Fibromyalgia treatment varies because each patient experiences symptoms in different ways and at different levels. There is no magic pill that helps patients with fibromyalgia. This is often a trial and error process to find out which medication is best for you.
Fibromyalgia Medicines:
This article discusses various medications that are used to treat the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Each of these drugs has its own unique side effects and risks and must be taken under the guidance of your doctor.
Analgesics
Analgesics are drugs that are used to treat pain. This is usually the first place people go to treat fibromyalgia symptoms. However, they do not always work to relieve your pain. Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are the only over-the-counter medications on this list. All other medications are available by prescription only.
Acetaminophen: Acetaminophen relieves pain by raising the pain threshold. It is available through the counter and at higher dosages by prescription.
Common acetaminophen products:
Tylenol
Acephen
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs treat pain and inflammation. Fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory disease (people often mistakenly believe that this is the case), so the effectiveness of NSAIDs may be minimal. I personally find the greatest relief from Aleve.
General NSAIDs
Aspirin (Bayer)
Advil (Advil)
Aleve (aleve)
Celebrex: Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor. This is a type of NSAID that blocks the COX-2 enzyme. At some point, there were 3 types of COX-2 inhibitors on the market, but due to the increased risk of heart attack, only Celebrex remains.
Drugs (opioids)
Opioids work by blocking pain receptors in the brain. There is a lot of controversy about whether drugs are effective in relieving fibromyalgia pain. Many doctors have the right to prescribe drugs to relieve the pain of fibromyalgia, because they are very addictive.
Common Opoids:
Morphine
Codeine
oxycodone
Methadone
Fentanyl
anticonvulsant
Anticonvulsants are drugs used to treat seizures. They also have the ability to bind different types of pain. It is believed that they treat the pain of fibromyalgia, because they suppress the excitability of the nervous system. Lyrica is currently the only FDA-approved anti-convulsant for fibromyalgia. However, there are other anticonvulsant drugs on the market that are not approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants help fibromyalgia, reducing depression, improving sleep and reducing pain.
Selective serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRI): SNRI can treat pain and is prescribed, even if you are not depressed. Currently there are 2 FDA-approved FRIs for Fibromyalgia:
FDA approved SNRI for fibromyalgia:
Cymbalta
Savella
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): SSRIs have been shown to reduce pain, improve sleep, and reduce impression. Studies show that SNRI is better to check for fibromyalgia, then an SSRI.
SSRI
Paxil
Zoloft
Prozac
Tricyclic antidepressants: Tricyclic antidepressants are sometimes prescribed in low doses to help improve sleep and reduce pain.
Common tricyclic antidepressants
Amitriptyline
amoxapine
Clomipramine
Desipramine
Doxepin
imipramine
Northriptyline
protriptyline
trimipramine
Muscle Relaxants:
Muscle relaxants mask pain by reducing the ability of the brain to sense pain.
Common Muscle Relaxants:
soma
Flexeril
Norflex
Zanaflex
Carisoprodol
Cyclobenzaprine
Orfenadrin Citrate
Tizanidine
Sleep treatment:
Sleep meditation is used to correct Fibromyalgia sleep disorders. Various types of drugs are prescribed to improve sleep. Low-dose tricyclic antidepressants (listed above), Lyrics, Zirem (drug for narcolepsy) and Sedatives.
General sleep meditations:
ambien
Lunesta
Rozerem
sonata
Two other medications for fibromyalgia are worth mentioning:
Low dose naltrexone: LDN works by blocking receptors in your brain and making your immune system work. Currently, the FDA is not approved for Fibromyalgia, but it is an inexpensive generic.
There have been studies demonstrating the improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms with LDN.
Guafenisin: If you recently discovered a diagnosis, you may be interested in learning about the “miraculous” treatment of Guaifenesin, which “treats” 90% of patients. Guaifenesin is an ingredient found in many cough syrups. Dr. R. Paul St. Amand believes that guaifenesin can change the symptoms of fibromyalgia based on his theory that fibromyalgia is caused by an excess of phosphate in the body. Guaifenesin causes the body to dispose of excess phosphate. Many studies have been done, trying to prove his theory and the use of Guaifenesin for Fibromyalgia, and no one has done that.
There are centers for the treatment of fibromyalgia throughout America that use their Guaifenesin protocol to "treat fibromyalgia." They do not take medical insurance and are very expensive to use because the fact that Guaifenesin is inexpensive compared to the oncoming drug. I suspect in any medical institution that does not accept medical insurance. If you go to chat rooms on the Internet, you will always find people who claim that Guaifenesin is a miracle cure. I believe that these people have a financial interest in promoting it. Be careful of who promotes this debunked theory.
