Medication Question - How Much Do You Take If Any

[debhib]

Hi,

I'm curious - is anyone here able to successfully manage your symptoms with a minimum of medication? If so, how do you do it? Do you work full-time (either in or outside the home)?

I work full-time in a fairly sedentary job 37.5 hrs per week, and take a lot of medication in order to do that. Currently I take 5 mg Flexeril (usually no more than twice a day), 60mg Cymbalta, up to 3200 mg OTC Ibuprofen (only on really bad days), vitamin D supplements, fish oil, and other non-fibro meds for BP and asthma. I'd love to find something that would help me decrease my medication, especially the Ibuprofen as I'm afraid of what it is doing to my stomach. I try to protect my stomach by eating yogurt every day and taking Prilosec. Still... My doctor has given me Mobic and Celebrex, but they just didn't seem to work that great for me to cut the pain. Thanks for sharing. Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[Sagey]

Hi Debhib,

Lol I tried to write to you twice and my phone died, and I lost it all! Anyway I was saying that I try to use the least amount of meds also.i don't work presently, I had to stop because of Fibro.Just got to the point where my legs were giving out. They are better now, but my feet won't let me walk for long periods.
I've tried all the Fibro meds and none take the pain away but just kind of buffer it.But it's always there.
Like u I supplement my meds with Ibuprofen.I try to take the most 1600mg max a day.Because like u said it's bad on the stomach.

I was recently reading about CBd hemp oil online and it might be something we can try. It has antinflammatory properties and can relieve muscle and joint pain.From what I read,the reviews seem to say it's effective. It has traces of thc unlike marijuana.

I will be trying this soon, and I'll right back about it. It's inexpensive like $7.00 for a small dropper bottle. I don't know what the dosages are since I haven't tried it yet.But it looks interesting.

Another med that Our Fibro friends on here take as needed is Tramadol.Maybe you can get a low dosage to help your pain and take it when you have a bad day.Ut is a narcotic but you can see how u tolerate it.Talk to your doctor and see what he thinks.

Anyway It is hard to find the right combination of meds and we don't have a lot of Fibro meds that are really effective yet.Hopefully soon they wil come out with another med.
One other med I just thought of was Gabapentin it works for a lot of People on the forum.I recently went off it,and noticed in increase in pain,so it was helping.But like all meds they have there side effects.

I hope your pain decreases

Sagey

 

[Northernelf]

My only medication is amitriptyline (tylenol for headaches as I can't tolerate ibuprofen). It helps with my peripheral neuropathy a little bit but more importantly it helps me get back to sleep when I keep waking up at night.

I work part time, mostly in the morning (pretty useless at night), and I do my best to keep active - moving a bit every day and stretching all helps. I also eat a healthy diet - no processed stuff or fast food. I do drink a bit of coffee - I get up half an hour early I can down two cups and read my computer. I NEED this time to get going. I have more coffee in the afternoon, making myself sit and relax. I drink a lot of water to stay hydrated & I graze throughout the day. Both dehydration and low blood sugar seem to set me off. Getting over tired is another trigger.

Things I can't control are weather/pressure changes and cold temperatures. Regardless, every once in awhile I hit the wall and I need to be left alone to cope and let it pass.

I used to always read about how relaxation and meditation etc. are so good & now I get it. If I am tired or worn down, getting upset or angry at something - no matter how little - seems to send me new pain. I try hard to not sweat the little things and anticipate things so I am not too reactive. It has changed my way of thinking - slow down, think it out, and deal.

 

[JudyBluEyes]

Right now I just take ibuprofen and Tylenol. My doctor prescribed Cymbalta but I can't take the side effects so not taking it. I am looking into CBD/THC. I live in California and got my card yesterday. Now just trying to figure out what to start with and where to get it. I didn't realize how much there is out there! Different strains, different ratios, different ways to take it.. smoke it? vape it? pill form? sublingual? It is really super expensive though, but if it helps.... Oh and I work as a bartender, I work reduced hours of two 8 hour shifts a week Mon & Wed.

 

[Lou38]

I currently take 40mg of Amitriptyline at night, Colcalciferol for vitamin D deficiency, Codipar 15/500 (same as co-codamol) or solpadol 30/500 on worse days for pain, inhalers for asthma, Sumatriptan for migraines and meloxicam which is an anti-inflammatory. I work 30 hours a week as a medical secretary which is when I need the most pain relief. I've been doing a lot of walking this last couple of weeks and can't decide if it has helped or not.

