InNeedOfHope Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thank you, she is. I hope I will get the right doctor in the end. The Fibro post is at the very bottom of the page tucked away. The link to infection is pretty sketchy and I have to say that when you read many of the posts on the site, it seems as if every ill known to man is created by some infection of one kind or another. Still, it has one uplifting story of a woman who writes of her 'cure'.. "I, Ladybug, fell ill in 2000 and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in mid 2005. I had so much pain and confusion, I was barely crawling through the day. Five years on, thanks to Dr Powell's antibacterial, antiviral and detoxification therapy, I am leading a pain-free existence. " This is just one story, and certainly not a documented study, but I seem to be attracted to reading about people who overcome things, whether WD or other things. Out of interest from all your research, do you think Fibromyalgia is a new disease or has always been around and been given different names? I ask, because my mother suffered badly and it seems to me that so many of her symptoms were consistent with Fibro. Some docs said arthritis, some said Rheumatoid Arthritis, there were other diagnoses too, I just wonder if it has always been around in some form or if it is becoming more widespread? Sept 2010 - Citalopram 1 day Sept 2010 - Zopliclone for ten weeks (paranoia ended a couple of months after coming off this and sleep settled down again until the last couple of months) Ocober 2010 - Cymbalta 30mg November 2010 - Cymbalta 60mg February 2011 - 60mg to 30 mg (lasted 10 days)reinstated 60mg March 2011 - Took 2 60mg tablets on one evening in error - paralysis of face, back of head, shoulder, stabbing in right kidney, lost 30% of hearing) March - June 2011 went down quickly 1mg a day until I got stuck at 25mg, went up to 27mg, because couldn't breath. 26th June - 26mg 3rd July - 25mg 17th July - 24mg 24th July - 23mg 7th Aug - began reducing by a bead every couple of days or so went well at first then hit a wall 24th October - now on 18.5mg. Since the kidney infection at start of September, have been in constant pain and anxiety, no let up. Given Ciprofloxacin. 8th Jan 2012 17.8mg (currently reducing 0.2mg a week) 8th Jan 2012 17.6mg last reduction was 6 days ago. 15th Jan 17.4mg 21st Jan 17.2mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Skyler Posted June 22, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 22, 2012 Out of interest from all your research, do you think Fibromyalgia is a new disease or has always been around and been given different names? I ask, because my mother suffered badly and it seems to me that so many of her symptoms were consistent with Fibro. Some docs said arthritis, some said Rheumatoid Arthritis, there were other diagnoses too, I just wonder if it has always been around in some form or if it is becoming more widespread? It's always been around, though it is probably more widespread now given the lack of physical exercise. When people are out of shape we stress our muscles much more easily, so our sedentary life style sets us up. When I was diagnosed it was called fibrositis because inflammation was thought to be involved. Fibromyalgia is not a member of the arthritis family, though it was thought to be for some time and referred to as muscle rheumatism. Uplifting stories.. sounds like the right remedy. ~S As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule. Requip - 3/16 ZERO Total time on 25 years. Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10) Total time on 25 years. Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section. "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajnjj Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Schuyler, I was wondering if you have read the book "from fatigued to fantastic"? I have not, however, a friend of mine who is also a pain mnmt nurse practitioner recommended it. She says 70% of her chronic pain, CFS, and Fibro patients respond with great improvement from following the protocol. Just wondering if you have heard of or read it. Thanks Everything was ok. And then it wasn't. Med History 11/2009- 50 mg Zoloft (1st ad ever) in combo w/.50 xanax for 2 weeks then use xanax as needed (1st benzo ever) 9 days on Zoloft, I was awake for 9 days straight C/T Zoloft 11/2009- trazadone to sleep for 2 weeks c/t Trazadone 12/2009 start 10 mg Lexapro w/ Xanax as needed 5/2010-3 week taper off lexapro 9/2010? back to Lexapro 10 mg after 5 or 6 weeks c/t leapro 12/2010-10mg paxil 5/2011-6 week paxil taper 8/2011 5mg lexapro last lexapro pill January 7 2012 all this as per doc orders Thanks Doc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Skyler Posted June 24, 2012 