Fibromyalgia affects millions of Americans, yet there are no FDA approved drugs to treat this debilitating condition. Besides causing pain, it also disrupts normal sleep patterns in many of its victims. Pain and lack of sleep reinforce each other, making patients progressively more miserable. Xyrem is a potent hypnotic that induces and consolidates sleep. In a few small studies Xyrem has been reported to offer relief to some fibromyalgia patients. This trial is designed to test this hypothesis. Patients who enroll in this study will stop taking any prescription medications for fibromyalgia (over-the-counter pain relievers will be permitted). They will then take either Xyrem alone or placebo alone. Patients will be followed for eight weeks to evaluate any relief of the pain or functional impairment of fibromyalgia from their study treatment. Sleep characteristics will also be assessed subjectively and by polysomnographic recordings at baseline and twice during the treatment phase.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is effective when used alone to treat the pain and sleep disturbances of fibromyalgia.