Has anyone taken "Savella" ?

[suede]

Hi All

I have been in the process of having to change some meds around to get my nerve pain back under control, I have been on cymbalta for several years and it worked great but I was maxed out on the doesage and it had quit working.

The DR. tried me on a couple of others though now I remember having been on them before and the side effects were awful.

So now we are going to try this medication I read that it used for fibromyalgia which they say have too who knows but my main concern now is the nerve pain the other is under control for the time.

I can read all the info but there is nothing like first hand knowledge.

Thanks
Linda

[Melanie]

I've been taking Savella for awhile now, at least a year or more I think?? Memory is going ;) But I take it for fibromyalgia, which it has really helped me. I took Lyrica before but it stopped working, so far the Savella has done well. I haven't had any side effects but I'm one of those people that rarely does so I'm probably not much help. It probably helped with any nerve pain until surgery earlier this year, we had to add Neurontin back into the mix. I hope it works well for you.

[suede]

Mealnie,

Thanks so much for the input.

It is one of the medications I never heard of but then as I said I had been pretty stable for some time and hadn't needed to research.

Lyrica and neurontin are 2 meds I had bad side effects from and wasn't able to take, the Dr. tried putting me on "AMITRIPYLINE" after taking me off the cymbalta and I gained over 15 lbs. in 3 weeks and some other side effects

Right now after years and years on some sort of antidepressant(mostly for nerve pain) I am on nothing and believe me this is NOT a laughing matter..The Dr. wanted to clean my system so we would know if it was withdrawl from cymbalta or a new med causing problems, this is not going well for me.

I see in your sig. you had surgery and then infections this year sorry to hear you had such problems I hope that the surgery worked well for you other wise..

Linda

[Melanie]

Oh I can only imagine how miserable you must be without ANY meds for nerve pain! My first big experience with that was right after my first surgery, I wanted to saw my leg OFF!

I remember taking Amitripyline many years ago for sleep/depression, didn't do a thing for either ;) Those old meds often do cause weight gain. Like the depressed need something else to be depressed about!

Sadly I can't say the latest surgery worked as one of the screws broke loose and a rod is moving (yes, it's as bad as it sounds at time too!!). I see my NS this week to find out if (when is more like it) I need more surgery.

[Mark N]

Linda, my wife tried Savella but didn't get much pain relief from her TN pain. She quit taking it after six weeks and didn't have any problem getting off of it. She gets more pain relief from Amitripyline but she is trying Tramadol now. I hope you get better pain relief from the med than my wife has but she has odd reactions to many of the meds.

[alex44]

don't know much but good luck

I have never tried Sevalla(sp) but both Cymbata and likra(Sp) were tried and were a nightmare for me. too many side effects, I was just plain loopy. Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you, my doc. currently has me on Clonadine, which is for High blood pressure but alworks on Neuroapathy, its an off label use, but it helps and any relief is good.
Good luck
Blessings
Alex44

[suede]

Melanie,

I am so sorry your having all these problems from the surgery. I pray that you are able to get this all taken care of soon and begin healing.

Mark,

Amitriptyline is what has caused me to gain all this weight so fast and had other side effects, I can't believe the living hell I am going through right no after all these years on cymbalta for the nerve pain and deppresion I am on nothing other then MsContin and the withdrawl is a nightmare..

The Dr. wanted me off all these meds to clear my system before starting the savella so as to know that what new side effects and what is withdrawl.. What a joke on me..

Alex

Thank goodness my blood pressure is one of the few things I don't have a problem with right now or didn't before all this started.
Glad the Clonidine is working for you.

I am ready to toss it all out this is just getting ridiculous.

Thanks for the offer of support and info much appreciated.
Linda

[Mark N]

Linda, I can't believe a doctor that truly cares about you is putting you through this. What is he thinking, that WD is not much of an issue or does he just not care how bad you feel. I am sorry your dr is so unfeeling to put you through this as it isn't something easy to do. I hope you don't suffer too much longer before you add the Savella.

[suede]

Hi All,

Thought I would update on the Savella.

Have been on it for a couple of weeks now and it is seeming to help with the nerve pain thus far, only more time will tell about that though.

However I don't know if it is this med. or what but I am an emotional basket case and borderline rage.
I can't even stand to be around myself and things I say and do may me sick. just not like me or at least I should hope not. I also want to cry all the time, I can be in a fit of rage one second and crying the next.

I now this sounds like depression and I would have to agree but I have dealt with that before and this really isn't the same.

Oh well an other one of those things time will have to tell.

Hope you all are doing well you are all in my thoughts.

Linda

[Diandra]

Hey Linda,
Now that we're into November, I was wondering how you are doing now with the Savella. I can relate to your desrcription of being an emotional basket case and the rage thing....I got that with Neurontin after awhile. I am now on Lyrica and so far, so good. My doc did give me Savella but I did not try it. I have never done well with any antidepressants used for pain control. Elavil, even at 5mg puts me in a coma. Lyrica had alot of side effects in the beginning to but I rode them out because my doc said I was running out of options and had to give it a good long shot before I stopped it. After 3 weeks I was OK.

I hope the emotional side effects have worn off for you. Nothing like being a raving loon when the holidays are coming! I know how some of these drugs seem to take away our ability to control our emotions and at times, for me, it has been rather embarassing.

Thinking of you Linda, Diandra

[suede]

Hi Diandra,
Thanks so much for asking.. However I gave up on it I couldn't stand the feelings I had on it.

Right now I am only taking the MsContin for my pain and went on wellbutrin for the depression and to try and stop smoking, however thus far neither has stopped the depression or the smoking.

I have tried it all so tired of it all ya know, the pain is pretty well under control at the moment "knock on wood"!

Hope that you have a good holiday and again thank you for asking..

Hugs,
Linda

[alex44]

Linda - Just recently my doc. told me that Clonadine is now approved for peripheral neuroapathy, something that troubles me greatly. Just a thought. Hopes this finds you feeling better and have a happy thansgiving.
Blessings
Alex44

[Diandra]

Hi Linda,
Sorry to hear the Savella side effects weren't tolerable...that stinks. I hope the wellbutrin kicks in for both the depression and quitting smoking. I do know what you mean about so tired of it all. I have often said to my family and friends....I just wish there was some way I could have a break from all the pain and BS that goes with it, just be able to flick a switch for a day or two with no pain and no meds. When I get down, I try to remember what it was like for folks 20,30 yrs ago and you only got pain meds if you had surgery, cancer, end of life issues, etc. and otherwise were expected to just grin and bear it. My pain doc has been good...just keeps letting me try new things when I need to and never gives up on me. It sounds like you have a pretty good doc too. I think Alex is on to something with the clonidine. My doc lets me take clonidine when I decrease opiates as it helps with the withdrawal feeling but I had stayed on it for awhile and it helps with pain and makes me very calm. Until Alex said so, I did not know it was approved for PN. Maybe talk to your doc about it. Just be careful as it does lower your bold pressure. I also wanted to mention, when I was very stressed a while back, my PCP gave me Lorazepam(a tranquilizer) and I noticed it helped with pain. I asked my pain doc about it and he made it part of my treatment plan and it also really helps with sleep.

Sending out a prayer Linda that you find a good medication combo soon. Maybe Wellbutrin will be the one. Have a good Thanksgiving. Keep checking in.
Take care, Diandra

P.S. Are you able to keep up with your art work at all?