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Need Help With Natural Methods To Deal With Fibro/chronic Fatigue


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#1 downtongirl

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 04:22 PM

I am not sure if I have been developing fibro/chronic fatigue (which I have been diagnosed with this past year) for a few years or if it is because of withdrawal symptoms from 19 years of klonopin and antidepressants but I do experience fibro/chronic fatigue like symptoms....or if it is just me being 45.

 

1.  fatigue....most days I have to take a nap in the afternoons

2.  I do have tmj...had extensive tests done by a neuromuscular dentist and have been wearing an orthotic mouth piece 24/7 for almost 6 weeks

3.  muscle aches (more so in the colder months)

4.  heat & humidity intolerance in the summer

5.  feeling weak a lot of the times

6.  slow thinking/brain fog

7.  tinnitus

8.  feeling over whelmed by most anything....have quit participating in my favorite hobbies

 

I am trying to be prescription med free and have quit caffeine/aspartame 10 days ago so any help with natural non prescription medicines suggestions/remedies is greatly appreciated.

 


#2 fishinghat

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 04:25 PM

Braggs ACV does well for the fatigue/muscle pain.


#3 thismoment

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 04:38 PM

DTG

 

All those symptoms could be withdrawal/discontinuation from SS/SNRI. How long on/ what AD/ when did you quit/ how did you quit? I would re-start the coffee, but count the cups.


#4 downtongirl

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 04:45 PM

This moment....that is not an simple answer but here goes... :D

 

quit Effexor xr and klonopin after 10 years...2008

 

restarted Effexor xr and klonopn after 2 months of being off in 2008

 

quit Effexor xr and klonopin again in 2011

 

started Cymbalta about 2 months after stopping Effexor and klonopin in 2011

 

quit Cymbalta in 2012...began zoloft

 

quit ssri's and went back on Cymbalta November 2013

 

dr. added Risperdal 3/14

 

quit klonopin 4/9/14

 

started gabapentin on 4/29/14

 

quit Risperdal 5/31/14

 

quit gabapentin 6/14

 

started taper of Cymbalta 60 mg 8/1/14


#5 FiveNotions

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Posted 23 September 2014 - 05:49 PM

DTG, did you wean off the risperdal, gabapentin, klonopin, and Zoloft or quit cold turkey?

If you quit any/all of those cold turkey, no wonder you're having troubles!

All the symptoms you're describing, including the TMJ, are ones I had during the first months of cymbalta withdrawal... I quit cold turkey and was hit hard....

What weaning process are you using to get off the cymbalta? Also, why have you been getting on and off it several times?

And, you say you went off ssri's and went back on cymbalta in nov 2013 .... You do realize that cymbalta is primarily an ssri, right? Yes, it's technically an ssnri, but the serotonin is the main element of it .....

#6 downtongirl

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Posted 20 November 2014 - 07:51 PM

Hey Five Notions...sorry that it has been so long since I have replied...I have been out of town for a few weeks and just checking back in.  I took my last Cymbalta 20 mg on September 27th and 10 days later I started having a lot of pain....I was out of time and thought it was due to new cholesterol medicine so I went to a local dr. office similar to a urgent care and told the md that it was that or either a fibro flare.  She prescribed me 25 mg of Elavil.  I took it and the next day felt better....I took it for 4 weeks then quit because I did not want to be on medicines....well 4 days after being off of Elavil and I am in bad pain again.  I am trying to combat the pain with Tylenol.  How long did your tmj pain and body pain last after you quit Cymbalta and what did you do to combat it?


#7 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 21 November 2014 - 10:27 AM

DTG,

Have you tried Magnesium with Malic Acid? That is been shown to help some people. Also, i would recommend fish oil...it is a natural anti-inflammatory. I am sure it's helped me.

I congratulate you for going caffeine free I know i should but can't wake up without it...my former chiro introduced me to an herbal coffee called Organo Gold...it has a mushroom extract in it and some people don't crash after drinking it. I haven't seen that to be true for me though.

FH, interesting about the ACV...i hear people rave about it for so many ills...maybe because it's alkaline?

#8 Amysgarden

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Posted 21 November 2014 - 12:15 PM

I would definitely agree that a lot (or all) of the symptoms you are describing could be discontinuation issues and some could be depression. I went cold turkey off the Crap at the end of July, and I've been battling joint and muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, etc. Cant really comment on the tinnitus, as I've had that for years.

