Two Drugs Combine for Moderate Fibromyalgia Pain Relief

By Disaboom Health Team

One of the most frustrating aspects of fibromyalgia has been the lack of
viable medications to treat its symptoms according to Disaboom, the largest online
community for people with disabilities. Many different things are tried in
combination for relief of pain and for problems with sleep. When a patient is
diagnosed with fibromyalgia,
most often a program is prescribed that includes patient education, behavior
modification, gentle therapy, and medication for sleep and pain. In 2003,
however, a study at an outpatient clinic found that a combination of analgesic
drugs, tramadol and acetaminophen, could be a safe and effective way to achieve
at least moderate fibromyalgia pain.

Study participants, primarily women between the ages of 18 and 75 years,
were allowed to take medication for depression and sleeping aids. There were
315 participants, half taking the combination medication and half taking a
placebo. Results of the study confirmed that the combination of these drugs was
a safe and effective way to relieve pain for patients with fibromyalgia.

Because many medications are used in
combination to treat fibromyalgia,
the use of antidepressants and sleep aids was specifically examined in this
study, and was not felt to be a problem (participants in previous studies had
not been allowed to use antidepressants and sleep aids). The report’s authors,
however, warn that taking several medications with acetaminophen in combination
with these two drugs could be toxic. Consequently, if your doctor is
considering prescribing the tramadol and acetaminophen combination, it’s
critically important to tell your doctor about all other medications (including
both prescription and over-the-counter) you may be taking, especially those
containing acetaminophen.

 “Tramadol and acetaminophen
combination tablets in the treatment of fibromyalgia pain: A double-blind,
randomized, placebo-controlled study,” R. Bennett, MD; M. Kamin, MD; R. Karim,
PhD; N. Rosenthal, MD, The American Journal of Medicine, Vol 114, p.
537-545, May 2003.

To learn more about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of
fibromyalgia visit disaboom.com.  Since its launch in 2007, Disaboom is dedicated to
providing the most collective, comprehensive resource for people with
disabilities empowering them to live forward.