Anyone else?

I just started to wean off Savella after eight months of begging my doctors to let me discontinue. To be reasonable to my doctors, I was withdrawing off other medications and a two month break to establish a baseline was fair; but painful. I am now sleeping better, in less pain in all sorts of places, and have less GI discomfort. I have never taken well to SNRI or SSRI drugs, about 11 different drugs over the years, but this was the longest, mildest growth of adverse symptoms I have ever had experienced. Good to start on it and then a train-wreck near the end.

I had to start to see a psychiatrist three times a year for alternative drugs. He states that I do not tolerate SNRI or SSRI drugs very well. The severity of the effects was startling. I have about seven years on you in age but have experienced the additional suffering taken from everyone active, doubtful, or suspicious that surrounds your life.

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I would suggest listing the side effects on a journal to share with your doctor when you discuss these issues, it really helps make a point in ten minutes or less. I call in to the doctors staff and go over it with them-and to save money/time-in case they want me to stay on a medication, change dosages, or take another medication.

I was told several times that it takes up to four months for Savella to reach its full effects and though in pain offered to increase dosage. I have also read that dose adjustments are often used to enhance or decrease the drug's effects based on medical criteria.

Good luck, I have had medical professionals discount what I say, because too many areas are problematic-unless you get lucky-so the diary idea shortens the process of identification and creates a time-line (even a phone calendar with notes and the fact that the issue is altering your life enough that you spend time on it daily). We are talking about a safe alternative to pain relief, so most doctors, and patients too, wish it will work and dislike to give up on the drug. I am rare in my sensitivity to drugs affecting the nervous symptom, so this is very rare. Also, my alternative is no drugs for pain. I wish you luck.