Is there a link between RA and Fibromyalgia?

[MaggieLa]

My 30 year old daughter was diagnosed with sero-negative RA earlier this year. The GP thinks she has probably had it for the last 20 years or so. Now the Rheumatology consultant has said she has Fibromyalgia as well. Is there a link between the two?

[Fra22-57]

Must be something.I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia first then got loads worse and after being admitted to hospital and put on steroid infusion got the news I had both.you tend to collect autoimmune diseases which is not good

[dotscott]

No, there is no link. There is also no definitive test for fibromyalgia yet however, increasingly, fibromyalgia is often diagnosed along with any type of arthritis.

[Gretchy]

I was diagnoses with seropositive RA but last appointment the consultant said they thought I also had fibromyalgia in my elbows and shoulders. My GP and Occ health consultant have both expressed considerable doubt as fibromyalgia tends to be a diagnosis when everything else has been ruled out and many of the symptoms are also present in RA.

[Hidden]

I've noticed that quite a lot of people with RA (and PsA) tend to have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia as well.

It can be one of those diagnoses that causes some scepticism, perhaps especially when someone who thinks they have RA or PsA etc. gets a fibro diagnosis instead. But I know of a few people with inflammatory arthritis who resisted the additional fibro diagnosis initially, thinking that it was a bit of a cop out on their doctor's part, but eventually accepted it and were glad they did.

My son's girlfriend has severe fibromyalgia, but not inflammatory arthritis. Over time she's made amazing progress. My impression is she stopped kicking against it and instead started managing it to the best of her ability with diet, as much exercise as she can do and generally listening to her body and working through what does and doesn't help.

[MaggieLa]

Thank you folks, good to know.