Fibromyalgia medications?
I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia last week. The doctor wanted me to take Cymbalta, but the prescription was much too expensive, and my insurance didn't cover it. I asked them to prescribe something cheaper, and they said they would write me for Effexor. However, what I actually got was Bupropion (Wellbutrin generic). Can anyone who has this disorder help me? Has anyone taken any of these medications, and can tell me which works best, or if there is another option? Im kind of clueless and lost :(
JMITW: Im unfamiliar with all of the jargon you used; I just got confused :s
Shari: You have given me much more information than I found on the internet; rather, I found so much on the internet that I was feeling very overwhelmed. I will definitely be looking into the sites you gave me. Thank you.
Public Comments
1. Wellbutrin is no for fibromyalgia it is an anti depression medication. There is Lyrica and Cymbalta.I suggest that you search on both companies and find the phone numbers of each of them. Many companies now have programs that if you cannot afford your medication that you can get your medication at a very low price through the company.It is won't a try.2. Cymbalta is an SNRI
you can try getting an SSRI plus a NDRI like wellbutrin
I think this combo is actually better since it adds the 'D"
the ssri has some older meds that you should be able to get generic
you should also look into an anti seizure med like neurontin..
educate yourself--most docs are wrong about fms and most people diagnosed with it don't really have it
Someone with a nursing degree should know that antidepressants are used 'off label' for FMS as FMS has a similar cause--the neurotransmitters
and cymbalta is an antidepressant--that was its original use
for help paying for meds
www.pparx.org
3. Meghan, 'JMITW' is right about the medicines.
It's difficult to say which medicine works best cause we all respond differently to them. Anti- depressants are given for fibro to help symptoms cause they affect neurotransmitters, thus easing pain. Right now, the most common meds being prescribed are Cymbalta, Savella, and Lyrica. Some doctors are prescribing LDN (low dose naltrexone) even though it's not FDA approved for fibro. Antidepressants, anti-seizure, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, and pain medication may all be added to this list of possible meds you will try. You really won't know how it will work until you've tried it.
There are also some supplements/ vitamins that my rheumatologist advised me to take such as malic acid with magnesium, CoQ10, B12 (sublingual is best I think), and a good multivitamin. All these things can be found at your local health food store. You'll find good quality vitamins there that actually help.
Also, you might want to try a yahoo group for fibro. There are several out there. You could join several and see which one(s) you really enjoy. It's nice to be able to talk to others who understand how you feel. It's also nice to be able to ask questions about medicines, vitamins, activities, helpful hints, etc. There may be days you get on the group's board cause you need some laughs.
The best thing you can do is learn all you can about fibro, share this knowledge with your family, and pay attention to your body. You'll learn what helps you and what hurts you. Try to pace yourself. You'll be able to do more if you take care of yourself and learn to do a little at a time. (I'm not saying that is easy to do. I still overdo it. I'm just stubborn that way.)
Take care! Hope you don't feel as lost.
Here are some good websites that might help you gain more knowledge:
http://www.fmnetnews.com/index.php
http://fmcfsme.com/index.php
http://www.myalgia.com/
http://www.hffcf.org/
