RATE YOUR MEDICATION RESULTS

People with Fibromyalgia (FM) and CFS/ME often have different reactions to the same medications. Below are the results thus far of my poll on medications used in the treatment of FM and/or CFS/ME.

Medications are listed in alphabetical order by brand name, with the generic name in parenthesis. Select the medication from the pull down menu to read reviews.

• I was prescribed this for migraines specifically and it took them away. I was only it for 15 months and then went off and the headaches did not return. Also it did have one side effect not listed which is that it contributed to my tardive dyskenesia (involuntary movement caused by psychotropic medications)

• Works for Arthritis pain only.


• I now get back pain apparently related to the fibro so for that this works a little bit. At first. It also can help with fibro associated headaches but then for me so does a lie down in a quiet room.

• Sometimes Ibuprofen is the only thing that will help get the pain under control...but it almost never works all by itself for me.

• While it does help my pain, long-term use of this medication is NOT recommended. It will eventually rot your gut and cause ulcers.

• I only used this during a particularly stressful time when I was experiencing panic attacks. It was helpful.

• I was prescribed these as a sedative to help with my insomnia and although I still find it hard to get to sleep. Once I have I can sleep for over 12 hours...but when I do wake I feel drowsy and befuddled.

• The only down fall I find with the patches that when removing them after the week. It leaves my skin red and sore, but apart from that they are great.

• This medication did not do anything to ease the pain.

• This medication keeps me on an even keel and helps deal with my depression

• Celexa did not work for me.


• Horrible CNS reaction---nerves on fire. Never again!


• I could not take this medication for very long because I am also on coumadin. It made my INR raise way above safe limits. It was at 7.5 and should of been below 3. So my hematologist said to stop taking it immediately. So wasn't on it long enough to see if it helped.

• This medication was a miracle for me when I first started taking it. Unfortunately, over time it ceased to be effective and I am weaning myself off of it now. I think it is worth a try, as I had few negative side effects from it and many positive results - for awhile. It's my understanding you need to be careful to go off of it gradually. Twice I forgot to take it two days in a row, and both times I had horrible nightmares.


• Great for depression, anxiety but I often wonder if it doesn't contribute to me having high blood pressure.


• I found Cymbalta to be quite affective in the beginning on 60mg but have since gone to 90mg. At this point in time I am finding that it seems to be helping me less and less.


• Helps with pain and depression


• Perhaps all alone it does well but combined with others meds, that is what causes the side effects.


• It keeps my feet from tingling and having a sparking feeling and helps with pain


• Helped to add this, but having to wean off to take tramadol. Pain out of control since recent flare.


• Helping neck, shoulder and lower-back pain, but not arms, hips and legs.


• Not for pain.... maybe for depression


• Helps with some depression but that's it. Does not help with pain


• Was having a relapse, feeling very fatigued, and in less than a week I was back to my walking. I am so happy.


• I am taking the highest dose, 120 mg/day. It does not alleviate all of the pain, but it definitely makes it much more tolerable.


• This has worked very well for me. I have really no side effects. I do notice SOME increased sweating, but hard to tell if it is really the meds or hormonal hot flashes that I have anyway. Not bad enough to outweigh the great benefits of this med.


• This medications with the use of Lyrica too, has helped me a lot I still have an occasional flare, but overall I am functioning more now.


• Benefits outweigh the side effects. Getting the dose just right can be a challenge but definitely worth trying.


• My insurance didn't cover this, so I requested to go back to Prozac and Wellbutrin. I could get the generic form of them.

• I was miserable on this medication. Anything that makes a person feel worse is not a good fit for them.


• I have taken Cymbalta for several years and do not feel that it has made much difference in how I feel. I am just now changing physicians because my previous physician wouldn't listen to me about my FM and the symptoms I have.


• Some times the side effects are worse than the pain.


• I slept 17 hours a day and I was still sleepy!


• Horrid experience


• This stuff made me not have any motivation to do ANYTHING from day to day, it was AWFUL.


• And the withdrawal was horrendous. I nearly killed myself!


• Experience heavy dreams


• Result from taking one tablet: Anxiety, Blurred Vision, Confusion, Diarrhea, Increased Pulse/Heart Rate, Nausea/Vomiting, Palpitations.


• It was very dangerous for me. Luckily I told two trusted folks, my m.d., and my therapist, that I was having those thoughts. Amazingly, it was hard to disclose. I felt shame or something.


• I was on this for 1 year, and I had a pvd of my right retina. I was told to stop the medication immediately. I wasn't sure if it caused this problem, but other patients were having similar problems.


• Did nothing for fibro pain


• I have been on cymbalta for about 10 years. It works great but the cost is unreal!


• It worked for me in the beginning, but lately it has not been working


• Ended up in the ER when blood pressure dropped dangerously low


• Didn't work for me at all. Actually made symptoms worse. Step-down from drug is worse as it takes 2 months to work and then 2 months to rid body of drug to try something else.


• Cymbalta had the least amount of side effects and a small small amount of weight gain compared to other meds, but after a while it just stopped working for me.


• I could not afford this medication.


• Heard this works for others, didn't work for me. Horrible side effects, couldn't continue taking this medication.


• Did help with pain but did nothing for fatigue. I am now trying to wean myself off Cymbalta due to out of control blood pressure and excessive sweating; feeling great weakness, extreme depression, crying jags. This is going to be very difficult.


• When I went onto this med within the space of 9 months I went from being stable to severely depressed and tried to take my life. Five months on and I'm still struggling with the suicidal thoughts day and night I took that med for fibromyalgia which it didn't help either. I also became extremely agoraphobic refusing to leave the house. That med should be banned!!!


• Didn't help my pain and since I had to go off my antidepressant, my depression was not under control.


• While it does work on pain, it is better to have my brain not turn traitor so that I can cope with my symptoms. also, there is no clear path to weaning off the drug when it gets bad.

• This medication helps me sleep really well for short time periods. I notice a greater sleep deprivation if I run out of the medication.


• Great for insomnia and anxiety with mild depression.

• I'm very sensitive to meds that make me sleepy


• Have to stay in bed with eyes closed for at least 8 hours. Trying to wake and move around before that time leads to dizziness and extreme vomiting.


• Worked well for insomnia; had really bad blister in mouth and bad taste in mouth; then gave me really bad nightmares, stopped taking it.


• This is one that either helped me sleep but left me feeling groggy in the morning, or didn't work at all and I was awake at night. Not consistent.


• Helps with getting deeper sleep and calms restless legs.

• I use this as a combination medicine as described as Voltaren K (dutch) K= Kalium = potassium and Diclofenac. It works within an Hour!!


• Generally fairly effective in reducing pain levels. Side effects not horrendous but due to stomach problems can no longer take it.

• This would be fine for short term use. I don't recommend it for long term use.

• Better for major pain that most pain killers.


• Helps take the edge off. Higher dose may be better, but I would rather take smaller dose.

• Doctors will not prescribe.


• It's addictive so you have to be careful!

• It really works better when combined with Ibuprofen


• Works great, but doesn't always give the same symptom relief.