angie27
07-06-2001, 05:08 AM
It seems that when I was first diagnosed with FM, I had a lot less problems. After trying every med. in the drug store, I settled on Effexor, Ultram, Neurontin, and Ambien. Little did I know at the time that my body would obtain an addiction almost impossible to beat. After concluding that all of my side effects stacked high in comparison to my original pain, I decided to quit cold. I've told myself that there is no fibro myalgia, only weakened pain receptors due to analgesics. Based on this theory, I quit everything cold 10 days ago. Although none of my meds. were controlled, they were all very addictive. I thought I would have been through the withdrawl process by now, but my body is still clearly in much pain. I have been unable to sleep more than an hour in the night regardless what I do that day to tire myself. I cannot decide how long I should wait before I go back to a life of addiction.
[This message has been edited by angie27 (edited 07-06-2001).]
[This message has been edited by angie27 (edited 07-06-2001).]
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DEBBIEELMCITY
07-06-2001, 08:30 AM
Hi Angie,
I know how you feel. I have been on 20 different medications. The Ultram makes me hiper. Last night I got no sleep at all and was in so much pain. I am at my witts end. They have also put me on Chlordiazepoxide, and that only makes my irritable bowel worst. Sat night 2 weeks ago I spent 8 hours in the ER.
When were you 1st diganosed with Fibromyalgia? Are you able to work?
------------------
Debbie Williford
I know how you feel. I have been on 20 different medications. The Ultram makes me hiper. Last night I got no sleep at all and was in so much pain. I am at my witts end. They have also put me on Chlordiazepoxide, and that only makes my irritable bowel worst. Sat night 2 weeks ago I spent 8 hours in the ER.
When were you 1st diganosed with Fibromyalgia? Are you able to work?
------------------
Debbie Williford
freefromfm
07-06-2001, 10:25 AM
Hi Angie and Debbie,
I wanted to share a story with you about some progress I have made with FM. There is a back Doctor named Dr. Sarno who cured himself of terrible Migraine headaches about 30 years ago using mind/body techniques. He has gone on to help thousands at his clinics and workshops. He trained the author of a Book I am reading called Freedom From Fibromyalgia by Dr. Nancy Selfrige. She too had FM and now helps others in her practice in Madison WI. I found it at Barnes and Noble so I'm not trying to sell you anything.
-Anyway, the theory holds that the way you process emotions (such as anger, shame, rage, guilt,etc) has a major impact on your pain-primarily because people with FM tend to be very sensitive-both physically and emotionally. The book outlines meditation and journaling to help find those deep feelings that can aggrivate your pain. Most of these feelings you may not even be aware of-but yours subconsious sure is. In a nutshell, the theory is that your body would rather have pain than deal with painfull emotions. It has been a great relief for me and would recommend you try it. My father and sister both have FM and have similar personalities.. They have tried all kinds of pills, etc. My dad is on Morphine patch now and there is no way I am going down that road
Anyone feel free to e-mail at:
yothere5@hotmail.com best of luck!!!
I wanted to share a story with you about some progress I have made with FM. There is a back Doctor named Dr. Sarno who cured himself of terrible Migraine headaches about 30 years ago using mind/body techniques. He has gone on to help thousands at his clinics and workshops. He trained the author of a Book I am reading called Freedom From Fibromyalgia by Dr. Nancy Selfrige. She too had FM and now helps others in her practice in Madison WI. I found it at Barnes and Noble so I'm not trying to sell you anything.
-Anyway, the theory holds that the way you process emotions (such as anger, shame, rage, guilt,etc) has a major impact on your pain-primarily because people with FM tend to be very sensitive-both physically and emotionally. The book outlines meditation and journaling to help find those deep feelings that can aggrivate your pain. Most of these feelings you may not even be aware of-but yours subconsious sure is. In a nutshell, the theory is that your body would rather have pain than deal with painfull emotions. It has been a great relief for me and would recommend you try it. My father and sister both have FM and have similar personalities.. They have tried all kinds of pills, etc. My dad is on Morphine patch now and there is no way I am going down that road
Anyone feel free to e-mail at:
yothere5@hotmail.com best of luck!!!
angie27
07-06-2001, 11:15 AM
I was diagnosed over 2 years ago with FM. Fortunately, I am in a position where I can work as I need to (or feel good enough to). I was somewhat in a stable condition on my medications -- did not have to make to many sacrifices towards a normal life. I just don't want to look at a life of pills as my entire future. I want to be well, naturally. (Wouldn't we all, huh?)
Thank you so much for your replies! I will check out that book Freedom from FM.
Thank you so much for your replies! I will check out that book Freedom from FM.
cioc1212
07-06-2001, 11:53 AM
You should NEVER go cold turkey off medications like that, you can KILL YOURSELF!! If you go off medications you should always "step down". If you take 20mg at bedtime, start breaking the pills in half and take 10 for a few days(3-5). Then go to half a pill every other night for a few days. Then go to every 2nd night or break the pills into 1/4ths. Do this one medication at a time, not all at once!! Yikes! What you did is very scary, you're lucky you didn't have seizures!
No wonder you feel crappy!
I do have more side effects with some of the meds than I do with symptoms, I'm in the process of going off mine also....sloooooowly. I'm going to wait a month to clear my system and then with my doctors help, I'm going to re-evaluate what I may or may not need. For most people with FM, an antidepressant helps with sleep,pain and fatigue, they are non-addictive(but need to be stepped down prior to going off) and many of the newer ones help boost your seratonin levels. There are many alternate ways to do this too, there are special lights for boosting seratonin levels and exercise is a great way to relieve pain,stress and fatigue. There are also supplements but you need to be as cautious or more cautious with them as you are with meds. You didn't say if you'd started anything new, just that you went off the meds.............
