Summary-line: 1-Apr andrea@sdd.hp.com #fibromyalgia drugs *** EOOH *** Return-Path: Date: Mon, 1 Apr 91 13:50:50 -0800 From: Andrea Frankel To: immune@weber.ucsd.edu Subject: fibromyalgia drugs > >From: FBENNETT@IUBACS.BITNET >Subject: Amyltriptamine > >I was wondering if anyone could give me any information on >the above drug for treatment of fibromyositis. Someone >told me that it can be effective for this in one fourth >of the dose used for depression. I have taken anti-depressants >before (immipramine and prozac) and had some bad side >effects. However, I'm desperate for relief and almost >ready to try anything. And also how expensive is it. I >hope this is the right place to post this. Thanks. I believe the drug you are asking about is a tricyclic antidepressant, as is immipramine. The side effects would be very similar, but at 1/4 dosage you may well escape them. And yes, low doses of tricyclics do help most people with FM. Another option is to use Flexeril at bedtime. Chemically, it is closely related to the tricyclics, but it is classed as a muscle relaxant rather than an antidepressant. Flexeril has been very helpful to me in getting a good night's sleep (nonrestorative sleep being one of the symptoms, and also one of the causes, of fibromyalgia), and other than the sedating effect (which I sleep off, and which doesn't leave me groggy in the morning), I have seen no bad side effects. I take significant quantities of both Desyrel and Prozac for depression, and the shrink monitoring my meds gave a thumbs up for adding Flexeril, but we were both a little hesitant to add a third antidepressant, even in small doses. Both Flexeril and amyltriptamine (sp? not sure) are available as generics, which makes them MUCH less expensive if you're paying your own prescriptions. Andrea Frankel, Hewlett Packard, San Diego Technical Graphics Div., R&D Lab "wake now! Discover that you are the song that the morning brings..." ______________________________________________________________________________ Internet : andrea@sdd.hp.com (or andrea%hp-sdd@nosc.mil or @ucsd.edu) UUCP : {hplabs|nosc|hpfcla|ucsd}!hp-sdd!andrea CSNET : andrea%hp-sdd@hplabs.csnet USnail : 16399 W. Bernardo Drive - Mailstop 61U65, San Diego CA 92127-1899 Voice : (619) 592-4664