Get Informed: Fibromyalgia
1 in 20 people have Fibromyalgia
iGuard is currently monitoring more than 98,555 patients with Fibromyalgia from around the United States as shown on the heat map below. These figures suggest that roughly 14.7 million Americans have Fibromyalgia with women being 4 times more likely to be affected than men.
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
iGuard is currently monitoring more than 98,555 patients with Fibromyalgia.
Medications used for Fibromyalgia
Drugs commonly taken by iGuard users for Fibromyalgia are listed below, together with the percentage of patients that take each drug.
|
Commonly Used Medication Name* (Hover mouse over name to see medication class) |
% of Patients | Average Risk Rating | Has Generic Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cymbalta | 14% |
|
No |
| Lyrica | 10% |
|
No |
| Celebrex | 6% |
|
No |
| Vicodin | 6% |
|
Yes |
| Ultram | 6% |
|
Yes |
| Tylenol | 5% |
|
Yes |
Less than 5%: Neurontin, Ambien, Flexeril, Advil, Oxycontin, Amitriptyline, Lexapro, Aleve, Zanaflex, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Mobic, Desyrel, Soma, Hydrocodone, Prozac, Celexa, Baclofen, Zoloft
*This list is NOT EXHAUSTIVE - Only drugs used by a sufficiently large number of iGuard users are listed.
**Medications are sometimes known by different brand/generic names, depending upon how they are packaged or used.
Global Patient Feedback for Fibromyalgia ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I was diagnosed with Fibro in 1987/88 after my Dr & specialists had ruled out every other possible cause for the pain I was having in my hips, legs & feet. I have been on all the different anti-depressants at one time or another. My most frequent flare-up started in 2001 after a fall. I am currently taking bupropion (anxiety), amitriptyline (back pain) & zolpidem (sleeping). The only pain medication I can take, due to allergies, is acetaminophine (with or without codeine depending on the pain).
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-19 20:32:09
Question/Comment:
I have been diagnosed now for 10 years with CFS/Fibromyalgia, I tried amitriptyline and it did take the pain away, but I was very irritable and jittery. Unfortunately, I had to stop the medication and am once again suffering with lots of pain. The pain appears to worsen with the change of seasons...has anyone experienced this?
58 year old Female
59 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-12-29 19:36:30
iGuard Answer/Reply:
It is possible that your pain would become worse or better depending on the changing seasons. Pain associated with fibromyalgia is thought to have stress-related causes in some patients. The changing weather can contribute to the stress level on the body, affecting your pain. It would be good to address this concern with your physician. There are other medications available to treat the pain associated with fibromyalgia. You can also ask your doctor about non-medication therapy - some patients find benefit from water based physical therapy (aqua therapy) and other types of physical therapy. Your physician can review your medical history to see if any could benefit you.
Posted: 2010-01-01 20:17:21
Answer/Reply:
I too was prescribed amitriptyline. I can't take it and still function. When I take the prescribed dosage it stays in my system for 3 days. When I cut the dosage in half it stays in my system for a day and a half. So I rarely use it because I still work. I too have difficulty at the change of seasons...Winter seems to be the worst. Fluoxetine seems to help some
48 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-23 23:57:20
Answer/Reply:
I also have Fibromyalgia, I am not on prescription meds. I started taking 3600mg of magnesium malate, 100mg CQ10 and 2400mg of calcium. My doctor approved all of this and now the pain is subsided 60% and I only wake up 2X's a night. And everything is natural, no drugs. I am 59 and have had this for the last 20 years.
59 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-30 10:31:22
Answer/Reply:
I have noticed that the weather fronts that pass through make my pain a lot worse. I talked to my Doctor about this. He told me that 98% of his Fibromyalgia patients complain of the same thing and he believes that the weather has a lot to do with it. I've been watching my pain and the weather for some time now and have proven it to myself.
56 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-26 15:48:47
Answer/Reply:
I notice with my FM and other problems that yes with weather changes I get worse or less stiff, more fluid feeling. Warm weather is always better, but on over cast days I've noticed even my mood changes too. When it's cloudy and gloomy for a long period of time I feel a little more depressed than I would normaly. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, but when I'm bummed I have a problem moving even more so. Always have been linked together.. Which is lame..
