Posted by bulldog2 on September 28, 2008, at 14:39:10
In reply to Lyrica / Parnate / Fibromyalgia, posted by sophia04 on September 27, 2008, at 23:20:06
> I'm at a loss, feeling quite desperate, and was wondering if I could get some feedback as to how to proceed.
>
> I've been having chronic pain since 1/06 that started in my jaw and has gradually spread throughout my upper body - headaches, neck/back/arm pain etc.
>
> I started taking parnate (30 mg) 4/07 for depression/anxiety, and though it is a difficult drug to take, it has been very effective for these symptoms -though it hasn't seemed to impact the pain.
>
> Spring 08 I began getting predictable, debilitating crashes in the afternoon (fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite).
>
> July 08 I was diagnosed w/ fibromyalgia -though I don't fit the classic profile - and started taking Lyrica. The lyrica has done little to relieve the pain, but seems to be impacting the anxiety caused by living w/ a chronic pain/fatigue syndrome.
>
> Last week I began to titrate off the Lyrica because it has caused some cognitive impairment -memory loss, inability to finish sentences, focus, etc. and I didn't think it was doing much good. In the last few days I've decreased my dose from 350/day to 200/day and, surprisingly, I am feeling terribly depressed.
>
> Here are my questions...
>
> Is it possible that the said side effects -dumbness - might disappear and that the advantage of Lyrica's antianxiety/depression effects may be worth holding out longer?
>
> Is it possible that the new wave of depression is just temporary until the Lyrica withdrawal is finished?
>
> Might the debilitating afternoon crashes of flu-like symptoms be a delayed side effect of Parnate, or evidence that I need a higher dose?
>
> Truth is, I have far less tolerance for the fatigue/sickness than I do for the chronic pain, so overcoming this is my biggest priority.
>
> Any thoughts?
>I have read one can add amitriptyline safely to Parnate. Amitriptyline is an excellent drug for fibromyalgia at low doses. Works for me at 25 mg.
poster:bulldog2
thread:854535
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080926/msgs/854634.html