Fibromyalgia sufferers: Good news! but not really

[Connonym]

<snip>Pot Drug May Cut Fibromyalgia Pain Preliminary Study Shows Less Pain, Better Quality of Life in Fibromyalgia Patients Taking Nabilone

Feb. 19, 2008 -- Nabilone, a pain drug based on marijuana's active ingredient, may ease fibromyalgia pain. So say Canadian researchers, based on a preliminary, short-term study. The study included 40 fibromyalgia patients. First, they did three things:

* Rate the intensity of their fibromyalgia pain. The rating scale ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable). Their average rating was about 6.
* Rate their quality of life. The rating scale ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse quality of life. Their average rating was 66.
* Get a check of their tender points -- parts of the body that are often sensitive in fibromyalgia patients.


That's great isn't it? Except that you're not going to be able to get a prescription for it. :eyes: Although since most doctors seem to think fibro is only in our heads even if it was legal we probably still wouldn't be prescribed it.

[TZ]

1. Actually fibro is becoming more accepted

in the medical community. There is also a new FDA approved drug for fibro as well. So yes, the medical community is starting to come around on it being a real issue

[Connonym]

2. my doctor is fabulous with it

I had never even heard of it when he diagnosed me and he's very supportive with recommendations for lifestyle changes (especially regular exercise -- which I'm not great at doing) but he's never once made me feel like I'm crazy and I know that if I'm having a bad flare that he won't hesitate to give me a prescription for Vicodin. I've got friends with fibro and their doctors are very callous about it.

[lizziegrace]

3. I was diagnosed 10 years ago.

none of the standard treatments (at the time) worked for me. Either didn't help at all or made me a zombie. I can deal with the pain better than the sleep disruptions. I haven't slept through the night in over 10 years. Most days I feel like I'm running on only 2 cylinders...

[Connonym]

4. I didn't realize that sleep issues were part of it

I've got insomnia but I didn't know it was a fibro symptom. I generally can't sleep for more than 3 hours at a time and then not be able to fall back asleep. Every once in a while though I'll have a couple day stretch where I still wake up every couple hours (I think insomnia has trained my bladder, I know, TMI) but then will fall back asleep right away and end up sleeping for like a 14 hour stretch. This happens once a month or so and I wonder if it's hormonally related because it doesn't seem to really coincide with fibro flare ups.