34 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-02 17:26:22
Question/Comment:
I have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I have been doing a lot of research on the condition. 1 thing I came across was a suspected link with toxins. I grew up in the Houston area which is nothing but chemical plants. Looking at the above map, the highest concentration of people suffering this condition is in areas with high levels of air and/or water pollution. I think that we should be sounding the alarm a little louder on the effects of being exposed to these pollutants.
38 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-11-18 12:57:26
Answer/Reply:
wow..i wonder if there are any studies being done, I am only 34 and have been diagnosed for 3 yearrs now(though my husband, who is a physical therapist, suspected i had it in my 20's) I was born in New Jersey, lived right next to exon and the newark airport, but we moved when i was only 10, but still we spent summers there and occasionally in the witner. I live in south florida now, not much industrial here. would be VERY interested to know if there is a link, not just "in my head!"
35 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-11 15:13:32
Answer/Reply:
The areas with the highest levels of air and/or water pollution are also the areas of higher population. The more the population, the more the pollution. I don't think that is a very good theory based on the map, but it may very well be that pollution and chemicals do play a factor in fibromyalgia. I hate it, I have been diagnosed for 7 years but I have had it longer. I have the severe kind, not much takes the pain away except for a dose of prednisone that I get occasionally for asthma illness. I take methadone,ultram for break through, zanaflex for muscle relaxer and rarely do I have more than few minutes without pain someplace. There is a special place for us sufferers in the after life that will compensate us for this pain...I have to believe that.
48 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-13 03:32:27
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Xyrem since 2004 for Fibromyalgia. This drug is a miracle for me, and my doctor also believes it is the main key to my treatment. I am closely monitored by a pain specialist monthly, due to multiple medications. I have had no side effects or problems with its use. I did get pregnant in 2005, and luckily, the Fibromyalgia went into remission during my pregnancy, and I went off of the drug with no withdrawal symptoms or other adverse side effects. Unfortunately, as my doctor predicted, it came back with a vengeance after the birth of my daughter, and I have been back on the medication ever since. I get good sleep for 4 hours, wake up like clockwork, take my 2nd dose, get my remaining four hours sleep, and wake up refreashed with no drowsy after effects. According to my doctor, this is because Xyrem is metabolized through breathing, and bypass the liver unlike most other drugs, so it exits the system much quicker (thus the need to take a second dose halfway through the night). I have noted that without Xyrem, I sleep much more and experience much more fatigue due to the fact I do not get the proper type of restful sleep, as most Fibro patients have many waking episodes during the night, most that they are unaware of. Because of this restful sleep, my muscles get time to heal, and it decreases pain during the day as well. My doctor stated that she has had much success with this drug with all of her Fibro patients, and I highly recommend exploring the options of this drug to anyone suffering with Fibromyalgia.
36 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-10-27 18:52:11
Answer/Reply:
Like you, I was having problems with non-refreshing sleep and waking up at night in severe pain. I take Trazadone about 30 minutes before bedtime, and it has really helped me sleep through the night. I have never heard of Xyrem, so thanks for sharing your experiences with it.
37 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-12-05 19:05:22
Answer/Reply:
I suffered Chronic fatigue syndrome, drugs, trigger point injections, massage, accupuncture, etc. Nothing really helped except Acuscope/Myopulse. Some PT's, Chronic Pain Docs' and other specialist have them. This machines works. Pro athletes, Famous Actors, and regular people who are in pain (small to severe Pain) use this.
42 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-12-08 23:17:05
Question/Comment:
I had felt achy and just plain awful for several years, and took a lot of Tylonol. Then in 2002 I had my first knee replacement, what a shock to my system that was. Some months after my surgery, the aching and pain got considerably worse, and a friend recommended his Rheumatologist to me. He was the answer to my problem, I was diognosed with FMS and CFS, so finally I had some answers and was able to learn about the disease and proceed with treatment. Exercise, a sleeping aid, some pain Rx and relaxing therapy, did help tremondeously, I am not cured by any means, but I am able to function on a more normal level today.
69 year old female
70 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-09-28 20:30:24
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Patient Comments about
Fibromyalgia