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.

• Overall, Savella worked great on my "fibro-fog" and somewhat on my pain, but after a couple of years, not so great on my pain and slowly decreased effect on everything else. Also, I developed hyper-tension after a couple of years on this medication.


• All of the other meds for Fibromyalgia I took had horrid complications for me. I love this, because there is virtually no side effects that I have experienced except the hot flashes, and once your body gets used to this medication, the hot flashes dissipate, and eventually disappear.


• For me, it works well enough that I can still work 40 hours a week and take care of my family


• Worked well for 6 months, now I have developed severe depression, massive swelling and weight gain. Now I can barely move around my house.


• Seems to be working pretty well, on a daily basis. Nausea was bad in the beginning, but has disappeared. Still have days when the back of my neck gets very sweaty once the meds kick in, but goes away soon after. Now I can work in my garden, and work 40 hours a week (in an office) without having to miss a few days here and there because of severe pain. Works very well for me, and I am thankful!


• The side effects I encountered only lasted during the 2 week titration period ...after the first 2 weeks, the symptoms mostly disappeared. I do have a lot of itchiness that I did not have before taking the medication, so that may be another side effect not listed here.

• Took this medication as scheduled for two months before and had to stop taking it because the side effects were too much. My pain was increased due to the fact that I would have times that my skin felt like it was on fire. It caused serious lashing out mood issues, suicidal thoughts, and the headaches never did stop once I started taking this medication.


• I only took 3 doses of this med 12.5 mg X2 and 25 mg X1. My restless leg syndrome came back as well as the night sweating and decreased sleep. After having difficulty with cymbalta and getting off it, I opted out of this medication rather quickly.


• This medicine made me have a heart attack, I believe it was a combination of switching to Savella from Lyrica. Please be careful!!


• Lyrica & Cymbalta were horrible for "me".


• I really can't tell a difference in my symptoms! I've been on it for about 5 months.


• The jury is still out on this one. I take an SSRI for depression and have for years so it is hard to judge the effectiveness of this one. Pain is lessened but doesn't help with depression.

• Great for muscle spasms

• Worked great, but too expensive without insurance

• Soma works great out of all the muscle relaxers for me.


• Still using it for pain and insomnia, so far so good.


• This is a great muscle relaxant when fibro flare hits or when I've been out and about and my muscles in my back and legs are stiff.


• I do not take them everyday-only when the muscles in my back/neck are so bad nothing else has worked. Very effective and gives a couple of days relief after the dosage wears off after eight hours until the tightness ramps up again.


• This worked the best for my muscle spasms...but once again I was removed because it was a "narcotic" and given Baclophen...3 times a day and does not stop the spasms.


• Soma helped in bad flare; however not an everyday option per drowsiness, lethargy. Several other of above medications have helped with co-morbid arthritis (and not FM). A medication not listed that has substantially effectively helped (though not eliminated) FM at it's worst was Adderall. I discovered noticeable benefits for FM by chance when it was prescribed for another condition.

• These worked well for calming my anxiety when I was on them. My son was also prescribed them for ADHD as Ritalin made him really weepy and clingy...they calmed him and settled him down enough to concentrate a lot better.

• Takes the edge off migraines. Does not work for fibromyalgia pain, and the side effects are not to be laughed at.


• Prescribed for migraine with aura, but really helps with brain inflammation from ME (including reducing sensitivity to being jolted, noise, light, etc.). also helps with sleep.


• It helps to reduce the frequency and the degree of migraines I get.


• I suffer daily headaches without this medication, but very few with this medication. So I definitely recommend trying this medication if you suffer a lot of migraines and headaches.

• I was given this for Aura migraines - it didn't work.


• I became so ill on TOPAMAX that I ended up in hospital. FREEZING EFFECT IN CHEST AND TINGLING EFFECT IN FINGERS,FEET, TONGUE AND LIPS.I now have involuntary oral movements, since using the medication. Yet the neurologist does not want to believe it. I stopped using the drug.


