I have both Fibro and RSD, and to me they do seem different. I guess I can explain what I feel this way: Fibro = When I'm poked or hugged tight or bump into something, it feels like it's a deep gouge and the pain is deep and radiates out like a ripple effect and can last for quite awhile. RDS = A burning, stinging (haha almost typed stinking), scraping pain. I first got RSD in my left wrist/hand from a botched wrist surgery, and it will hurt like when you scrape your knuckles on rough concrete...did that alot growing up lol. I have the color change, etc. in that hand/wrist, but not in the new areas as of yet. The RSD pain for me can also be explained as the feeling of rubbing my skin with rough sandpaper. I'm sure, as with so many pain issues, one antagonizes the other. So, as I said, to me they are different.