just great :0{

I had taken Ambien for sleep for 3 years without problem, now, I get a fierce headache with it, worse than the everyday headache.

Sometimes I just want to go off everything. See what the real me is like.

[mwp921]

Dustybrown,

I have decided to take your advice and shy away from the ad's.  I'm ready to feel like me again, and if I have to add something for pain or sleep then so be it.  Thanks again for your suggestions!

[mwp921]

To clarify... stayed on Lexapro for years and years.

My Neurologist took me off the Nortriptyline after a week because it was keeping me up at night.  I didn't ask to be taken off of it.  I actually felt pretty good on it, but he said I needed sleep.

I had an allergic reaction to Savella and had no choice but to discontinue.  I broke out in a rash all over my body.  Doc said no way, discontinue immediately.  Had to get shots and take Prednisone plus 2 other antihistimines to get cleared up.

The Cymbalta causes extreme somnalence (sp?) for me.  I work full-time and absolutely could not function as a walking zombie in a sleep-like state.  This is the only med that's ever caused this for me.  When I called my Neurologist to see if it would get better (I was on it for 7 days), he said to discontinue.

[Phtartist]

From your post I got the feeling you don't stay on these meds very long before you feel you are reacting to them and then come off. Some have a long adjustment period. Topamax for me had a very long adjustment period. Now I am migraine free for 6 years. I had them approx. 4-6 days a week and hints of migrains all the time. I had visual  and cognitive disturbances during them.

I am rediculously sensitive to meds. SSRI's messes up my gastrointestinal system. Just like you Cymbalta made me less emotional which worked for me during my daughter's wedding with her Dad's (my ex) family there who I haven't seen in 20 years. After the wedding I got off it due to GI back-up :0o

Effexor another SNRI gave me a headached for 3 years and messed with my GI track.

Now, Wellbutrin has helped me very much. Its a DNRI which works on Dopamine and Norepinephrine.  D gives you energy and N helps with pain. Weight gain is NOT a side effect.  I still have neurological problems so I take Soma for muscle pain or Baclofen if my neuro pain is bad.  Soma can make me tired Baclofen doesn't. Vicodin I take on occassion for more severe headache pain sometimes with 1/2 soma. Half each.

Keep in mind, I don't drive if I take Soma or Vicodin. I wouldn't drive with the headaches I get anyway. Who wants to go somewhere with a rotten headache.

[mwp921]

Thanks for the suggestions, dustybrown.  I will do some research and discuss it with my doctor next week.  I'm open to any suggestions at this point!  :-)

[dustybrown]

You may want to shy away from the antidepressants. They do little for pain anyhow. I have trouble with them too. I would see how you do on an anti-seizure med instead. Lyrica works very well but causes some weight gain. Neurontin is very effective as well and has less of a weight gain issue- very little side effects. I am on Topamax, which actually has the opposite effect (weight loss), but has side effects, so you have to increase slowly on it. I would try to see if your doctor would prescribe Neurontin for you. It works rather well. See what you think.