I rely a lot on my heating pad and Blue Emu cream. Chelated magnesium seemed to ease the joint and muscle aches a bit.

#9 downtongirl

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Posted 30 November 2014 - 06:46 PM

Thanks for your reply?  What caused your tinnitus and how do you deal with it?  Anything make it better?


#10 FiveNotions

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Posted 01 December 2014 - 10:00 AM

Hi DTG, I apologize for not responding to you sooner ... I went from not working for 14 months to having two jobs (one PT permanent, the other is 40 hrs/week for just 8 weeks) ... keeping me away from the forum temporarily... anyway .. enuf about me ...

I think you're expecting way too much of yourself too soon, too fast ... body/muscle pain is common during withdrawal and the longer "discontinuation" phase ... which extends over months for many of us here ...

For example, I had excruciating muscle and back pain that hit about the 2d month off (I went cold turkey, 60 mg for 7-8 yrs to zero, so I made things worse for myself) ... the good folks here at the time, Fishinghat and ThisMoment and EquusWoman, all assured me that it was part of the withdrawal "package" ... and to wait it out ... I used chelated magnesium, Epsom salt hot baths, omega 3 fish oil, and a heating pad ... after about 4 weeks, it faded ... and, what really helped me next was that at the beginning of my 5th month off I took a month long yoga class ... just once a week ... nearly killed me, and it was "old fart" yoga for senior citizens ... but man, it sure helped ...

And now, I'm going to "lecture you" a bit ... actually, quite a bit.... :) .... you quit risperdal, gabapentin, klonopin, and Zoloft and Cymbalta ... all in a very short period of time (I'm still not clear if you cold turkeyed all of them, and did so simultaneously) ... each one of those has massive withdrawal issues ... and massive impact on the brain and body ... is it any damned wonder why you're still having problems? Plus, you've only been off the Cymbalta since September ... your brain and body simply cannot deal with what you've thrown at them ... and you must, absolutely must, slow down ... stop pushing yourself ... and stop adding, then dropping, new meds ... :blink: :wacko:

Do you have a regular GP and psychiatrist and therapist? If yes, are you seeing them regularly, and telling them everything about the meds? and if not, you really need to get them ... one of each ...

Now you've jumped on and off Elavil ... 4 weeks on, then quit cold turkey ... as I'll explain below, Elavil has horrid side effects, and can have a horrid withdrawal if not done very slowly ...

DTG, you are causing these problems for yourself with your attitude towards these meds ... they aren't to be taken, then not taken, like aspirin ... they are powerful, powerful CNS agents ...

And you can't just go to some urgent care place and let a nobody doc hand you an Rx for Elavil ...

That doc was a jackass to put you on Elavil (Amitriptyline) like it was/is a simple aspirin ... it's a TCA ... tricyclic antidepressant ... been around for ages, since the 1960s, and isn't used much any more ... http://en.wikipedia....i/Amitriptyline... it just has too many bad side effects and as other meds came on the market, it stopped being prescribed except for people who hadn't responded to any other antidepressant...

Here's what it was/is used for primarily: ..."to treat a number of mental disorders including: major depressive disorder, anxiety, and less commonly psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and bipolar disorder. Other uses include: prevention of migraines and post herpetic neuralgia and less commonly insomnia" ...

It's been tried for fibromyalgia, but there's as much evidence that it causes it as there is that it helps it ...

Included in its substantial "side effects profile" are muscle, body and lower back pain ...

 

I also found 1) a ton of posts on other antidepressant withdrawal forums/websites about people getting off Elavil, and then ending up with muscle, body and lower back pain, which they had not had before taking the drug  ... and/or being diagnosed with fibro ... especially the ones who quit cold turkey and/or tapered too fast

 

You mention in your post that you felt better after taking the first dose of the Elavil ... well, I'm not sure there's a connection ... because it takes Elavil several weeks to ramp up in the system, and it usually doesn't start taking effect until the 3d or 4th week ... so, you quit right about when it would have been becoming effective, if it was going to do anything to help ...

