Posted by TENA/DIAMOND on 2/1/2009, 2:45 pm, in reply to "What Is Fibromyalgia?#1"
What Is Fibromyalgia?#2
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What tests are used to diagnose fibromyalgia? continued...
To rule out more serious illnesses, your doctor may run some specific blood tests. For example, your doctor may ask for a complete blood count (CBC). The doctor may also ask for tests for chemicals, such as glucose, that can create problems similar to problems caused by fibromyalgia. A thyroid test may also be done. An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause problems similar to fibromyalgia. That includes fatigue, muscle aches, weakness, and depression.
Other laboratory tests used to rule out serious illnesses may include Lyme titers, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), erythrocyte (red blood cell) sedimentation rate (ESR), prolactin level, and calcium level.
Your doctor will also use a diagnosis of inclusion. That means your doctor will make sure your symptoms satisfy the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia syndrome outlined by the American College of Rheumatology. These criteria include widespread pain that persists for at least three months. Widespread pain refers to pain that occurs in both the right and left sides of the body, both above and below the waist, and in the chest, neck, and mid or lower back.
The doctor will evaluate the severity of related symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mood disorders. This will help measure the impact FMS has on your physical and emotional function as well as on your overall health-related quality of life.
What is the standard treatment for fibromyalgia?
There is no fibromyalgia cure. And there is no treatment that will address all of the fibromyalgia symptoms. Instead, a wide array of traditional and alternative treatments has been shown to be effective in treating this difficult syndrome. A treatment program may include a combination of medications, exercises -- both strengthening and aerobic conditioning -- and behavioral techniques.
What medications are used to treat fibromyalgia?
According to the American College of Rheumatology, drug therapy for fibromyalgia primarily treats the symptoms. The FDA has approved three drugs to treat fibromyalgia: Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella. The FDA says Lyrica -- which is also used to treat nerve pain caused by shingles and diabetes -- can ease fibromyalgia pain for some patients. Cymbalta and Savella are in a class of drugs known as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Low doses of tricyclic compounds such as Flexeril, Cycloflex, Flexiban, Elavil, or Endep have been found effective in treating the pain of FMS. In addition, positive results have been shown with the antidepressants known as dual reuptake inhibitors ( Effexor). Ultram is a pain-relieving medicine that can be helpful.
Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant such as Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft. These drugs may help relieve feelings of depression, sleep disorders, and pain. Recently, researchers have found that the antiepileptic Neurontin is promising for fibromyalgia treatment.
The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), including COX-2 drugs, have not been found to be effective for treating FMS pain. Opioid pain medications are usually only prescribed if all other drug and non-drug options have been tried to no avail.
TENA/DIAMOND
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