I would say that Fibromyalgia is the end result of many of these multiple illness issues. I had bad TMJ and severe OA and then a disc failed in my back. I was then diagnosed with DDD and stenosis. As a result of all of these chronic (pain) issues I was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. And yes, in my case every one of my underlying issues can be associated with FMS.

This is a disorder of the central nervous system. The mechanism that causes it is not understood. In some people, it can be triggered by high levels of stress, an accident, surgery, childbirth, emotional abuse to name some examples. In my case, high levels of stress coupled with my underlying health issues were more than my central nervous system could handle.

The list of underlying conditions that can be associated with Fibromyalgia is staggeringly long. Take care.

Here is a link that lists the many conditions that can be associated with Fibromyalgia:

http://www.fmcpaware.org/complete-listing-allergy-vulvodynia.html

Thank you Fantod. I went on the link you sent me and what you said made a lot of sense. The only problem I see is that unless you are completely immobile you have pain. And if you want to get rid of the pain you take medications which all have side effects. So, I guess it is an individual option as to whether we take the medication or we don't. For me the least amount of side effects are to take the prednisone my doctor wants me to take. The next med on her list is Imuran and her third med is Benlysta. I looked them up and they are worse then prednisone.
I feel bad for all of us!
Thank you for your help with this.

Those are not meds for treatment of fibro.

Fibro is not a one size fits all in severity. Some people have it mild, some moderate, some severe. Some people get better (not cured - although there have been some with remission) , some stay the same, and some get worse.

I just got diagnosed with Fibro. About time! For years I was misdiagnosed with something else.

Anyway, I found this book at Amazon: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual, 2nd Edition, by Devin Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland. It really clarifies for me which are "co-existing conditions" and which are "diagnoses of exclusion". Even many doctors get confused and prescribe the wrong treatments! It talks about what to do and what not to do. I wish I had known earlier so that I wouldn't have done things to exacerbate it. This book was published in 2001, but I couldn't find a more recent edition.

It sounds like you are being treated for an autoimmune disease, even if your blood tests are negative right now. If you are responding to prednisone, your doctor is probably on the right track. People with autoimmune diseases often have fibro as well (or are wrongly diagnosed with fibro). It maybe since your disease isn't showing itself in your blood work, your doctor is just saying fibro, because he or she thinks you have that, too. I'm being treated for lupus like undifferentiated connective tissue disease (last I knew), but on my last trip to the rheumy, the doctor mentioned fibro (which I don't think I have) and my depression (which I generally don't have although they keep pigeon holing me with that without asking me any questions about it or giving me some kind of ten question test). Anyway, I'm at a major center for rheumatology and half the doctors believe you can have autoimmune diseases with negative or mostly negative bloodwork, and the other half believe that you can't have autoimmune disease unless your blood work is screaming on thing or the other. Welcome to the fun house. But you maybe in good hands. Just ask more questions. For instance, why are you treating me with these drugs if I only have fibro?

She told me she thinks, even though test do not show it, but all the symptoms are there, that I have fiber, lupus and possibly ms. All three are very hard to diagnose unless the test all come out positive but they have found that all can come out negative and when a person has all the symptoms they are probably suffering with the illnesses. I don't know. I just know that when you look up these medications they are scary to take. You will either be sick from the illness or sick from the drugs.

With regards to looking up medications - bear in mind that manufacturers are legally required to list every possible thing that could possibly go wrong. The actual percentage of many of these issues occurring is small.

I have multiple chemical sensitivities. I treat all medication like cyanide. However,I can tolerate a low dose of Cymbalta and Gabapentin. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Take care.

If you look them up at lupus forums you will see some people have side effects. If they are bad enough they will stop taking them. But lots of people can deal with the side effects, since they feel much better over all.

All of us with fibromyalgia may have different symptoms but we all suffer pain. I don't get headaches but I can't sleep without medication because every surface of my body hurts. I have had this for a long time now and finely found a doctor that understands this. I am on a thyroid supplement, a pain med., a muscle relaxer, a anti-anxiety med., and a anti depressant to help me deal with all those pills I take. I feel well enough to get some things done.
What this all boils down to for me is If I don't take the pills I feel a lot worse. It took a while to get to the best combination. Good luck.