How efficient could be Neurontin for Fibromyalgia?
Some medical conditions seem to be odd and mysterious just like fibromyalgia. It is a harsh reality that this condition is difficult to diagnose and cure, as we don’t know the causes of this condition and also don’t know how to stop it. More than 5 million people in the US are suffering from fibromyalgia.
The pain due to fibromyalgia can become so much overwhelming and in many cases, patients have been bedridden for many years. some more symptoms can appear also like sensitivity to light, certain foods and certain medications, insomnia, depression, headaches, cognitive issues, restless leg syndrome, irritable bowel and bladder syndrome etc.
Do we really know much about fibromyalgia?
Yes, it is true that we don’t know much about fibromyalgia. Yet, it is affecting so many lives. Yes, there are a lot of researchers made in this field and many things have been revealed, but still, no one is there to say that he/she actually understand fibromyalgia. Still, there are several things we don’t know about it.
- Different people show different symptoms of it and the impact on every symptom is different for each person. It can be the reason why 11 out of 18 tender points had to be painful to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
- Genetics has a role in developing fibromyalgia but no direct relationship has been shown. People whose parents or other relatives had suffered from this disease have chances to develop it too.
- People having fibromyalgia can have the worse condition due to stress. Even, stress is considered to be a cause of fibromyalgia rather than to be a symptom. Fibromyalgia can occur from some stressful events like an accident, being in an abusive relationship or losing someone.
- It is also believed that the pain neurotransmitters don’t send pain signals properly to the brain in fibromyalgia patients. In result, the brain perceives high intensity of pain as compared to other people’s brain do.
- Serotonin and various other neurotransmitters are considered to play an important role too.
Is Neurontin efficient?
Initially, nerve pain and epilepsy were used to be treated from Neurontin. Basically, the functioning of it is done by obstructing communication between nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, and Neurontin could be effective for treating fibromyalgia too.
There are other names of Neurontin also like gabapentin. Doctors frequently prescribe this to the people having severe pain syndrome. Many people who tried using it say that it is effective for our syndrome and many symptoms have decreased after taking this medication.
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There is not much research done on the efficiency of this drug. In fact, one study on a very high level has been made and proved Neurontin to be the effective drug for the treatment of fibromyalgia pain, fatigue, and sleep issues.
You should keep in mind one thing that every drug has its side effects too. Some side effects of this drug could be dizziness, blurred vision, tiredness, drowsiness and tremor. If your doctor prescribes you with Neurontin and if you experience stomach pain, chest pain, high blood pressure, skin rashes, confused mind, nausea, dark urine or any symptom that seems to be odd first time, immediately call your doctor.
Other fibromyalgia drugs
FDA hasn’t approved Neurontin yet. Three drugs have been approved by FDA for treating fibromyalgia. These are considered to be safe and efficient. Following are these three drugs:
Lyrica is the first drug that has been approved by FDA in 2007 (Marketed by Pfizer Inc.,). Originally, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, seizures, and pain related to the shingles rash were mainly intended to be treated with this drug, but now it is approved for fibromyalgia as well. You should keep this in mind that there can be some side effects of this drug like dizziness, lack of focus, poor memory, weight gain, dry mouth or even swelling. Some people might have allergic reactions to this drug.
Cymbalta was approved in 2008 (marketed by Eli Lilly and Co.). Originally, anxiety, depression and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were treated by it. There can be some side effects of this drug as well that includes dry mouth, decreased appetite, constipation, nausea, and excessive sweating. Suicidal thoughts can also arise in some people due to this drug as some anti-depressants do the same.
Savella was approved in 2009 (marketed by Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc.) in the US. It is the very first drug approved for fibromyalgia treatment. This drug is not used to treat depression but this drug seems like an anti-depressant, that means there can be side effects. Some of the symptoms include insomnia, dizziness, Suicidal thoughts, sweating, increased heart rate and high blood pressure, vomiting, nausea, and constipation.
Natural treatments
If you believe that some natural treatments are also good for in reducing your pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, make sure to talk to your doctor just to know if that treatment is safe for you or not. A lot of natural treatment alternatives are there which have proved to be effective for patients with fibromyalgia-like:
- Tai Chi-a Chinese art full of health benefits as well.
- Yoga-helps in alleviating pain
- Chinese herbal medicine which helps in alleviating main fibromyalgia symptoms
- Medical marijuana-available in 23 states in US of America, which has been proved to be effective in increasing appetite, treating pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms as well.