 

[diamond]

WEll done for the walking Lou..it will help keep your muscles strong and long term you overall more resistant to disability from fibro pain.

I take cocodamol 30/500 same as solpadol every day and i still am house bound and just sometimes manage to get around the garden.

Debhib...i did manage my fibro for years without meds at all or just cocodamol 10/500 some days....but i didnt work and couldnt commit as i was already quite severely limited but i could walk for about an hour a few days a week and do my housework and a little light gardening in bite size amounts.

We are all different and find our own level of mixing activity with rest or using different muscle groups .

Some people quickly go down the medication route looking for complete relief....i went down the route of listening to my body and wanting to know it was my body not one disguised with meds that was having good days.

This gave me comfort knowing it was the real me achieving things and i was not pushing beyond my new limitations then need more meds because i had over done it.

Everyone has their own view and of course many go by doctors advice. After initial diagnosis and tests and scans i didn't really do a lot of consulting with my doctor until recently and that's 10 years into fibro as for a long time i found my own way and knew keeping flexible and as strong along with resting and no stress was best medicine for me.

But then came a time when my way wasn't working after a bad stressful event my fibro changed dramatically..so please reduce stress in your life as best you can too and anything else you have learnt is a trigger.

I wish you good luck on your journey..be hopeful as many people do live good lives with this disease and many do find meds that keep pain manageable.

 

[Peaceandquiet]

Dear debhib,
In response to your question: I can't work anymore due to pain and the stress of just getting to work let alone the actual rather physical job I was doing so good on you for still trying. I know sometimes we have no choice.....have to survive. My general health improved when I gave up work and chose to look after myself instead. I am able to do a little work from home making things to sell....not enough to live off but my husband still works so I'm lucky there.
Having a sensitive system I try to minimise medication because of the side effects but along with bp meds I have meloxicam three or four days a week, D3 daily, paracetamol twice daily and low dose otc codeine at night. I'm currently keeping an open mind about what to try next because this routine is not good enough for me during my flare at the moment.
Back to the heat packs....

 

[diamond]

Oh yes heat packs and hot water bottles...these are so important!

 

[Pegleg84]

I was just diagnosed recently but have been on Cymbalta for over a month, increased to 60mg a couple weeks ago. It seems to be helping somewhat, but does make me tired and lightheaded during the day, and the pain still cuts through it on bad days. I don't want to stay on it too long, and don't want to add anything else if I can help it.
Ibuprofen does not work on my fibro pain whatsoever (and is hard on my already tender stomach) so I've been taking tylenol instead. Helps with headaches and stuff but doesn't do much for the fibro. Robaxicet (muscle relaxant and tylenol) helps somewhat. I did have some emergency percocet for really bad days when I couldn't sleep from the pain, but that's all gone and hesitant to get more opiods.
Very interested in the CBD oil. I would have to get a medical marijuana prescription, but plan to get more info to show my doctor and hopefully she'll be willing to prescribe it. Next year pot is supposed to become legal in Canada so should be easier to get my hands on then.
I have Celiac Disease, so am already very careful about what I eat, with a mostly unprocessed diet. I take Vitamin D, B12, calcium, magnesium, and iron supplements.
Oh, and I work in publishing, which is a lot of office/computer stuff. I try to get up and walk around through the day, but if I can't concentrate due to pain or fatigue, I'm kind of useless. Hoping to get set up so I can do more work at home when I can't make it to the office.

 

[debhib]

Thanks to all of you for your answers! I wish I could decrease stress in my life (son has ADHD and is a teenager, no getting rid of stress anytime soon ; ) ). Being able to work from home or part time would be a lot better for me I think. Husband is not real supportive of me not working, although I did stay home with my son for a few years when he was younger. That was before I was diagnosed. Some days I wonder how much longer I'm going to be able to hang on working as I am. My employer does have a telecommuting option, but I think, at best, I might be approved for a day or two a month.

I need to look into meditation and stretching more. I do fill better when I get up and move around or stretch at my desk, but just can't seem to get a regular routine going. I work in a library, and my public desk time varies from day to day. At home in the evenings, I just vegetate mostly. I have no energy for anything, not even walking the dog, which I used to do regularly. I don't have a ton of energy on the weekends either, but manage to get some housework done, laundry if nothing else.