• The first three weeks were really bad for memory problems and confusions, but these side effects tapered off eventually. Left with acne and hair loss at higher dosage. Helps with migraine headaches more then fibromyalgia pain.


• I was given Topamax to help pain and migraines. It made everything so much worse!!! I got to the point that it was difficult to get out of bed for minor things and did some research and stopped taking it immediately. I was on it for about 6 months.

• This is the only pain medication that I've tried that doesn't make me feel nauseous.


• Helps to control my pain and helps me sleep


• Only worked when paired with other OTC pain killers.


• I only get symptoms if I take more than one at a time or more than 2 a day.


• Works ok some of the time ...masks the pain to an extent, though the pain is still there.


• If you are able to withstand the side effects, it is a good pain killer but the side effects can be severe.


• Seems to be helping with the pain. Very dangerous to mix with antidepressants. Lots of dreams I noticed but I do seem to be sleeping better at night.


• This is the only Medication for me that helps with my PAIN.


• My youngest daughter received this via needle for severe pain at the ER. It was one of the only things that helped in that flare. It isn't something they would want her on long term, just something to help when the pain gets overwhelming. Like if she gets the flu etc. her pain gets so bad. The next step for her would narcotics and I just don't want to go there yet. She is only 14.


• Ultram ER 300 has been a real turn around. 50 mg did not help, but long acting has enabled me to cut way back on other pain meds!


• Personally this medication worked very well for me but took some adjustment time, good for joint and muscle pain and takes the edge off migraine.

• This med did nothing for my pain level. It also caused me to be so sleepy and dizzy I could not function.


• It's too addictive and the problems with the drug are far worse than the disease.


• These did not work for me and can cause bad reactions and addiction.


• If not taken I get really bad restless legs and teary.... feel awful Perhaps addicted to it?


• You have to follow its directions: major issue is slowed breathing to the point of stopping breathing if taken too often or if you drink too much alcohol.


• This medication has given me terrible bouts of urinary retention and if I miss my dose I suffer from very bad withdrawal symptoms. I am desperate to get off this drug but am struggling with the withdrawal symptoms.

• Still using it for pain and insomnia, so far so good.

• Really Relaxed My Body. Was originally developed as a muscle relaxer after all.


• This helps with anxiety and sleep.


• Works miracles on muscle pain/ muscle spasms.


• Valium relaxes my muscles very well. I would rather just take Valium than all the other medications I am taking.


• When used occasionally it is very helpful for me to 'take the edge off' anxiety, especially after a difficult/stressful day. Added bonus of reducing FM pain due to increased physical tension. Helps sleep.

• Got addicted so had to be reduced gradually.

• This helps with my depression

• Made me itch like a yard dog!!!


• I would never take it again! It even went so far as to make me consider suicide. I got off it quick and was fine. Had never even thought about suicide before. I consider this drug danger.


• They gave this to me after the prozac incident. It did the EXACT opposite of what it was supposed to.

• This one really helps, but I can't take it regular as it causes such bad constipation that I end up at the hospital with impactions, that I can't go to the bathroom at all. Very embarrassing along with very painful!


• Much better than Flexeril - no hangover feeling the next morning!


• I'm asleep in less than 30 mins or less!

• Helps with my depression very well.


• I suffer with depression. This had been a life long problem and this med usually works for me. I did have to raise the dose and it is working even better.


• This certainly helps me 'live' with Fibromyalgia. I would advise people to try it if their Doctors suggest it.


• Here is another medication that both my girls are one, 150mg a day. It seems to work better for the oldest, but does give some relief to the youngest. Not too expensive, but again if it helps at all and makes life manageable then it is necessary.

• The suicidal thoughts went through hormonal cycles


• Works for some quick, slight relief of spasms, but not long lasting and not for overall muscle spasms.


• Worked well for several years and then it seemed to loose it's effectiveness, so I switched recently to another antidepressant!