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 24, 2012 Schuyler, I was wondering if you have read the book "from fatigued to fantastic"? I have not, however, a friend of mine who is also a pain mnmt nurse practitioner recommended it. She says 70% of her chronic pain, CFS, and Fibro patients respond with great improvement from following the protocol. Just wondering if you have heard of or read it. Thanks Thanks, I haven't but am looking at the From Fatigue to Fantastic on Amazon. I use The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual, and Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual The book your friend talks about seems more for CFS?.. I have not read as much on this area because I don't meet the criteria, and my trigger points started off as myofascial pain that was caused by chronic micro trauma. Thanks for the suggestion. Schuyler As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule. Requip - 3/16 ZERO Total time on 25 years. Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10) Total time on 25 years. Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section. "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajnjj Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Yes sir but the 3 rd edition, sorry, I should have said that, focuses much more on fibro. She said its amazing. Good luck!!! Everything was ok. And then it wasn't. Med History 11/2009- 50 mg Zoloft (1st ad ever) in combo w/.50 xanax for 2 weeks then use xanax as needed (1st benzo ever) 9 days on Zoloft, I was awake for 9 days straight C/T Zoloft 11/2009- trazadone to sleep for 2 weeks c/t Trazadone 12/2009 start 10 mg Lexapro w/ Xanax as needed 5/2010-3 week taper off lexapro 9/2010? back to Lexapro 10 mg after 5 or 6 weeks c/t leapro 12/2010-10mg paxil 5/2011-6 week paxil taper 8/2011 5mg lexapro last lexapro pill January 7 2012 all this as per doc orders Thanks Doc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdav Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some advice (or refer me to some post) on how to manage or ease withdrawal symptoms that mimic neuropathy or fibromyalgia. My WD symptoms come in waves and always seem to be different each time. Sometimes it's akathisia, other times it's brain zaps, then it's depression, etc. This time I'm experiencing a lot of acute and shooting pain through my body along with twitching and burning sensations. This happens mostly on my head, back, arms, hands, fingers (a lot of articular pain and involuntary movements) and legs. I'm also feeling extremely tired and with a lot of brain fog. Small tasks are really hard to do right now, even though last week I was doing better. This has happened to me before and doctor put me on Lyrica. Sometimes it helps a little bit, sometimes it doesn't help at all and I don't want to increase the dosage. I'm currently on 75 mg. I'm feeling scared this will become something chronic, like it's real fibromyalgia or neuropathy (I really don't know the difference between them). Doctor knows this is a withdrawal symptom but, like I said he wants me to increase Lyrica from 75 mg to 150 mg. I don't want to do this. Do you think this is only a wave? I started magnesium last week, could this have triggered this? What can ease these symptoms? I'd appreciate any advice. Thank you -Effexor 150 mgs (2001-2009). Severe withdrawal symptoms during and after tapering for 6 months. -Pristiq 50 mg (2009-2012) Tapered over a year. Worst year of my life. -Prozac 20 mg (2012) Tapered over 6 moths to ease withdrawal. Still had severe WD symptoms. - (2012-2014) Doctor tried more than 20 medications for depression and WD, leaving me hypersensitive, and in protracted withdrawal. - Most debilitating symptoms during protracted withdrawal have been deep depression, anxiety, brain zaps, fatigue, akathisia, twitching, headaches and terrible PMS. -January 2015: Started Lamictal 12.5 mg, increased to 25 mg.- Bad reaction when updosed to 50 mg. Stopped. -February 2015: Doctor tried new antidepressant Brintellix - Horrible reaction. Discontinued completely. Severe AKATHISIA started. -March 2015: Started TMS therapy (Transcranial magnetic stimulation) for severe depression. Didn't work. -July 23-August 12: Had 10 ECT sessions which took away my protracted withdrawal symptoms including: akathisia, brain zaps, muscle twitches, fatigue and depression. Stopped medications. -September 2015: Experiencing bouts of depression again and muscle twitching. -March 2016: Started 20 mg Nortryptiline for depression. It helped. -August 2016: Slowly tapering Nortryptiline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted December 28, 2014 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 28, 2014 Hi Cdav, see: Fibromyalgia Flare Up and Withdrawals and Peripheral Neuropathy When you have a question or comment about a specific symptom, please search to see if we already have a related topic, we usually do. Then you can benefit from previously collected information and add to the discussion. This keeps the site organized with all available knowledge in one thread, easily accessible through searches. The search function on this site doesn't work very well. The best way to search this site for specific information is to use Google. Type in survivingantidepressants.org then the symptom or information you wish to search for. If after searching, you can't find what you're looking for, please start a new topic. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted December 29, 2014 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 29, 2014 similar topics merged I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago77 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Not sure if anyone still checks this thread, but I tapered off of Lexapro over a 6 month period after being on 10mg for 12 years. It's now been almost 4 months and I have every symtptom of fibromyalgia. The muscle/joint pain is sometimes so bad that I can't do anything. I've had numerous blood tests and even an MRI. They all came back normal. Could this be from getting off lex? Has anyone else had this? If so, how long does this last? I've never had pain like this in my life. The last thing I want to do is go back on a anti-depressant for fibro if I know this will get better. Please help! Took 10 mg of Lexapro for 15 years. Started to taper in October 2015. Took last 1mg dose in March 2016. Started having side effects end of March 2016. Symptoms include: anxiety, heart palpitations, shaky, chronic fatigue, body feels like lead(so heavy), brain fog and dizziness and really bad pain especially on right side of body. Symptoms as of 10/18/16- Burning skin, widespread body pain, some insomnia, some fatigue, some brain fog, anxiety upon waking up, numbing and tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints. Symptoms as of 4/19/17- A little burning skin, muscle pain, FATIGUE, some brain fog, tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints, blurry vision, eye floaters, sciatica. Symptoms as of 10/3/17- Physical symptoms-- Very little burning skin that comes and goes, some muscle and nerve pain that comes and goes, tremor in pinky and ring finger, muscle twitches, cortisol spike in the morning(heart palpitations), cracking/popping joints all those this has gotten a little better lately, blurry vision and eye floaters that come and go, sciatica(less intense now), fatigue which is still very bad but better than a year ago. Mental symptoms-- Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, lack of motivation or interest, brain fog(trouble focusing and concentrating), ruminating thoughts. All these come and go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted June 18, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 18, 2016 Chicago, SquirrellyGirl answered your question in your intro thread: Reply to your question about symptoms This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drugged Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain syndrome going on 7 years ago. My understanding is as follows: for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia a person had to have extreme sensitivity to moderate pressure at 11 of 18 highly specific tender points plus a certain number of the associated symptoms. In 2010 the American College of Rheumatology dropped the requirement for the tender points. Other illnesses, such as Lyme, EBV, etc., must be ruled out. Chronic myofascial pain syndrome is a different beast. In this, trigger points can be felt in any muscle tissue in the body and they can be palpated. When pressure is applied to a trigger point the pain is often excruciating. However, trigger points can be successfully treated and much of the pain resolved. Doctors use dry needling which is really ridiculously invasive (and expensive) when trigger point massage is just as effective and much less expensive. Upshot for me; a lot of my chronic myofascial pain was dealt with by trigger point massage though this long stretch of inactivity has brought back some of those nasty knots. I can use self-massage as described in the books Skyler mentioned to work a lot of these out myself. The fibromyalgia diagnosis? That, I'm thinking, might have been at least in part withdrawal. In the back of my mind I wonder if what is called "fibromyalgia" might be an iatrogenic condition. It's symptoms and those of ADWD have a lot of overlap. Most people with fibro are women and close to 25% of women in this country on taking antidepressants of one kind or another. 