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New drug relieves pain from Fibromyalgia
The Commercial Appeal ^ | 2/17/03 | NA

Posted on 02/17/2003 12:25:36 PM PST by GailA

New drug relieves pain from Fibromyalgia February 17, 2003

Conventional medications, such as Tylenol, Motrin or even morphine, provide little relief to sufferers of fibromyalgia, a mysterious and debilitating pain disorder. But a new drug might be able to thwart the nerve signals that scientists believe trigger the pain.

"This is a real breakthrough not only because it works, but it proves fibromyalgia can be treated," says Dr. Leslie Crofford, a rheumatologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor who has studied the new drug, pregabalin.

The syndrome affects an estimated 5.6 million Americans.

Pregabalin reduces the release of specific brain chemicals, such as glutamate and noradrenaline, that may cause pain, says Terry Griesing, a neurology researcher with Pfizer Inc.

The drug, which still needs FDA approval, could be on the market as early as 2004.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: fibromyalgia; pain
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To: Doc On The Bay
If this will help your research: Never had herpes, like GailA, not even a cold sore, can't say I've been treated for any infections, I get an ocassional cold. Docs I've seen seem to think the fibro is directly related to an auto accident, resulting TMJ (the discs in my jaw apparently dislodged in the accident and it was not discovered for 10 years) and that because of prolonged pain the neurosensors to the muscles have forgotten how to transmit a "no pain" message.

Also as GailA, I had a series of emotional traumas, have a "Type A+ personality" which they also feel were contributing factors. I had rather severe compression trauma (from the accident) in most of the cervical spine, which has progressed into arthritis and ocassional continued nerve root irritation. I have been in physical therapy for the better part of 20 years. Have had two TMJ surgeries, including the "killer" as I call it with 5 plates and enough hardware to start my own store, and have at least two more to go.

With all due respect, I get a little irritated when doctors try to use "infection" as a cause for everything. I was also treated for peptic ulcers in my 20s, which again, had nothing to do with infection. Of course 20 years later, that was the medical buzzword for the cause of ulcers. Anyone who's had them will tell you ....IT WAS PROBABLY STRESS! I REALLY wish you guys would get on the right track with this stuff...I know many of you try, but some of us are tired of suffering so the medical profession can try a new, stronger antibiotic.

61 posted on 02/17/2003 8:07:57 PM PST by republicandiva
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To: bigfootbob
I've had DJD for 26 years and I've never seen a slower or ineffective regulatory agency.

We are hoping for some promising anti-cancer drugs to get approved and they are screwing up the approval even when they are showing reults in the phase III clinical trials!

62 posted on 02/17/2003 8:42:04 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Nuke Saddam ( Bush is thinking about it ) and then what about Germany and France?)
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To: Aggie Mama
So glad I bookmarked this thread.

I'll ask about the natural micronized progesterone.

I think I've always had fibro or at least difficulties that are associated with it, but it kicked into a higher gear 7 years ago when I got mono, too!
63 posted on 02/17/2003 9:00:00 PM PST by valleygal
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To: SuziQ
You mean like cough syrup, the kind that is an expectorant?

Yes, but not the cough syrup form. It has too many other things in it that shouldn't be taken. I take Mucinex which is over the counter Guaifenesin tablets (600 mg.)

The guai protocol, how and why it works and more about FMS is at

http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/ (Dr. Paul St. Armand who was mentioned in post #32).

I tried to make this link but it didn't work...oh, well.

64 posted on 02/17/2003 9:17:03 PM PST by valleygal
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To: Pagey
My mom suffers from this and it is horrible to see her in pain like this when I visit and she's only 66 years old.It's too bad they can't make a cure available faster. How she can stand it,is WAY beyond my comprehension.

My mom, too. She's 62 and is really bad. She mentioned Dr. Kevorkian once.

Mom is on so much medication. The docs , over the years, have just put her on so much stuff....Prozac, Wellbutrin, Celebrex, drugs for reflux disease, sleeping meds, Vicodin, HBP med. and more. She takes all this stuff in one day.

Her case is pretty advanced because she has almost every symptom (inside and out) that can be attributed to FMS. She keeps going to specialists who run tests to no avail. I keep telling her, "It's the fibro, Ma."

65 posted on 02/17/2003 9:26:49 PM PST by valleygal
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To: Doc On The Bay
FM appears to be the "End Stage" of a collection of (probably Infectious) symptoms we 'Docs have yet to understand. (MAYBE Herpes 6).