Oh yeah, while going off them, drink LOTS of water to flush out your system!
No wonder you feel crappy!
I do have more side effects with some of the meds than I do with symptoms, I'm in the process of going off mine also....sloooooowly. I'm going to wait a month to clear my system and then with my doctors help, I'm going to re-evaluate what I may or may not need. For most people with FM, an antidepressant helps with sleep,pain and fatigue, they are non-addictive(but need to be stepped down prior to going off) and many of the newer ones help boost your seratonin levels. There are many alternate ways to do this too, there are special lights for boosting seratonin levels and exercise is a great way to relieve pain,stress and fatigue. There are also supplements but you need to be as cautious or more cautious with them as you are with meds. You didn't say if you'd started anything new, just that you went off the meds.............
Oh yeah, while going off them, drink LOTS of water to flush out your system!
cioc1212
07-06-2001, 11:58 AM
Originally posted by angie27:
I settled on Effexor, Ultram, Neurontin, and Ambien. Little did I know at the time that my body would obtain an addiction almost impossible to beat......
Although none of my meds. were controlled, they were all very addictive. I thought I would have been through the withdrawl process by now, but my body is still clearly in much pain. [This message has been edited by angie27 (edited 07-06-2001).]
Effexor, Ultram, Neurontin, and Ambien
Effexor and Neurontin are not physically addictive,they do not cause a dependence. Ultram is not addictive but works on the opiod receptors in your brain so it can cause dependance as well as the same side effects that narcotics cause, it is something to be cautious with. I'm not sure about Ambien but I think that it's one of the only sleep medications that is NOT addictive.
Don't take my word for it, you can look all these meds up online. They are all prescription only so I'm assuming that you have a regular doctor. Did you tell them that you were going cold turkey off all your meds???
I settled on Effexor, Ultram, Neurontin, and Ambien. Little did I know at the time that my body would obtain an addiction almost impossible to beat......
Although none of my meds. were controlled, they were all very addictive. I thought I would have been through the withdrawl process by now, but my body is still clearly in much pain. [This message has been edited by angie27 (edited 07-06-2001).]
Effexor, Ultram, Neurontin, and Ambien
Effexor and Neurontin are not physically addictive,they do not cause a dependence. Ultram is not addictive but works on the opiod receptors in your brain so it can cause dependance as well as the same side effects that narcotics cause, it is something to be cautious with. I'm not sure about Ambien but I think that it's one of the only sleep medications that is NOT addictive.
Don't take my word for it, you can look all these meds up online. They are all prescription only so I'm assuming that you have a regular doctor. Did you tell them that you were going cold turkey off all your meds???
angie27
07-06-2001, 01:48 PM
Unfortunately, although these meds. are not controlled, each is subject to physical dependancy and cause symptoms of withdrawl. Ambien is a schedule IV controlled substance. It was not my intention to discontinue the ambien, but my doc. and everyone that i've spoken with have told me that taking any medication, including that for sleep, will prolong the withdrawl process. All of the info. I'm getting seems to be conflicting and I don't know what to do to help myself.
I did inform my doc. of what I was doing, but he has been no help. I feel like just checking myself into the emergency room, telling them to knock me out, and wake me when I'm finished detoxing (if I'm not already). Chances of that happening are probably pretty slim, though.
I did inform my doc. of what I was doing, but he has been no help. I feel like just checking myself into the emergency room, telling them to knock me out, and wake me when I'm finished detoxing (if I'm not already). Chances of that happening are probably pretty slim, though.
Valerie
07-06-2001, 09:35 PM
Angie, so sorry to hear this is so tough!! Do you think you might be having FM pain, and really feeling it now, instead of withdrawal? Just wondering.
Hope you feel better very soon!
Val
Hope you feel better very soon!
Val
cioc1212
07-06-2001, 11:23 PM
Angie, I'm so surprised that your doc approved going off your meds like that! Time to find a new doc! The good news is that if you haven't dropped dead you most likely won't. I wouldn't cold turkey again like that though, you're putting a lot of stress on your body. I would think that at 10 days, the worst of the detox is over although I'd guess(from my best educated addiction information) that it's going to take about 4-6 weeks to totally get everything out of your system. Keep drinking water.
Valeries question is a good one, do you think this is your FM pain back again?
Valeries question is a good one, do you think this is your FM pain back again?
cioc1212
07-07-2001, 02:08 AM
This is a very good web site for looking up your meds. A good idea for everyone, to be familiar with what you are taking.
http://www.rxlist.com/interact.htm
Antidepressants such as Effexor are NOT addictive but you do need to taper them down and go off them slowly. I think it's more important with the Effexor than with any of the other meds you were on. I wasn't sure about Ambien so I looked it up and you are right about that one.
Where are our FM afflicted nurses from this board??
