Monday, February 20, 2006

Is it Lupus, FM or Both

Current Newsletter: "Is it possible to have symptoms of lupus, but actually have fibromyalgia?

A: Figuring out whether a patient has lupus, fibromyalgia or both�which is entirely possible - requires a thorough medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests. Diagnosing lupus and fibromyalgia can be difficult because the conditions share some symptoms.

During the medical history, fibromyalgia patients usually describe fatigue and a generalized muscle pain or soreness of the muscles that often is made worse by lack of quality sleep. Lupus patients may also have fatigue and muscle soreness, but initial symptoms may include a rash across the cheeks and nose that gets worse in sunlight, kidney problems, difficulty breathing or a blood clot, stroke or heart attack."

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