are the medications making us worse? - Fibromyalgia Message Board

angie27 · 07-06-2001, 02:08 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).]

DEBBIEELMCITY · 07-06-2001, 05:30 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?

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Debbie Williford

angie27 · 07-06-2001, 08:15 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.

07-06-2001, 08:53 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!

07-06-2001, 08:58 AM

Quote:

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???