Living with both rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia can feel confusing, exhausting, and deeply invalidating, especially when it’s hard to tell where your pain is coming from or when fibromyalgia is dismissed as “not real.” In this episode, Cheryl and Eileen sit down with Dr. Christine Stamatos, a nationally recognized rheumatology nurse practitioner and chronic pain expert, to unpack fibromyalgia myths versus facts with clarity, compassion, and strong scientific grounding.
Dr. Stamatos explains why fibromyalgia is absolutely real, how it commonly overlaps with inflammatory diseases like RA, and what’s actually happening in the brain, nerves, and spinal fluid of people with fibromyalgia. She offers practical guidance for telling the difference between an RA flare and a fibromyalgia flare, explains why opioids often make fibromyalgia pain worse, and reframes treatment as a whole-person, multi-tool approach, not a single pill, diet, or supplement.
This conversation is especially powerful if you’ve ever felt dismissed, blamed, or overwhelmed by mixed messages about pain, fatigue, brain fog, sleep, or mental health. You’ll walk away feeling validated, better informed, and more confident in navigating life with both conditions.
All content found on Arthritis Life public channels (including Rheumer Has It) was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Rheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. See all the details and join the program or waitlist now!