Migraine

My body becomes a mess in the summer. Just like last summer, I seem to be getting fibromyalgia-like symptoms now: pain in my thigh muscles, hips, biceps, back, kind of all over. Thankfully, it doesn't happen to me in the fall/winter/spring, but it's very frustrating. Plus, of course, the migraines/headaches are more frequent too. I've read that fibromyalgia is a relatively common comorbidity to migraine/headache.

The topamax I take as a preventive has completely nixed my appetite too. I'm taking 75 mgs, going up to 100 tonight. On one hand, I've lost some weight so no complaints about that! But I'm not a big meat eater to begin with, and my blood work shows me becoming increasingly anemic over the past couple of weeks! Not fun. I've been on iron and Vitamin B12 supplements for several days now and just yesterday I finally felt like I was getting some energy back.

Anyway, Dr. Robbins in Northbrook, IL, specializes not only in migraine disease but also depression, anxiety and (I'm pretty sure) fibromyalgia too. This guy is a God-send for me. I'm going to make another appt I think.

I've read lyrica and cymbalta are often prescribed for fibro. Anyone else with migraine AND fibro issues who's had success with medications?

I don't take a daily med for fibro. I only do "as needed" meds and comfort measures. When it flares and get too snarly, I will take muscle relaxants, and on rare occasion Lortab for the pain when I find myself holding my breath (my sign that it's really bad, since I have a high pain threshhold). I use a lot of heat, too, when I flare.

I did go anemic a couple of years ago, and ended up with the icky iron supplements for a time. Eventually, I built it back up again, and seem to be okay now. We think my issue is that I'm not the very best of absorbers (which we know from other things), and that's why my iron cratered, on the heels of a blood donation. I've never had any evidence of a bleed.

I have fibromyalgia and chronic migraines. It takes awhile, and a whole lot of tests, to get that diagnosis, since a whole lot of other conditions have similar symptoms. FMS can complicate migraines for sure, with just the weather trigger aggravating both, or lack of sleep. I have not really been treated specifically for FMS, as my doctors have always focused on the migraines. The pain from FMS is usually tolerable, unless the weather changes too fast, or I over exert myself. However, I am currently taking Lyrica, which is purely coincidental, it just happened to be the next preventative on the list. I have some minor success with it as a migraine preventative and more with treating FMS pain. I find with Lyrica I have more endurance and when I do any activity the pain resulting in it is not as immediate or intense. Worth a shot for anyone with FMS as well.

There doesn't seem to be too much rhyme or reason to my fibro-like pains. It's been raining all day today, and although my biceps do hurt, I think that's from lifting a bunch of stuff yesterday.

Last summer my fibro-like pain (no official diagnosis) was really bad. I was going through some heavy emotional stress. Maybe that's a trigger for me . . . ?

I have FHM and fibro. To keep my iron level up I take a prenatal vitamin daily - it works very well - and for my FHM, I take Topamax and Verapil. I understand that one should not take Lyrica, at all, with Topamax and Cymbalta is not really recommended.

The FDA has approved another medication for fibro called Savella and it can be taken with Topamax. One has to titrate up on it - starting at 12.5 twice a day for 3 weeks, then 25 twice a day for 3 weeks, etc., until the correct dosage is met. Usually 50 twice a day is the right dosage, but some go up to 100 twice a day.

It is helping me and there is no sleepiness through the day and no weight gain so far, but it has only been 7 weeks.

Nice to see you . How have you been? You haven't been around in a LONG while.

We hope to hear more from you!!

I'm anemia and I can't take any iron. It just makes me very sick. So if anyone has any ideas on good nutrition let me know. I did see something about nutrition but I can't remember where it is found,

Dutchess

Have you tried iron infusions, Dutchess? I didn't tolerate the tablets overly well, either. Those things are wicked harsh and nasty! Optimally, they wanted me to take three a day, but all I could hack was one at best, in which case I was stuck taking them much longer. Eventually I adapted to taking them a bit better. The hemo doc I saw said that if the oral iron was too ugly, I could opt to try periodic IV infusions. Apparently, they're a lot easier to handle for most people, but they are a lot more pricey, too. I know that my Gram ended up having to do the infusions. They wear her out some, but she said that it is somewhat easier.

I kind of like that idea. I was getting ready for bed and something told me to check here. I have a doctor's appt tommorrow morning and I have questions. Tired of not having any strength to do anything. I'm so happy.


Thank you!

Dutchess