I'll try to be brief, I haven't shut up in this forum since I've found it and I'm getting to know some of you better due to our illness's. I am learning a lot about my diseases and am at least happy to have some answers the doc's could not give me.
I do have a lot of issues, and besides the daily pain in my legs/knees/feet I try to carry on, go out with my wheel chair even if it hurts and even if I'm tired to just get out. It's an effort a lot of the time when I'm down and out. And family keep saying you have to keep moving, go out, do things… Wish they could really 'get it' I don't' give up like some of them think.
I have PSA and RA, Psorasis in my ears and scalp. Not on my skin yet thank god :) Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Acid Reflux, degenerative disc disease, urinary issues at times that are not noticeable but to me I know I'm having problems ( got checked out no cancer so it's just me) I have a few things that are newer and becoming more frequent and wondered what others think. I guess I have had 2 nurses this past week ask me if I have lupus, esp after seeing the pink face/arms and that weird pink rash that follows touching or itching my arms/legs. Another asked if I was diagnosed with MS. Neither to my knowledge although it's been mentioned.
I have an itching/burning rash on my face/neck/nostrils it feels very warm and like something is crawling on me, so I always have to touch it/itch it relieve that feeling. I have a pinkish face now too kind of along the 't' area of my face. If I have something that itches on my arm/leg/shoulder etc… I itch it and immediately there is a rash that goes up and down where I was itching, even rubbing it causes this. they are little pink bumps bunches of them yet they are not raised. Can these things be related to Lupus? WHat type of testing needs to be done to see if these are new issue for me to face does anyone have similar things happening like this?
So sorry you got hit with all of these! You must have had a pretty good Rheumatologist to diagnose you with PsA AND RA as they are so very much alike. Until I found my current Rheum, my GP thought it was RA, as I do not have psoriasis. However that said the meds are the same for either. My pitted fingernails were the determining factor for PsA.
This may not be the answer you are looking for, but fibro is so much like so many other autoimmune diseases, and so many autoimmune diseases are so much alike. I have sypmtoms of SLE and MS too, but so far after 3 brain MRIs (no lesions) I am in the clear as far as a full dx of those.
Good questions...and a good topic. In short, I'm not sure of the answer to your questions. Like you, I get the stupid rash that itches, then it blows up. Yup, little pink bumps, bunches of them. Mine are raised and are on the neck and chest. Then they go back down again. But are still there. I also get the butterfly rash on my cheeks plus my forehead itches like crazy and breaks out in bumps when I go out in the sun. Even if my bangs are covering my forehead. Are these lupus symptoms or just fibro? Beats me. I'm just going to treat them as fibro-related for now until and unless things change/get worse.
You certainly could address your concerns with your doctor. If he does an ANA test, be sure to go out and get maybe a half hour of sunshine the day before, as it seems to help bring out the lupus so it can be detected - if it's present. .
It makes sense to keep an eye out for these illnesses because they do tend to happen frequently with fibro. Although it's certainly not written in stone that we'll ever get either illness, outside of fibro.
I was diagnosed first with PSA,in 1987 I have psoriasis in my scalp, my finger nails/toe nails and in my ears ITCHY and annoying. years down the road she said I also have symptoms of RA that are not typical to PSA. My Rheumy is amazing and was Shands head ER doc before she moved to my town to specialize in Rheumatology she is amazing and I wish I could have her as my PCP. She is educated in Fibromyalgia as well. My PCP tells me half the things I complain about are not Fibro related….so much for he knowing. SO many here have the same things that I do. I do Remacaid by I.V. every 6 weeks. Had reactions toMethotrexate and came off of it a few years ago, had to go off Remacaid for a bit and back on the Metho though and it shut me down. Sleeping for days after each injection and didn't do much for my arthritis. So she took me off of it. For the Fibro I tried Cymbalta, Avelox and one other all with reactions and she said she will not put me on those again. I take ReQuip for restless leg but she said it should help the fibro as well. Time will tell and I hope she is right. :)
I have lupus. Take a picture of the rash and take it to the doctor with you if you are not broke out when you go. The rheumy will usually do an ana but can diagnose with out a positive result. A dermatologist can also look at it and take a sample.
