Is there any medication that will take care of the symptom of fibromyalgia?

Answer 1

Medications do not cure fibromyalgia. However, some medicines may help improve fibromyalgia symptoms, especially muscle pain and frequent waking during the night. Not all people with fibromyalgia will need, want, or benefit from medicines, but people with more severe pain, sleep problems, or depression that disturbs their daily life may find them helpful.

Antidepressants are often used to treat symptoms of fibromyalgia. This does not mean that the condition is "all in your head." Antidepressants may help by improving sleep and mood or by blocking pain signals. Many people with fibromyalgia appear to benefit from the use of these medicines.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in different people respond to different medicines. Your doctor may try more than one medicine before finding one that works best for you. You may also find that a medicine that has been helping to decrease your symptoms seems to become less effective over time. Talk with your doctor if you are not getting relief from your symptoms. He or she may try a different medicine or make suggestions for helping you continue to find ways to modify your activity, sleep, and stress.

http://www.webmd.com/hw/fibromyalgia_cfids/hw196512.asp


Fibromyalgia features one of the longest lists of medications used in its treatment, but none of the medications used for fibromyalgia were actually developed for the condition or even approved by the FDA for treating it.

Nevertheless, a number of medications have shown effectiveness in randomized clinical trials of people with fibromyalgia; those are the drugs listed in this chart. These include the antidepressant medications such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep), duloxetine (Cymbalta), fluoxetine (Prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil); muscle relaxants such as cylobenzaprine (Cycloflex, Flexeril) and certain analgesics, including tramadol (Ultram).

The combination of 20 mg Prozac taken in the morning and 25 mg amitryptyline taken at night also has shown effectiveness in easing symptoms throughout the day and helping to ensure sleep at night. Some preliminary studies using anti-seizure medications such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and the experimental drug pregabalin are also demonstrating promising results in helping to ease pain, promote sleep and relieve fatigue.

You'll find some other drugs used for fibromyalgia in the charts on analgesics and NSAIDs. For many people with this painful condition, an NSAID or analgesic such as over-the-counter acetaminophen provides sufficient pain relief; others take an NSAID or analgesic along with one or more of the medications listed here.

ANALGESICS
For many people, pain can interfere with daily activities, disrupt sleep and generally reduce the quality of life. That's why medications to ease pain are among the most-used drugs for many forms of arthritis.

Unlike NSAIDs, which relieve both pain and inflammation, analgesics are designed purely for pain relief. For that reason, they may be safe for people who are unable – due to allergies or stomach problems, for example – to take NSAIDs. They're also an appropriate – and possibly safer – choice for people whose arthritis causes pain but not inflammation.

The most commonly used analgesic, acetaminophen, is also the most widely available. Because of its low-cost, effectiveness and safety, rheumatologists recommend acetaminophen as a first-line option against OA pain. Some people use acetaminophen in addition to an NSAID for added pain relief (but always speak to your doctor before combining any medications, even those available without a prescription).

For severe pain that isn't eased by acetaminophen, doctors sometimes prescribe products containing opioid analgesics, such as codeine or hydrocodone. Sometimes these products also contain acetaminophen, such as oxycodone with acetaminophen (Percocet) or propoxyphene with acetaminophen (Darvocet) – so if your doctor prescribes one for you, make sure you don't get a double dose of acetaminophen, which can be toxic. Longer-acting opioid analgesics are available, too. Some of these come in pill forms, such as oxycodone (OxyContin); another option is transdermal fentanyl (Duragesic), a patch that delivers opioid medication through the skin.

NSAIDs Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
You'll find them on the shelves of any drugstore, supermarket, discount or even convenience store – the most common of all drugs used in the treatment of arthritis. Regardless of the type of arthritis you have, you're likely to take an NSAID. At low doses, these drugs help a wide range of problems – from muscle aches and headaches to minor pain and fever. At higher prescription doses, NSAIDs also help reduce joint inflammation.

NSAIDs fall into three basic catgories – traditional NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors and salicylates. All NSAIDs work by blocking prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that contribute to pain, inflammation, fever and muscle cramps. However, not all NSAIDs are alike.

Traditional NSAIDs
Traditional NSAIDs make up the largest group of drugs in this class, featuring some 20 prescription medications – three of which are available in lower-strength, non-prescription doses. Like all medications, NSAIDs, even the over-the-counter versions, carry a risk of side effects, including stomach upset and gastrointestinal bleeding. For that reason, it's important to consult your doctor before taking any medication you buy without a prescription.

COX-2 Inhibitors
COX-2 inhibitors help reduce pain and inflammation like traditional NSAIDs but are designed to be safer for the stomach. (See "Spare Your Stomach") Digestive tract studies have shown less stomach damage from the COX-2 drugs compared to traditional NSAIDs; however, COX-2s have not been used as long as NSAIDs. Studies to determine the incidence of side effects and safety continue. In fact, in a high-profile move at the end of last year, one COX-2, rofecoxib (Vioxx), was withdrawn from the market after several large studies showed an increased cardiovascular risk after 18 months of use. (See "Life After Vioxx") Long-term studies to evaluate the cardiovascular risks of the other two COX-2 drugs are underway.