1994 Venlafaxine XR 300mg, 2003 tapered, 2004 off briefly back to 37.5 then 75mg, held, June 2019 up to 150mg, Aug.12 tapered down to 112.5mgs, Oct. 21, 2019 96mg; Dec. 8, 2019 90mg, Jan. 8 2020 81mg, Feb. 4, 75mg; April 17, 2023 37.5mg 2003/2004? Diazepam 10mg/bedtime 2013 Lyrica 300mg to 25mg; April 6, 2020 17mg; April 28, <5mg; May 7, 2020 Lyrica 0 mg! 2013 Tramadol 50mg tablets, 200mg/day divided 2005? Trazodone 50mg bedtime, Feb. 12, 2020 40mg, March 7, 25mg; Oct 1 20mg; 0mg! 2009? Zolpidem 5mg at bedtime. Nov. 9, 2019 Zolpidem 0 mg! 1990? Omeprazole 20mg in morning. 2010? Levothyroxine 75mcg morning 2011? Liothyronine 5mcg morning 1999? Buspirone 30mg twice a day August 2019 15mg once a day, Oct.21, 2019 2.5mg evening Oct. 25, 2019 Buspirone 0 mg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentor littlebird Posted February 5, 2023 Mentor Share Posted February 5, 2023 Just seeing if I can bump this topic and see if anyone else is dealing with fibromyalgia Pronouns: they/them/theirs Started on Prozac in early 2000s to treat cPTSD, been on various cocktails ever since. 2002-2004, 2017-2022: Buspar, tapered down to 0 2016-present: 100mg Seroquel for sleep -> May 2023: 90mg -> June 2023: 81mg -> September 2023: 72mg -> switched to brand name, much too strong, down to 60mg -> October 2023: 54mg -> November 2023: 50mg -> January 2024: 45mg -> April 2024: 40.5mg 2016-Present: 100mg Wellbutrin SR -> January 2023: 75mg IR (37.5mg 2x a day) -> February 2023 (33.75mg 2x a day) -> July 2023 (30.37mg 2x a day) -> August 2023: 27.33mg 2x a day 2018-present: 25mg Pristiq 2015-present: 600mg Gabapentin (200mg 3x a day) -> December 2022: 300mg Gabapentin (100mg 3x a day) per GP's recommendation after side effects -> March 2023: 90mg 3x a day (switched to liquid suspension) -> April 2023: 81mg 3x a day -> September 2023: bad generic, switched back to homemade liquid; too strong after bad generic, down to 70mg 3x a day, still bad. Adjusted slowly till at 60mg 3x a day, much better. Long hold till -> December 2023: 54mg, still feels too high after November Seroquel switch from brand name to generic, doc recommended 50mg which feels better -> January 2024: When Wellbutrin went down, Gabapentin started putting me to sleep, went down to 45mg, then 41mg to stay awake, so far so good -> February 2024: 36mg, still too high, 34mg -> March 2024: 31mg, STILL too high, 30mg Supplements: Multivitamin w/magnesium, probiotics, digestive enzymes, anti-viral nitric oxide nose spray as needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidicgeisha Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Hey, I'm almost 2 months off of Cymbalta and I'm noticing how much my fibromyalgia pain (went from a 2 or 3/10 to a solid 8/10) has come back since I stopped taking my meds. Is this a sign that I should go back on Cymbalta to treat the body aches? As much as I hated being on C and the withdrawal that came with it, I just cannot live with fibro. It's basically the only treatment that worked for me so far. September 2019: Cymbalta 30 mg February 10th 2023: Quit CT + 3 doses Fluoxetine 10 mg March 13th 2023: Reinstatement w/ Cymbalta ~0.6 mg. No relief whatsover March 21st-24th 2023: Reinstatement w/ Fluoxetine 10 mg. Drowsy, stomachache and diarrhea. Relief a few days later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DisplayName3332024 Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Did fibromyalgia ever go away? I can't deal with this skin pain anymore. I'm fatigued, ABSOLUTELY FATIGUED just a couple of hours right after waking up. Extreme brain fog coupled with constant skin (and inner) pain... I think I'm throwing in the towel once and for all. Never had any issues myself before taking Prozac. No sleep disturbances nor any major issue back in 2020. Now I suffer from anhedonia along with this crap. If this body (non-muscle) pain does not solve on its own, I'll consider... I don't want to say the word. April 2017 (court-ordered by the age of 16) to mid 2019 — Risperdal ~2-4mg (can't remember dosage), fast taper by 2019. Persistent anhedonia. Mid 2021 to May 2023 (age of 21-23) — Fluoxetine (Prozac) starting by 20mg, fast taper through oral solution by 20% decreases until May 2023. By late 2023, possible WD kicking in with sleep disturbances, averaging 5-6 hours of highly interrupted sleep with extreme fatigue along with skin/body pain and extreme brain fog (never had none of these, thanks pharma), along with worsened anhedonia (thanks again). By the beginning of 2024, I feel constant tingling on my feet (and, sometimes, up to the knee from behind), possible neuropathy(?) worsening by night. Sleep quality decreased, taking more hours just to fall asleep. NO WINDOWS OR WAVES, but WORSENING of SYMPTOMS through the months (suspected brain damage). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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