Medical Marijuana More Effective in Treating Fibromyalgia Than Drugs
Author: The National Pain Foundation
Published: 2014/04/21 - Updated: 2021/08/02
Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Related Publications
Synopsis: Compares Medical Marijuana against Cymbalta (Duloxetine), Lyrica (Pregabalin), and Savella (Milnacipran) - the three drugs approved for treatment of fibromyalgia..
Survey of people with fibromyalgia revealed those who used marijuana to treat symptoms find it significantly more effective than the 3 drugs approved by the FDA to treat the disorder.
Introduction
The three drugs approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia are Cymbalta (Duloxetine); Lyrica (Pregabalin); and Savella (Milnacipran).
Main Content
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 authored by The National Pain Foundation and published on 2014/04/21, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.