Savella and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• January 19, 2010

For Fibromyalgia "I've been on Savella for about a month now. Started with the titration pack. Felt relief within a few days. Pain is not gone, but certainly diminished to a point where I feel somewhat normal. Doesn't help with neuropathy, but does lower muscle pain. I have had muscle cramps/spasms in my legs at night, some slight constipation, and now some headaches have started the past couple of days, but I am so grateful for this medicine. Some days I feel that I don't need to use my handicap plaque! I previously used Salsalate, which helped, but nowhere near as good as Savella. I wish the price would come down. But I'm on it happily!"

• Anonymous
• January 12, 2011

For Fibromyalgia "I have been on Savella for 3 months now, and at first, it helped with the pain. As I increased the dosage, I got severe hot flashes and terrible sweats, which I could handle, but then after about a month, the nausea started and increased insomnia, then the vomiting. At first, I thought I had the flu or a stomach virus, but noticed every time I took my dose, I got nauseated and then threw up shortly after. I started having severe headaches and increased vomiting and feel so horrible. I know it works for some people, but I will be contacting my physician and asking him to take me off. I know it may work for some, but not for me."

• Anonymous
• August 28, 2009

For Fibromyalgia "I'm on day nine and woke with a nasty headache that got worse when moving, and then the vomiting began. I'm not stopping the medicine, though. My muscles feel looser, the fatigue is much less, and the overall pain is down. My blood pressure is up, and I expect I will be adding a medication to control that because that is better than fibromyalgia. I was not aware of a lot of the symptoms described here (constipation, stomach bloating, chills-all of which I have experienced slightly). My mood is definitely improved. I've weaned off Effexor now and am almost off of it. In the past, I've tried Lyrica with no luck at all but had bad visual symptoms. Cymbalta worked for about six months and then stopped. Paxil and Effexor worked for the mood only."

• Ste...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 20, 2017

For Fibromyalgia "I have had fibromyalgia for about 10 years now. My Dr. tried Cymbalta and then Gabapentin, which both seemed to help at first, but only for a short time. Then maybe 4 years ago, a new Dr. put me on Savella. At first, I felt nauseous, dizzy, and had headaches every day. All those symptoms continued, but not as severe, but I started feeling like I could get around better, and my muscles weren't as stiff or sore as before. But then, being diagnosed with BPD and anxiety, those meds weren't where they should be, and I started feeling really down and depressed. I told my Drs. about it. Then, trying to get Savella refilled, I found out they weren't going to refill it because insurance said I had suicidal ideations. But after 4 weeks without it, I feel so much better! No sweats, dizziness, etc."

• flo...
• October 29, 2011

For Fibromyalgia "I have been on Savella for 3 weeks now for fibromyalgia. I have had good results overall. I feel much better. I have debilitating exhaustion much less frequently now. I have made it through entire work weeks, 2 weeks in a row now. I have had a couple of days that I felt almost normal and was able to do things like light housework and laundry after an 8-hour workday! I have had some side effects like headaches, trouble regulating my body temp, and heavy-duty sweating at times (while my hands and feet are freezing!), and some feelings of skin crawling. Unfortunately, I have also experienced some sexual side effects, hopefully that will go away. I can live with the other effects."

• Anonymous
• July 18, 2009

For Fibromyalgia "I took Savella for about 45 days. I started out on the titration pack. The more I took it, the worse I felt: nausea, headaches, dizziness, dry mouth, dry eyeballs, etc. While taking Savella, I was also taking 40 mg of paroxetine, which I have been taking since 1997. My doctor decided that I should come off the paroxetine and increase the Savella to 200 mg. I couldn't do it at the same time. So I weaned myself off of the Savella in about a week, and now I am in my second week of weaning myself off of the paroxetine. I don't know if I will try Savella if I get off paroxetine or not. I have come off paroxetine before to try other drugs: Effexor, Celexa, Lyrica, Cymbalta, but always went back."

• flp...
• December 30, 2009

For Fibromyalgia "I took Savella for 7 weeks. Noticed just a bit of relief. Horrible side effects, which included not only severe sweating, bloating, increased headaches, but also I got a period after 3 1/2 years of not having one. Coincidence? I stopped taking the drug and I didn't have a period since."

• con...
• January 17, 2010

For Fibromyalgia "I started the titration pack and am now on the full recommended dose of 50 mg twice a day - this is not working for me - I have insomnia, I wake up all night long, still have muscle pain, restless leg at night, stiffness, leg swelling, headaches, grouchy and irritable. I have not experienced any stomach problems nor constipation. Not sure about the blurred vision being caused by this medication, as I have just been diagnosed with the beginning stages of cataracts, so it could be that. I am on week 3 now. I am very disappointed. I was on Effexor for years, and it worked for 7 years, but then stopped being effective. I pray for something to come along to help."

• Jee...
• November 28, 2009

"In the past 10 years, I've had L-4/5 back fusion and the right sacroiliac fuses and screws removed... still much pain on sitting. I've had many injections and treatments that were all unsuccessful. I'd gotten so used to feeling bad that I've just noticed after several months of taking Savella that I stay flushed, bloated, have problems urinating, headachy, flu-like stuffiness, blurred vision, nauseated, weight gain, among other symptoms. I've been in such a fog with the usual pain that on vacation I finally decided to look this possibility up. It's a relief to know that I don't have to endure these any longer. I dread coming off of it, but I can tough it out to feel at least as good as I did before."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "Not sure how this Savella will work. First few days felt great, then as each day passed, started to feel worse with headaches and leg muscle pain. That's only 1 week of experience."

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2020

For Fibromyalgia "I was on Savella for autoimmune diseases, it never helped me in any way. Never decreased my pain, but it did give me awful headaches. Would not recommend."

• erb...
• November 30, 2010

For Fibromyalgia "Made my heart race and had severe headaches while taking it. Not taking it anymore, doctor took me off of it."

• LIT...
• January 30, 2011

For Fibromyalgia "I have been on Savella, this is my 3rd day so far. I have a slight headache, sweating, but I am so looking forward to feeling better. I will stick with it until further notice."