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| Opiates are drugs that are derived from the Opium poppy plant. |
Due to the central nervous system origins of fibromyalgia pain, Clauw said treatments with opioids or other narcotic analgesics usually are not effective because they do not reduce the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Opioid drugs include:
- codeine
- fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora)
- hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)
- hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo)
- meperidine (Demerol)
- methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
- morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Ora-Morph SR)
- oxycodone (OxyContin, Oxyfast, Percocet, Roxicodone)
- oxycodone and naloxone (Targiniq ER)
These drugs seem to temporarily control the pain experienced in fibro and then often significantly complicate other aspects of the syndrome including nonrestorative sleep, fatigue, and irritable bowel symptoms including constipation.
Other adverse effects such as sedation and mental clouding are also of particular concern in patients with FM because they may also have these problems, ususally called fibro fog, due to the syndrome. Finally, opioid-induced effects on sleep, such as sleep-disordered breathing, may further worsen unrefreshed sleep and fatigue .[2]
SOURCES:
American Pain Society press release
WebMD Opioid (Narcotic) Pain Medications
Ngian GS, Guymer EK, Littlejohn GO. The use of opioids in fibromyalgia. Int J Rheum Dis. 2011;14:6–1
[2] Wang D, Teichtahl H. Opioids, sleep architecture and sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep Med Rev. 2007;11:35–46.
Very informative. I'll have to discuss this with my rheumatologist. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found something useful here about fibro and wishing you all the best
DeleteThis opioid crisis thing is a crushing blow to people w chronic pain, and fibro. We need some relief, and denying people pain meds is going to lead to a whole new kind of junkie, but not before the suicide rate amongst us goes thru the roof.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear from an Md who has fibro.
I agree completely. It's not fair that drug addicts are affecting the outcome of people who live with chronic pain. Pain every single second of every single day on getting relief. You think people are dying now. The suicide rate is going to skyrocket if people with chronic pain can't get relief
DeleteIf opioid drugs are not the answer, and Gabapentin, Savella, Diloxetine, Lyrica, SSRI's & SSNI and other anti depressants and anti convulsant meds do not work to control pain, what other choices are there for FM patients? Medical Marijuana? Street drugs? Alcohol? This is not a new illness. You would think by now there would be multiple options to treat this. I recently read an article on Florence Nightingale who also suffered with FM! Birth May 1820--Aug 1910 when she died. And here it is 2017, 117 yrs later --and we are barely better equipped to treat this illness. Very sad.
DeleteSo True! I am well aware of the dangers and do not pop them like candy but when the pain is too bad, it takes the edge off so I am in total misery. Or when their is an event that I just can't miss I will take one to make sure I can get through it. I wish that the government would allow doctors to doctor us. If they find someone that misuses pain control then they should lose their license. Stop punishing doctors and patients that are doing things correctly.
DeleteThis opioid crisis thing is a crushing blow to people w chronic pain, and fibro. We need some relief, and denying people pain meds is going to lead to a whole new kind of junkie, but not before the suicide rate amongst us goes thru the roof.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear from an Md who has fibro.
Addiction and withdrawal symptoms are horrific best to avoid if you're gonna take them for fybro
ReplyDelete