Can lupus and fibromyalgia be missed or misdiagnosed? Absolutely — and your experience of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia 8 years after lupus is more common than you might think.
These two conditions share so many overlapping symptoms that even doctors can find it tricky to tell them apart, including:
- Muscle and joint Show Full Answer
Can lupus and fibromyalgia be missed or misdiagnosed? Absolutely — and your experience of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia 8 years after lupus is more common than you might think.
These two conditions share so many overlapping symptoms that even doctors can find it tricky to tell them apart, including:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Brain fog and memory problems
- Stiffness
- Sleep problems
- Depression and dizziness A MyLupusTeam member shared a relatable story: "I just recently found out my first positive ANA test was back in 1997, and no one looked into lupus. All those years they said it was just fibromyalgia."
This kind of delayed or missed diagnosis happens because lupus is sometimes called "the great imitator" — its symptoms can look like many other conditions, and fibromyalgia is one of them. Regarding the people in your support group, it's genuinely worth encouraging them to speak with their doctor about being screened for lupus — especially if their symptoms feel persistent or aren't well-controlled. About 22–25% of people with lupus also have fibromyalgia, meaning lupus is actually a risk factor for developing fibromyalgia.
A rheumatologist can run tests to check for both conditions and help ensure nothing is being missed.
June 13
Same I was dx 12 yrs later with fibromyalgia and now the rheumatologist is second guessing herself in so fed up with all my doctors ugh
June 18
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