hi

Hi. I'm new too, and it's so sad to see there are *plenty* more AS sufferers out there, and many much more severe than mine.

So far, the first rheum I saw preliminarily diagnosed AS and possible fibro. Since then I have started with another rheum, and he is not quite willing to call it AS yet, but he knows it's one of the spondyloarthropathies.

Started with low back and "hip" pain - really the SI joint - that eventually even my chiro couldn't fix. Physical therapy, next to no help. I was to the point where I could barely force my back to something like straight when I got out of bed in the morning.

Voltaren was like magic for about two weeks, then it started to wear off. Now I'm on Indocin, and it's ... well, it's OK. But I was hoping for better. And with less heartburn. But I'm hesitant to try Enbrel or Humira.

I'm frustrated bc x-rays show everything is fine, bloodwork (HLA sed rate, etc.,) ... everything is fine! It makes you think it's all in your head, only you're the only one who knows the pain is for real!

Anyway, that's my story. Maybe some of it is helpful.

*Debbie*

I to have AS.  I just found out that I have AS.  I will be able to see my X-Rays next month, but so far I know that my spine is fused.  I have just started Rehab at a local hospital and the warm water exercise is feeling good.

My doctor has perscribed a generic brand of nuroten and Tomorrow I will start a new med Sulfasazine. ( I do not know anything about it.)  I have to admit that this is a frustrating disorder because I went for years thinking I had fibro and chronic fatigue.  I hope that you can help me and I hope that I can help you as we find out more about this.

Hi everyone, I'm a 49 yrs. male with sypmtons since the 90's ( lower back pain with a shooting pain through the back of my right leg, hips pain while moving or just sitting, pain to both knees, rt knee swollen having to have fluid taken out by syringe several times, very painfull heels, bolt of right foot very painfull,swollen middle toes rt. foot, pain deep inside my tighs, shoulders first one at the time and then both at the same time it felt as if they were just hanging by the skin, neck pain, headaches for one or two days at first very often and now for weeks at the time, swollen fingers to both hands, stiffness, fatigue and brain fog) DX. with seronegative spondyloarthropathy.I now take enbrel once a week and many others meds.I do follow this board and the ANKYLOSIS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA message board. I never seen so many  as'ers post here it's good to hear from all of you and share our speriences with this AS.

Randy I took sulfazalazine for two years, it did help at first but only for my lower body and the stiffness. This is not in our heads is real and crippling. the meds are helping with some of the swelling but I'm still in pain.

Dolores:  The more I have read about AS the more I look at and think is this what I really going to happen to me, though I wish that the weight loss would start happening to me.  I am sorry to hear that the meds did not stay working for you.  What else do you do for your inflamation and pain, hot showers seem to make the pain go away for about 20 min at the most.  I also suffer from migrains, but I do not know if that goest with this.  I too am a male that is 44 and I know that my spine is already fused so I know that I have to work with what I have when I go to rehab.

Chuke: I know that I have had some IBS symptoms, but do not know if this is part of AS.

Debbie:  I am sorry that you are having so much pain with your RA.  Do you have a good rhuemy doc?  The one I have, it turns out that she specializes in AS and spine disorders I am thankful for that.