what's the best medication for fibromyalgia?
am in much pain every day due to fibromyalgia, how can i soothe the pain?
Public Comments
1. I'm not sure about medication, but you should look into a low oxalate diet as well. It is meant to be beneficial to those who suffer fibromyalgia.2. There is a number of drugs on the market for Fibromyalgia, but is a bit of trial and error, as some people find it works really well, and others find they are not helpful.
Cymbalta (duloxetine)1 and Savella (milnacipran), and Amitriptyline and Doxepin, which are antidepressants, but have been found to help with fibro and sleep.
Lyrica (pregabalin) and Neurontin (gabapentin), which are anti-epileptic and is a neuropathic pain killer, it works on the neuropathic pathways, and it may also help with sleep.
Muscle relaxants and Opioid Analgesics etc can help too.
Eating a healthy balance diet, avoid excess alcohol and coffee and avoid become dehydrated as they may exacerbate the symptoms of fibro.
Graded exercise helps walking, swimming and Tai chi are all good for fibro, start off with short times, and build up as you improve.
I take Neurontin and Endep to help with the pain, and Di gesic for when the pain is really bad, and if I have to work and have not slept for a few days I will take a prescription sleeping medication. I also use heat packs and lots of warm showers to help when the pain is really bad.
Edit; I forgot to mention to join a support group, they can help with support and other ideas on how to manage the pain. I run a support group
3. 1. Analgesics
Analgesics are pain killers. They include:
* Over-the-counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxyn. (Ibuprofen and naproxyn are also anti-inflammatories)
* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as etodolac, nabumetone and Cox-II inhibitors (for example, Celebrex).
* Corticosteroid anti-inflammatories like prednisone and dexamethasone.
* Opioids such as codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl.
* Tramadol, a narcotic-like opiate agonist.
2. Antidepressants
Antidepressants are often among the first treatment options tried for fibromyalgia patients because they can improve sleep, reduce pain and help mood disturbances. There are three categories of antidepressants:
* Tricyclics like amitriptyline, nortriptyline and trazodone can be effective and were the favored FM treatment for many years. However, because of frequent side effects such as dry mouth and the “morning hangover” effect, newer types of antidepressants may be preferable.
* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac and Celexa increase the serotonin concentration in the body (which is low in FM patients) by blocking the breakdown of serotonin. Because SSRIs can be particularly effective in treating depression, they may be a good choice for fibromyalgia patients who also suffer from depression. On the downside, SSRIs can cause sexual dysfunction and weight gain.
* Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Cymbalta, Effexor and Savella are the newest and perhaps most promising class of antidepressants to be used in the treatment of fibromyalgia. They increase both serotonin and norepinephrine concentrations in the body by blocking their breakdown.
3. Anti-convulsants
Two anti-convulsant or anti-seizure medications that have been used to treat fibromyalgia are Lyrica and Neurontin. Lyrica has the distinction of being the first medication ever to receive FDA approval for the treatment of fibromyalgia. It works by affecting chemicals in the brain that send pain signals across the nervous system. In clinical trials, Lyrica reduced pain and improved sleep, fatigue and general health perception in 30 to 40 percent of FM patients. The most common side effects were dizziness and sleepiness.
Neurontin has been found to help neuropathic pain. Fibromyalgia patients who have burning or pain that feels like electric shocks in their hands and feet have reported improvement when treated with Neurontin.
4. Muscle Relaxants
Muscle relaxants like Flexeril, Soma, Skelaxin and Robaxin are sometimes prescribed for fibromyalgia pain. Although they may not actually stop muscle spasms, they appear to have a central neurological mechanism that reduces muscle pain. The most common side effect is drowsiness. If muscle spasms are a particular problem, antispasmotic medications such as Zanaflex and Baclofen can be helpful in reducing the spasms and the pain. Since Zanaflex seems to be effective in improving sleep, blocking pain and reducing headaches, it is sometimes prescribed even if muscle spasms are not the primary problem.
5. Anti-anxiety Medications
Anxiety in fibromyalgia patients can increase pain, muscle tension, irritability and sleep problems. If anxiety is a problem, benzodiazepine medications like Klonopin, Ativan and Xanax can help reduce pain and improve sleep. They work by improving the balance of inhibitory and excitatory receptors in the central nervous system. (Most FM patients have too much activity in their excitatory receptors.) Klonopin taken in the evening can be particularly helpful for patients who have a lot of leg problems, including pain and restless or jerking legs.
6. Sleep Modifiers
The inability to get deep, refreshing sleep is a major problem for most people with fibromyalgia. Although many of the medications already discussed can help improve sleep, sometimes a medication specifically designed to induce sleep is necessary. There are two types of sleep modifiers:
* Benzodiazepines like Restoril can be used to treat insomnia. The biggest concern about using benzodiazepines is their habit-forming potential.
* Hypnotics such as Ambien, Lunesta and Rozerem cause relaxation that helps patients fall asleep and stay asleep. Ambien is less habit forming than the benzodiazepines but can cause rebound insomnia when it is stopped. The newer hypnotics Lunesta and Rozerem are not habit-forming and do not produce rebound insomnia.
7. Other
The neurologic medication Provigil, originally developed to treat narcolepsy, is sometimes also used to treat the fatigue of fibromyalgia.
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4. Treatments for fibromyalgia >>>
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/fibromyalgia-cause.html#ixzz1HWL9vd00
5. there is no one best medicine for everyone
the best thing to do is make sure your doc didn't screw up and falsely diagnose you with FMS as most docs do--they erroneously thing its a general label for pain--
most people diagnosed with it actually have something else--some aren't sick at all.
