For years women have been trying to convince doctors that Fibromyalgia is a real disease. But now Pfizer has stepped in and confirmed that it is. A new television campaign has made Fibromyalgia a legitimate disease. Girls all we had to do was make our pain a profit center and surprise, surprise big business is now on our side.
Pfizer has come out with a new drug, the first medicine approved to treat the pain of Fibromyalgia. The drug is is called Lyrica. Many doctors are still skeptical and think that Lyrica will be taken by millions of people who don't really need it. But, that's not stopping other drugs companies from working hard to develop newer and better versions.
Fibromyalgia hits middle-aged women the hardest. It's characterized by chronic, widespread pain and too often cannot be diagnosed. Traditional pain medications, whether anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or even heavy duty prescriptions such as Vicodin don't offer much relief.
Here's why Pfizer says Lyrica is different. It binds to receptors in the brain and spinal cord and seems to reduce activity in the central nervous system. In clinical trails patients reported that their pain fell and average of 2 points on a l0-point scale compared to the group taking a placebo. No drugs comes without side effects and this one is no different - weight gain, swelling, dizziness and trouble sleeping are part of the Lyrica package.
Pfizer began selling Lyrica in 2005 and in 2007 was granted approval to market it as a fibromyalgia treatment.
So, if you suffer with chronic pain, ask your doctor if Lyrica is for you. I don't know if it works but I am sure Pfizer will make a lot of money saying it does.
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