And, because you took it for 4 weeks, you likely did yourself some harm by quitting it cold turkey ... it has its own withdrawal issues, and a very slow taper is recommended ... quitting cold turkey set you back substantially, is my bet ... the comments on the other forums indicate that some folks have taken up to a year to taper off ... granted, those have been tapers from much higher doses, and having been on it for a much longer time ...

 

but still, you've slammed your brain and body with so many drug withdrawals in just a few months ... this is a powerful drug, and quitting cold turkey wasn't the best idea ... you are a bit of a "hasty one" aren't you? (I bet you were impossible on the run-up to Christmas when you were a kid ....  ;))
 
Now just slow down ... be patient with your brain and body and give them time to heal ... lots of time ... and please check in here more often (ha, great one I am to say that after I've virtually disappeared for the last 5 weeks) .... let us know how you're doing, and please, check in here before you make any med / routine changes ...
 
Get the Omega 3 and chelated magnesium .... BUT first check this list of drug interactions it has ...https://www.cymbalta...s/?hl=magnesium(FH posted this months ago, a number of us discovered we were taking meds with which magnesium has a bad interaction) ...

 

and, get some Epsom salts for hot baths ... it's a form of magnesium and in the hot bath the magnesium crosses the transdermal barrier and gets right into the muscles .... also, haul out the old heating pad and try making it your new best friend ... :P

 

And most of all, hang in there ... you've only been off the crapalta since September ... that's not even 4 months ... and in your post you said you were out of town when you got the Elavil ... so gee whiz, you're up and out and about ... that's a huge amount of progress ... give yourself some credit ... huge credit ... for what you've done ... look at the list of drugs you've gotten off of (granted, the hard way) ... and give you brain and body some credit ... and as much time as they need to continue healing ...


#11 CCHaskins

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Posted 25 December 2014 - 07:10 AM

I can sympathize with you because in my heart I trust my doctor. But this blind trust I'd misplaced. I too have been on several psychotropic medications. I was put on elival when I develooed lymphoid thyroiditis. That was in 1992. 14 years later I have had a pattern of stopping the med the. Going to a doctor for help and put on a new and (better) drug. I have also had counseling. It wasn't until I started drug roulette that I had chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. My doctor sent me for a sleep study (remember how prevalent sleep studies were. I was told I had pathological sleepiness. These last 22 years have been a war, but only now have I identified the enemy. I'm sure some people are helped with these mess. I wonder how many of the 8000 vets a year were prescribed SSRI or SNRI for their PTSD before they committed suicide. I'm just starting to get it and I don't think there's a conspiracy but I have found out through this cymbalta experience, much of what the public is fed is just snake oil, but more scientifically "proven". I met a person who participated in drug trials that told me the compensation was generous, and the company was fairly nurturing during the drug test time period. I wonder how many of the participants had the same withdrawal symptoms but we're too incredulous to even report as a withdrawal symptom? Myself, if this forum wasn't available I'd be running to a doctor for help because I would thing I had the flu, uti, or as I was told my sleep cycle isn't right that's where the pathological sleepiness comes in. I almost died from a spinal tap in 2005. The doctors wanted to put a pacemaker in. I didn't connect these issues to the Zoloft I was prescribed. Now with everybody being sent to the pusher,dr, pain doctor we get brainwashed into compliance and passivity. Consequently many of us believe our doctor as we take the new medicine. I dont believe my thinking is irrational but as AE said insanity is doing the same thing hoping for a different result. I'm finally "getting it". I'm going to get better and stay better, thanks to all of you. Chris

#12 gail

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Posted 25 December 2014 - 08:36 AM

Cch,

Sure like the insanity description. Heard that a lot at meetings, good of you to bring it back. I do tend to forget...

Doing the same thing and hoping for a different result!

#13 DoneWithCrap

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 10:37 AM

I started a new supplement called CuraMed about 3 weeks ago. It is loaded with turmeric and other all natural anti inflammatory

 

http://www.europharm...curamed-750-mg/

 

My dad has arthritis all over his body. He confessed that he was praying to die because he was in so much pain. He has been taking this for a month and claims to feel like a new man. He is 81 years old and has had a knee replaced years ago but that didn't do much to help his mobility. He claims that the CuraMed has changed his life. My mother said she hasn't seen him this happy in years.