I've really never heard of anyone who's doc told them it was ok to cold turkey off so many meds at once. Especially without any medical supervision. I'm assuming that you weren't at super low doses so you've given yourself quite a jolt and it's no wonder you feel so bad. As far as withdrawl, there is a difference between going off the medications you were taking and going off heroin or cocaine. You would have spared yourself some major discomfort if you'd tapered off. Have you checked out the co-cure site yet for the good doctor list? Kim and I see the same doctor, he's board certified in FM,CFS and infectious disease and he's SUPER. He spends an hour or more for each appointment, especially in the beginning, he listened to me, took me seriously(even as I sobbed all over his desk) and was responsible for finding an underlying condition that's been overlooked for 20 years. I can't say enough good things about him! He's also a DO and typically DO's are much more open to alternative treatment than MD's are. He is definitely WAY more thorough. If you really want to be off the meds, you may want to look at diet and exercise to help control your symptoms. I'm convinced that for ME, my diet is contributing to my symptoms, I eat a lot of sugars,fats,I skip meals, etc. I've read that several people have gotten relief after eliminating all sugars and carbs from their diet, if you read the post on Guifenisen, the special diet is mentioned there.
Gosh, I really feel for you, what an awful thing to go through! I've been thinking about you all day, I have a very good idea of what you are going through. Please feel free to contact me off the board(check my profile) if you want to talk more. Hang in there, it will get better!!
http://www.rxlist.com/interact.htm
Antidepressants such as Effexor are NOT addictive but you do need to taper them down and go off them slowly. I think it's more important with the Effexor than with any of the other meds you were on. I wasn't sure about Ambien so I looked it up and you are right about that one.
Where are our FM afflicted nurses from this board??
I've really never heard of anyone who's doc told them it was ok to cold turkey off so many meds at once. Especially without any medical supervision. I'm assuming that you weren't at super low doses so you've given yourself quite a jolt and it's no wonder you feel so bad. As far as withdrawl, there is a difference between going off the medications you were taking and going off heroin or cocaine. You would have spared yourself some major discomfort if you'd tapered off. Have you checked out the co-cure site yet for the good doctor list? Kim and I see the same doctor, he's board certified in FM,CFS and infectious disease and he's SUPER. He spends an hour or more for each appointment, especially in the beginning, he listened to me, took me seriously(even as I sobbed all over his desk) and was responsible for finding an underlying condition that's been overlooked for 20 years. I can't say enough good things about him! He's also a DO and typically DO's are much more open to alternative treatment than MD's are. He is definitely WAY more thorough. If you really want to be off the meds, you may want to look at diet and exercise to help control your symptoms. I'm convinced that for ME, my diet is contributing to my symptoms, I eat a lot of sugars,fats,I skip meals, etc. I've read that several people have gotten relief after eliminating all sugars and carbs from their diet, if you read the post on Guifenisen, the special diet is mentioned there.
Gosh, I really feel for you, what an awful thing to go through! I've been thinking about you all day, I have a very good idea of what you are going through. Please feel free to contact me off the board(check my profile) if you want to talk more. Hang in there, it will get better!!
angie27
07-07-2001, 03:12 AM
Valerie and Cioc,
not knowing if i'm experiencing fm symtoms or withdrawls is probably what has me must frustrated! To be honest, I haven't ever really accepted the fact that I had FM. I've just figured that the doctors didn't know what else to tell me.
When this all started, I had back pain only, and it came on very suddenly. Through the course of my treatment, all sorts of other symptoms have surfaced. I haven't been able to differentiate if they are in fact SYMPTOMS OR SIDE EFFECTS. That's why I made the decision to go off my meds. If nothing else is acccomplished, at least I will know that my pain is not something I've created myself. I've often thought that maybe I had simply injured my back, and then purpetuated the problem with so many different medicines. Maybe that was just wishful thinking mixed with a bit of denial!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
GOD BLESS
not knowing if i'm experiencing fm symtoms or withdrawls is probably what has me must frustrated! To be honest, I haven't ever really accepted the fact that I had FM. I've just figured that the doctors didn't know what else to tell me.
When this all started, I had back pain only, and it came on very suddenly. Through the course of my treatment, all sorts of other symptoms have surfaced. I haven't been able to differentiate if they are in fact SYMPTOMS OR SIDE EFFECTS. That's why I made the decision to go off my meds. If nothing else is acccomplished, at least I will know that my pain is not something I've created myself. I've often thought that maybe I had simply injured my back, and then purpetuated the problem with so many different medicines. Maybe that was just wishful thinking mixed with a bit of denial!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
GOD BLESS
louky
07-07-2001, 09:28 AM
I am a nurse with FM. I agree, you shouldn't go off antidepressants cold turkey. I have been off all meds for over 2 years. It can be done. I am not cured and I do have symptoms occassionally, but nothing compared to my life 3 years ago. I am using magnetics and nutritionals and they do work. I even have my doctors using them now. They thought I was crazy 2 years ago, but they have made a 360 degree turnaround. Prescribed medications used correctly is the 4th leading cause of death in the US. Medications only cover up the symptoms. There are holistic ways to improve your health. You have to be willing to try. They do work. Every drug also has a side effect. Please find a doctor willing to work with you. There is a website that discusses a study on FM and magnetics. http://www.healthscout.com Click on alternative medicine then polarity therapy. Many universities are doing double blind studies now. There is a difference in the magnets, so beware. Good luck.
angie27
07-07-2001, 10:24 AM
Louky,
Thanks so much, I needed to hear that!
I have tried magnetic therapy before. However, I was heavily dosed with meds at the time. Do you think it will be a more successful treatment now that I'm not taking anything.
Also, do you think quinine would be a good non-addictive option for the leg cramping?
Thanks so much, I needed to hear that!
I have tried magnetic therapy before. However, I was heavily dosed with meds at the time. Do you think it will be a more successful treatment now that I'm not taking anything.
