fibro or ms?

[Tink0812]

has anyone been diagnosed with fibromyalgia to then later find out it’s multiple sclerosis. Waiting for mri results just wondered how common it is?

[Humbrd]

Hello, yes I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia almost 20 years ago. I had extreme fatigue and pain. Diagnosed due to the criteria of pain at the pressure points that are used to diagnose. Then 4 years ago diagnosed with MS. Due to falling, fatigue, optic neuritis, weakness, numbness etc. Lesions and spinal tap helped diagnose it. I don't think I was misdiagnosed I think I have both. So sometimes it could probably be misdiagnosed but that doesn't necessarily also mean that you don't have both. I've also been recently diagnosed with sjogren's syndrome another autoimmune. So once your immune system gets screwed up it's possible to get a couple different. I hope it's not MS for you. 🙏

[Tink0812 in reply to Humbrd]

Hi thanks for responding, yes I also have Graves’ disease which is auto immune. are they able to tell from a spinal mri? I had a whole spine mri I thought I would have to have brain included in that to check for lesions. Such a nervous wait for results

[Humbrd in reply to Tink0812]

I think for them to diagnose Ms you have to have a couple different things like lesions either on the spine or brain, the lumbar puncture, optic neuritis, physical exam. A couple of those or other things. Not necessarily all. Having a MS neurologist is a good idea who specializes. I'm sorry to hear that you have the graves disease. I wonder why they didn't include MRI of the brain also.

[Tink0812 in reply to Humbrd]

I also have many other symptoms that do seem to correlate with ms also, I have had a phsical exam. I have previously been referred for my eyes. I don’t have much longer to wait, had mri 2 weeks after referral and results came back quite quickly, I find out on Monday hopefully nothing too bad fingers crossed. It’s the not knowing and the wait that’s stressing me out. Just wondered if it was common for doctors to confuse the two at first, or if it was common to have both conditions.

[Humbrd in reply to Tink0812]

🤞

[kycmary in reply to Tink0812]

YES! it's a process of elimination to decide if it is MS or one of the other diseases, last I heard there are about 500 hundred thousand different autoimmune diseases. Sorry I don't mean to scare you but it is scary. I'll add you to my prayer list. Mary

[BettysMom in reply to kycmary]

No, there are about 100 recognized autoimmune diseases, NOT 500,000!

[kycmary in reply to BettysMom]

A nurse is who told me doesn't matter anyway life goes on & on ...

[starlight5 in reply to Tink0812]

Hmm... a brain mri is standard to check for ms, are you saying they only did cervical and thoracic? Having a lumbar puncture done is also common.

[Tink0812 in reply to starlight5]

It was a whole spine scan. That’s what it said on the referral also pelvis, im assuming that’s due to some of my other symptoms . Sorry i don’t know all the correct terminology im still learning

[MNM3708 in reply to Humbrd]

Your journey is similar to mine: Fibromyalgia diagnosis 15 years ago by rheumatologist, Sjogren's diagnosis 3 years ago, and MS diagnosed 3 months ago via MRI showing demyelination lesions in brain and spinal cord, plus lumbar puncture. I've had the first Ocrevus infusion and following Wahl's anti-inflammatory diet. Best wishes for improved health!

[Humbrd in reply to MNM3708]

It's crazy how we get bombarded with all these different immune diseases. I hope for both of us that there are no more added to the list.

[NorasMom]

I'm wondering about the brain, too. Most of my issues are supposed to be related to spinal lesions, but I don't have any. Mine have always been just in my head. Unfortunately, in recent years they've made it extremely difficult to diagnose MS, so it's quite possible that you've had it all along but just didn't pass the right tests. Like Humbrd said, it's also possible that you have more than one thing wrong with you. I think that doctors too often stop looking once they make a diagnosis.

[Tink0812]

Yes I have found that, my gp diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and referred me to physio. The physio consultant referred me for the mri as so many of my symptoms seem to match with ms. I do agree with the fibro diagnosis as I can’t remember what it feels like not to have pain in my body, and also fatigue. But the numbness in hands and feet, weakness in arms and legs, bladder issues, memory, pain behind eyes etc is where I’m assuming he thinks I may have ms.

[jorrell]

Although this isn't an answer to your question, an MS neurologist is the best way to find out which you have, a brain scan is a must. On Fibro, my wife had it for 10 years, early on before Docs really knew what it was. She was in constant Fibro pain until a car crash that broke her neck. Miraculously her neck healed and oddly enough the Fibro went away, no one knows why. I wound up with MS 10 years later, and no, my car crash didn't fix it! It sounds a bit funny but real. When her Fibro Dr. saw her after she recovered from the wreck, after she told him the Fibro was gone after the accident, he ask if she was recommending hitting his patients really hard in the forehead? She responded NO unless he liked 3 hots and a cot!

[Tink0812 in reply to jorrell]

Wow how strange, usually it’s the other way round and you can end up with fibro after a major event, or so I thought lol

[jorrell in reply to Tink0812]

We had a friend that that happened to, broke wrist, and she got FM

[cassielynn71]

That is exactly what happened to me! "Luckily", two wks later and over the course of a week the right side of my body went numb. Neuro visit, MRI's and a plethora of tests and they dx me with MS. Even if I actually had both, the meds they put me on took away all the aches and stiffness that they were thinking was/is(?) Fibro 😁.

[MNM3708]

I know others have already replied as well, but an MRI of your brain is standard for MS workup, along with lumbar puncture and bloodwork to rule out other things. I have fibromyalgia, Sjogren's, and MS and yes, the overlapping symptoms can be frustrating. I hope you have access to a neurologist who specializes in MS. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

[bettlebug]

Tink0812. The answer is yes you can have both. I was dx with Fibro over 30 yrs ago (usually at young age (20's to late 30's). MS came later in my early 50's with spinal tap and MRI showing lesions in brain and spine for me. I also have Lupus (SLE). God bless you on this journey. Stay strong!

[Tink0812 in reply to bettlebug]

Thankyou I’m trying xx

[stepsforNeeC]

No, I have not. But I was one of those diagnosed with MS who got ran through the preverbial mill! First, it was "Lupus" or Guillain Barre' Syndrome....etc. The immune cluster was throw my way including 6 doctors. Please advocate for yourself through hospital nurses/social workers etc., and/or second opinions so you can get the answers and treatment best for you! Most importantly we want you to feel better!

Keep us updated.

The Best and Blessings

NeeC

[cassielynn71]

Yes! My PCP whom I'd been seeing between the specialists, Said to try to sit with the possibility that its Fibro. Because that is the likeliest Dx.

But Nope. Here I am. 🤷‍♀️