do they act the same

[Prairie1]

does MS and FM look somewhat the same with what happens to people.. like lack of hand control at times, balance issues???

[Sparkysarah]

I just wanted to say thank you for your interesting post..I have learnt so much about other conditions recenlty just by reading posts like yours and Bob gave a very clear informative answer. I have found this personally very helpful as I have a friend who has fibromyalgia and I now understand better why she is always in such pain and going shopping is such an effort for her.

So sorry for all that you are suffering but glad that your neuro is keeping track of recent developments. There seem to be several conditions that share similarities and I guess this is why the diagnosis of MS is an exclusion of other illnesses that mimic it.

Cheers for now

Sarah

[Prairie1]

I have been told it was FM for the last 10 yrs but a relative with MS is so like mine and has some of the same pain issues I have and balance problems that people wonder if I dont also have MS..  The MRI (2nd in 2 yrs) shows only a small white spot that they say is not MS and had no clue what it was on there. I have been back in to a neuro who has also said it is FM with all the things happening but he is being very watchful for the other things that have started to happen and tracking htem. I have lived with pain of some sort for all these years but some of the other things that have started and progressed worry me at times. I guess its one of those deals that so little is really known and you find out as it comes along.

[twist330]

Bob Thanks again for that very clear explination. When I saw the neuro rehabilitaion team for the first time Fibro was meantioned as an area they might look into.

But having read your explination, I don't think what I am experiencing is FM.
Thanks

[COBOB]

MS looks like Fibromyalgia in term of some of the symptoms, but  Fibromyalgia has some distinct symptoms not seen in MS.  The first is the 9 paired "Tender points" in FM that are not seen in MS.  The second is that MS is a demyelinating disease of the CNS.  FM seems to be a disease of the CNS, but not associated with demyelination.  

The current diagnostic criteria for FM includes:
    * A history of widespread pain lasting more than three months—affecting all four quadrants of the body, i.e., both sides, and above and below the waist.
    * Tender points—there are 18 designated possible tender points (although a person with the disorder may feel pain in other areas as well). During diagnosis, four kilograms-force (39 newtons) of force is exerted at each of the 18 points; the patient must feel pain at 11 or more of these points for fibromyalgia to be considered.[96] Four kilograms of force is about the amount of pressure required to blanch the thumbnail when applying pressure.

MS rarely presents with widespread pain in 4 quadrants of the body.  

This is why many neuros will want patients with no MRI lesions and widespread pain or joint complaints to see a rheumatologists.  

Bob

[meg321]

They do have a lot of similar symptoms, I think sometimes MS's are diagnosed with FB when it is actually MS...take a look at FM and you will find the sympyoms.

I do believe FB has more pain issues...with my cog issues now, I sometimes get things wrong.

I am sure others will have some feedback for you...

nice to meet you too..

hugs, meg