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Date: 27.03.2014
From: Toni

Subject: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Hi. I have been writing on another thread recently but had a second opinion today and the result has surprised me.
New consultant feels that many of my symptoms maybe fibromyalgia related with a possible overlap of ra.
As i have never really had any swelling but do have various symptoms that point toward ra too he has done another set of bloods to check my ra factor again as maybe its increased. Also had my feet xrayed and will be going back for an ultrasound on my hand and mri on my hips and back.
Anybody else had a similar result or diagnosed one then find out its another.
Is starting me off with amitriptyline then maybe some epilepsy drugs to see if they help.
Im really confused. Which can it be ? Can it be both ? xx
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Date: 27.03.2014
From: sleepydanielle

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Hi Toni, just saw your other post about this one so thought would reply on here.
I was given amitriptyline for fibromyalgia! I was taking it over xmas. Made me feel a little better and i think stabled my mood but i finished my course and when i went back i saw my new rheumy who said i definetly didnt have fibromyalgia....very confusing.
Im quite pleased you havent been given any dmards as yet, definetly dont think its conclusive enough to start on those. Im not surprised you are confused. This all sounds EXACtLY like my experience.
I dont see that you have RA, im not an expert obviously but no swelling? I dont get it. I thought arthritis was all about the inflammation and swelling.
Apparently fibro is about a chemical inbalance in your body which causes the pain. My rheumy told me it can caused my stressful events and even told me childbirth could of caused mine :/
In a way i was a little more pleased about the fibro diagnosis as that isnt an autoimmune thing is it i dont think? Lol its all so mind boggling.
I would take the amitriptilyne and then wait to see what all your redults come back like.
I really want an mri scan to see whats going on rather than just xrays. Did you request it or what was the reason for referring you for mri and not just xray? Xx
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Date: 27.03.2014
From: Toni

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Hi ya.
Have you had much swelling with the ra ? What made them change your diagnosis ?
He said im showing traits of both conditions so said he wants to do an mri to get a better look at my back and hips as my last one was about 3 years ago and wants to look for any changes as my hips and back are really bothering me.
Is doing an ultrasound on my worse hand as they show inflammation better than an xray.
Will have to see what they show up if anything and see if my rf has gone up.
He did say ra can linger for years then suddenly escalate into more obvious symptoms so its a waiting game.
Gonna start the amitriptyline tomorrow and see what happens.
Wish things were more black and white xx
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Date: 27.03.2014
From: sleepydanielle

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Ive had a little swelling, mainly on my fingers and the pads and tops of my feet. Not constantly though. If my feet hurt and looked puffy then it would usually ease after a couple of days. I had one finger that seemed constantly enlarged around the joint. Originally it was one index finger-this got better after a steroid injection and has been fine since. Then 4th finger did the same, was permanently large/swollen around the joint but i had steroid tablets recently and finger gone back to normal.
I dont know what made them change my diagnosis. Old rheumy said fibro, it was new rheumy that said not fibro. I hadnt had any tests inbetween so i dont know. I described my symptoms to new rheumy and he just said i have some sort of inflammation going on and that i dont have fibro. Maybe i do have more inflammation than i realise but i have no idea.
At least they are doing you more tests, this can only be a good thing. I also would of thought that if the rheumy thought u clearly had RA then you would of been put on dmards? Someone i know was put on them after her first appointment because her symptoms were very conclusive. I kind of have a bit of hope that mine hasnt been conclusive as that means theres still a chance its not RA? Obviously we want answers but i still have a hope that its something less severe than RA.
Hope you get on ok, i had no side effects at all with amitriptyline. Did they advise you to take it at a certain time in the eve? Apparently its meant to make you sleepy but it never did for me, i would of liked it to though lol.
Oh i also saw on my rheumy notes something about anklosis spondykis or however u spell it......another diagnosis to confuse me but noone has mentioned it so dont know if i have that aswell :\ xx
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Date: 27.03.2014
From: sleepydanielle

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

I do remember one more thing, at last appt he said my fingers looked shiny but didnt say much else. Is that a sign of swelling? The texture of the skin on my fingers feel a little different, a bit like elephant skin a little thicker but only on one finger. I looked this up on google and it comes up with scleredoma :( xx
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Date: 28.03.2014
From: Toni

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

I have only really had puffiness around my middle joint of my ring finger and little finger of left hand hence the ultrasound. That knuckle does not look as wrinkly if you know what i mean. Appears more flat. Always tender. What with that and the foot / heel pain i complain of and the fact my hips down the side of my thighs go red at times he says he needs to investigate further as they would be ra symptoms.
Who knows. I took a list of symptoms that filled a whole side of a4 so something is up. Lol.
I was told to up the amitriptyline by 10mg a fortnight til i reach a maximum dose of 50mg if it does not work.
If that fails i have two other drugs to try. Epilepsy drugs apparently. Dumbs down nervous responses or something.
It is currently 2.30 am and im feeling sooo rough.
Got a cold it seems so to add insult to injury everything is now aching so badly and my head is thumping !!!!
Got work in 4 1/2 hours.
Ahhhh xx
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Date: 28.03.2014
From: Paula-R

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Just seen this and I would like to tell you about me. I am taking Enbrel which is one of the anti tnf drugs so I can say that my RA got to the severe stage.

Apart from my fingers swelling slightly I have had no other swelling at all.

I know it is all confusing, especially when first starting with symptoms. From what I know about fibro it isn't caused by inflammation, so I would think that if you went on a course of steroids and your symptoms got better, then that would show that it is not fibro but some sort of inflammation that is causing the problems.

I know I am not a doctor and I would never dream of offering advice about drugs etc. but you could ask about this and see what they say.

Paula
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Date: 28.03.2014
From: toni

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Hi Paula.
I actually had a steroid injection last year and had about a weeks relief from my symptoms.
That is why the first doc i saw said it was down to inflammation and wanted me on methotrexate.
I sought a second opinion as i wanted to be sure because i was too scared to take it.
Now new doc says fibromyalgia and maybe ra overlap but not sure so having more scans to look for inflammation.
Its driving me mad.
With this cold i feel like someone has been kicking me all over and my shoulders are gonna drop off.
Feeling like the cold has really influenced my symptoms.
Does not feel like flu. Feels like pain xx
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Date: 28.03.2014
From: Eve

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

I've got both RA and fibro along with osteo issues in my knees and other conditions.

I'm on pregabalin for the fibro. On methotrexate for the RA and waiting to go on a biologic but have shingles at the moment so off the methotrexate for the moment :(

I do have a lot of inflammation and swelling from the RA in various places, bursitis in both shoulders causing impingement, bursitis in both hips and my hands and feet are bad with it, very swollen fingers and painful feet and ankles.
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Date: 28.03.2014
From: Toni

Subject: Re: ? fibromyalgia or ra

Hello Eve.
I have bilateral bursitis in my hips and at the moment it us aching sooo bad.
Can honestly say i have never suffered with a cold like this before. Feel like someone has been kicking my legs really hard and my neck is so tender.
Doc yesterday said that he is going to investigate further but treat me for the so called lesser problem first.
After looking up fibromyalgia yesterday and can see that maybe that is the cause to some of my probs but certainly not all.
Im really sorry to hear you suffer both. It must be rotten.
Knowing you can have both makes me feel less crazy though xx
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