SAVELLA

Can't believe it's been ten months since my last blog! Got caught up in things clinical. A new drug just came onto the market, Savella. An SNRI, that is FDA approved for pain relief for Fibromyalgia. The generic medication is Milnacipran, in the same class as Effexor and Cymbalta. The manufacturer says it targets norepinephrine over serotonin in a 3-1 ratio, more than any other SNRI, which is what makes it such an effective pain reliever. Several of my patients have tried Savella and found it to be effective with minimal side effects. It is being prescribed off label for any type of neuropathic pain and will probably become the sexy, new antidepressant. If you've tried everything else, including the anti-convulsants, you might want to ask your doctor to prescribed Savella. Dosing begins at 12.5 mgs and titrates to 25, 50, and 100 mgs every 2-3 days on a twice daily schedule. It's good to be back.