Looking forward to the day when it's understood, lol!

Could you explain that just a bit? Do you mean symptoms from infections? Herpes 6?

66 posted on 02/17/2003 9:34:01 PM PST by valleygal
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To: GailA; All
You have been through a great deal. And if emotional stress is a trigger, the loss of your son in such a traumatic way would do it. My prayers are with you.

There are so many theories with this disease it makes my head swim (probably another symptom!) It seems to run in my family and I think there may be a genetic component to it that Dr. St. Armand mentions.

God bless you, Gail, and everybody else here on this thread.
I'll be praying for all of you.

Please ping me anytime this comes up. I will keep this bookmarked.
67 posted on 02/17/2003 9:49:33 PM PST by valleygal
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To: valleygal
I wonder if like me most of us have ALWAYS had muscle problems? I remember in HS how difficult PE was (I had it EVERY DAY as a freshman) and every day was a torture session. I was a fairly active person biked, skated, jump rope, etc, but PE was torture.

I'm a type B personality usually, until you get my dander stirred up over an important issue.

I noticed when I lost weight a few years ago that I had less muscle pain. BUT I've regained it over the past 2 years and the pain level is UP again.

Had a total hysterectomy about 8 years ago, and after 9 months on the estrogen patch I discovered that the estrogen was causing ALL KINDS of Gastro-Intestinal problems. When I stopped taking estrogen (took 30 days for side effects to disappear) the GI problems STOPPED.

IF you are having GI problems and taking estrogen you might want to reaccess your GI conditions. One of the side effects of estrogen that is listed in that #6 pica print is GI side effects. Acid, gas, bladder/bowel spasms, constipation. My bowel stopped working unless I took a laxative. Tried maniuplating my diet to relieve this but that did not work.

68 posted on 02/18/2003 5:33:46 AM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: equus
What are the side effects of minocycline? I ask as I have a history of having BAD side effects to meds. Mostly I get ampacilin (sp?) when I need an antibotic. Which isn't very often.
69 posted on 02/18/2003 5:37:04 AM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: valleygal
One med is causing the side effects for which another med is prescribed. It's a vicious circle. Check out the side effects of each med and you will find out this is the truth. I would bet $$ to donuts that the rise in acid reflux coincides with the rise in use of estrogen and arthritis drugs.
70 posted on 02/18/2003 5:40:17 AM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: valleygal
That's an aweful lot of meds to take. I take Malic Acid, St John's Wort, MSM and my synthroid. And other assorted vits and minerals like ester C, calcium, beta carotene, E, b-6 (water retention) and Condrotin/glucosimine, flaxseed oil, wheat germ oil for general health. I've order some salmon oil to try.

Your mom should see about weaning herself off some of them and I'd bet a lot of her symptoms would disappear. I still maintain most of the symptoms we are complaining of besides the initial FMS ones are caused by the DRUGS we are given and not monitored for side effects. Docs tend not to consider side effects when we complain of a new health problem. It took about 2 months on estrogen before the worst of my "new" symptoms manifested themselves. The immediate one was the acid. Slowly over a period of 9 months the others made themselves felt, VERY painfully.

When I was put on Lodine the acid got so bad that I was on a strong dose of Tagamet 2 times a day and it BARELY phased the acid.

I've gotten more relief from the vit/min therapy than I ever did from the chemicals. Some of the natural stuff also causes the GI side effects for me. Black Cohosh is one of them as is cronium pictolate.

I now closely monitor every thing I put into my body for side effects, which is a lesson I learned the hard way.

71 posted on 02/18/2003 5:53:07 AM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: valleygal
Your mom is on a lot of the same (or very similar) drugs I'm on, or have been on. Celebrex and Vicodin definitely increase acid reflux problems.

They're a little easier to tolerate than their counterparts, NSAIDS (anti-inflammatory) or Codeine, but they still do some damage.

Unfortunately, she probably depends on them to ease the pain. Ask her to be sure she takes these meds WITH food, but aside from lowering the dosage or quitting these drugs altogether, the reflux problem will probaby never improve and could get worse, leading to a whole new set of problems.

72 posted on 02/18/2003 6:28:02 AM PST by republicandiva
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To: buffyt
Paxil? for pain?
73 posted on 02/18/2003 6:29:18 AM PST by AppyPappy (Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.)
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To: GailA
GAILA WROTE: "One med is causing the side effects for which another med is prescribed. It's a vicious circle. Check out the side effects of each med and you will find out this is the truth."