Also, do you think quinine would be a good non-addictive option for the leg cramping?
lj-111
07-07-2001, 11:16 AM
Greetings Angie,
It seems to me that your in PAIN because you have FM.... I mean, isn't that why you took meds in the 1st place? If you stop taking them, then obviously your gonna hurt again until you find another method of pain control. I will however say, it hurts more and the intensity seems to last for a week or so until your body comes back to the stage it was in before you started relieving it... I go off ULTRAM and LORCET voluntarily AT LEAST one week every couple of months due to my Hiatal Hernia and Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. I am prescribed Ultram 4 x daily. Mine don't say every 6 hours as needed, it says 4 x DAILY and that is how my doctor wants me to take it... I am also prescribed to take Lorcet 10/650 every 4-6 hours. Of course, if I don't feel like taking it, I don't.. My doctors have no problem with that. I can tell you from years of experience that it always hurts more at first. Thats why it's called COLD TURKEY. Because it sux...
You HAVE to slowly do it. Like, if you take Ultram 4 x day for more than a couple of months, than to stop you should go down to 3 times a day for 4-5 days and then 2 times a day for 3-4 days and then once a day at bedtime for 2-3 days. And do many other things to help aleviate pain too. Hot baths, exercise etc.. I hurt more every time I stopped until I learned how to be more considerate to my body and the pain it was enduring and come off it all slowly... And chronic pain sufferers like myself, that take a lot of pain medication like I do, should always give themselves a break off of the drugs. Not only for addiction sake, but because pain drugs wear down your body. Your stomach takes a huge hit and your liver gets kicked around too. It can rot your teeth and cause dental pain and problems, hair loss & bowel and colon problems and discomforts, as constipation is a major side affect. (If your not counter-acting it with fiber, etc.) I mean, there is gobs of reasons to NOT TAKE or to SLACK OFF from taking Pain Killers when and if you can... That's simple to deduce!!
But, in my opinion, you were not taking anything serious enough to even be panicking at all. And nothing that would cause death by quitting cold turkey. Ask your doctor, he'll tell you!! And with what you were taking, if you got hooked on that stuff, you may just be one of those people who's receptors force addiction. I think you did the right thing!! Although, it is true you should be very cautious about taking Antidepressants for 2-3 months or more and than just dropping them cold turkey. Fortunately, effexir is not one of the more dangerous types of drugs. The most affects it causes is brain stemuli wise.. You should read the accompanying material with Effexir and if you don't have it, go to an RX site and read what the makers have to say about it. Most common affects will be insomnia, nerveousness, added depression and the like..
Ultram although it is not yet controlled and is not classed as a narcotic, (soon will be)it can be habbit forming, but so can coffee, gossip and chocolate cakes... Unless you just thoroughly abused the Ultram, it will not hurt you to go cold turkey off of it. We are not talking about a class of drug that is strong enough to cause withdrawal symptoms that lead to daeth or health problems.. The problems come when you DON'T get off of it.... Ambien is so new that I assume you haven't been on it for years and even so, no one has ever died because they stopped taking sleeping pills as they were prescribed, so don't be so alarmed.
I've taken a lot of Nuerontin 600mg as well as Ultram and 3 different doctors told me to just stop taking it and throw it away because it was not helping. I had been on it for months. Nuerontin will not hurt you to drop "cold turkey" at all. There are no withdrawals.. It's not that kind of drug. All it does is block nerve endings from bad connections. Well, sort of like that. You do have to be cautious with some medicines though, like if you take steroids, like, Medrol Dose pak or something, after having a full course of steroids you can mess yourself up, and cardio meds too. So there are some drugs you MUST come off of slowly..
The fact that you did stop the Ultram means you are no longer taking it to stop pain. When you are no longer stopping pain as before, obviously you are gonna hurt...I am sure many will follow up this post disagreeing with all that I have said or whatever, but in light of the things YOU said, "You are much better off without the drugs..." Addiction is worse than FM....
So, since you weren't taking any thing that would cause serious withdrawals leading to major health problems, it is in your best interest to take extreme caution now and forever more in taking ANY medicines. If you do have an addictive personality, these drugs you've been on could lead to EVEN MORE SERIOUS drugs later on.. If you can get along with all the other therapies besides drugs, I would highly suggest you stick to that sort of regimen..
Remember, drugs like EFFEXIR can cause serious disturbances in sleep patterns and the like, and because they do so much to the chemical balance of your brain, (which is why I don't touch Anti-Depressants) it is wise in the future to go off of them slowly so that your chemical balance can re-adjust itself.. And although there are heavy narcotics such as heroine that can actually cause death from withdrawal, you are hardly taking that, correct? Just, Please be cautious in the future and consult your physician about any and all medicine, and When to stop!! And obviously, if you never get on it in the first place, you won't ever have to worry about it.
I truly hope you are seeking some help for your addictive personality, if indeed you have that problem.. I don't know you and can only go by your own words.. I do know that addiciton can rare it's ugly head in many ways too, besides drugs. Don't think because you stopped taking a medicine that your home free. Most people find that they just trade one addiciton for another if they do not take the proper steps in actually quitting.
I wish you the very best of health and happiness. God Bless you Angie..
lj
Ps... Always keep in mind, and that goes for every person out there, THIS IS JUST A BOARD WITH REGULAR FOLKS GIVING THEIR INPUT... ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN CONCERNING ALL MEDICATIONS AND THERAPIES BEFORE TRYING, CHANGING, OR ALTERING YOUR MEDS OR THEIR REGIMEN... DO NOT GO SOLEY ON THE ADVICE OF ANY NON-MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.. AND EVEN THEN, GET A SECOND OPINION AND MAKE SURE THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR WAS EVEN RIGHT!!!
