My Experience w/ Savella part II - Fibromyalgia Message Board

dougrobin01 · 10-29-2009, 06:11 PM

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted in a very long time but since Savella is fairly new, I thought I'd better let others know how it is for me. I've read a few other posts where nausea, vomiting, moodiness, etc were a problem for some.

Well, my doc first put me on Cymbalta a long time ago w/ no results except horrible constipation (sorry, TMI). Then we tried Neurontin which you need to take gradually. It helped a tiny bit but once my doc raised me to 900 mgs, I was woozy and banging into walls so I just quit it. Mind you, I've been on an SSRI, Celexa for depression for 9 years (6 years before I got Fibro) so I did have a tiny bit of pain control already but not nearly enough.

Now that Savella is out, my doc gave me the starter kit and told me to stop the Celexa due to possible Seretonin syndrome. Anyway, I'm only on my 4th day of the starter pack which is 50 mgs per day (2 pills @ 25 mgs). I'm already experiencing most of the "lovely" symptoms listed in the pamphlet.
Actually, the symptoms started the very first day but have gotten worse.

nausea, upset stomach, mild constipation, sleep disturbances, dry mouth, dark urine (I was a drinker so that's why), night sweats and hot flashes during day, dizziness and moodiness. I'm bitchy and I'm crying a few times per day over nothing. On top of that, no Fibro relief which I didn't really expect since it's so early into the treatment. I figured it would take about a month to 6 weeks to see results. One good thing though, I have a smaller appetite which is good since I do need to lose weight. ha ha

All I have to say is I hope these side affects start wearing off because this sucks. I'd rather just have the pain. I hope some of you have better results. I really have high hopes this will get better eventually so I will stick with it. I'm just trying to be positive.

Good luck to you all!

thesweetlife · 10-29-2009, 06:38 PM

Your sense of humour will keep you staying positive and then when you see the pounds go down on the scales too!

grammy1 · 10-29-2009, 06:42 PM

hey, i am on savella. My dr. switched me from Lyrica to this, but i do take one lyrica still about 5pm because for some reason my pain really elavates at that time everyday. I have been on it for 1 month and did the starter pack. The first day I wasnt sure I felt anything. Then on the second day I felt really good. Then on the 3rd day i felt so tired and heavy, I really didnt feel like moving. Then after the 1st week i did start feeling very nausea, and did the symtoms you did. Eating something before taking it did wonders for me. I do and for years sweat a lot. Deoderant goes in the pits, across my chest. across my belly and across my back where i can reach. i kept going because i wanted this to work but i was scared to let go of my lyrica. It has been 1 month and i still sweat what is normal for me. I had a hysterectomy due to cancer in 2003. All in all, this med has been really good because my pain has calmed down where i was hurting the worse. My pain is mild to moderate and i also take Tramadol for break through pain. Hope this helps you to offer you some hope. If your side-ellects are where you cant stand it i would call the doctor back. I am going to search for a rhuemy in my area because how people have posted its important. If it is only 1 visit, i'm going. Rest is really all you can do until you get savella in your system. That is how it worked for me.

Serenity81 · 10-29-2009, 07:12 PM

I've been on Savella now since maybe June / July of this year... I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in December 2008 (though not sure if that's the complete answer..)

I'd tried Lyrica and noticed a teensy bit of an improvement, but not much and I was maxing out on the daily dose so we changed to Cymbalta. WICKED hot flashes and night sweats.. did not go away, so that's why we've since moved on to Savella. Frankly, I feel worse... I don't really notice much difference. I've responded best to the prednisone dose packs my doc gives me to calm down my "eczema flares"... on the second or third day I actually feel like a human being again... This amongst other things has him finally sending me to a rheumatologist for another opinion. He's suspecting lupus =(

Sorry to have gotten off track there.
Bottom line, for me, Savella doesn't seem to be doing much of anything, but then again, if what I'm dealing with isn't even FMS... then I guess it wouldn't, huh?

Good luck and I hope you're feeling better soon!

dougrobin01 · 11-12-2009, 04:28 PM

Hello All,

Well, my last post was the end of October and I didn't have anything nice to say about Savella but I've continued on. I've been reading so many other boards just to see what other people are experiencing and there are so many different outcomes.

I finished the titration pack and started the first bottle of 100 mgs (2 50mg pills per day). So it's been about a month now.

Well, the horrible night sweats have gone down about 90%, I'm not as nauseous but still have spells. My appetite was virtually cut in 1/2 for a couple weeks but now I'm eating like a pig. I was sleeping better and getting up around 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. (which hasn't happened in years) but now I'm back to not having energy and don't get up until 9:00 or 10:00. I loved getting up early but not sure why I can't anymore. I've been going to bed at 10:00 so not sure why my sleep pattern has changed.

The bad headaches have gone completely, dry mouth still there, dark urine has cleared up and I still have daytime hot flashes especially If I'm moving around too much.

My biggest complaints at this point are A: I've not seen a big improvement in pain. I guess it's still too early? Some people on other boards say that they've seen a huge improvement in pain by now. Hmmmm..... B: My depression is coming back, I'm very sensitive and cry almost every day about something and I'm tense and peaved (understatement) at every little thing. Thank God for such an understanding hubby. I've bitten his head off numerous times over nothing and he doesn't let it get to him. My nighttime teeth clenching has even gotten alot worse lately. I guess I'm peaved in my sleep too. When I was on Celexa, I had all those symptoms under control.

I'll let you all know how it goes in a couple more weeks. Hope this info helps anybody thinking about getting on it but then again, we're all different so just make sure you look around other boards too for more info.

P.S. I have a disablity hearing 11/17. Wish me luck!