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How Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are Medicated

By: Jack Claridge - Updated: 14 Jul 2019 | comments*Discuss
 
Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Many people in the United Kingdom suffer from either Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be better known to you as M.E (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and currently there are around a quarter of a million known sufferers of the condition in the United Kingdom alone.

Of course this does not obviously take into account the number of people who are waiting for a diagnosis because diagnosing either Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can take some time. Indeed there will be those among the population suffering from either condition who have not yet sought medical advice.

Is There a Cure for Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)?

Unfortunately the answer to this question is no; there is no cure at the moment for either of these conditions and indeed doctors and scientists are still researching and discovering new aspects of each condition as time goes by.

Where there is no cure for these conditions as a whole there are ways in which relieve can be given to certain aspects of them such as pain, problems with sleeping and other physical issues such as problems with blood pressure or libido.

Help with Pain Relief

As many Fibromyalgia or M.E (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) sufferers will tell you the main part of their problems with their conditions is pain; many of them suffer incredible pain which is something that non-sufferers find difficult to comprehend. This is because both conditions often do not exhibit any visual symptoms.

Often sufferers of either condition will require medication for pain relief and many doctors will prescribe mild pain killers or even anti-depressants to help them cope. Both conditions cause muscle pain and stiffness and medications such as anti-depressants double up as muscle relaxants also.

Again it is worth noting that your doctor will prescribe these only on a short term basis and you will have to see your doctor again before he or she will prescribe any more. Anti-depressants and sleeping medication are no longer prescribed on a repeat prescription basis and your doctor must be confident that you are using the medication in the right way and have not become dependant on it.

Stress and Anxiety

As we have already mentioned your doctor may prescribe mild anti-depressants which also double up as muscle relaxants. He may also prescribe anti-depressants or mild sleeping pills if you are suffering from stress or anxiety – again both symptoms of both Fibromyalgia and M.E (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). It is worth noting at this juncture that your doctor will only prescribe these anti-depressants and sleeping pills if he or she is convinced there is no other way in which to relieve stress or anxiety or indeed improve your sleep.

Exercising Caution with Pain Relief

If your doctor prescribes pain medication for you then you should use it only as directed. There is a temptation for many chronic sufferers of either Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to over compensate for the pain by taking more pain medication than is necessary.

The point cannot be made strongly enough that this can be very dangerous. It is understood that taking addition pain relief medication may help with the pain, especially if chronic pain has reached the limits of your pain threshold, but exceeding the recommended dose and doing so regularly can cause liver and kidney function problems that if unchecked may cause permanent damage.

You may find that if you have been prescribed a particular kind of pain relief medication your doctor may ask you to take part in a liver function test – this is to ensure that your liver and kidneys are functioning correctly and that the medication is not causing an adverse effects.

It is advised that before embarking on any course of medication prescribed by your doctor that you ask as to the nature of the medication and also ask them to explain any possible side effects which may arise. Also if during the course of taking such medication other symptoms arise then you should cease the use of such medication until you have consulted with your doctor.

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I am looking for some advice. My Husband was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue in 2014 and the support received since then has been limited. He has tried a range of medications that have not reduced the pain he suffers but increased other symptoms relating to his IBS and dizziness/feeling sick and no longer takes any meds because of this. His pain is unbearable but he continues to push himself by working every day as a Farmer. We repeatedly visit the GP for support but have been told that they don't know what else they can do for him, other than advise him to stop working (How could we afford to live? And my husbands work motivates him to get out of bed each day so to not work would cause depression). As his wife I just want to cry. He struggles to do anything other than work. He doesn't sleep hardly and is constantly exhausted. We have no quality of life. I feel that the NHS are not interested in helping. I am aware that there is a Fibro Clinic in London that it is private. Would it be worth us saving our money to go to this clinic for support from a specialist? Or does anyone have any other recommendations? We live in Cumbria (North England) so London is a long way for us to travel but we are desperate to improve and ease my Husbands Symptoms. I understand that these conditions will never go away but a way to reduce the pain and help him sleep would be the most amazing outcome in the world. Has anyone been to this clinic? Does it come with recommendations? Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Jacko - 14-Jul-19 @ 10:01 PM
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