Fibromyalgia and anti tnf. Will it help?

[angeldiff]

Hiya, I was diagnosed with ra back in 2012 and fibromyalgia in march this year. I was wondering will the anti tnf I'm taking for my ra help with the fibromyalgia? I'm a total novice when it comes to these illnesses.  I've learnt everything I no from sites like this one and Google. Any help or advice would be warmly welcomed. 😊 x

[Philip]

There's nothing to say it will or wont help and with RA being an  autoimmune diseaseand fibromyalgia not being of the same group personally from my knowledge I doubt if it had any healing powers over the fibromyalgia BUT before you try anything you must talk to your GP or Rheumy first.

With fibro and my 30 years of suffering, I must say that sleep is the most important things to get lots of, I used to take the full dose of amutryptoline for depression and the fibro really didn't seem so bad, lot less pain and more energy. Then I got other health probs so I had to change medication but I still believe that the secret is sleep not light sleep but deeeep sleep.

I hope this helps but speak to your doctors first , not that they know what you talking about Lol.

Philip

[earthwitch]

It really shouldn't help with fibromyalgia (no evidence for antitnfs being useful for that) however I think a lot of people get a fibromyalgia diagnosis when most of the problem is actually out of control RA.  If your "fibro" symptoms do relieve on antitnfs, then it probably means it was RA all along.  

[Philip in reply to earthwitch]

There's a world of difference between RA and fibromyalgiaare two separate diseases one is muscular and the other RA is boney, they both have different syptoms plus fibro doesn't cause any swelling whatsoever.

[sylvi]

I have ra and fibro and my ra drugs are different to my fibro one. I am not on anti-tnf. I take lyrica  for my fibro and mtx and sulpha for my ra and the usual pain relief drugs. I don't think anything really helps with fibro to be honest except as Philip has said deepm sleep which i rarely get,but when i do i feel energised.xxxxx