Fibromyalgia Drugs

There are several FDA approved medications for fibromyalgia, including duloxetine (Cymbalta), milnacipran (Savella), and pregabalin (Lyrica).

Pain relievers and antidepressants are the two most commonly prescribed medication categories for people with fibromyalgia.

Analgesics

Analgesics can be as simple as over the counter medications like Tylenol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDS, or they can be prescription pain killers, like narcotics.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are among the most beneficial medications for people with fibromyalgia, even for those who do not have depression. Antidepressants elevate the levels of several chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Those chemicals are associated with depression, but also fatigue and pain.

Types of antidepressants that are commonly used include:

• • Tricyclic antidepressants are often used to help provide restorative sleep, heighten the effect of endorphins (the body’s natural pain killing substance) and help to relax muscles that are painful.
• • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are also known as SSRI’s. These medications promote the release of serotonin and may be able to reduce fatigue and some of the other fibromyalgia symptoms. These are sometimes prescribed with a tricyclic antidepressant.
• • Mixed reuptake inhibitors raise the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine.

Additional medications

Other medications may be prescribed depending on the particular symptoms of the individual. For example, people with fibromyalgia may have symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and need medications for diarrhea.

The right combination of medications can be difficult to find. It involves working together as a team of health care providers, the pharmacist, and the patient.