BINGO!

That's ONE reason why I have been sooooo impressed by the Alpha-Stim. It is a drug-free solution, it doesn't interfere with others and it WORKS...FAST.

I have a Type-A personality and it helps me to keep the benefits of the Type-A, but also have the benefits of Type-B...and none of the drawbacks of either. It has been a GODSEND for my family and me.

74 posted on 02/18/2003 7:28:04 AM PST by Concerned
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To: GailA
I don't really know, I don't take antibiotics myself. Just suggesting there is a root cause of your problem that is more than a single and awful stressful event. And tho symptomatic treatment is okay, if you can get to the root cause, you may be able to clear it up.

Best of luck.
75 posted on 02/18/2003 10:10:20 AM PST by equus
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To: GailA; republicandiva
My mom does have terrible acid reflux (for years now) and, yes, she is also on Premarin...since she was 21!

I have been praying to find a solution for her. Thank you all. I will pass all this info on to her.

My fibro is very tolerable. I am not feeling very well lately since on the guaifenesin (which is actually a good thing). You're supposed to feel worse as the body is cleared of debris and then feel better.

Looking back, I also think I've always had it (my mom since childhood, too). Constant legs cramps as a small kid, always tired. My grandma, on the farm, use to say, "You need more pep!", and would get out the Geritol. :) I was only 8!
76 posted on 02/18/2003 12:06:57 PM PST by valleygal
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To: valleygal
It may all go back to the fact we've been hypothyroid nearly all our lives. They tried me on Premarin when I was in my late 40's it gave me a MIGRANE headache along with the acid reflux. Symptoms of of hypothroid include leg crams, muscle pain, dry skin, nails and hair. My skin was real flaky until I started the Wheat Germ oil and Flax Seed Oil. Now it is 'normal' for a 55 year old.

I've heard of whole body cleansing to flush the body of toxic build up. I don't think I could tolerate that. But it should be considered.

77 posted on 02/18/2003 4:16:14 PM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: GailA
HECK reading the symptoms for hypothyroidism sounds like READING FMS symptoms!

TIP 2: SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM AND WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT

If you have fatigue, weight gain, low motivation and ambition, heat and/or cold intolerance, headaches and migraines, dry skin and hair, irritability, anxiety and panic attacks, hair loss, fluid retention, depression, decreased memory and concentration, unhealthy nails, brittle nails, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, low sex drive, insomnia, hives, asthma, allergies, slow healing, acne, or carpal tunnel syndrome, you may have a thyroid disorder.

If you have you experienced female problems (tumors, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, PMS, cramps, (dysmenorrhea), amenorrhea, female cancers, spontaneous abortion, cyclic seizures, dry vagina and infertility), weight problems (usually high, sometimes low), gallbladder disease (six times higher in women with excess estrogen or on birth control pills or ERT), heart disease, cancer, colon problems, low blood sugar, attention deficit disorder (ADD), adrenal exhaustion from excess secretion of adrenaline, and osteoporosis (from excess estrogen leading to excess adrenaline and then to excess cortisol), you may have thyroid disease.

Why is it so important to take note of your symptoms?

If you don't get your thyroid disease diagnosed and start a course of proper treatment, you are setting yourself up for many problems down the road. The longer you leave it untreated, the harder it is to respond to the treatment when you do get it.

78 posted on 02/18/2003 4:19:38 PM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: GailA
Link for more extensive list of symptoms of hyper/hypo thyroid disease

Click here

POLL question: How many of us suffering FMS and hypothyroid also suffer from real bad eye sight? I'm 55 I've thought my 50% loss of vision over the past 10 years was due to aging. Now I'm not so sure. I've worn tri-focals for the past 5 years. They keep getting stronger and stronger. My reader portion is especially strong.

79 posted on 02/18/2003 5:04:21 PM PST by GailA (stop PAROLING killers Throw Away the Keys http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: GailA
I have alot of the above, with the exception of weight gain.

My vision started to go at 37 (I just turned 45). My reading glasses are 1.5's. I bought the "See Clearly Method" but have not really tried it yet (motivation?) :)

I guess I'll have my thyroid tested next. Thanks, Gail. Take care!
80 posted on 02/18/2003 8:44:31 PM PST by valleygal
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