It seems to me that your in PAIN because you have FM.... I mean, isn't that why you took meds in the 1st place? If you stop taking them, then obviously your gonna hurt again until you find another method of pain control. I will however say, it hurts more and the intensity seems to last for a week or so until your body comes back to the stage it was in before you started relieving it... I go off ULTRAM and LORCET voluntarily AT LEAST one week every couple of months due to my Hiatal Hernia and Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. I am prescribed Ultram 4 x daily. Mine don't say every 6 hours as needed, it says 4 x DAILY and that is how my doctor wants me to take it... I am also prescribed to take Lorcet 10/650 every 4-6 hours. Of course, if I don't feel like taking it, I don't.. My doctors have no problem with that. I can tell you from years of experience that it always hurts more at first. Thats why it's called COLD TURKEY. Because it sux...
You HAVE to slowly do it. Like, if you take Ultram 4 x day for more than a couple of months, than to stop you should go down to 3 times a day for 4-5 days and then 2 times a day for 3-4 days and then once a day at bedtime for 2-3 days. And do many other things to help aleviate pain too. Hot baths, exercise etc.. I hurt more every time I stopped until I learned how to be more considerate to my body and the pain it was enduring and come off it all slowly... And chronic pain sufferers like myself, that take a lot of pain medication like I do, should always give themselves a break off of the drugs. Not only for addiction sake, but because pain drugs wear down your body. Your stomach takes a huge hit and your liver gets kicked around too. It can rot your teeth and cause dental pain and problems, hair loss & bowel and colon problems and discomforts, as constipation is a major side affect. (If your not counter-acting it with fiber, etc.) I mean, there is gobs of reasons to NOT TAKE or to SLACK OFF from taking Pain Killers when and if you can... That's simple to deduce!!
But, in my opinion, you were not taking anything serious enough to even be panicking at all. And nothing that would cause death by quitting cold turkey. Ask your doctor, he'll tell you!! And with what you were taking, if you got hooked on that stuff, you may just be one of those people who's receptors force addiction. I think you did the right thing!! Although, it is true you should be very cautious about taking Antidepressants for 2-3 months or more and than just dropping them cold turkey. Fortunately, effexir is not one of the more dangerous types of drugs. The most affects it causes is brain stemuli wise.. You should read the accompanying material with Effexir and if you don't have it, go to an RX site and read what the makers have to say about it. Most common affects will be insomnia, nerveousness, added depression and the like..
Ultram although it is not yet controlled and is not classed as a narcotic, (soon will be)it can be habbit forming, but so can coffee, gossip and chocolate cakes... Unless you just thoroughly abused the Ultram, it will not hurt you to go cold turkey off of it. We are not talking about a class of drug that is strong enough to cause withdrawal symptoms that lead to daeth or health problems.. The problems come when you DON'T get off of it.... Ambien is so new that I assume you haven't been on it for years and even so, no one has ever died because they stopped taking sleeping pills as they were prescribed, so don't be so alarmed.
I've taken a lot of Nuerontin 600mg as well as Ultram and 3 different doctors told me to just stop taking it and throw it away because it was not helping. I had been on it for months. Nuerontin will not hurt you to drop "cold turkey" at all. There are no withdrawals.. It's not that kind of drug. All it does is block nerve endings from bad connections. Well, sort of like that. You do have to be cautious with some medicines though, like if you take steroids, like, Medrol Dose pak or something, after having a full course of steroids you can mess yourself up, and cardio meds too. So there are some drugs you MUST come off of slowly..
The fact that you did stop the Ultram means you are no longer taking it to stop pain. When you are no longer stopping pain as before, obviously you are gonna hurt...I am sure many will follow up this post disagreeing with all that I have said or whatever, but in light of the things YOU said, "You are much better off without the drugs..." Addiction is worse than FM....
So, since you weren't taking any thing that would cause serious withdrawals leading to major health problems, it is in your best interest to take extreme caution now and forever more in taking ANY medicines. If you do have an addictive personality, these drugs you've been on could lead to EVEN MORE SERIOUS drugs later on.. If you can get along with all the other therapies besides drugs, I would highly suggest you stick to that sort of regimen..
Remember, drugs like EFFEXIR can cause serious disturbances in sleep patterns and the like, and because they do so much to the chemical balance of your brain, (which is why I don't touch Anti-Depressants) it is wise in the future to go off of them slowly so that your chemical balance can re-adjust itself.. And although there are heavy narcotics such as heroine that can actually cause death from withdrawal, you are hardly taking that, correct? Just, Please be cautious in the future and consult your physician about any and all medicine, and When to stop!! And obviously, if you never get on it in the first place, you won't ever have to worry about it.
I truly hope you are seeking some help for your addictive personality, if indeed you have that problem.. I don't know you and can only go by your own words.. I do know that addiciton can rare it's ugly head in many ways too, besides drugs. Don't think because you stopped taking a medicine that your home free. Most people find that they just trade one addiciton for another if they do not take the proper steps in actually quitting.
