What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread body pain or aching muscles (myalgia) and multiple points of tenderness to palpation, called tender points. Fibromyalgia is often associated with multiple symptoms, such as amplified pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, stiffness, headaches, and depression.

How do members experience fibromyalgia?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with fibromyalgia*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for fibromyalgia*

*Data from patients with fibromyalgia, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with fibromyalgia*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Cymbalta)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (21 evaluations)
Side effects
constant tiredness excessive daytime sleepiness (somnolence) 1 more
Total evaluations
23
Tried for
fibromyalgia (58)
Treatment

(Lyrica)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (16 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
16
Tried for
fibromyalgia (44)
Treatment

(Neurontin)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (9 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
9
Tried for
fibromyalgia (41)
Treatment

(Savella)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
fibromyalgia (6)

*Data from patients with fibromyalgia, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has fibromyalgia on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 34
20s 694
30s 4,176
40s 15,525
50s 34,004
60s 37,243
70+ 18,187

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 4,109
Female 106,091

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What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread body pain or aching muscles (myalgia) and multiple points of tenderness to palpation, called tender points. Fibromyalgia is often associated with multiple symptoms, such as amplified pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, stiffness, headaches, and depression.



Common symptoms reported by people with fibromyalgia

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for fibromyalgia

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Cymbalta)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
44,410
Tried for
fibromyalgia (58)
Treatment name(s)

(Lyrica)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
38,177
Tried for
fibromyalgia (44)
Treatment name(s)

(Neurontin)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
22,521
Tried for
fibromyalgia (41)
Treatment name(s)

(Savella)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
2,058
Tried for
fibromyalgia (6)

Data from patients with fibromyalgia, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with fibromyalgia

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Cymbalta)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (21 evaluations)
Side effects
constant tiredness excessive daytime sleepiness (somnolence) 1 more
Total evaluations
23
Tried for
fibromyalgia (58)
Treatment name(s)

(Lyrica)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (16 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
16
Tried for
fibromyalgia (44)
Treatment name(s)

(Neurontin)
Perceived effectiveness
for fibromyalgia (9 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
9
Tried for
fibromyalgia (41)
Treatment name(s)

(Savella)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
fibromyalgia (6)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with fibromyalgia, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has fibromyalgia on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 29 new patients joined this month
  • 100,044 say fibromyalgia is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 34
20s 694
30s 4,176
40s 15,525
50s 34,004
60s 37,243
70+ 18,187
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 6,329
20-29 years 9,446
30-39 years 13,457
40-49 years 10,006
50-59 years 3,521
60-69 years 505
70+ years 70

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 4,109
Female 106,091

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 49,234
Not Diagnosed 2,976

These charts show data from fibromyalgia patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: