Can fibromyalgia be a symptom f scleroderma?
I will pray for you and hope that you find something
other than Vicodan to help you. I’m humbled by your
experience. God bless you! Sandy
I don’t think so. Ask your rheumatologist. Good luck
& blessings.
Many folks with scleroderma (or other autoimmune diseases) seem to have fibromyalgia or FM-like pain. I don’t know that anyone has actually quantified the relationship, though.
The most common symptom of systemic scleroderma is Raynaud’s phenomenon - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/raynaud/ray_what.html Fingers and/or toes turn white and/or blue in response to cold, then bright red again when warmed due to an abnormal blood vessel constriction. I’ve seen estimates that 95-98% of us have Raynaud’s, and it’s often the first symptom. If you don’t have this, odds are good you don’t have systemic scleroderma.
Hope this helps!
In regards to the pain…has anyone found or been prescribed any pain meds that they found have helped? I’ve had scleroderma for 23years, recently had a lung collapse due to pulmonary fibrosis and on oxygen 24/7. I’m doing so much better than expected however…the pain…particularly in my chest cavity has increased!! I can only imagine the Fibro pain!! Sclero pain in enough for me!! Any info would be helpful. It seems I have been taking an awful lot of Vicodin!! I have switched my diet to all organic and very little animal protien. Mostley green leafy veges…no fruits…too acidic. This diet has helped tremondously!!! Thanks for any info!
Kim
saz, there a lots of pain medicine options - talk to your doctor and find a med or combination of meds that helps. I’ve had to try several for osteoarthritis pain (exercise helps my FM but makes my hip OA hurt - yeesh) because I can’t take anti-inflammatories due to kidney involvement. Your doc will have to determine what’s causing the pain and take into account all your other meds and your condition.
Never an easy answer with us, it there? 
Yeah…thanks!! They are weaning me off of my prednisone. Methotrexate
isn’t an option due to the lung stuff (I was on that prior) The celebrex
does an ok job. I guess if it means I have to increase my prednisone I just
as soon stay where I am. Yah…never an easy answer for us, you’re right!!
Take Care.
Kim
-----Original Message-----
From: ayaussy [mailto:scleroderma-cpt8926@lists.careplace.com]
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 12:51 PM
To: self2710@comcast.net
Subject: Re: [scleroderma] fibromyalgia
I was diagnosed with lupus 27 years ago and scleroderma 5 years ago. I am just so fatigued and have so much joint pain that I thought about fibromyalgia since my pain seems to increase about a week before my periods.
Baby, both lupus and scleroderma have fatigue as a common symptom, so you’re likely to experience that, fibromyalgia or not. I’ve found some good tips on dealing with it on chronic fatigue syndrome pages - we have “chronic fatigue” after all, just not a separate “syndrome” from our diseases.
FM pain does tend to increase around menstruation for some people. I also get a big increase in fatigue the week prior. Talk to your doc about your pain to get a proper diagnosis, even if it is a diagnosis by elimination. There are finally some medications to help a bit with FM. I’ve been on Neurontin for a few months now and it seems to tamp things down a bit. It doesn’t eliminate my symptoms, but keeps them quieter! Of course, Lyrica is the med that’s been approved for treatment - Neurontin is a similar medication.
I take Lyrica twice a day and it HELPS more than
Neurontin ever did. Keep your chin up and know that
you are not alone in all of this. Keep saying to
God…bring it on, I can take it. Next Journey will
be better. God bless you! Sandy (Netqueen9)
I take Lyrica two pills twice a day and since getting back on prozac it has helped alot. I still have pain in my neck, hips, and knees. My feet hurt to walk on them at times. The doctor has given me oxycodne, ultram and other pain meds but they dont help. So I just deal with it.