Multiple Sclerosis and Fibromyalgia – is there a connection?

Fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis

Fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis

As some readers will know my background was conducting market research with people who suffer from various medical conditions. The main ones were in fact diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

It was only when we started working with a lot of social media in around 2006 that I became commented with members of the fibromyalgia community.

You might also aware that we run various communities on Facebook and Twitter where we encourage discussion on a whole range of subject which are important to people with various conditions.

Over the years there has been a number of questions which come up from time to time. One of which is the relation between multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia. After all having more than one autoimmune condition is not uncommon.

Indeed one of our members posted this on our page MultipleSclerosisTalk a few days ago “Hi. I just had a quick question. I am currently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but with this last relapse, I have noticed many new and worsening symptoms, and I’m worried it may be more related to MS. I have a appointment with a neurologist on Tuesday and I was wondering how I should approach this with him. I’m really sick on this because I feel like they don’t really listen to how you feel sometimes. Thank you for any advice.”

Firstly if you do have any advice for this reader please feel free to use the comments box below to share your ideas.

Secondly I’m wondering how common this situation actually is? So I thought it would be useful to run the following poll to see how our readers have been diagnosed in the past.

It would great if you could take part below.


 

Bonnie2405 I think fibro me CFs lupus Lyme and ms are all the same, like polio, some get it small some get it big. If ritbixin works, they may have a cure for all of it, the virus attacks the autoimmune system that goes into overdrive, ritbixin removes all B cells wipes long term memory and the mitochondria has to start building healthy cells all over again freshly removing the virus from our bodies. The drug will be ready within three years are u ready to start recommending it DR because patients are desperate and want to try it they are that desperate.
traceychace Hi my name is Tracey, I was diagnosed with fibro about 3years ago after suffering for many years before hand.
My Dad had MS, my Mom has always said that she thought that’s what I have more than fibro.
My neurologist said that I deffinatley don’t have ms as there is no connection & its not hereditary.
My health seems to be deteriorating quite quickly, does fibro usually deteriorate quickly?
emily89 My mom was diagnosed with ms in her 30’s & im 24 I was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia, my older sister also has fibromyalgia. All of our symptoms are similar the only difference is that in an mri my mom has visible plaque on her brain.
anarivera Hi my name is ana rivera and i have fibromyalgia and i just cant find thevright medication can someone please help !!
RebeccaRaeThomas Go in with a detailed history of all symptoms over time and voice your concerns. Be assertive in getting additional tests. Don’t let them dismiss your concerns.

Barb MacLeod – 1 year ago
Diagnosed with IDDM (Type 1 or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus) in 1984; Diagnosed with RRMS (Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis) in 2015. My sister has Type 2 Diabetes diagnosed in 2012. My mother has Fibromyalgia diagnosed in 2014. It is tough being female in our family ! 🙂

Ileana Peters – 2 years ago
I was diagnosed with MS in 2011. i have a cousin that has fibromyalgia. Our symptoms are very similar . Its crossed our minds, she might have been misdiagnosed.

Carole mellor – 3 years ago
I was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and just been diagnosed now with Fibromyalgia the symptoms are very similar

linda Barlow – 3 years ago
Iv just fibormyalgy it’s a very painful ms what symptoms for that.

This bike has MS. What would a bike with Multiple sclerosis look like? A brilliant way of explaining MS to people!

This bike has multiple sclerosis

This bike has multiple sclerosis

This bike has MS. What would a bike with Multiple sclerosis look like? A brilliant way of explaining MS to people!

This_Bike_Has_MS from MethodStudiosAustralia on Vimeo.

Multiple Sclerosis. How long did it take your to get diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis after you first symptoms of MS had presented themselves?

Stress Management for Multiple Sclerosis

 Multiple Sclerosis

As regular readers of this blog know we are running a series poll and blogs about our readers

diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

You can read more here https://patienttalk.org/?p=399.  We have, at time of blogging, 74 responses so please drop over and find out more.

In today’s poll we are interested in finding out how long it took you too get diagnosed with  with multiple sclerosis after your first symptoms of MS had presented themselves.

Please take our poll below.  If you would like to add anything more please feel free to use the comments box.

Thanks very much in advance


MarilynRoberts

My car and a palm tree got into a nasty fight. Guess who won? I had a piece of titanium and 5 pins surgically installed to hold together the hip that my left leg was shoved through. Three years later an ER tech told me privately that the metal may have given me MS. If I could get that officially in writing we’d be having this conversation in my beach house in the virgin islands.

Multiple sclerosis treatments delay progression of the disease

Causes of multiple sclerosis

Causes of multiple sclerosis

 

An international study finds multiple sclerosis treatments have long-term benefits, and that early treatment is important.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne-led study is the first to provide evidence that the currently available therapies can delay progression of disability in Multiple Sclerosis. It showed that early treatment – particularly within five years of onset – delayed the secondary progressive stage of MS, which is characterised by an ongoing increase of disability.

It showed that early treatment – particularly within five years of onset – delayed the secondary progressive stage of MS, which is characterised by an ongoing increase of disability.

Currently, more than 23,000 Australians are living with MS.

The conversion to the secondary progressive stage of MS is characterised by worsening of physical and mental capacity and reduced quality of life.

Therefore, the capability to delay this progression of disability represents an important outcome for people living with multiple sclerosis.

The results of the study were published in the international medical journal, JAMA.

The study was led by the Clinical Outcomes Research unit (CORe) at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne in collaboration with the University of Cambridge.

The international study used data from 1555 patients, from 68 neurological clinics across 21 countries.

One of the study leads, Associate Professor Tomas Kalincik, head of the MS Service at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and CORe at the University of Melbourne, said that the study showed how important it is to treat MS pro-actively.

“People who converted from relapsing MS to secondary progressive MS experience gradual and mostly irreversible worsening of disability.

“Most of the therapies that we use to treat MS have no effect once people have converted to secondary progressive MS. This study shows us how important it is to treat relapsing MS early and pro-actively,” Associate Professor Kalincik said.

Royal Melbourne patient Gowri was diagnosed with MS when she was in her 20s. She now has monthly infusions to treat her MS.

She is pleased that doctors have the data to prove that current treatments are effective.

“It’s fantastic – it makes you feel very grateful that the treatment is working,” she said.

“I had a great General Practitioner who referred me straight away to a neurologist. My treatment started very quickly.”

“This year will be 20 years since I was diagnosed, and even though I have some symptoms and I have been in hospital – particularly after the birth of my daughter, I’m able to work, catch up with friends and have a normal life,” Gowri said.

Associate Professor Kalincik said the results are reassuring for neurologists and patients with MS.

“This study shows that the therapies they have been treated with for many years, significantly improve the quality of their lives over the long-term” he said.