My husband has fibromyalgia and he cannot sleep. He'll fall asleep for an hour or two but then cant get back

to sleep for quite some time. He tried taking tylenol PM on the weekends and also unisom but it didnt help. He's also in a lot of pain, especially around his knees and ankles. Has anybody else had any success in finding ways to sleep, or with treatments and/or meds. We've been fighting this for many years now and it seems to be at its worst, at least I hope it cant get worse. Please, any advice or help would be so appreciated. We have two small children and he's the only one working right now. we need some help. GOD BLESS ALL

I've used a complex system of pillows to position myself in the least painful positions-1 expensive pillow for my head-ice to numb the pain (most people say heat helps) compression braces (which can be dangerous at night)

Some people have been helped with the Neuro drugs-I sleep a little better with an SSRI --the other class is antiseizure (Lyrica, Neurontin)


There is NO INFLAMMATION with Fibromyalgia-that is a hallmark of teh diagnosis-so antiinflammatories aren't very successful (may help with pain a little)
Has he tried Tramadol for pain-it acts on the nervosus system which is teh problem-

most other pain meds work on the muscles themselves

An occassional sleeping pill like ambien or lunesta may help-but taken every day tehy DO cause dependence-even though they are supposedly safe to take for long periods of time-and downplay the dependence issues..

Muslce Spasms aren't really considered to be a symtpom of Fibromyalgia-

Fibromyalgia is believed to be a disorder of teh central nervous system-the muscles tehmsleves are okay-

spasms are caused by a problem with the muscles..

Benzodiazepines such as Valium or Klonopin help some people with fibromyalgia by relaxing tense, painful muscles and stabilising the erratic brain waves that can interfere with deep sleep. Apparently there is a link between the condition and brain wave activity during sleep. They can also relieve the symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which is common among people with fibromyalgia.

The other type of medicines i would be looking into is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory meds such as ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium which are used to treat inflammation. Although inflammation is not a symptom of fibromyalgia, They work by inhibiting substances in the body called prostaglandins, which are a big help with pain and inflammation.

I have fibromyalgia, and I have had a lot of problems finding a medication that helps me sleep.

So far, the best thing I have found for me is Flexiril (cyclobenzaprine). It works very similarly to tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil), but it's mostly used as a muscle relaxer. It also helps promote Stage 4 sleep, which is often lacking in fibro patients.

The only side effect I get from this is some grogginess in the morning, which usually wears off in about an hour.

It is a very debilitating condition, and i can empathise with your problem. Has he tried taking muscle relaxants, like Valium or maybe an anti inflammatory like Brufen. Massage is also very helpful. Personally, i would go with a muscle relaxant, because the condition manifests itself on muscle spasms and it should not only relieve the pain, it would induce sleep, (which he needs), he will undoubtedly feel better in the morning. Good luck

I know exactly how he feels. As a fibro sufferrer for the last 5 years I have had my share of sleeping problems. I was on prescription sleep aids for a year but I decided to go off them and the doctor and I agreed that Gravol is acceptable as it is not addictive and causes drowsiness as well as calms the stomach so he wont be awoken by nausea. There are also some pain killers that cause drowsiness also such as Robaxacet. For more information on Fibromyalgia including my experience living with it check out http://www.fibromyalgiasource.com