Im taking loads of drugs for my RA and FMS and I am always feeling rubbish. If it's not pain it's fatigue or a migraine or abdominal pain and IBS flares. I'm wondering if the drugs I'm taking are making me worse?
I know we can all forget the level of pain once it's gone but all the side effects of the drugs are making me worse!!!
Of course there are side effects to any medications we take.
I would not recommend coming off your meds unless [1] your primary doctor agrees and [2] you are closely monitored through the process. Most of the drugs you mention in your post are meds you have to be weaned off of slowly.
Personally, I got fed up with the fistful of pills I had to swallow morning noon and night. I easily quit a few drugs, like statins for high cholesterol and a low dose anxiety pill. But all the rest were deemed necessary to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, pain, neuropathy...you name it, I have it [or have had it at one time]
I ran out of my gabapentin one weekend, I had to wait until Monday to refill my prescription. My nerve pain was so severe I went into a self-imposed "coma". Slept all of Saturday [day and night] and all of Sunday. Dragged myself to my local pharmacy first thing Monday morning to get a refill and was told if that EVER happens again, tell them and they will give me enough pills to make it through the weekend. Grrrrr [well...now I know, right?]
So, my dear...I hear you and I understand your frustration and the reasons why you would question current medications causing "side effects". Just be careful whatever you choose to do. I wish you the best possible outcome.
I am sorry to hear you are struggling so much and feel that your meds are making you worse.
Lyrica (Pregabalin) does have a little known side effect which is that it can actually make people feel incredibly low mood wise.
Coming off your meds need to be done with your GP's advice and help and all medications should be weaned off very slowly.
One idea is to wean off one medication at a time. You can then see if that medication is working for you or actually making you feel worse.
I appreciate you are asking for other members experiences, but please do remember we are not medical professionals and you must rely on your GP for the best help and advice.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do my friend and please let us know how you get on.
I really appreciate them. I have a gp appointment for mid Aug so won't do anything until I've spoken to the professionals.
I was wondering if anyone else has (taken it back to the beginning). Good idea stopping one at a time though.
Thanks again.
L xxx
Wow louise you are on a cocktail of drugs! detoxing? do you mean weaning off some or all of them? deffo you will need omeprazole to protect your stomach and gullet from harm, your HRT shouldn,t affect your other illnesses and will help to keep your bone density good as well as what its prescribed for, may I ask how old you are Louise??I'm 62 and my hrt is vaginal pessary type to help with Atrophy post menopause. I recognise Amitrip and Sertraline, amitrip to help you sleep, and sert for low mood tiredness and fatigue (had both over time) I don't recognise the others but I think Lyrica have another name... Yes you will get some withdrawal so get medical advise from gp or practice nurse for guidance but remember you need pain relief so go thru your meds with them. good luck keep intouch.
Lyrica is also pregabalin and is for fibromyalgia pain, Hydroxychloraquine and leflunomide are both DMARDS .
I'm 45 but had a hysterectomy at 30 and they left my left ovary but 11yrs later it developed a cyst and attached itself to my bowel, kidney and bladder so had to have it taken out, hence hrt. Bone density was checked last year and that's great.
I do think "detoxing" would help but I'll see what the experts say.
I am so genuinely sorry to read this my friend, and I personally think it is a balance between which is worse, your pain or the side effects from the drugs? If it is the drugs then there is no real point taking something that is worse than the illness? It may help to discuss all of this with your doctor?
I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck and please take care of yourself my friend.
Hi check out some posts I have made regarding a book called "Treating and beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Dr Rodger Murphree has 20 years of helping people with natural remedies! There are questionnaires in his book to work out what chemicals you might be short of. REM sleep is important to make Serotonin which blocks "P" substance which heightens our pain threshold hence too painful to be touched! He recommends 5HTP to help with sleep as it helps to make serotonin and melotonin! Please read the book as he talks about most of the drugs you mentioned and their side effects. He offers alternative remedies.
I have struggled iver 12 years with Fibro and taken lots of meds over the years. For the first time reading this book I feel there is someone in the medical profession who actually understands and wants to help without drugging everyone up to the eyeballs where we don't know what day it is!!
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Sleep drugs fiasco! Any thoughts?
Question?
Love and other drugs.
Drug reduction 
Another drug what fun!
