Fibromyalgia

[Pajoy]

A friend of mine has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and was told by her doctor that a lot of people get diagnosed with thyroid problems when it's more serious it's actually fibromyalgia as the symptoms are similar is this possible

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I'll leave others to comment on the rest, but "more serious"?

Thyroid problems - both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism as well as some cancers - can and do kill. Yes, they still kill even now, though not always in the most direct ways.

[Mary-intussuception]

You could suggest that your friend asks for full Thyroid Function blood tests and Thyroid Antibodies.

FT3, FT4, T3, T4 & TSH

TPO and Tg (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies and Thyroglobulin )

ALSO some nutrients levels and FBC & bone, kidney & liver tests.

If your she asks for copies of her medical records - especially print outs of all blood tests results - she may find some have been done and can take it from there.

Nutrients levels to ask for:

Vitamin D, B12, Folate; and Ferritin.

If she asks for the Thyroid Antibodies and says something like she ' would like to eliminate or confirm Autoimmune Thyroiditis ' (Hashimoto's disease ).

With the usual Thyroid Function blood tests, results can fluctuate ( and fall within "normal ramge" ) and an early diagnosis of Hypothyroidism / Underactive Thyroid be missed & therefore treatment delayed.

Surely it's possible for an Underactive Thyroid to give rise to Fibromyalgia as the hormone Thyroxine is needed by every cell in the body in order for it to function well ?? So - inadequate Thyroxine could be at the root of any and every medical condition ???

[rosetrees]

In my opinion Fibro is not a diagnosis, anymore than a headache is a diagnosis. It is a statement of fact that tells you nothing about the underlying cause(s). It is very likely that your friend has thyroid problems, adrenal problems and possibly sex hormone problems.

I'd guess that they might also have gut issues. The question is, what is causing these?

The most common underlying cause is Lyme Disease and/or co-infections. They could ask their GP to test for Lyme, but the NHS test is useless and they will probably have to order private testing.

[Hidden]

Why not ask your friend to post all of her thyroid blood test results with the ranges on here for answers.

[greygoose]

I think your friend's doctor got that the wrong way round. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome not a disease. A syndrome is a bunch of symptoms. Symptoms have to be caused by something, and the cause is eight hormonal or nutritional. Most likely an under-active thyroid with all the mayhem that that can cause. But doctors are notorious for putting the cart before the horse!

[Angel_of_the_North]

Actually, it's the other way round. People get a diagnosis of fibro when they have a thyroid problem as fibro is incurable and so the doctor can write you off and not bother to treat properly. You get sent for brainwashing (CBT) and harmful exercise. Fibro probably doesn't exist as a disease in its own right and is more likely to be undertreated hypothyroidism or another condition, including low vit D. Fibro just means sore muscles. I would never accept a diagnosis of fibro unless I still had symptoms when cortisol, free T4, free t3 and all vitamins were optimal.

[HughH]

In the past thyroid problems were diagnosed based on symptoms.

Thyroid blood testing arrived in the late 1960s and in the 1980s became the standard means to diagnose hypothyroidism. As a result doctors found patients with symptoms of hypothyroidism but with "normal" blood test results and needed a term to describe their condition. The terms Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia did not exist before the 1980s and were invented for this reason.

[Pajoy]

Thanks for all the replies I will tell my friend what the outcome of my post has been

[Starfish123]

My understanding is up until the early 70’s where thyroid was diagnosed by signs and symptoms Fibromyalgia did not exist, those that had those symptoms were diagnosed as having thyroid issues and treated with NDT.

After the diagnosis method changed there were things that couldn’t be categorised as thyroid, ie TSH were ‘normal’ and conditions such as Fibromyalgia came about.

Fibromyalgia is not worse than thyroid problems, it is part of them. I wouldn’t be surprised if an autoimmune blood panel was done a clear thyroid diagnosis would be made.

I hope it helps