 

I'm not posting this as an advertisement for the product. I have no vested interest in the product. I'm just sharing my dad's and my experience with it.

I have noticed that I am able to move around with less pain and I have only been taking it for 3 weeks.

 

If those of you that know how to research things decide to check this out, please let me know if there is a reason I should not use it. It seems to be working for me but I have been fooled before (with the cymbalta)


#14 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 10:49 AM

Turmeric is an ancient remedy for inflammation, and lots of other stuff ... Vedic (Hindu) medicine has used it for thousands of years ... I discovered it during hard withdrawal, used tons of it... made a "tea concoction" of turmeric and ginger ... had totally forgotten about that!

I'll go find some of my old links/info ... also, didn't our member, Xiaojie (spelling?) mention this? She's one of our success stories, so we haven't heard from her .. but she works in Asia (gads, brain fart, what country?) .. and had horrible fibro/muscle/joint issues, got lots of relief from CTM... Chinese Traditional Medicine ...

Thanks for telling us about this, DWC! (And so very happy this stuff is helping you and your dad!)

#15 TryinginFL

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:05 AM

DWC and FN,

 

This sounds like something I would love to try!  My fibro and the osteoarthritis in my foot are becoming extremely painful - just finding something to help that isn't a RX would be wonderful!

 

FN, I know how good you are at posting links - could you find something related to this? (Sorry, but you know how un-techy I am! :()

 

I think that Xia lives in Taiwan...

 

Thanks - both of you!

Liz  :hug:


#16 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:17 AM

Yep, I'm looking now .. typical, I can't find all the links I'm sure I saved from "back when" I first found the info ... so, I'm just re-doing the search ...

This started as DTG's thread ... have we heard from her recently? I haven't seen/noticed any posts from her, but then I haven't exactly been a regular here myself these past couple of months ... getting a bit worried about her ...

TFL ... for someone "un-techy" those avatars you make for yourself are pretty amazing ... I downloaded the app. to do that, just like you told me, and couldn't even get the app to run .. :blink:


#17 TryinginFL

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:30 AM

Thanks, FN!

 

You're right - wonder how DTG is doing - I think the holidays have kept many from posting - too busy!  I hope that all come back to say hello at least..  Wagtail has been on my mind a lot as well - I hope that she was home for the holidays!

 

Thanks so much for your help and I'm so happy (as I'm sure you are! :D) that your gig is about ended.  Too bad that my only claim to fame is playing with my avatars! :P


#18 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:31 AM

Here are some links to info on turmeric ... I'll also make a separate "turmeric" thread for it in whichever of the forums that would fit into ..

It appears that the "active ingredient" in turmeric that is so effective in fighting inflammation is "curcumin." Tons of research on this, and yes, it's a recognized anti-inflammatory agent... the drug cos have focused on developing marketable drugs based on curcumin ... using the chemical formula for the stuff, and then artificially "boosting" it's strength/effectiveness ... Vedic/natural/holistic medicine focuses on using just the natural turmeric ... and that works very well ...

Here's the best of what I found with a basic search ...

Turmeric
University of Maryland Medical Center
http://umm.edu/healt...d/herb/turmeric

Ayushveda: Home Remedies for Fibromyalgia
http://www.ayushveda...ibromyalgia.htm

Safety and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Curcumin: A Component of Tumeric (Curcuma longa)
Journal of ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Volume 9, Number 1, 2003, pp. 161–168
https://pinnaclife.c...umin-Safety.pdf

Potential Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin, the Anti-inflammatory Agent, Against Neurodegenerative, Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, Metabolic, Autoimmune and Neoplastic Diseases
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009
http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2637808/

#19 DoneWithCrap

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:34 AM

I ordered mint through Amazon. It isn't cheap but neither are my Rx co-pays.

There are plenty of reviews for this product at Amazon but you never can tell who is posting them. All that I have read has been positive but I still wonder about interactions


#20 TryinginFL

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:34 AM

FN,

 

Thanks so much - this will keep me busy for a while! :)


#21 DoneWithCrap

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:36 AM

I'm out of "likes" FN. Thank you!


#22 TryinginFL

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Posted 03 January 2015 - 11:36 AM

DWC,

 

I, too, wonder about interactions given my strange problem with the magnesium! :blink: If it's something bizarre, it will include me!





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