Post by Lady~RavenHeart on Aug 28, 2005 14:05:24 GMT 2
Medications may help you become more functional and reduce your level of distress. If all other forms of therapies fail, a trial of medications can be tried. They have been shown to help reduce the pain of fibromyalgia and improve sleep. However, medications alone are not a complete treatment for fibromyalgia. They must be accompanied with exercise, proper sleeping patterns, proper diet and appropriate coping skills.
Certain pharmaceuticals can work to boost your body’s level of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters that modulate, sleep, pain and the immune system function – are commonly prescribed. Examples of drugs in this category include:
· Elavil.
· Ultram (tramadol).
· Flexeril.
· Sinequan.
· Paxil.
· Serzone.
· Xanax. This is an anti-anxiety medication. It must never be taken if pregnant. When stopping the use of Xanax, it is important to taper off it gradually in order to prevent any unwanted side effects or withdrawal symptoms.
· Klonopin.
Antidepressant medications may help elevate mood, improve quality of sleep, and relax your muscles. In fibromyalgia sufferers, they may produce mild to moderate improvement in symptoms with one third to one half of patients responding to treatment. They have been found to be very helpful in correcting brain and spinal cord chemical imbalances in order to stop pain and restore normal sleeping patterns. The doses of antidepressants taken by fibromyalgia sufferers are often much less than taken with depression. Also, just because your doctor prescribes antidepressants does not mean that you are depressed. It may just mean that your doctor believes the medication may help to restore the proper chemical levels in your body by affecting serotonin levels in the brain, to help you better cope with your symptoms and promote better sleep. Also, it is normal to be depressed with chronic pain, but that doesn’t mean depression is causing the pain.
Before taking any type of antidepressant be sure to indicate to your doctor if you have a history of seizures, urinary retention, heart problems or glaucoma. Combining any of these drugs with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants, including antihistamines, narcotics and some dental anaesthetics can increase their side effects. Also, since adverse drug reactions can occur if you stop using these drugs abruptly, discontinue them gradually. Lastly, a significant portion of patients may find their symptoms worsen while using these drugs so it is very important that you monitor yourself carefully for any complications. Some commonly prescribed antidepressants include:
· Tricyclics
- Amitriptyline Hydrochloride (Elavil, Endep). This generates a deep stage four sleep. Most patients will adapt to this medication after a few weeks. Some of the common side effects with amitriptyiline include weight gain, dry mouth, morning grogginess, photosensitivity, restless leg syndrome and intestinal problems.
- Doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan).
- Nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor). Often used to help sleep.
· Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac). This increases the availability of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This is extremely helpful for those with severe depression or fatigue.
- Paroxetine (Paxil). This may reduce pain. It should not be used with other medications that also increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Common side effects include insomnia or drowsiness.
- Sertraline (Zoloft). Commonly used to help sleep.
- Buproprion Hydrochloride (Wellbutrin).
- Venlafaxine hydrochloride.
· Temazepam (Restoril).
· Cyclobenzaprine (Cycloflex, Flexeril). This medication is used to prevent or stop the tightness seen in the muscles of fibromyalgia sufferers. It also aids with deep level sleep but may cause stomach upset and a feeling of detachment from life.
· Carisoprodol (Soma). This acts on the patient’s central nervous system to cause the muscles to relax. It works rapidly and lasts from 4 to 6 hours. It helps to take the edge off from the pain but is not a treatment for fibromyalgia, just a way to mask the pain temporarily.
· Clonazepam (Klonopin). An anti-anxiety medication that is useful in dealing with muscle twitching, restless leg syndrome and other conditions that may interrupt restful sleep.
Taking benzodiazepines with alcohol, antidepressants, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) may increase harmful side effects.
Some of these medications may be used in combination with each other, such as Fluoxetine (Prozac) with amitriptyline. Some of the side effects of antidepressants include dry eyes and mouth, constipation and increased appetite.
