Fibromyalgia is a complex puzzle in which many pieces are still missing.
Of course, the last few years (and decades, in general) have seen an important improvement in the way this syndrome is perceived, but up to the moment, specialists haven’t been able to agree on the exact symptoms and on the exact causes that may lead to its development.
While some of the medical professionals and researchers out there believe that Fibromyalgia is simply impossible to be linked to a very clear set of symptoms, others are still working on deciding which symptoms are typical for Fibromyalgia and which ones develop along with comorbid conditions.
Fibromyalgia is very difficult to diagnose precisely for the reasons described above. Very often, medical professionals will be misled by the development of certain symptoms that are more similar to other conditions and by the fact that patients tend to be very different.
As a matter of fact, the symptoms of certain patients can be so different from what is common that they may not even appear to be anything like Fibromyalgia.
Chronic depression is one of the most common conditions with which Fibromyalgia is both comorbid and which it is very often mistaken. For a very long time, Fibromyalgia has been considered to be an actual form of depression, but nowadays most of the professionals out there will agree that it is a stand-alone condition.
However, some of them still believe that depression can be a cause or a risk factor in the case of those suffering from Fibromyalgia.
The relationship between the two conditions is relatively unknown, although one thing is for sure: they “come” together in the large majority of the cases.
Proper diagnosis is absolutely essential for administering correct treatment. Since Fibromyalgia and chronic depression are so close connected to each other, the treatment prescribed in both of the cases can appear to be quite common.
Still, in the end, it is pain that will make the difference between the two of them. In most of the cases, patients suffering from depression alone will not need pain killers, but Fibromyalgia patients will most likely need anti-depressants.
Since most of the anti-depressants cannot be taken with powerful analgesics, this can pose an issue for a lot of patients out there. Still, recent studies have shown that Lyrica, a drug produced by Pfizer, can be useful for those suffering from Fibromyalgia and chronic depression together.
It is worth mentioning the fact that this drug is not an anti-depressant proper, and that it works by decreasing the number of signals from the nerves, which can help patients with Fibromyalgia relieve themselves from pain.
Since Fibromyalgia is, as it is most commonly agreed on, a syndrome related to the nerves and how they perceive the pain signals, Lyrica can actually be helpful for those suffering from this syndrome.
Furthermore, Lyrica already has a history of being prescribed for patients with diabetic neuropathy or other types of medical conditions that cause nerve pain.
Up until the moment, two major tests have been run to see if Lyrica can become a treatment for those with Fibromyalgia. Both of them showed the same results, but the second one is different because it was run on patients who were also taking antidepressants.
In both of the cases, Lyrica appeared to show positive outcomes and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has already approved it as a drug that can be prescribed for this syndrome.
In addition with helping with the pain relieving process, Lyrica can help Fibromyalgia patients in other ways as well. For instance, it can have a calming effect and it can ease the troubled sleep of these people. Patients on whom Lyrica has a beneficial effect have been able to do what they used to do when they weren’t suffering from this syndrome.
However, you should bear in mind that Lyrica is a prescription drug for a reason and that it may not be good for you. If you suffer from other medical conditions and you are taking drugs for it, Lyrica can become dangerous and you should tell your doctor about every kind of drug you have been previously prescribed.
For example, blood pressure drugs combined with Lyrica can lead to swelling and hives, while some diabetes drugs can cause weight gain and swelling as well if they are taken with Lyrica.
Furthermore, drinking alcohol when on Lyrica is completely forbidden and driving while on the same drug can become dangerous, since it can cause dizziness, sleepiness and it can draw your attention from the road.
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