Symptom Monitoring and Sensory Sensitivity Study

You may be eligible to participate in the study if you:

1. Have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome
2. Are Female
3. Are between 20-40 years of age
4. Have regular menstrual periods
5. Are currently not taking any birth control pills or hormonal medications
6. Are currently not pregnant or planning to become pregnant within 6 months
7. Are currently not taking any prescription pain medication
8. Are currently not taking any heart or blood pressure medication such as: beta blockers, vasodilators (such as Lopressor, Cardizem, Atenolol, Digoxin, Vasotec)
9. Are not currently taking 75 mg or greater of amitriptyline
10. If your resting diastolic blood pressure is not >115 mm Hg/ and systolic blood pressure is not >200 mm Hg
11. Do not have other pain disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, neuropathic pain such as diabetes neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Polymalgia Rheumatica, osetoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), myofascial pain syndrome, Neurogenic pain disorder such as trigeminal neuralgia, reflux sympathetic dystrophy, post herpetic neuralgia, etc.
12. Do not have a serious progressive medical condition such as Cancer, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Congestive heart failure, liver or renal failure, Polycystic Ovarian Disease, etc.
13. Do not have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Please click to see if you might have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Study Requirements:

1. You will be asked to monitor various symptoms using a small hand held computer called a Palm Pilot (which will be provided) for 30 days
2. Perform a home-urine test (which will be provided) for 18 days over 2 months
3. You will also need to visit our laboratory on 4 separate occasions. In the initial screening visit, you will be given a brief physical examination for pain sensitivity in the "tender points" and answer a set of questionnaires. This session will last about 1 hour. The other 3 visits will includes blood and saliva sampling, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, mental performance task, and a pain sensitivity testing. These sessions will be approximately 2 hours long and will be done in the afternoon
4. You will be compensated for your participation

If you are interested in participating in this project and wonder whether you are eligible, or if you would like to learn more about the project, please call the number below.

Pain Research Center
Symptom Monitoring and Sensory Sensitivity Study
Department of Anesthesiology
University of Utah
(801) 585-7695
pain.research@hsc.utah.edu