Over the counter medications such as Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) may prove beneficial in reducing your muscle pain. However, numerous clinical trials have all failed to show any positive clinical benefit for over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (known as NSAIDs) for the management of widespread pain associated with fibromyalgia. They are generally used to treat the pain and stiffness that may be present in fibromyalgia sufferers. However, their effectiveness tends to vary between individuals and frequent or long term use of these can cause serious side effects including: stomach pain, ulcers, kidney damage or liver damage. NSAIDs have also been known to disrupt stage 4 sleep (delta level), therefore cancelling out any expected benefit. Thus, while they may help symptomatically, they often make the patient feel worse the next day and may prevent them from ever being able to get to the point of being pain-free most of the time. It is also important to remember that since fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory-related disorder; anti-inflammatories will have little long-lasting effect on your condition.
As you well know, sleep abnormalities or non-restful sleep is common in fibromyalgia sufferers. Prescription sleeping pills may provide some temporary improvements in the quality of your sleep. These should only be tried after all non-pharmacological methods for improving your sleep have been attempted. For some tips on how to improve your sleep naturally, see the section entitled Improve the quality of your sleep. The reason that these medications are not permanent solutions for people with sleep problems is that they tend to work for only a short time, after which the body becomes resistant to their effects. Then, you must take even larger doses to get any affect. Ultimately, the use of sleeping pills tends to create even more sleeping problems. Some of the common medications given to people with fibromyalgia for sleep disorders include:
· Zolpidem Tartate (Ambien). A hypnotic that is used for short-term use for insomnia. Serious depression is a reported side effect. Also, as with all sleeping pills, this may help you get to sleep but does little to maintain restorative sleep.
· Amitriptyline.
· Tylenol PM. This does not induce deep sleep and can be counter-productive for people with fibromyalgia.
This type of medication should only be used for patients with moderate to severe pain or significant functional impairment and for those whom all other therapies are ineffective. These potent medications provide intermittent relief from pain. If you are taking any type of opiate you should be aware of the possibility of dependency and the need to monitor yourself regularly. Some commonly prescribed medications include:
· Oxycodone (Roxicodone)
· Morphine sulphate (Duramorph)
Certain pharmaceuticals can work to boost your body’s level of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters that modulate, sleep, pain and the immune system function – are commonly prescribed. Examples of drugs in this category include:
· Elavil.
· Ultram (tramadol).
· Flexeril.
· Sinequan.
· Paxil.
· Serzone.
· Xanax. This is an anti-anxiety medication. It must never be taken if pregnant. When stopping the use of Xanax, it is important to taper off it gradually in order to prevent any unwanted side effects or withdrawal symptoms.
· Klonopin.
Antidepressant medications may help elevate mood, improve quality of sleep, and relax your muscles. In fibromyalgia sufferers, they may produce mild to moderate improvement in symptoms with one third to one half of patients responding to treatment. They have been found to be very helpful in correcting brain and spinal cord chemical imbalances in order to stop pain and restore normal sleeping patterns. The doses of antidepressants taken by fibromyalgia sufferers are often much less than taken with depression. Also, just because your doctor prescribes antidepressants does not mean that you are depressed. It may just mean that your doctor believes the medication may help to restore the proper chemical levels in your body by affecting serotonin levels in the brain, to help you better cope with your symptoms and promote better sleep. Also, it is normal to be depressed with chronic pain, but that doesn’t mean depression is causing the pain.
Before taking any type of antidepressant be sure to indicate to your doctor if you have a history of seizures, urinary retention, heart problems or glaucoma. Combining any of these drugs with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants, including antihistamines, narcotics and some dental anaesthetics can increase their side effects. Also, since adverse drug reactions can occur if you stop using these drugs abruptly, discontinue them gradually. Lastly, a significant portion of patients may find their symptoms worsen while using these drugs so it is very important that you monitor yourself carefully for any complications. Some commonly prescribed antidepressants include:
· Tricyclics
- Amitriptyline Hydrochloride (Elavil, Endep). This generates a deep stage four sleep. Most patients will adapt to this medication after a few weeks. Some of the common side effects with amitriptyiline include weight gain, dry mouth, morning grogginess, photosensitivity, restless leg syndrome and intestinal problems.
- Doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan).
- Nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor). Often used to help sleep.
· Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac). This increases the availability of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This is extremely helpful for those with severe depression or fatigue.
- Paroxetine (Paxil). This may reduce pain. It should not be used with other medications that also increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Common side effects include insomnia or drowsiness.
- Sertraline (Zoloft). Commonly used to help sleep.
- Buproprion Hydrochloride (Wellbutrin).
- Venlafaxine hydrochloride.
· Temazepam (Restoril).
· Cyclobenzaprine (Cycloflex, Flexeril). This medication is used to prevent or stop the tightness seen in the muscles of fibromyalgia sufferers. It also aids with deep level sleep but may cause stomach upset and a feeling of detachment from life.
· Carisoprodol (Soma). This acts on the patient’s central nervous system to cause the muscles to relax. It works rapidly and lasts from 4 to 6 hours. It helps to take the edge off from the pain but is not a treatment for fibromyalgia, just a way to mask the pain temporarily.
· Clonazepam (Klonopin). An anti-anxiety medication that is useful in dealing with muscle twitching, restless leg syndrome and other conditions that may interrupt restful sleep.
Taking benzodiazepines with alcohol, antidepressants, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) may increase harmful side effects.
Some of these medications may be used in combination with each other, such as Fluoxetine (Prozac) with amitriptyline. Some of the side effects of antidepressants include dry eyes and mouth, constipation and increased appetite.
Over the counter medications such as Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) may prove beneficial in reducing your muscle pain. However, numerous clinical trials have all failed to show any positive clinical benefit for over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (known as NSAIDs) for the management of widespread pain associated with fibromyalgia. They are generally used to treat the pain and stiffness that may be present in fibromyalgia sufferers. However, their effectiveness tends to vary between individuals and frequent or long term use of these can cause serious side effects including: stomach pain, ulcers, kidney damage or liver damage. NSAIDs have also been known to disrupt stage 4 sleep (delta level), therefore cancelling out any expected benefit. Thus, while they may help symptomatically, they often make the patient feel worse the next day and may prevent them from ever being able to get to the point of being pain-free most of the time. It is also important to remember that since fibromyalgia is not an inflammatory-related disorder; anti-inflammatories will have little long-lasting effect on your condition.
As you well know, sleep abnormalities or non-restful sleep is common in fibromyalgia sufferers. Prescription sleeping pills may provide some temporary improvements in the quality of your sleep. These should only be tried after all non-pharmacological methods for improving your sleep have been attempted. For some tips on how to improve your sleep naturally, see the section entitled Improve the quality of your sleep. The reason that these medications are not permanent solutions for people with sleep problems is that they tend to work for only a short time, after which the body becomes resistant to their effects. Then, you must take even larger doses to get any affect. Ultimately, the use of sleeping pills tends to create even more sleeping problems. Some of the common medications given to people with fibromyalgia for sleep disorders include:
· Zolpidem Tartate (Ambien). A hypnotic that is used for short-term use for insomnia. Serious depression is a reported side effect. Also, as with all sleeping pills, this may help you get to sleep but does little to maintain restorative sleep.
· Amitriptyline.
· Tylenol PM. This does not induce deep sleep and can be counter-productive for people with fibromyalgia.
This type of medication should only be used for patients with moderate to severe pain or significant functional impairment and for those whom all other therapies are ineffective. These potent medications provide intermittent relief from pain. If you are taking any type of opiate you should be aware of the possibility of dependency and the need to monitor yourself regularly. Some commonly prescribed medications include:
· Oxycodone (Roxicodone)
· Morphine sulphate (Duramorph)