Understanding fibromyalgia and lupus

If you are experiencing muscle or joint pain and unexplained tiredness, you should see your doctor. Fibromyalgia or lupus may be to blame but, because symptoms for both conditions are similar, a doctor's involvement is needed for a diagnosis.

If you have widespread pain and exhaustion, see your physician now. Fibromyalgia can be a tough condition to diagnose, the sooner you see someone who knows its symptoms, the better. Don't settle for a doctor who tells you it's all in your mind, or doesn't have experience with fibromyalgia. If you're not satisfied, ask for a referral to a rheumatologist, a specialist who deals with arthritis.

• Fibromyalgia is generally linked with long-term sleep loss.
• Muscle pain and tenderness, stomach aches, headaches, and feelings of numbness and tingling in the hands and feet are also symptoms of fibromyalgia.
• If you have constant pain for more than three months and tenderness in many areas of the body, such as the neck, spine, shoulders and hips, usually lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
• Fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation, arthritis, skin rashes, or damage to tissues, organs and bones like lupus.
• Medications commonly used to treat lupus have little or no effect on the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

You may think you are too tired or in too much pain to exercise, but it is one of the best treatments for fibromyalgia – and you will feel much better for it.

• Exercise in the morning and afternoon will give you energy for the day and make for a better night's sleep.
• Taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen every four to six hours, or naproxen every 12 hours, may help relieve pain. But if you're taking these daily at the maximum dose, talk to your doctor about taking something that is longer lasting and, over time, safer for your stomach.
• For bad pain, you can take both acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) together for a short time, one or two days.  Again, if you find yourself doing this daily, see your doctor.

Learn all you can about the condition and its treatment. Ask your doctors about the range of treatments: pain relievers, antidepressants, sleeping pills (for the short term), and complementary therapies such as massage and acupuncture. The more you know about treatment possibilities, the better you will be able to manage this condition.

Symptoms of lupus and the course of the disease are different for each person. They can range from kidney problems, premature heart disease, strokes or lung inflammation, although it’s not likely for someone to experience all symptoms.

• No one knows why lupus occurs, or how to prevent or cure it.
• Diagnosis of lupus is difficult and there is no one test to determine if someone has lupus.
• Symptoms of lupus such as fatigue, joint pain and skin rash are imprecise, and can come and go over time so it can take years for a diagnosis to be made.

It's tough to do much until you know what you're dealing with. If you have a rash, fever, ongoing aches, and feel tired all the time, make an appointment with your doctor for a thorough workup.

• Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen can both ease inflammation and lower pain. But don't take more than directed on the package. Acetaminophen is effective at easing pain but not inflammation.
• In a six-month study at Mayo Clinic, 11 of 17 lupus patients who took the drug CellCept had significant improvement in their symptoms. Fifteen were able to decrease their doses of prednisone.