Medical Marijuana More Effective in Treating Fibromyalgia Than Drugs
Author: The National Pain Foundation
Published: 21 Apr 2014 - Updated: 2 Aug 2021
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content
Synopsis
Compares Medical Marijuana against Cymbalta (Duloxetine), Lyrica (Pregabalin), and Savella (Milnacipran) - the three drugs approved for treatment of fibromyalgia..
Overview
The three drugs approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia are Cymbalta (Duloxetine); Lyrica (Pregabalin); and Savella (Milnacipran).
How Cymbalta Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=960)
- 60% say Cymbalta does not work at all
- 32% say Cymbalta helps a little
- 8% say Cymbalta was very effective
How Lyrica Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=860)
- 61% say Lyrica does not work at all
- 29% say Lyrica helps a little
- 10% say Lyrica was very effective
How Savella Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=387)
- 68% say it does not work at all
- 22% say it helps a little
- 10% say it was very effective
How Marijuana Performs for Fibromyalgia Sufferers (N=379)
- 5% say it does not work at all
- 33% marijuana helps a little
- 62% say marijuana was very effective
Comments from survey respondents regarding the use of marijuana to treat Fibromyalgia:
- "I've found nothing that has worked for me, apart from marijuana."
- "Nothing but medical marijuana has made the greatest dent in the pain and mental problems."
- "Marijuana does help a LOT, it numbs the pain. But, it doesn't last long and it makes your brain foggy."
About The Survey:
- Ninety-six percent (96%) of survey respondents were females.
- About half (49%) were diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 34, while 38% were diagnosed between the ages of 35 to 49.
- Only 12% were diagnosed at the age of 50 or older.
- Forty-four percent (44%) lived with Fibromyalgia for more than five years before receiving a diagnosis.
- Only 11% were diagnosed within one year of experiencing symptoms.
- Four out of ten (43%) of fibromyalgia sufferers feel their physician is not knowledgeable about the disorder.
- Over a third (35%) feel their physician does not take their fibromyalgia seriously.
- And 45% feel their family and friends do not take their fibromyalgia seriously.
The National Pain Foundation is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that is addressing the critical public health challenges attributed to pain on a global basis.
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by The National Pain Foundation and published on 21 Apr 2014. Last updated on 2 Aug 2021. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.