Medications

Antidepressants Ease Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Medications Helped Fibromyalgia Sufferers with Pain and Fatigue. Antidepressants may help people living with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia experience fewer symptoms and improve their quality of life, new research shows. The study, lead by Dr. Winfried Hauser, of Klinikum Saarbrucken in Germany, found that fibromyalgia patients had less pain, fatigue and depression while on certain antidepressants. Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants helped the most people to reduce pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances, according to the report published in the January 14, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Medications used in England to treat fibromyalgia are painkillers, muscle relaxants and antidepressants. The painkillers are used to allow the patient to function and include over-the-counter medications such as Paracetomol or prescription painkillers such as Codeine. Muscle relaxants are used to aid in sleep and include medications such as Carisoprodol and Tizanidine. Antidepressants are prescribed to fibromyalgia patients not for their mood altering qualities, but rather for their ability to increase the number of neurotransmitters.

Amitriptyline is used for pain relief and depression. It works especially well for night time sleep. It also helps to boost your Serotonin which helps to make you feel happier. Not everyone is the same if you do not get on with this drug there are others that can help, just ask your doctor. By asking him more questions you will feel more positive with what he or she is giving you, don’t just say thank you and leave. You have no idea what it is and what exactly it will do to your body. It is not necessary to go into it so much you are scared to take them but to have a better understanding after all it is not the doctor’s body it’s yours.

Acupam is a medicine that belongs to a group called analgesics commonly known as pain killers and relievers. The active substance Nefopam Hydrochloride interrupts the messages being sent to your brain, it also acts in your brain to stop pain messages being felt. This means that Acupam does not stop the pain from happening but you will not be able to feel the pain as much. Acupam is used to relieve acute and chronic pain ( for example pain after an operation dental pain or muscle & joint pain or pain caused in cancer.

Amitriptyline belongs to a group of medicines called tricyclic antidepressant drugs. These medicines alter the levels of chemicals in the brain to relieve the symptoms of depression. Its an old fashioned antidepressant which has been found to relieve pain. Amitriptyline is used to treat the symptoms of depression. Also for the relief of bed-wetting at night by children and for pain relief to aid sleep. What Amitriptyline tablets look like and contents of the pack. Amitriptyline tablets are circular, biconvex, film-coated tablets in the following colours: 10mg - blue. 25mg – yellow. 50mg - tan. Pack sizes are 28 tablets.

Co-codamol 30/500 Effervescent Tablets (called co-codamol). Co-codamol contains two different medicines called Codeine Phosphate and Paracetamol. It belongs to a group of medicines called analgesics (painkillers) and is used to treat severe pain. They contain the active substances of Co-codamol 30/500 are codeine phosphate and Paracetamol. Each tablet contains 30mg of codeine phosphate and 500mg of Paracetamol. The other ingredients are sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous citric acid, anhydrous sodium carbonate, sorbitol powder, saccharin sodium, povidone, dimeticone and sodium luryl sulphate. What They look like and contents of pack are white bevelled-edge tablets, scored on one face. They are supplied in cartons of 100 tablets.

Pregabalin is an oral medication that is chemically related to gabapentin (Neurontin, Gabarone). It is used for treating pain caused by neurologic diseases such as postherpetic neuralgia as well as seizures. It also is used for treating fibromyalgia. The mechanism of action of pregabalin is unknown. Pregabalin binds to calcium channels on nerves and may modify the release of neurotransmitters (chemicals that nerves use to communicate with each other). Reducing communication between nerves may contribute to pregabalin's effect on pain and seizures. The FDA approved pregabalin in December 2004. Capsules: 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 225, and 300 mg. Oral Solution: 20 mg/ml Fibromyalgia is treated with 300-450 mg/day in 2 or 3 divided doses. Brand name is under Lyrica.

Click on the pdf to view more medical information.

Zimovane (Zopiclone) Sleeping Tablet. This tablet is also marketed under the name Zileze. It is a hypnotic (sleeping drug) used for short term treatment of insomnia. It possesses no anti-anxiety properties, therefore, it may be suitable in dosages from 3.75mg to 7.5mg for cases of insomnia that are not accompanied by anxiety. Intended for occasional use only. Side effects: Don’t be unduly alarmed. All drugs cause side effects for (some) patients. Some can feel daytime drowsiness, which normally diminishes after the first few days of treatment and a bitter taste in the mouth. Persistent morning drowsiness or impaired co-ordination are signs of excessive dose. Dependence can develop after as little as one week of continuous use. If you fall asleep without having taken a dose and wake some time later, do not take the missed dose. Patients who have been taking this drug for longer than seven days must consult their doctor before withdrawing treatment.