What You Need To Know About Milnacipran (Savella) For Fibromyalgia

milnacipran for fibromyalgia
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One of the most common class of drugs prescribed for those with fibromyalgia is serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) antidepressants. Milnacipran, sold under the brand name Savella, is a SNRI drug approved by FDA to treat fibromyalgia.

What Are SNRI?

SNRIs are powerful drugs that act mainly on the neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and serotonin, in your brain. Our body normally produces these chemicals which will then travel into the brain and absorbed in the neurons. Proper functioning of these chemicals is vital to the brain. It helps the brain in certain processes, such as sleep, attention, memory, etc.

These two chemicals are important to our emotions and perceptions. Sometimes, the brain is unable to absorb these chemicals well. This could be because the body cannot produce sufficient amounts. Hence leading to problems with the brain functions.

However, administering SNRI will not enable the body to produce more neurotransmitters. Instead, the drug increases activity of serotonin and norepinephrine by enabling the neurotransmitters to travel from neurons to neurons.

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4 Comments

  1. says: Kim

    This is another dangerous drug if you have a reaction to codine, morphine, lyrica, gabapentin, norspan, endone, OxyContin, pristiq, depression tablets you will have major reaction to these. I was on these for a week and very scary reactions.

  2. says: Mona Clark

    If this medication is so great, then why haven’t I read or heard about it in any of my fibromyalgia groups. Besides I can’t take it anyway. Side effects, don’t like the way seritonins, AB inhibitors, seizure meds make me feel, like a zombie. Let’s not for get depicote, slobbering out the mouth, that’s some nasty pills.

  3. says: Christine

    I won’t put that in my body either. The stigma of being on antidepressants leads to poor treatment in the ER. All pain you have is in your head. I’m a chronic pain patient wit fibromyalgia lupus RA and crps. I had a botched surgery. The minute they saw I was on an antidepressant and Lyrica I was not believed. I was left in agony for 5.5 months lost 90 pounds. All they offered me were warm compresses for the severe pain social workers and a psych consult. I had to travel out of town. Finally a surgeon took me seriously and found rotting organs. Oh yes. It took 3 surgeons to remove those organs. Since then I discontinued the antidepressants and Lyrica. I will not put that in my body ever again. This is the second time I’m ill treated by the medical system because o was on those drugs. Now I don’t care to ever seek medical treatment again. Btw I won my appeal and am waiting for the judgement. I was diagnostically overshadowed based on a mental health bias.

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