Posted by Ilene on November 2, 2003, at 21:19:36
In reply to Re: Fibro suggestions for mom » Elle2021, posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 31, 2003, at 8:32:28
> There is a pretty vast array of drugs used to treat the condition, widespread in the way they affect the body. Often, the first things tried are antidepressants, especially amitriptyline, which may relieve pain. Flexeril, a muscle relaxer very closely related to amitriptyline, can also be very helpful. Another muscle relaxer, Soma, works especially well on an as-needed basis, when the pain is too bad to bear; taking it regularly will cause tolerance to build. Other drugs of this type (i.e. Robaxin, Parafon, Skelaxin, Zanaflex) often aren't of much help.
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> Benzodiazepines (especially those with strong muscle relaxation qualities, like Valium) can be a very good adjunct to other medication. If CFS is also present with the fibromyalgia (which it quite often is), a bit of a CNS stimulant should help.
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> If your mom takes OTC pain meds for her fibro, I'd suggest she take acetaminophen -- there is no inflammation involved with fibromyalgia, so she doesn't need the anti-inflammatory actions of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, et al.
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> The opioids are definitely warranted, in my opinion, at the very least during the beginning of therapy, while trying other drugs to find what works for you. A lot of people report that Percocet, Vicodin/Lorcet/Norco/Zydone, and Ultram are the best ones for fibro pain, though some require stronger meds such as OxyContin, Duragesic, or morphine.
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> This is definitely what *I* would do in her position -- Xyrem -- GHB (the "date rape drug") now available by prescription for $220/bottle (each bottle tends to last anywhere from 20-30 days). It's expensive, but it's most certainly worth it as it gets to the root of the fibro problem rather than just mask symptoms. It's a liquid taken before bed (*while in bed*, actually, because it begins to work almost immediately) that puts you right to sleep and allows for more restorative rest. Fibro patients tend not to go into stage 4 sleep very often, which is a quite possible cause for the disorder -- Xyrem corrects this. The first dose puts you to sleep for 3-4 hours, at which point you awaken with a dopamine rush; then you take your next dose which you should already have prepared and sitting next to your bed. All considering, six-eight hours of Xyrem sleep and the ensuing feelings of vitality and freedom from pain would be worth way more than 220 bucks a month, and once I'm financially a bit more stable, I'm going to begin treatment with it.
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> Michael
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> P.S. Look in your local health food store for supplement items marked as fibro support formulations -- they're also a great adjunct.
This is interesting to me because I am just pulling out of nearly 4 weeks of chronic fatigue syndrome with nearly constant pain. I don't have the tender points so I don't fit the definition for fibromyalgia. I was suicidal most of the time, but I couldn't let the kids find me dead....I used to keep the cfs under control by not getting hot, but now my anxiety is a lot worse and it triggers cfs symptoms. My doc & pdoc think it's because I weaned myself all my ADs & mood stabilizers. Mebbe.
Advil (ibuprofen) didn't do anything. Neither did Klonopin. I finally got some Ultracet over the weekend and took it a couple of times; it was helpful.
What you said about Xyrem is interesting! I already have a sleep disorder ("delayed sleep phase syndrome"). I have a hard time getting to sleep at a normal time and waking up at a normal time. My body wants to sleep later and later, and wake up later and later.
One night I did not sleep *at all*. I wasn't ruminating, or anxious, or anything. Just not sleeping. Most days I took at least one nap. It makes sense to me that "sleep architecture" could underlie the symptoms of fibro or cfs.
Thanks for the info.
Ilene
poster:Ilene
thread:273743
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031030/msgs/275916.html