Start medication before diagnosis?

[DoobieBrother]

Originally Posted by Pegleg84 View Post
Thanks for the advice, guys.
I'll see if my doc can squeeze me in this week. I'll have 3 weeks before our trip, so should hopefully have enough time to tell if it's helping or if the side effects are too much to handle.
Anti-inflammatories are NOT helping the fibro pain (does seem to help actual sore/tight muscle pain somewhat).
Also, I currently have a massive canker sore under my tongue, which is extremely painful, with added tightness/ache along the side of my neck that's giving me a headache... yey Monday...
Thanks!

That sounds like an infection if you have swelling in the lymph nodes.

An infection?!? I am not a doctor, not do I pretend to be one, but I do know enough to question your assertion. A canker is afaik a localized viral infection in the same way acne is a localized skin infection - did you get the keyword there -> LOCALIZED. Your vague comment implies something systemic, which makes no sense. Wow...

PegLeg:
Fwiw I too found anti-inflammatories to be useless for my fibro pain, because even though it feels like our muscles are inflammed, the are not. That is not how fibro works as far as I know.

 

[Pegleg84]

Update:
I caved, guys. Last week was hoooorrrible. Despite my generally sucessful attempts to chill out, it didn't stop the overwhelming nasty I can hardly walk pain most of last week. Friday I had to leave work early. Sunday night it hit me out of nowhere and had to stay home Monday. Of course, it was right before my time o the month, which generally has been the worst week for me (now that it's started I'm doing relatively better). But when it hits, nothing helps, and I'm at the point where I just want to get this pain under control so I don't have to go through weeks like that so often.

Anyway, my dr. squeezed me in yesterday. My tests came back negative for rheumatoid and "very weak positive" ANA levels (which probably isn't usual for someone with another auto-immune disease). While I haven't been officially diagnosed, she thinks it's likely Fibro. I've started on 30mg of Cymbalta. Since I'm going on vacation in a couple weeks, she's keeping me on the lower dose until I see the RA. I am a bit of a lightweight with drugs, so maybe it will help at the lower dose. If nothing else, I know if I can tolerate it or not. I took my first last night with dinner. So far not bad, a bit nauseous (which I'm used to being all the time anyway), dry mouth, a bit lightheaded, but nothing extreme. Still a bit of pain today but my mood is good. Fingers crossed that this will at least not make things worse. I'm going to give it 2 weeks and if I'm not feeling worse, will keep at it. I don't like the idea of being dependent on a drug, but at this point I'll try anything.

That said, I'm still stretching, meditating, eating well, sleeping ok (though it's been much harder to get out of bed lately). I've also noticed more muscle tenderness, maybe the "pressure points" that are the Fibro thing, and added weird nerve pain when things are bad. In my good moments, its nice to think that maybe it's all just been pulled muscles and laziness, but I have to remind myself that no. this is not normal. It's going to get worse again, and I want to be ready.

(also: canker sore is gone. Totally stressed myself out on that one. Neck is a bit better too. pretty sure it was just tension, though always possible I've been fighting off a cold, sucessfully)

(also: judging people for their choice of therapy is not cool. What works and is safe for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I certainly wasn't trying to start a debate)

Thanks again for your advice and support

 

[diamond]

Thanks for updating us and glad at least the pain is a little better and hope the cymbalta helps more in time.

 

[xuanle231]

Your advice very helpful.

 

[Forgetmenot]

Why would she need to see a psychiatrist?.if she had mental health issues I could understand.but why would you need to see one for pain meds.thats what your dr is for,?
I'd also like to say.a psychiatrist dishes out pills to,.
Pegleg ,id say if you feel happy waiting for the meds wait. If you feel like it would be better to have them with you when you go away. Then take them .its up to you.

 

[Pegleg84]

UPDATE: Well, it's been a week on Cymbalta and I'm surviving. Very up and down, tho. The first could days were nasty (nausea, massive headache), then I just felt tired and kinda high, but 3 nights in a row earlier this week i could not sleep. Somehow managed to drag myself through work tuesday and wednesday, but I was exhausted. Was taking my pill in the evening after dinner (dr said to take it with biggest meal), but read that a lot of people also had trouble sleeping. So I've switched to taking it in the morning. So far much better. Still tired, but I'm sleeping.
Generally, it's not too bad. Hard to say if it's helping my pain or not, but it hasn't been a problem. Side effects died down quickly and aren't that bad now (a bit of dry mouth and constipation, but the nausea and headaches are gone). Hopefully my sleep with even out too.
I leave for europe in a week. Wednesday will be 2 weeks on this stuff. Will see how I am by then.