Hi and welcome,
Fibromyalgia can mimic or even overlap many other conditions, Lupus and MS are typically investigated and each have specific suggestive/consistent diagnostic evidence to make either condition more likely. In regards to MS there is more that you have mentioned that would not be suggestive/consistent, so i don't think MS would be a likely alternative although i honestly don't think Fibromyalgia fully explains everything you've been dealing with so i would suggest getting a second opinion with a rheumatologist to reassess your diagnosis and or provide alternative treatments that may work better for you.
This is a good Fibromyalgia resource that may be able to provide some answers.... https://www.fibrocenter.com/understanding-fibromyalgia
Hope that helps.....JJ
My hives show up when I am hyperthyroid. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and have had Graves antibodies show up for two months as well. Elevated thyroid antibodies are often associated with chronic hives. Studies report that as many as 57.4% of patients with hives have the presence of thyroid antibodies.
Thanks. It’s just so frustrating to keep having a NEW symptom greatly disable me almost every 6 months, and slowly stop, and then a new thing attack me. Some things are constantly there, like pain and sleeping and the migraines.
The military tried to make me feel so bad about myself for having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia after my attack while active duty. And my own Father still says it’s all in my head and I’m making things up to get out of things bc I’m lazy or whatever, so you can see why I don’t feel so glad to have fibro as my diagnosis bc I still feel like it’s not “real.” As if a different diagnosis will make my disabilities more valid in others eyes.
My Mom is on my side and works with someone with MS and the two of them swear I have it too. Then when I saw my neurologist wants to do a LP to see if I have MS it made me question.
I've never understood why people dx with Fibro get such a hard time having their condition understood, unfortunately there will be some individuals who might disbelieve your condition, but there will be many others who will love and support you, only allow your supporters into your head space, don't allow the naysayers to bring you down!
One lady i know has had a similar situation with her father all her life, she was dx with Juvenile Arthritis as a child, others dx with Lupus, MS, CFS/ME, Mental Health issues, Asperger's, Migraine etc etc etc are also disbelieved by people who know very little to nothing about their diagnosed condition....unfortunately some people would rather have a negative opinion about someone they have no right to critic than get off their 1900's ignorant soap box and stop making insensitive or ignorant comments....
An LP will only add weight towards alternative conditions when added to all your other suggestive/consistent diagnostic evidence, neurological clinical signs, symptom types and pattern etc and in regards to dx-ing MS, you need MS suggestive/consistent brain and spinal cord MRI's....IF your brain and spinal cord MRI's are not showing lesions, an LP alone will not be of much help in determining if it's MS or not because an LP is not an exclusive test even if it does show OBands, Obands show up in a number of neurological disorders as well as infectious conditions.
General protein can be slightly elevated in MS patients, Myelin Basic Protein is typically elevated due to the destruction of myelin lol sorry it is complex and more than you probably need to know at this stage, just try to keep in mind that a lot of the types of symptoms you've mentioned are not typically associated or suggestive of MS eg hives, bruising, pressure soars/hives, swollen Lymph nodes, Rashes, Heartburn, Dry mouth, and or skin, short lived random muscle twitches, mouth sores, carpal tunnel, all over pain, visual issues like random black spots or stars, bilateral symmetrical numbness, joint pain/stiffness, digit swelling, narcolepsy, + ANA, speckled, High sediment rate high C-reactive protein.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying nothing else could be going on, in fact i actually don't think Fibro completely answers what's been happening with you and i suspect it's only one piece of your medical puzzle but a neurological condition like MS is less likely compared to many other conditions where these issues are more common eg Lupus, Lyme etc so try if you can to keep a very open mind on what else it could be..
Hope that helps.....JJ