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Mike63

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Feb 3, 2017
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Undiagnosed
Diagnosis
11/2015
Country
US
State
CO
I am suffering with terrible pain and disability. I've recently been diagnosed with fibro but other Drs are not in agreement.

About 4 years ago i developed severe tinnitus and was placed on a variety of antidepressants. I began to experience pain while taking Cymbalta and was cold turkey'ed off this in April 2014 and placed on Xanax. In the summer of 2014 I began to experience neurologic deficits and more widespread pain. Gabapentin was added. Drs denied the drugs were to blame. A year ago I was able to taper successfully off of the benzo and gabapentin and began to improve significantly. Unfortunately last Jan I contracted shingles and had to reinstate gabapentin. Ive never been the same since. At 900 mg Gabapentin I was unable to walk. I took the last dose after a careful taper 30 days ago and although I'm horrific pain I was able to actually walk/jog combo about 3 miles this week.

I have pain my buttocks and between my shoulder blades so severe it has driven me to becoming unconscious. My upper left trapezius is so tight it is swollen along with my levator scapula, left jaw and scalene muscles in my neck. I get severe bodywide burning attacks that last for several hours to an entire day. My hands and forearms burn terribly. My left scapula burns so badly I cannot function. I have had MRIs of entire spine, brain and pelvis. I have tendon damage in my right forearm and left cheek. I cannot respond to weight or resistance training, my muscles ball up and swell even with the lightest weight. My pelvis is constantly twisted and PTs and chiropractors say they have never seen anything like this. I have taken every pain killer and muscle relaxer known to man and don't get even 1% relief. I have taken enough CBD oil and medical cannibis to incapacitate a biker gang and feel zero effects from it. Lyrica low dose produced hallucinations. I'm on 10mg Elavil and can barely see to drive and have skin rashes from it. I'm so fatigued and weak most of the time that I'm becoming housebound. I try to force exercise but it is very difficult.

I'm entering the fourth year of suffering. Mayo Clinic says I have central sensitization. My neurologist says she has never heard of that. My depression is very severe along with anxiety. Osteopath diagnosed fibro and wants me to do the Guaifenesin protocol and the Gupta Amygdala Retraining program. Another osteopath says its not fibro but myofascial pain syndrome and another Dr says its neurologic damage from medications and I'm suffering a protracted withdrawal syndrome that could take 2 years to resolve but will not admit that publicly or put it in my records.

I'm at a loss and the level of suffering is not sustainable. The very drugs that you would prescribe for fibromyalgia are the very same drugs that have caused it if that is what I have.

Has anyone heard of anything like this?
 
Default Re: Need Help Drug Induced Fibromyalgia
Hi Mike,

I'm sorry u are suffering like this.Your story is lengthy , but A lot of it sounds like Fibromyalgia.
A lot of the different meds we try to decrease pain can cause many side effects. The pain can be excruciating at times. I was diagnosed in 2011 and at that time I was bedridden. I was severely fatigued, pain all over and could barely make it to the shower.

It was difficult to do any activities at all, but after switching meds and finding the right ones , I'm now able to do some things and slowly improving.Every medication is different for each person, and they sometimes don't react the same way .

That's why it's so hard to find the right med.
The dr recently upped my gabapentin for severe scuaticavin my leg, but it was too strong.it made me more fatigued and my eyes were heavy, so we lowered it and it's much better. I'd say it works to take some of the pain away but it still is there.

I found body massages helped me. I joined one where the massages were discounted monthly. And although it's temporary,it helps relax muscles and increase circulation.It has A lot of benefits. Even helps with anxiety.

I found Lexapro works good for anxiety, but u just have to keep trying
And not give up, even when everything seems so depressing.

It's hard to be chronically Ill. We all go thru that down period of trying to figure out why this happened to us,and what will happen in the future.
But u have to remain positive mentally and tell yourself everyday that u are going to get better, that is what I do , and I pray a lot to lol.

I was on Cymbalta and it didn't seem to work for me , so I switched to Savella.
But it should never be stopped cold turkey. I'm surprised your Dr didn't know that.
A lot of times when your first getting diagnosed, the drs are baffled, so they come up with all these different diagnoses.

When I switched to Savella I noticed a change after 1 week , even though I was withdrawing from Cymbalta with all those side effects.I definitely noticed more energy and I'm able to do more now. I still can't work and you should never try to push yourself to excercise, it can just cause u to go into a flare.

The best thing that I have found that helps with the fatigue is to pace yourself. Running miles is too much, you will deplete your energy and be back to square one.You have to start slowly and do one thing at a time and then rest.Our bodies are weak and we need to get good nutrition, vitamins and rest.
And if u can excercise great! But it should always be done gradually.

For the pain narcotics I found have to be taken frequently and eventually increased, and as soon as u miss a dose your body goes into withdrawal and it's not a good thing.

Most drs find that antidepressants do help for pain and anxiety,depression.A lot of the fibromites lol are on Gabapentin to help with nerve pain also.

Sleep is another issue that should be taken care of.Because our bodies need to repair , and if we don't sleep our immune systems and everything else is affected.So make sure your getting enough sleep or u might have to take something like a lot of us do.

I hope that you can improve and your pain is decreased to a tolerable level.
This forum is great to read, and there are a lot of helpful people!
Feel better
 
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