Lupus and fibromyalgia may look similar on the surface, but in fact they are very different disorders. Unlike lupus, fibromyalgia is not an autoimmune disorder and does not cause any inflammation. It also does not interfere with organ function. However, people with fibromyalgia are often misdiagnosed with lupus.
The confusion between lupus and fibromyalgia may be due to the fact that many of their symptoms are so similar. Like fibromyalgia, lupus symptoms tend to come and go, and can take the form of sudden flare-ups. Like fibromyalgia, lupus is also associated with extreme fatigue, muscle pain, and circulatory disorders. In fact, up to 30% of lupus sufferers develop fibromyalgia syndrome after they have been diagnosed.
Hope this helps you and good luck!

yupp!! I've gone through ALL of the symptoms that you've described. You're not alone!! I'm always having to pee; I try not to drink much after 6:00 so I don't have to go as much in the middle of the night. Flu symptoms and crippling joint pain on top of muscle pain.....it's terrible, you're not crazy. The chronic fatigue is the hardest and seems to be a huge part of lupus. For me, it's an overwhelming anxious fatigue that comes on every day by 11:00 or 12:00; no matter what I'm doing I have to stop. Hot epson baths with deep breaths help me.
My diagnosis for a year was "Fibro and maybe lupus"
My blood work showed an autoimmune disease so that's why they were saying "maybe Lupus"
They treated my symptoms and I continued to get worse; I was on Savella, Tramadol, Flexeral but also tried Lyrica and Elavil. All of these meds have side effects on top of what the real problem is. I switched doctors who sent me to a pain specialist to get off all of the meds and see how I really felt. He also started me on Plaquenil when I was off the other meds. Going off all the meds was one of the hardest times of my life but I got through it and felt better (my brain was more clear). The pain specialist also taught me how to sleep and breath better; we have to sleep!! Sleep is the most important thing for our bodies to heal. Deep breaths to your heart in and out as you visualize a happy place. For me, it's the ocean.
Six months later I am still unable to work or do much in a day. I try to except the life that I have for now and am happy with what I can do. Exercise is extremely important, 30 minutes a day. I'm lucky to live in SoCal so I try to walk most days, take a bath, maybe go to the grocery store and that's it for my day. No matter how bad I feel, when I walk I start to feel a little better. It's the endorphins that kick in on top of "lotion is motion" for our joints. We do our bodies more harm by staying still.
Keep a daily journal of how you feel on a scale of 1 to 10; what hurts, meds that you're taking and track your sleep. See if you feel better on days that you sleep more. Make sure your doctor continues to check your blood work and get copies of all of your tests so you have them on hand if you decide to switch doctors.
Diet also helps some people; try to stay away from processed foods, white sugar, some people do better gluten free. When we're tired we tend to crave "junk food" which won't help to strengthen our immune system.
Hang in there and try to find some kind of joy, peace in every day. I know it's so hard and the beginning seems to be the hardest......I'm still waiting to feel better after a year in a half of not being able to do much. My entire life has changed but I keep reminding myself that my life could be so much worse.

Hi,
Sorry you're going through all this. I want to know if you've been tested for MS? ? The twitching, frequent urination, chronic fatigue, lightheadedness, numbness and tingling and tightness in the chest-- could all be vague lupus symptoms but could all be symptoms of MS. MS is an autoimmune illness as well.
I got evaluated for MS because of many of the same symptoms (tightness across the chest made them wonder about the MS hug). I hope you get some answers soon. Please take care of yourself.

Thank you for all the responses! I was diagnosed by a rheumatologist wth fibromyalgia in 2005 and then a vascular surgeon diagnosed me with raynauds in 2006. Then earlier this year epstein bar and chronic fatigue syndrome. We moved to Virginia in September after living in Grand Rapids, MI all my life. Then one day I woke up with extreme pain like back labor, nausea and neck pain. This went on for 2 days so I went to the ER where they just checked for infection and sent me home. They had me follow up with a internist and they did a lot of xrays and labs. They said there was protein and blood in my urine, which has been going on since 2006. I now have a new doctor here and he listens to everything. My C-reactive protein was very high, my ANA was positive, sedimentation rate is high and my eGFR is>59 which I guess is normal cause the reference says >59 too?, white blood count 10.3, pit 423, proteinuria 30. He is sending me to a rheumatologist and dermatologist. He said it was a connective tissue disease sle lupus. Thank You for all the tips and thoughts.
How do you get tested for MS? What do they do to find out if it is MS? It is just a shock still going from everything is fibromyalgia to something that is harmful. I feel scared, alone and so many questions. True it could be something more severe and less treatable. I am just in a limbo on everything. Thank You again!!

You need to see a neurologist. He or she can do some preliminary tests and then if necessary, send you for a brain and spine MRI. Based on your testing, you definitely have an autoimmune disease. I hope that you get answers soon and get on the road to feeling better. Keep asking questions. This is a great place to do it.
Take care.

I also have the tightness in the chest and lightheadedness, dizziness etc. I find that I usually feel more lightheaded and weak during the daytime. I feel more lethargic and weak. I chalk it up to the awful fatigue. Like alot of people say, I also get it around 12 or 1 in the afternoon. In the mornings I have a little energy.

I also have to go to the bathroom pretty frequently. It is no fun especially when you take vitamins. If you are, they may be making it worse. B-12 complex usually causes me to have to go and it is alot everytime as if I have been drinking alcohol. I have been tested for diabetes etc. and all is normal. My rhumy wants me to see a urologist for this. If you have the money and it really continues to bother you I would go see one and itleast check for cystitis. It can be common in Fibro and CFS. I don't have the problem with not being able to. Definately mention this one to your doctor though, esp if you have had protein and blood found before.

I also get tingling and numbness, do you think its the Raynauds? I have noticed my hands are always freezing cold these days, and I also get tingling every now and then.

CFS, Fibro and Lupus are so much alike symptom wise. That is why its so common to diagnose Lupus as Fibro early in the game when tests are normal.

Allison,
Maybe you have first signs of Peripheral Neuropathy of the upper or lower limbs, which is what I have from Lupus. My hands and feet are always cold and feel like pins and needles; I also get deep sharpe pains (like knives are jabbing deep in my bones). It's really painful but started mild for a long time. Be aware; if it gets any worse than get a nerve test. I've had several nerve tests in the last few years which came back negative. I switched to a new Rheumy in June and he sent me in for a more high tech nerve test which came back positive without a doubt. It's really hard to get in control - nerves take a long time to react to meds.
Good luck and I hope you feel better.

Will check into that Thank You. My Raynauds affects me when its cold out or really stressed. My hands, fingers, toes, feet change colors. They sting, tingle or feel like they are burning and throb after. My doctor sent me to a urologist to be diagnosed. I am not big on spending a lot on boots, but Uggs are the best I have had to keep my feet warm. I hope this helps some.