I wish you the very best of health and happiness. God Bless you Angie..
lj
Ps... Always keep in mind, and that goes for every person out there, THIS IS JUST A BOARD WITH REGULAR FOLKS GIVING THEIR INPUT... ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN CONCERNING ALL MEDICATIONS AND THERAPIES BEFORE TRYING, CHANGING, OR ALTERING YOUR MEDS OR THEIR REGIMEN... DO NOT GO SOLEY ON THE ADVICE OF ANY NON-MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.. AND EVEN THEN, GET A SECOND OPINION AND MAKE SURE THAT PARTICULAR DOCTOR WAS EVEN RIGHT!!!
angie27
07-07-2001, 02:52 PM
Thanks so much lj for all the advice. I've learned alot more discussing this with everyone here than any doctor could have ever taught me!
Angie
Angie
robste
07-08-2001, 01:49 PM
Angie, I know it's rather after-the-fact now, but you should never just quit taking Effexor "cold turkey"...it has a half-life, so you should never quit without first consulting your doctor, and he/she would probably advise you to step-down the dosage very gradually. I also have what they think is FM (does anyone really know for sure?), and I've had it for 12 years unfortunately. I've tried everything, had every test available in the way of x-rays, mri's etc. to try to find other underlying causes of my chronic pain. I do also have some degeneritive disk disease in my back, but that should not be causing the horrible pain I've lived with for 12 years. Anyway, nothing ever helped me...all the medications did nothing to help the pain, only mask it and made me sleepy....until my dr. prescribed Effexor XR 3 months ago...I am almost completely pain free! We may never know the true cause of my pain, but in my opinion, this is a miracle drug for me. I really don't think the medications could make your FM worse...maybe you just didn't find the right medication for you...I guess my question is, why did the dr. have you on so many meds. at the same time? My dr. would just put me on one for a few weeks or a month, and if that didn't help, he'd try another. Anyway, good luck to you, and I hope you're starting to feel better.
Allen
07-08-2001, 09:38 PM
Louky: I don't understand your take on meds. You are a nurse but you seem to characterize pain meds as if they are poisons we dump into our bodies instead of using so-called natural means. People with Fibro are usually going to need pain meds for a time and in many cases for the rest of their lives. I agree that pain management should be a balance of exercise, alternative approaches that are helpful, and pain meds that are administered wisely.Herbs are no more natural than pain meds and I question whether the magnets have been overblown in the claims without adequate double-blind studies. Opioids are not covering the real problem, but help prevent damage to the peripheral and central nervous system. Thank God for Ultram and Vicodin for helping me to function more like a human being. Louky, with your training you can be a big help if you get rid of your attitude about pharmacological approaches. Al
Valerie
07-08-2001, 09:49 PM
Rob, sure glad to hear you're feeling better with the Effexor!!
Al, sure glad you're back!
Val
Al, sure glad you're back!
Val
cioc1212
07-09-2001, 12:18 AM
Originally posted by angie27:
Thanks so much lj for all the advice. I've learned alot more discussing this with everyone here than any doctor could have ever taught me!
Angie
Boy Angie isn't THAT the truth. I am so much better now thanks to these boards and talking to others with FM. From what I've read, it seems that many(not all) people with FM have an underlying condition that isn't getting taken care of, maybe in addition to going off meds, you might want to look for the root of your symptoms if you aren't 100% convinced that your doctors have done everything possible to rule out other problems. I was VERY resistant to going on medications and went till January of this year when I just couldn't stand it for one more second. My diagnosis of ACM was in April and I had surgery in June. One of the reasons for not waiting on the surgery was that I didn't want to spend any more time on 5 medications if I didn't have to, I am ultra-sensitive and the side effects were almost as bad as the symptoms. Almost.
As far as medications go, my opinion is that if you need them, you should take them. No one should have to suffer. However, for me, I couldn't just give up and consider staying on medications for the rest of my life, I had to keep fighting to find either a cause for my symptoms or a way to improve them without medication. It's also very important if you ARE taking meds, to have a doctor that really believes in you and trusts you to know your own body and what works for you.
I'm in the process of going off my pain meds(slowly,lol) and detoxing is yucky, no matter what you do or how you detox! You WILL have extra aching,headaches,jitteryness and what I call "wigglies". Water,water,water to flush your system and time, that's all you can do. You should be over the worst of it by now, be kind to yourself, you just went through a very tough experience!! I'm going to take my own advice and head for a nice bath. Night!
Rach
Thanks so much lj for all the advice. I've learned alot more discussing this with everyone here than any doctor could have ever taught me!
Angie
Boy Angie isn't THAT the truth. I am so much better now thanks to these boards and talking to others with FM. From what I've read, it seems that many(not all) people with FM have an underlying condition that isn't getting taken care of, maybe in addition to going off meds, you might want to look for the root of your symptoms if you aren't 100% convinced that your doctors have done everything possible to rule out other problems. I was VERY resistant to going on medications and went till January of this year when I just couldn't stand it for one more second. My diagnosis of ACM was in April and I had surgery in June. One of the reasons for not waiting on the surgery was that I didn't want to spend any more time on 5 medications if I didn't have to, I am ultra-sensitive and the side effects were almost as bad as the symptoms. Almost.
As far as medications go, my opinion is that if you need them, you should take them. No one should have to suffer. However, for me, I couldn't just give up and consider staying on medications for the rest of my life, I had to keep fighting to find either a cause for my symptoms or a way to improve them without medication. It's also very important if you ARE taking meds, to have a doctor that really believes in you and trusts you to know your own body and what works for you.
