How many first Dx'd with Fibro ? - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

Hope4All · 07-12-2007, 11:35 AM

I was just curious as to how many with MS were diagnosed with Fibro first?

I thought that the main difference between the two was the pain in our joints and all over wide spread body pain.

Hope

MSNik · 07-12-2007, 06:56 PM

Hope, I really hope this doesnt offend you, but Fibro, although it truly is a disease, is usually diagnosed as a catch all phrase by doctors who dont know enough to do the right tests and find out what is wrong with the patient. I was NOT dx with Fibro, and was dx with MS within a week of my first onset of symptoms..but I had a ton of testing done to be sure.

Fibro is a disease, and does cause joint pain, however it causes many other sytmpoms as well..most of which, MS also causes....read up on it. There is a whole forum here for Fibro. I would NEVER say that someone DOESNT have Fibro..it really does exist, and is quite painful...however, in my own research, I have found that literally thousands of MS patients were dx with Fibro, before they eventually got to the point that their dr referred them to an MS specialist because their Doctor could no longer handle the symptoms or the pain of the patients....early dx being key to MS, using Fibro as an excuse to "have a dx" is a shame..

I hope you didnt have to go thru all that...if you have any doubts, see a good Neuro, perferably one who specialises in MS..

CJRT · 07-13-2007, 06:38 AM

I was Dx-ed with Fibro 3 years ago. On Wed., I saw a new neuro (I'm in a new state as well) and he said I definetly did NOT have fibro. After reviewing my huge file of dr. records, talking to me, etc., he said that I was given the Dx of Fibro because they did NOT do enough testing on me and that he felt it was a "wastebasket" Dx because they couldn't or wouldn't find anything else wrong with me.

He did not say that I had MS. He did say I had some MS like symptoms and that he wishes to do further testing, but that a great many of my symptoms didn't even match Fibro. Some did.

MSNik · 07-13-2007, 07:48 AM

What CJRT posted is exactly what I was trying to say...most doctors throw out that Fibro dx really quick and then do nothing for you excpet prescribe drugs...
Fibro doesnt always mean MS, however if you really understand Fibro, you will understand that its a part of MS...meaning, MS might be the underlying cause..but so can Lyme disease, certain brain infections, etc. IT doesnt always mean MS...
Fibro, in my opinion, shouldnt be a dx...it should be a symtpom of something bigger....YES it is REAL...and YES it hurts...but honestly, all they do is throw pain killers at you most of the time...there has to be MORE to why the body has developed this, then just joint pain....

The most important thing is to find a different doctor...CJRT just had a great experinece as she shared with us on another thread....you need both a compsssionate doc as well as one who knows Neurology...a good MS doc, will be able to order every test you could possibly need to rule out everything including MS....MS docs dont just treat MS, they rule it out as well. Its a great place to start.
Hugs to you.
Nikki

Hope4All · 07-13-2007, 07:59 AM

Well I saw a Neurologist last week, for my dizziness. He ordered the EMG and MRI of my Brain which he noted as RE: R/O MS (which I guess means Rule out) then MRI of C-spine and T-spine.

I'm wondering IF he doesn't feel it IS MS by his wording....saying rule out. I cannot get into his head to know what he meant though lol

These are the only tests left to do, before my fibro dx I was ran thru a battery of tests.

I did think way back when that I had ms, I had every neuro symptom that was listed for MS, then my body healed after a time, then instead of neuro problems PAIN started so that is where I am now.

The only Neuro problems I have now are dizziness and memory problems......also everytime I want to say something most of the time it comes out all wrong.

Guess we will see what all these tests have to say.

Hope