Salicylates
The original category of NSAIDs – the salicylates (SUH-lis-UH-lates) – includes aspirin and is still preferred by many patients and doctors. If you plan to take aspirin for more than occasional aches and pains, consult your doctor. Frequent large doses, which can cause some serious side effects, usually are needed to control arthritis pain and inflammation. Your doctor can work with you to determine the best dosage and help you prevent or manage side effects, including kidney problems and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Your doctor may prescribe a chemical variation referred to as a nonacetylated salicylate, which is specially formulated to have fewer side effects, if aspirin is too risky for you. Unfortunately, nonacetylated salicylates lack aspirin's beneficial protection against cardiovascular disease. Therefore, if you've been advised to take low-dose ("baby") aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke and your doctor prescribes a nonacetylated salicylate – or any other NSAID, for that matter – ask about continuing your low-dose aspirin along with it.


http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/DrugGuide/about_fibromyalgia.asp


hope that helps. Take Care

Answer 2

I have an uncle that is a doctor. I was told I had fibromyalgia too. He told me that fibromyalgia means "muscle Pain" and is what doctors categorize people that they don't know what the problem is. I always wonder when I read stories like this, because I went through a similar pain time period lasting years, if you are consuming diet products. Such as diet sodas, sweet N low. I know a lot of problems stemmed from that. I went out jogging and while doing so, my right foot fell asleep. It would just feel like it was numb. My toes would go numb or my lower back. or just one or two finger tips. I hurt all the time too, to the point where I couldn't work. I stopped ingesting any diet products for like 2 years. I got a lot better. still have some problems but not like before. Good luck

Answer 3

Fibromyalgia is not a syndrome or in your head as some doctors and people will try to convince you that it is. I had FM at one time approximately 12 yrs ago, I was a complete guinea pig for the medical field, all kinds of medication had been prescribed for me and my "symptoms", and nothing ever worked. Finally I did the only thing I could, I went down on my knees and prayed for the Lord above to take it from me, and HE did! I garbaged out my system with the use of herbal cleansers and have been pain free ever since! Co-enzyme Q-10 I found also to be extremely helpful, my energy levels increased, I started getting more sleep at night, because anyone who has had, or does have FM knows REM sleep no longer exists, causing widespread disruption in chemical imbalance in our systems. Another thing I found helpful was a book by a Dr. Elrod, called Reversing FM and other related arthritic disorders, good reading and a lot of helpful information in it. I will keep you in prayer for your FM and best wishes.

Answer 4

Not really.. it depends on the number of and type of symptoms that you have. My wife has fibro. She takes baclofen 20mg and 10mg at different times of the day. She also takes oxycontin and oxyoceit at different times of day and as required. She also takes Ramapril to help her sleep. She also tried many other drugs.. some helped for a while.. some didn't help at all.
I can't recommend anything for sure.. except to talk to a Dr that knows and believes in fibro.
Good luck

Answer 5

I take Cymbalta 180mg a day for my mental health. Just found out it helps mask my fibromyalgia pain. I also take Cyclobenzaprin as a muscle relaxer. They have reduced my joint pain !

Answer 6

It depends on what symptoms you want to relieve. Here are some suggestions from a fibromyalgia website.

"Muscle Relaxants: Muscle relaxants can decrease pain in people with fibromyalgia. Medicines in this family include Flexeril, Soma, Skelaxin, and Robaxin. The most common side effect is drowsiness, although Soma and Skelaxin cause less of it. I have found that muscle relaxants do not really decrease muscle spasms or truly “relax” muscles, because the painful area still has palpable spasms. Rather, the medicine appears to help by a central neurologic mechanism that reduces muscle pain. If drowsiness is a side effect, this medicine should only be taken in the evening so it doesn’t interfere with driving or concentration. Flexeril is a popular medicine for evening. Although it is a muscle relaxant, it is very similar to amitriptyline in structure and effect, hence the benefits reported."

"Anti-Anxiety Medicines: Anxiety is a common problem in fibromyalgia and contributes to pain, muscle tension, and irritability. It can make depression and insomnia worse. Various medicines including antidepressants and muscle relaxants treat anxiety. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Ativan, and Xanax, are commonly used medicines. These medicines also cause sedation and thus can improve sleep. Possible side effects include depression and decreased memory. Sometimes it is hard to determine whether symptoms are due to fibromyalgia or are side effects of medication."

"The double-blind, placebo-controlled monotherapy study involved 529 patients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Patients were randomized to receive placebo or pregabalin (150 mg, 300 mg or 450 mg per day) for eight weeks. The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pregabalin for the treatment of pain and associated symptoms such as sleep and fatigue. Patients were required to characterize and record their pain on a daily basis in detailed diaries."

"Pregabalin-treated patients (450 mg/day) showed statistically significant improvements in pain compared to those who received placebo. Further, 29 percent of pregabalin-treated patients reported at least a 50 percent reduction in pain, compared with a reduction of 13 percent for patients who received placebo, a difference that was statistically significant. In addition, pregabalin significantly improved sleep quality and fatigue."

"Milnacipran-treated patients randomized to the twice-daily dosing group (BID) showed statistically significant improvement in pain, compared to those who received placebo. Further, 37 percent reported at least a 50 percent reduction in the intensity of their pain, compared to just 14 percent of placebo patients, a statistically significant difference (p=0.0395, intent to treat analysis)."

"A total of 125 patients enrolled in the trial and were randomized to receive either placebo or milnacipran either once or twice a day for four weeks of dose escalation, followed by eight weeks of constant dose. The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of milnacipran for the treatment of pain and associated symptoms such as fatigue, depressed mood and ability to sleep."

Better health and healing to you. God bless you.

Answer 7

whats fibromyalgia?

Answer 8

ask your md... i think there is but will only cure the symptoms

Answer 9

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