I'm in the process of going off my pain meds(slowly,lol) and detoxing is yucky, no matter what you do or how you detox! You WILL have extra aching,headaches,jitteryness and what I call "wigglies". Water,water,water to flush your system and time, that's all you can do. You should be over the worst of it by now, be kind to yourself, you just went through a very tough experience!! I'm going to take my own advice and head for a nice bath. Night!
Rach
lj-111
07-17-2001, 02:28 AM
Ha Ha.. The "WIGGLIES" I love it!! I got the wigglies myself! :)
Lisa
Lisa
lj-111
07-17-2001, 02:34 AM
Thumbs up to AL!!!!!!! And his take on the comments of some about pain meds and their corresponding attitude as posted above!!
Frankly, I am getting real sick of people trying to make other people who take what is prescribed to them feel bad about it..Especially some person who is SUPPOSEDLY in the medical field!! Shame on ya's...
Go get em' AL!!
Lisa J..
Frankly, I am getting real sick of people trying to make other people who take what is prescribed to them feel bad about it..Especially some person who is SUPPOSEDLY in the medical field!! Shame on ya's...
Go get em' AL!!
Lisa J..
Caring
07-19-2001, 07:55 PM
Here's a take on this from someone who rarely used pain medications her entire life, until I developed symptoms similar to Fibromyalgia. I have to take Advil every day for the pain, which is more effective than it used to be, now that I also take medication for tremors/Sinemet.
I have developed a condtion which matches Fibromyalgia, though I have not yet been diagnosed with it (we are working on that).
About 6 years ago, I suffered with migraines daily. I Tried everything. I mean everything. Herbal this, organic that, magnets, copper, aromatherapy, meditation, relaxation techniques, vitamins galore. Even, on my own, put myself through a one month, 100% purely organic diet, you know, pesticide free, natural etc. No sugar, no salt, etc. No relief.
Medications, hormone pills prescribed did not help either. Every friend, every doctor was SURE they knew what was causing my migraines, but none of their
cure-alls worked.
Nothing made me angrier than having everyone tell me THEY knew what was causing MY migraines and if I would just do what THEY told me to do, the migraines would go away. Then THEY would be thoroughly confused when THEIR cure did not resolve MY problem. THEY would assume I must have not done this to THEIR specifications or something. Of course I also got the classic explanation that a bad doctor gives a patient when he cannot figure out what is wrong--it must be stress.
Turns out, the migraines were caused by some vertebrae in my neck which were out of place. Two years of suffering, then, I found a chiropractor, who cured my migraines in two weeks.
The reason why I'm telling you this, is that any of the above remedies may have worked, and had worked for many people in the past, but each person is different. You see, all the healthy foods, meditation and stress relief techniques in the world would not and did not cure my migraines, nor did the pain medications, because the cause of my migraines was unique, not unusual, but unique.
This taught me never to assume what the cause is of someone elses problems. No two people are exactly the same, not even twins, and no one can say "well this worked for some people, so it must be the cure."
I cannot judge the kind of pain you feel, I cannot tell you what will work for you, and I cannot tell you the cause of your pain. If it helps you in your illness or pain, and you have weighed out the risks and benefits, and decide this is the right solution for you, then I say do it. Just never give up on finding the best possible solution for your health problems.
Share with others what you have learned, it may help some, though I guarantee you it will not work for everyone. I learned never to assume that any one thing which works for me will help others.
I hope you all find the solution which helps you to live full and happy lives.
Sincerely,
Caring
[This message has been edited by Caring (edited 07-20-2001).]
I have developed a condtion which matches Fibromyalgia, though I have not yet been diagnosed with it (we are working on that).
About 6 years ago, I suffered with migraines daily. I Tried everything. I mean everything. Herbal this, organic that, magnets, copper, aromatherapy, meditation, relaxation techniques, vitamins galore. Even, on my own, put myself through a one month, 100% purely organic diet, you know, pesticide free, natural etc. No sugar, no salt, etc. No relief.
Medications, hormone pills prescribed did not help either. Every friend, every doctor was SURE they knew what was causing my migraines, but none of their
cure-alls worked.
Nothing made me angrier than having everyone tell me THEY knew what was causing MY migraines and if I would just do what THEY told me to do, the migraines would go away. Then THEY would be thoroughly confused when THEIR cure did not resolve MY problem. THEY would assume I must have not done this to THEIR specifications or something. Of course I also got the classic explanation that a bad doctor gives a patient when he cannot figure out what is wrong--it must be stress.
Turns out, the migraines were caused by some vertebrae in my neck which were out of place. Two years of suffering, then, I found a chiropractor, who cured my migraines in two weeks.
The reason why I'm telling you this, is that any of the above remedies may have worked, and had worked for many people in the past, but each person is different. You see, all the healthy foods, meditation and stress relief techniques in the world would not and did not cure my migraines, nor did the pain medications, because the cause of my migraines was unique, not unusual, but unique.
This taught me never to assume what the cause is of someone elses problems. No two people are exactly the same, not even twins, and no one can say "well this worked for some people, so it must be the cure."
I cannot judge the kind of pain you feel, I cannot tell you what will work for you, and I cannot tell you the cause of your pain. If it helps you in your illness or pain, and you have weighed out the risks and benefits, and decide this is the right solution for you, then I say do it. Just never give up on finding the best possible solution for your health problems.
Share with others what you have learned, it may help some, though I guarantee you it will not work for everyone. I learned never to assume that any one thing which works for me will help others.
I hope you all find the solution which helps you to live full and happy lives.
