Howdy!Thanks again for everyone's advice.Maybe I can shed some light on a subject I know fairly well.Does anyone here suffer from fibromyalgia?I had fibro. for nine years before i was dx with sle.I also take plaq,and pred but I am also taking the new fibro med named lyrica.Sle and fibro are very simialar but very differrant at the same time.Is anyone else in this boat? xxx patti
FIBRO/SLE/ LYRICA Anybody else?
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I think most every one here has fibro & sle, seems to me
they go hand in hand. i take plaq- methrotexate, plus a few
others, i cant take predisone because i have hemoletic anemia.
it's hard to tell what's hurting most of the time unless you know
the pressure points for fibro.
i take flexeral at night & 2mg. vakium for the fibro, and have been sleeping fairly well lately,we're all different so what works for one may not work for the other. i hav'nt tried the new fibro drug because i have no insurance.
Hope it works well for you.
they go hand in hand. i take plaq- methrotexate, plus a few
others, i cant take predisone because i have hemoletic anemia.
it's hard to tell what's hurting most of the time unless you know
the pressure points for fibro.
i take flexeral at night & 2mg. vakium for the fibro, and have been sleeping fairly well lately,we're all different so what works for one may not work for the other. i hav'nt tried the new fibro drug because i have no insurance.
Hope it works well for you.
From my memory banks, about 30% of people with SLE will also have fibro. The percentage may be higher on this board though! So I'm sure you'll get quite a few responses 
I have heard good things about Lyrica, and also Cymbalta. Many here also take amitriptyline or it's relatives which are cheaper alternatives.
(I don't have fibro...so no personal experience).
I have heard good things about Lyrica, and also Cymbalta. Many here also take amitriptyline or it's relatives which are cheaper alternatives.(I don't have fibro...so no personal experience).
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Patti,
You are right that while the joint pain from SLE is similar to pain from Fibro they are treated very differently. Even typical narcotic pain medications are not very effective on Fibromyalgia pain. I am pretty good at knowing which of pains are which but when my SLE flares up badly it can sometimes be difficult to tell them apart. My fingers and feet are lupus related and my shoulders and buttocks are Fibro related.
The number I have read is 30% of SLE patients also have Fibro. Fibromyalgia doesn't turn into SLE but some patients are mis-diagnosed and don't have Fibro at all.
I am on the older medications because the newer ones weren't out yet 5 years ago and the they still work for me so my insurance wouldn't approve the more expensive ones, at least I don't think so.
I take Nortryptaline (trycyclic anti-depressant) this is to help with sleep. For some reason most Fibro sufferers don't reach the deep stage of sleep and this type of medications helps us do that. Next is Gabapentin the generic of Neurontin, it is an anti-seizure medication. It works pretty darn good on my pain levels and is the first medication that I was put on for my Fibro. I take a relatively low dose of 600mg and only take it at night as the med does make me very groggy. It is the older cousin of the new drug Lyrica. Lastly I take Soma it isn't prescribed for my Fibro but it does help it some, it is a muscle relaxer. Flexeril is the preferred muscle relaxer for Fibro but for my muscle jerks the Soma does a better job.
I hope the Lyrica does the job for you.
Take care,
Karen
You are right that while the joint pain from SLE is similar to pain from Fibro they are treated very differently. Even typical narcotic pain medications are not very effective on Fibromyalgia pain. I am pretty good at knowing which of pains are which but when my SLE flares up badly it can sometimes be difficult to tell them apart. My fingers and feet are lupus related and my shoulders and buttocks are Fibro related.
The number I have read is 30% of SLE patients also have Fibro. Fibromyalgia doesn't turn into SLE but some patients are mis-diagnosed and don't have Fibro at all.
I am on the older medications because the newer ones weren't out yet 5 years ago and the they still work for me so my insurance wouldn't approve the more expensive ones, at least I don't think so.
I take Nortryptaline (trycyclic anti-depressant) this is to help with sleep. For some reason most Fibro sufferers don't reach the deep stage of sleep and this type of medications helps us do that. Next is Gabapentin the generic of Neurontin, it is an anti-seizure medication. It works pretty darn good on my pain levels and is the first medication that I was put on for my Fibro. I take a relatively low dose of 600mg and only take it at night as the med does make me very groggy. It is the older cousin of the new drug Lyrica. Lastly I take Soma it isn't prescribed for my Fibro but it does help it some, it is a muscle relaxer. Flexeril is the preferred muscle relaxer for Fibro but for my muscle jerks the Soma does a better job.
I hope the Lyrica does the job for you.
Take care,
Karen
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