Fibromyalgia Treatment with Antidepressants Medications

Antidepressants are among the most widely studied medications for the treatment of fibromyalgia. The analgesic effect of antidepressants of the earliest placebo-controlled clinical trials demonstrated modest effectiveness of amitriptyline at doses of 25 to 50 mg nightly. Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant with structural similarity to the tricyclics, has shown efficacy in several short-term clinical trials. A recent meta-analysis of the literature on fibromyalgia cyclobenzaprine flexeril has shown effectiveness in treating some symptoms and providing overall improvement but did not show reduction of fibromyalgia fatigue or tender points (see Goldenberg reference). (more…)