Sincerely,
Caring
[This message has been edited by Caring (edited 07-20-2001).]
korken
07-19-2001, 11:02 PM
Hats off to you Al! And I ditto you and LJ. Pain meds have been a life saver for us. Also, going to a board certified specialist in FMS and CFS has helped us greatly. I must say I am feeling better now after finding our doctor last Fall then I have in over 29 years. It is hard enough to deal with this for so long w/o having POOH POOH's on what many of us need to make it through the days. Good luck to us all and remember reasearch is knowledge and you are the key to your own care. Kim :)
dustii
07-26-2001, 04:00 AM
Hi All:
I am new around here and have had FMS for almost 9 years now. I also had a partial thyroid removal (the only medication I was ever going to allow myself to be on for life was Levothyroxin...so I thought :) ) and I have severe CTS in my right hand and what used to be borderline CTS in my left but which has been upgraded to positive my last testing. Thinking I didn't have much more room on my body for another illness, I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar II illness and am being investigated for Rheumatoid arthritis in my right knee.
Although I don't have any experience with some of the meds mentioned here, I did, against the advice of my doctor, stop Effexor and Neurontin.
Effexor, although not classed as an Addictive medication, does usually require weening off and many times Doctors will introduce a lower dosage medication of another med (i.e. Prozac) while the patient removes themselves gradually from Effexor.
If you are having symptoms of increased pain, light headedness or dizziness, moodiness, irritability etc., this very likely is indicative of your body reacting to the absence of Effexor.
I went 10 weeks trying to remove Effexor from my life for good and another patient of my doctor (he didn't know I'd gone off my meds but he suspected it by my downhill monthly reports and threatened to hospitalize me if I continued to de-medicate myself without his guidance)...was over 8 months trying to stay off of Effexor. Unfortunately, neither she nor I succeeded and we continued to live with the effects until we were placed back on again. The neurontin didn't seem to cause as much of a problem, but I'd not been on it too long as it caused me to have horrendous nightmares.
I'm not saying you shouldn't try to remove these meds from your life if you are strongly opposed to them, but doing so without proper assistance is really a difficult way to do it and when all is said and done, speaking with your doctor and being removed from them gradually is probably the best way to save yourself an awful lot of frustration in the end.
I wish you every success in finding a therapy that will work for you ... good luck!
dustii
I am new around here and have had FMS for almost 9 years now. I also had a partial thyroid removal (the only medication I was ever going to allow myself to be on for life was Levothyroxin...so I thought :) ) and I have severe CTS in my right hand and what used to be borderline CTS in my left but which has been upgraded to positive my last testing. Thinking I didn't have much more room on my body for another illness, I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar II illness and am being investigated for Rheumatoid arthritis in my right knee.
Although I don't have any experience with some of the meds mentioned here, I did, against the advice of my doctor, stop Effexor and Neurontin.
Effexor, although not classed as an Addictive medication, does usually require weening off and many times Doctors will introduce a lower dosage medication of another med (i.e. Prozac) while the patient removes themselves gradually from Effexor.
If you are having symptoms of increased pain, light headedness or dizziness, moodiness, irritability etc., this very likely is indicative of your body reacting to the absence of Effexor.
I went 10 weeks trying to remove Effexor from my life for good and another patient of my doctor (he didn't know I'd gone off my meds but he suspected it by my downhill monthly reports and threatened to hospitalize me if I continued to de-medicate myself without his guidance)...was over 8 months trying to stay off of Effexor. Unfortunately, neither she nor I succeeded and we continued to live with the effects until we were placed back on again. The neurontin didn't seem to cause as much of a problem, but I'd not been on it too long as it caused me to have horrendous nightmares.
I'm not saying you shouldn't try to remove these meds from your life if you are strongly opposed to them, but doing so without proper assistance is really a difficult way to do it and when all is said and done, speaking with your doctor and being removed from them gradually is probably the best way to save yourself an awful lot of frustration in the end.
I wish you every success in finding a therapy that will work for you ... good luck!
dustii
pixiepoodle
07-26-2001, 09:43 PM
Al,
Although I agree that each person needs find a way to treat their Fibro pain whether thru meds or other methods (I personally am a firm believer in taking meds), I understand why louky is concerned because all meds are broken down by your liver and they may ultimately do my liver in. I recently found out that Milk Thistle (sold in the vitamin aisle) is good for your liver so I am now taking that along with many other vitamins. Within several months of taking vitamins, I could feel a difference in my energy level and I almost never get sick when a cold/flu goes around the office zapping everyone. We all know how miserable the flu is just by itself, but on top of Fibro, it could make you feel suidal.
Although I agree that each person needs find a way to treat their Fibro pain whether thru meds or other methods (I personally am a firm believer in taking meds), I understand why louky is concerned because all meds are broken down by your liver and they may ultimately do my liver in. I recently found out that Milk Thistle (sold in the vitamin aisle) is good for your liver so I am now taking that along with many other vitamins. Within several months of taking vitamins, I could feel a difference in my energy level and I almost never get sick when a cold/flu goes around the office zapping everyone. We all know how miserable the flu is just by itself, but on top of Fibro, it could make you feel suidal.
gracieathome
07-27-2001, 12:41 PM
My meds didnt make me worse they just didnt do much for me except make me spacey or doped out. I finally weaned off slowly and now just take Calcium Magnesium and Co Enzyme Q10, and along with moderate excersise I feel 90% better. I still ocasionally have a bad day, but nothing I cant handle, thank God!
Gracie
Gracie