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. There are many different types of medications that have been shown to help reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia. This includes: muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and growth hormone therapy.
If you suffer from depression, which is estimated to affect as much as a third of all fibromyalgia sufferers, you may be prescribed antidepressants. Surprisingly, this type of fibromyalgia treatment can work to help ease your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Many fibromyalgia patients suffer from disordered sleeping. While there are natural ways to help improve your sleep, sometimes you need a bit of extra help. Although they are not recommended for regular use, sleeping pills can help you catch some shut eye once in awhile. A controversial drug that is sometimes prescribed for sleep problems in fibromyalgia suffers is GHB.
Although affective, the use of opiods is often met with disapproval by certain doctors. While controversial, it is a course of treatment that those with fibromyalgia may want to investigate to ease their fibromyalgia symptoms.
Over-the-counter medications have also been shown to be beneficial for some fibromyalgia patients. However, there are always new medicines being made available to help ease fibromylagia symptoms, so make it a habit to ask your health care provider about new medication developments every time you meet. Some medications you may want to keep your eye open for are Mirapex, Dextromethorphan, Kadian, Modafinil and Milnacipran, which are showing promising results in clinical trials.
Other new fibromyalgia medications which are demonstrating a lot of promise in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome are Ramelton (Rozerem) and Paroxetine, as is Gabapentin (Neurotonin) and Pregabalin.
No matter what type of medication you are taking, it is important to inform all of your prescribing doctors of all of your medications. Some medications can interact negatively and put you at risk for serious complications.
One such complication is serotonin syndrome, an illness that fibromyalgia sufferers may be at an increased risk of developing.