Types of Meds

[Kristine0424]

I am currently taking the following for FMS:  Celexa (depression), Ultram (pain) Vicodin (bad pain), Lunesta (to stay asleep), and now Provigil (to stay awake in the day).  I have say, these all are helping, but maybe about 50%.  The pain never goes away, only flucuates to bad or worse.  The Lunesta is great.  I tried Ambien & Sonata, but couldn't handle the side effects. Lunesta keeps me asleep but doesn't make me feel hung-over in the morning.  On the flip side, a few hours once I am at work, I cannot stay awake and my brain fog is so severe I can't remember simple things.  I have enough forgot how to answer the phone (saying the correct name of where I work and my name).
The Provigil is working well for the day.  Once the evening comes it has worn off.
Has anyone else taken these meds?  I kinda wonder about the idea of an "upper" for the day and a "downer" for the night. I would appreciate anyone's comments.

[Phtartist]

Hi, What is your belief as far as carbs such as breads, and pasta.  I do eat high fiber grains but on occasion even though I am primarily a fruit and vegetable eater, I feel the need to have a meat protein on a roll or pasta meal.  

I want to know if you find this a negative thing for the FM body.

Also, what do you know about the nightshade vegetables?  I know we are to avoid them, but the contents of the list changes with each list I see.  One list says white potatoes then another list of good foods for FM has potatoes on it.  I'm confused.
I get the feeling you may know.

I've been drinking Viva Acai juice daily also. What do you think of that?

I assume you have FM.  

[Spaz61]

I've had tremendous improvement in energy with changes in diet.  I've eliminated all sugar and processed foods.  I make my own juice with organic veggies, and I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and fish.  At first it was hard, because it didn't even have the energy to cut up a melon, much less make my own juice, but it has made a big difference in my energy.  During the day, when I get sluggish and foggy, I eat fruit.  I also put on some fun music and stretch.  A five minute snack and stretch break produces immediate results, whereas a pill will take 20-25 minutes to work, and the only side effect I have to worry about is weight loss and increase in muscle tone.

As someone who always relied on the infinite brilliance of doctors and pharmaceuticals, I laughed off this advice when it was given to me a year ago.  I learned the hard way that medication does not solve the problem--it only treats the symptoms, and it can lead to greater problems.  Dietary changes and exercise really help me, and they make me better able to cope with bad flare-ups.

[Phtartist]

I am on a different mix of meds than you but have the same difficulty as you.  Maybe adding a different drug than Provigil to stay awake would be a good idea.  You see, Ultram works as a pain receptor blocker with actions similiar but milds as an SRI. Plus other actions.  Being that works on serotonin, Celexa works on serotonin and Provigil works on serotonin,dopamine, GABA etc. it seems to me your serotonin is being on the reuptake too much.

Adding Wellbutrin which has norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors would help you in two ways, one with pain and two with energy from dopamine.  Taking the regular and not the XR form would allow you to sleep easier at night as the drug tapers down.