Anyone think they had RA instead of fibro? - Fibromyalgia Message Board

drmalcolm · 09-06-2007, 05:16 AM

Hello, everyone! I'm new to this board, but have also spent time on the Lyme's Disease board as I try to figure out what up.

I'm curious, has anyone here who's been diagnosed with fibro been convinced initially that they had rheumatoid arthritis?

I sort of feel as if I got "blown off" by the rheum yesterday! I've been convinced for the past two months that I have RA, but he moved my shoulders, legs, and had me make a fist, then said he doubted I had an inflammatory diseases because the necessary swelling wasn't there. He said it's probably fibromyalgia. He said it CAN be in the finger joints and can show up as symmetrical pain like RA.

For the record, I have morning stiffness/stiffness after sitting, knee pain, finger joint pain/feet pain, and back pain, but no fatigue or noticeable swelling. I did have costchondritis earlier this year, but I'm convinced that was from vigorous exercise. I think the rheum grasped onto that, as my other symptoms just don't sound like fibro, do they? I understand that he doesn't want to make a hasty decision, but I was the one who actually asked for x-rays and some more blood tests (my bloodwork from July was all normal)... I do wish he'd wanted to do a little more investigating so that I can at least eliminate RA for sure.

Any advice or opinions from anyone would be greatly appreciated! I'm really interested to hear if anyone else has RA symptoms instead of the muscle pain.

Many thanks!
Christina

bluelakelady · 09-06-2007, 07:18 AM

hi christina,
a pleasure to meet you. i actually do have both. they mimic each other symptomatically so diagnosis is a process of labs. i had fibro initally (12 years ago) and thought it must be arthritis. each year i tested again for r.a. and lupus. a couple of years ago they popped up in my blood work. gotta tell you they act so much the same it is often hard for me to tell who is active within.
you keep pestering your doc till you are satisfied all has been done that can be done for now.
one thing i do know is keeping those joints moving is very important to reducing pain levels. exercise is vital to living with fibro and/or r.a.
one more comment, if you are dissatisfied with your doc fire him/her and find another one. there are tons to choose from. you find the one that you click with. i fired 17 doctors over the past 12 years. i now have a crew of 7 doctors who assist me in my journey to the healthiest me i can be. remember this is your body and only you can decide who you trust to give you good input concerning your health. in all this journey called our health it is our peace of mind that will get us thru smiling and with grace.
peace,
bluelakelady
ps. you always have the right to tell a doctor to hush up and listen. to tell them you are feeling unheard. to ask for tests if only to gift you with peace of mind. you must be your own advocate now. your body is counting on you, not that doctor.

drmalcolm · 09-06-2007, 08:06 AM

Thanks so much for the encouragement, bluelakelady!

This doc is running the anti-CCP for RA and HLA B27 gene marker for ankylosing spondylitis at my request (as well a complete panel and testing for hepatitis, parvovirus, and Vit D deficiency), so it was good that he was definitely open to testing... but I had to bring it up! That seemed odd to me. I guess I just thought that he was kind of hasty at his diagnosis, and it almost seemed as if he was using fibro as a "catch all" for what didn't fit into RA...

I don't want to seem that I'm not going to be happy until a doctor diagnoses RA; rather, I'd be thrilled if I did not have it. But I do worry about early intervention and getting on the appropriate meds if there is joint damage occurring. He did concede to an x-ray of my knees (the part of me where I've felt pain the entire time), so hopefully those will be more concrete proof in one direction or the other.

Again, thanks so much for your quick response. I've been perusing some of the other threads, and you seem to be such a kind and helpful person! I wish you the best in your pain management.

cantell · 09-06-2007, 08:40 AM

hello, another suguestion..while the test your dr is doing now for RA will help ease your mind you may also have him check you for OA. the symptoms you decribe also are what you experience with this diease.

does your knees swell? or your feet/ankles or your fingers? if not and you are just having the pain you may be in the early stages of it. also joint poping is another symptom of OA. morning all over body stiffness/pain also, bone pain.

while fibo can be labled and has been labled a trash can dx simply because it is not heard about like cancer or heart diease cases..anyway, alot of research has been done on it over the years..around 4/99 Fibromyalgia was finially recognized as a medically determinable impairment by Social Security.

Social Security Ruling SSR99-2p addresses fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. This ruling clearly shows Social Security now considers fibromyalgia to be a medically determinable impairment. To see this ruling go to Social Security's web site by clicking on the ruling SSR99-2p.

But, as Blue stated in her post..IT is your body and you know it better than anyone else. I have heard of people having symptoms and them being attributed to fibo and it turned out to be something totally different and unrelated to fibo some with dire conciquinces..oops spelling again. sorry..

so you are on the right track to your better health..research, and insist your doctors do what is needed to help you feel better..dont feel quilty about questioning doctors..blue does it all the time..hehe..I am starting too myself..I am still part wimp..LOL

hope this helps. ~take care~

bluelakelady · 09-06-2007, 09:01 AM

actually it is no big surprise you asked for the tests. doctors who are good respect the words of their patients. i have to remind my doc to do tests. she always thanks me for staying tuned into my own needs. after all it is up to me to remember when it is time to have them done. my body, my life, my responsibility.
i thank you for your kind words. we all do our best to be supportive and informative for each other. it is the human thing to do.
are you active?
peace,
bluelakelady
ps. cantell, you are not a wimp. you are just in second grade and one day you will graduate with honors, smiling, laughing and speaking out. i have faith in you little sister!