Antidepressants for fibromyalgia: Latest word on the link to depression and anxiety
Why should fibromyalgia—an ostensible musculoskeletal disorder—be of interest to you? Because you can help relieve the depressed mood, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia that often accompany this chronic, debilitating disorder.
Cardiovascular fitness training is a potentially important component of fibromyalgia treatment. Many patients, however, have difficulty getting started because of increased pain after exercise and disabling fatigue. Treatment with medications as recommended may provide enough relief for patients to start an exercise program. Remind patients to start slowly, increasing the frequency and intensity of exercise as their endurance improves.
Because stress and a history of psychological trauma contribute to the onset and exacerbation of symptoms in some patients, cognitive-behavioral therapy is recommended as an adjunctive treatment as appropriate.
Related resources
- American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc. www.afsafund.org
- Arnold LM, et al. Antidepressant treatment of fibromyalgia. A metaanalysis and review. Psychosomatics 2000;41:104-13.
- Kranzler JD, Gendreau JF, Rao SG. The psychopharmacology of fibromyalgia: a drug development perspective. Psychopharmacol Bull 2002;36:165-213.
Drug brand names
- Amitriptyline • Elavil
- Citalopram • Celexa
- Clomipramine • Anafranil
- Cyclobenzaprine • Flexeril
- Fluoxetine • Prozac
- Gabapentin • Neurontin
- Maprotiline • Ludiomil
- Nortriptyline • Pamelor
- Paroxetine • Paxil
- Sertraline • Zoloft
- Trazodone • Desyrel
- Venlafaxine • Effexor
Disclosure
The author reports that she receives research support from Eli Lilly & Co. and Pfizer Inc. and serves as a consultant and member of the speakers’ bureaus for both of those companies.
