Went to see the doctor
 

I went a few days ago to see the family doctor here in town. She is doing blood work and gonna put me on a heart monitor for a couple of days. This is why I went to see her. I told her about my fall back in December that caused my RSD/ CRPS.I showed her my blood pressure monitor and also told her about my sugar dropping. She listened to everything I told her and she checked me over thoroughly. She told me she thinks that on top of the RSD/CRPS that I have Fibromyalgia. She told me I have 18 tender points out of 18. So my question is who here has both CRPS and Fibromyalgia? What is the difference. I read the thread about the difference between the two and still I am a little confused. Please help if you can help me understand.

Thanks in advance.:Head-Spin:

Sorry to heard that Phaedra but I only had rsd for sure won't have a better answer but sure others will. I hope you get of track soon, blessings from Jesika .:grouphug::grouphug:

Hi Phaedra - very sorry to hear the diagnosis has compounded like that.

I didn't have both - only RSD/CRPS. But I do think they are closely related. There are posts on here from over the years by people who have been diagnosed with both; many of them had RSD first and developed fibromyalgia after. Some went the other way and had fibromyalgia, then RSD. It is likely that lack of diagnosis (or mis-diagnosis) plays a role in how the sequence is reported as well. I'm not surprised you're confused, because so am I:D

The bottom line is that there are a whole host of issues that come with the RSD "territory" - migraines, digestive/food sensitivities, gross and fine motor skill deterioration, decrease in focus/mental/memory capacity, joint sensitivity, emotional instability... the list goes on and on:(

My (non-medically backed:)) opinion is that, rather than a mysterious "overreacting" nervous system that is responding to a trauma (or in some cases some non-existent event), RSD in its initial physical form is when the immune system continually responds to inflammation with more inflammation -- then hypoxia sets in over time as the body continues to "splint" itself, and symptoms change in relation to that. Many of these symptoms are very similar to fibromyalgia.

Why is the inflammation there to begin with, and why is it compounding on itself rather than resolving - to me, these are the more relevant questions.
:::steps off soapbox:::

I'm no physical scientist or anywhere near a medical professional - just a regular person who doesn't have RSD anymore. There are tons of people that know way more than I do about way more stuff. Just want to add an alternative viewpoint to the mix.

Hi Phaedra,

I have both fibro and complex regional pain syndrome. Fibro diagnosis was many years ago-probably close to 20. Muscle pain is always present along with extreme fatigue. I have crps type 2 from ankle surgery a year ago. Although this is just my specific case, there is no comparison between the two. In my case the crps was like POW WHAM after surgery. Intense burning, fire like feeling, extreme sensitivity to touch (after a week surgeon had to remove my cast which was suppose to be on for 6 weeks). Color change of affected area, typical weird hair growth and spread to top of other foot. Swelling of ankle continues. Fibro never had a burning fire like pain for me. Overall muscle pain is typical for fibro-where crps is usually very specific (at least to start) with one area. Lyrica and other like meds are given for both conditions, although I only started with it after surgery. Lyrica for me works very quickly to quiet down buzzing and zapping. Typically antidepressants are given for fibro-but I never took one so don't know what type of response to pain would be.

Very sorry that you have to search for answers to your pain. Sounds like your Dr. is at least trying to look at all possible causes.

Judie

Cymbalta is comonly used anti-depressant that improves pain management. Do not take with ultram or tramadol. Works well for me. Also, water exercises are good choices. Wishing you wellness ~ lottie

Hi there and gentle hugs

Sorry you are dealing with all this pain. I have both. While I am not good at all at clinical or medical or disease talk per say, I can easily tell the difference between RSD and Fibro. I guess I should say over time some of the pain gets all lumped together and it is just NASTY pain, lol.

BUT, RSD is RSD is RSD for me. Since I get RSD from surgeries and get it immediately, it is clinically and physically very different than ongoing fibro pain. With RSD, as you know, the burning, swelling, acid being poured on you, truck running over your body, stabbing, bone chilling pain, just has its own path of destruction. With Fibro I think I just feel constant, aching, exhausting pain in muscles.

With RSD, my body changed, my body atrophied instantly, my body could not bear to be touched by a sheet, a whisper, my own hair touching my affected limb made me want to vomit. WHile fibro causes me a lot of daily pain, RSD pounded my tissues, bones, skin, muscles, mobility, everything. I think the sensitivity and burning are big differences. I mean burning like on fire, doused with gas burning. I never got that from fibro.

Hugs to you