Medications for Lupus Erythematosus and Fibromyalgia?
I have a neice who has Fibromyalgia and Lupus and has been living with it for quite sometime. The medications she takes is Medrol, Imuran, Plaquenil, Boniva and Tylenol #4 (For Pain). She fights with depression and often states that she is in pain ALL THE TIME. While, I do not doubt what she says because she has the physical symptoms. Twisted fingers (such as in Rheumatoid Arthritis), constant swelling, etc. However, here lately, her specialist has prescribed her "muscle relaxers" such as Soma, Neurontin and even Xanax, all of which, she states she has taken 1 or 2 times. When I ask her why doesn't she take them, she states that she doesn't like to feel "down"! She states that when taking them she feels drowsy and she feels like she is in another world. And, the next day upon awakening, she doesn't feel like herself. My question to the yahoo community is, does anyone know of any other medication or any other way to treat this horrible, horrible disease. More recently, she has been talking about not taking her medication at all, NONE OF IT! She states that she is tired of taking all medication and she can't remember her life without pain! She takes the tylenol #4 3x's per day (physician ordered) and that does seem to help her somewhat. However, she is seeking a physician in the Michigan area she says that will really, really treat her and not just want to throw more pills @ her. As stated, does anyone in the yahoo community have anymore answers? Maybe there are herbal remedies? Maybe there is another medication that can be suggested? My more urgent concern is that she seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into depression. And from a few of my friends here in the area, I am told that some people with chronic illnesses tend to fight with depression? It never hurts to ask and would greatly appreciate any answers!!!
Public Comments
1. wow, i am so sorry about your niece. i know the feeling of the doctors just throwing pills at you. i am thrown pills all the time and i never take them.i hope you can find a specialist for her.
2. I am so sorry about this double diagnosis your niece has. I can only imagine her pain, since I only have one of these and that's bad enough.
t seems that everyone I know with Lupus take Prednisone and something for pain. I think the Medrol is her prednisone, but I can check that out. While I can't speak from my experience about Lupus, I can speak from experience about Fibromyalgia.
I have been diagnosed with it since 1993, rediagnosed by various specialists and then new doctors when I moved. The most effective meds are a combination of Lyrica for pain and Cymbalta for depression and pain. Lyrica is recommended for the widespread muscle pain in Fibro. It is not a pain pill, per se, and it has to be in your system for about a week before it starts to work, but then it does. It totally eliminated my pain for years. The Cymbalta as an antidepressant also works on the pain in Fibromyalgia, again not a pain med, an upper or downer, but after 2 weeks in the body, it really works. The combination is a good 1-2 punch for Fibromyalgia, pain, depression and a host of other Fibro symptoms.
Originally I was prescribed pain medication, soma and xanax to deal with the symptoms. Doctors who don't know what else to do just try to treat the symptoms. Xanax is for anxiety and it's also used as a sleep aid, soma is a smooth muscle relaxer and neurontin works on the nerves to relieve pain. It's the only one of the three that isn't addictive, and it could help her similarly to Lyrica if she took it for a while. There are no generics for either Cymbalta or Lyrica, so while I am pleased with the results, my insurance company is not. Out of pocket, they would be $200/mo.
I hope your niece finds her answer in a new doctor soon. She should ask to be reevaluated, as many people are improperly diagnosed with Fibro. At least a second opinion would be good.
