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Fibromyalgia: what medication are you on?
Hi guys
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a year ago after 8 years of problems with pain and co-ordination. At first it was thought I had multiple sclerosis because they are very similar.
I also have ulcerative colitis, diabetes, sleep apnoea, IBS, hypothyroidism and hypermobility syndrome. I take 40 pills and two injections a day for all of this.
Having tried amitriptyline for a few months without success - it didn't help with the pain or improve my sleep, I am now on Lyrica. Does anyone else have any experience of this? I started it a week ago and feel completely spaced out.
Is anyone on any other medication for fibromyalgia? I'd love to share experiences with other people.
Thanks for reading
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a year ago after 8 years of problems with pain and co-ordination. At first it was thought I had multiple sclerosis because they are very similar.
I also have ulcerative colitis, diabetes, sleep apnoea, IBS, hypothyroidism and hypermobility syndrome. I take 40 pills and two injections a day for all of this.
Having tried amitriptyline for a few months without success - it didn't help with the pain or improve my sleep, I am now on Lyrica. Does anyone else have any experience of this? I started it a week ago and feel completely spaced out.
Is anyone on any other medication for fibromyalgia? I'd love to share experiences with other people.
Thanks for reading
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Sorry I can't be of any more help.
do u use AOL? my mum has fibromyalgia and shes been using an email group for it for years now. theres quite a few about. they are good for discussing medication and your problems with fellow sufferers
The management of fibromyalgia involves both simple and complex therapies with the difficulty in management lying in the critical need to match the level of complexity of the management with the complexity of the patient. It is important to address all problems, including involved muscles, contributing factors and associated medical conditions. Although there are no controlled studies examining the progression of chronic pain syndromes, results of clinical studies reveal that patients with myofascial pain have better outcomes when an interdisciplinary pain clinic setting is undertaken. Management includes muscle exercises, therapy to the tender trigger points, reduction of exacerbating features, patient education and development of long-term plans. With this in mind the Pain Management Clinic may wish to consider the following therapies:
• Medication: many medical drugs are used in the management of myofascial pain. Typically, if standard analgesics prove unhelpful, neuropathic pain-modifying drugs, such as Amitriptyline and Pregabalin have been found to be helpful both in the short and long-term in dealing with the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
• Complimentary Therapies: there is evidence to support the use of acupuncture and possibly Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation therapy, to regional areas of myofascial pain.
• Topical Versatis plasters: although licensed for neuropathic pain within the UK, there is evidence from other countries supporting their use in mechanical back pain.
• Muscle exercises and further rehabilitation including muscle stretching, strengthening exercises and general cardiovascular fitness, have been shown to be beneficial in patient with myofascial pain.
• Interventional therapy including trigger point injection treatments and the technique of an intravenous Lignocaine infusion, have been found to be helpful in a proportion of patients, in whom treatment can be directed at the affected muscles.
• Swimming in warm water/hydrotherapy is often considered favourable.
• Clinical/Psychological Therapy:
The acupuncture is worth a try - I wonder if I can get it on the NHS? I had to give up work two years ago and finances are very tight.
Yes Jaxxfan, you can get it on the NHS. Ask your GP to refer you to your local Pain Management Clinic.