Does anyone out there have fibromyalgia and Parkinson's disease?
Now at age 60, I have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. I read that they might be related. My parkinson’s symptom’s don’t seem typical. Thanks!
Tagged with: diagnosis • parkinson
Filed under: parkinson symptoms
If you go to Patients Like Me and register as a Parkinson’s patient you will be able to join a more relevant discussion there. And PLM just added a Fibromyalgia community.
http://www.patientslikeme.com/
From what I have read (I am a PD caregiver registered at that site) there are not only similarities to PD but also to Lyme Disease. I did see some people who had an early diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and were later dx’d with PD. Which means that possibly their original diagnoses were wrong.
We also know that Fibromyalgia can develop as a result of Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus.
This is a cut and paste of the specific Fibromyalgia symptoms and diseases & conditions with similar symproms from Google Health:
Specific symptoms:
Body aches
Chronic facial muscle pain or aching
Fatigue
Irritable bowel syndrome
Memory difficulties and cognitive difficulties
Multiple tender areas (muscle and joint pain) on the back of the neck, shoulders, sternum, lower back, hips, shins, elbows, knees
Numbness and tingling
Palpitations
Reduced exercise tolerance
Sleep disturbances
Tension or migraine headaches
Conditions associated with or which mimic Fibromyalgia symptoms:
Cancer
Cervical and low-back degenerative disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Depression
HIV infection
Hypothyroidism
Irritable bowel syndrome
Lyme disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sleep disorders
There is similarity of symptoms but not as many in the early stages of PD. Numbness & tingling often proceed tremor onset. Sleep disturbances are often an early symptom. Shoulder and neck pain are also early symptoms, especially in women. IBS or celiac-like symptoms and body pain are also PD symptoms. Facial muscle pain can develop along with the rest of body stiffness.
The treatments for Fibromyalgia are essentially symptomatic as there is yet no definitive cause. On occasion the meds may be ones used for PD but not that often. Pain relievers, antidepressants are used. Stretching exercises - so important in PD are also suggested.
This is an excerpt from a 2005 study abstract:
"it appears that FMS might be characterized by a disruption of dopaminergic neurotransmission."
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WKH-4M1TT1W-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1006123197&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=e606d42ff583b4a62fae0a393b7ae5a2
You might also be interested in this paper about enzyme detoxification although it is older:
http://www.thorne.com/media/detoxificationenzymes.pdf
Well, I just learned something from a 1996 abstract. This is an abstract about PD precursor or predromal symtoms and cardiovascular (autonomic) symtoms were also listedL
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/109747690/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
An abstract about a PD patient diagnosed with Fibromyalgia:
http://www.prd-journal.com/article/S1353-8020(06)00095-2/abstract
And one last PD-Fibromyalgia link about dopamine:
http://www.fmpartnership.org/Files/Website2005/Learn%20About%20Fibromyalgia/Articles/Dopamine.pdf
Lyme disease and Fibromyalgia share several common symptoms. PD and Lyme disease are sometimes confused with the diagnosis usually going to Parkinson’s which is not a good thing as Lyme disease MUST be treated promptly. Lyme disease is also known as the Great Mimicker.
https://www.google.com/health/ref/Lyme+disease
I am assuming that you were diagnosed by a neurologist. It never hurts (except financially) to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion if you have doubts.
One reason for the financial issue is that health insurers often allow only one diagnosis and so when they have one…they stop.
Do remember that PD symptoms manifest in a number of ways - the stereotypes are just public images - not necessarily what many people endure as the disease progresses. And progression can take place at varying rates depending upon many things: medication choices, supplements, diet, exercise, timing of diagnosis, medication side effect, cause. Some symptoms are not discussed as much so that you don’t see them in the standard lists.
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