Do not worry about how much you post their is no limit and the information is good for every one.
Hi Leesa, I don't have Lupus, but know FM can mimic both Lupus and MS. However the rash you describe on your face is one the "signature" signs (for lack of a better word) for Lupus. If the doctor you're going to doesn't seem to be giving you the answers you need, consider searching for another. Many of us have had to try a number of different doctors to find the answers to our health. Also get online and find out as much as you can, then take a list with you to your doctor. There maybe things you notice in the "symptoms" that you hadn't ever thought of, but experience. Having it written out and all together may better paint a picture of what's going on and that alone may better help your doctor discover answer.
Leesa, you have a lot of autoimmune diseases, so if you are having lupus and MS symptoms, they are not due to the Fibro, they are due to your body attacking itself. I have lupus too, and once you get one autoimmune disease, many others seem to appear over the years. I have MS symptoms as well. Autoimmune can destroy the myelin sheath (protective coating) on your nerves, which makes them short circuit and act like MS and other illnesses.I get a new diagnosis about twice a year and the list is getting ridiculous and frustrating.
Your rash sounds exactly like a gluten allergy rash. I got it about 3 months ago, exactly like yours, red, raised, burning, itching. I cut down my gluten and it went away. People with autoimmune are more prone to gluten allergy. The wheat we are eating is not the same wheat as our parents ate, It is genetically modified,missing enzymes that help the body break down the gluten.
I have looked at sites on lupus before because a lot of fibro symptoms overlap with it and other illnesses and it does include a rash like yours that distinguishes it from fibro and others. Its definitely worth checking out with your doc as there may be treatment out there to help.
Its really hard to tell whats what with fibro itself and when you get other symptoms that are sounding like something else too its a bit weird and worth double checking.
I've had fibro for 8 years and in that time developed lots of extra symptoms and the pain spreading to the whole of my body now, but each one of us is different and only your doctor and specialists know your history and about all the other overlapping symptoms you get with other illnesses.
I hope that helps and you get real answers soon that will clarify your questions,
The answer to your question is YES. As I have learned through my long path to getting diagnosed, fibro can and does mimic the signs and symptoms of both MS and Lupus. My doctor had me get tested for both before I got the fibro diagnoses. MRI and lots of blood tests can rule them both out for you.
I don't know about anyone else but what you are experiencing is very similar to my experience with my fibro. In fact, I started out with rashes and such INTENSE itching and crawling all over that I thought I would go crazy. Seriously, it was a nightmare!!!! But, I went to so many doctors and specialists and in the end it was all the fibro. I did get some relief from the itching, crawly stuff by taking a daily dose of Allegra. Cymbalta and lyrica have also helped. What meds are you on?
this is fantastic info and it helps to understand more about Fibro as well as the other diseases. Freaks me out a little too. I was on Cymbalta but had bad reactions to it as well as avelox, my doc will no longer prescribe these drugs to me. I woke up in the middle of the night paranoid and sat there with my eyes wide open staring, it was conscience of what I was doing but it was so strange, my behavior I know it sounds weird and it was so won't be doing that again lol I take 700mg by I.V. of Remacaid, protonix for the acid reflux, requip for the restless leg although I'm off that at the moment. Prenisone dose packs around 3 x a year but haven't needed it this year so far. Usually the cold/winter months brings on heavy duty flares but so far not bad this year. Doc is discussing meds with me at the moment as the numerous blood clots I had last year and the saddle left some damage to my lungs and sometimes I am out of breath, strange though it's not all of the time. I'm having a test done to show if my heart is overworking itself and if it is, I'll be on meds for that. I was on Coumadin most of the year last year and came off sometime in October.