WeAreFibro.org - The Social Support Network for People Living with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia & Insomnia: New Treatment Recommendation

Insomnia is one of the most common complaints in those of us with fibromyalgia, and a new study suggests a way to combat it.

Very often, insomniacs will have good luck with sleeping pills
for awhile, only to see them grow less and less effective over time.
That's especially the case with fibromyalgia. What this study shows is
that insomniacs were a lot more successful with a combination of
short-term Ambien (zolpiderm) use and long-term cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

About CBT

CBT is controversial in the fibromyalgia community, because all
too often doctors who think our illness is psychological offer CBT as a
primary treatment. While that may not be an appropriate use of CBT,
however, CBT does have its place.

A major goal of CBT is to change your habits and get you past
negative feelings. Personally, I believe I probably should ask for CBT
for sleep issues -- because of my lifelong insomnia, I struggle with
good sleep habits and I have negative associations with laying in bed.
I've overcome a lot of this on my own, but all it takes is a couple of
rough nights to bring it back full force. Studies show that CBT as a complementary fibromyalgia treatment can also help us learn to cope with our illness and make beneficial lifestyle changes.

Study Results

Here's a look at how participants fared a year after the beginning of the study:

• Ambien alone for 32 weeks: 42% were insomnia free.
• CBT alone for 32 weeks: 44% were insomnia free.
• 6 weeks Ambien+32 weeks CBT: 68% were insomnia free.

Of course, you can't just consider the positive aspects of a drug -- you've got to be mindful of the side effects. Learn more about Ambien.



LINK: http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2009/05/25/fibromyalgia-insomnia-new-treatment-recommendation.htm