any member with ankyolsing sponyolits

[brad8]

wanting to hear from ant members with ankyolosing spodyoiltis for feed back.

[pat66]

Yes I have it alongside RA its a nightmare,my understanding of it is only really what my doctor has explained to me it seems to attack either most used joints or where other problems may be.

For me I have RA in my knees ( cross country long distance running in school ) but my knees are stiff and weak it feels like sometimes they will buckle or break under my weight on top of that I ALWAYS have a swelling there about the size of a Chelsea bun which moves from on the to of my knees just below my thighs to the sides of the knees to the back of the knees it has been drained before but was only good for a month or so before it came back ,the doctor advised me that the more you drain it the thicker the liquid gets?!? . I also get anylosing in my neck fingers and ankles they feel like they can move properly like they are stuck in one position the best way to describe it for my neck at t least is if you have ever Jared your neck or turned too quickly and how that feels for the next few days is pretty close to my own ankylosing spondylitis

Hope this helps.

[brad8 in reply to pat66]

It seems as you have discribed more RA than ankyolosing spodyolitis . The AS i have is mostly in spine and rib cage. I feel for you if you are having all the other sites as well, My breathing has been reduced and i have COPD wich is hard to treat.

I wish you well in all your treatments

[claretandblue1]

Hi Brad, I have AS also coupled with PA (Psoriatic Arthritis). I have suffered with these conditions since 1975, and according to Medical, these were brought on by an accident I had. I ran into a pile of scaffolding whilst chasing a 'burglar!'. I damaged 2 vertabraes in my neck from compression, also had a sprung costacondracal, (ribs separated) from the force. Bit of History for you.

It has been hard living with this for such a long time. I have the Psoriasis on most parts of my body, but mainly on the back. My AS is greatest at the bottom of the spine. I do exercises in the morning along with a nice warm to hot bath. Keeps me going for a few hours, but as the day progresses, so does my AS. I find I can't sit for long periods, therefore am pacing up and down etc!! Also to compound all of this, 15 years ago I had several heart attacks which culminated in me have a quadruple bypass!!

[brad8]

I Feel for you with so much pain to carry round. Arthritis is hell in chronic forms.

If you have pain in lower spine I do suggest you try indocid suppositories," indomethacin"If you are not already on it. It will bring down inflammation From AS

I hope you are being seen by a good pain clinic as by your history you would need positive pain control just to live though each day.

Wish you well in treatment of your pain

[claretandblue1 in reply to brad8]

Hi Brad - I have tried most treatments, to no avail. My Specialists say that it is very difficult to treat someone with AS & PA, as one seems to counter act the other. So my way of handling it is to think 'positive' coupled with the exercises that I do. I have had it so long now, that I think of it as a 'friend!' someone or thing that I will take with me to the Afterlife!!!

[Nytsom]

Neck - Shoulders and Spine.. Careful how I sleep (if I sleep) or even how I turn my head, although I do however exercise as much as the mobility will allow. This complaint can be disabling for short periods of time; so it is a must to maintain movement in the neck and spine; well, as much as possible. I also have degenerative Osteo-Arthritis .

[brad8]

I First diagnosed a 25 or there- abouts it's one hell of a ride , Firstly you must believe you can not do the heavy work as you used to and not push your self to do so.I am now at the age of 69 so iv'e traveled the path through the years.

Glad you have it a a friend , great attitude, will serve you well.I too believe osteo athritis was a factter in combination with my ankylosing spondylitis.Good to see your exercising let the pain be a guide to the amount of exercising you can do, I used to push my self way beyond the pain limit with pain killing drugs, the arthritis won in the end leaving me with much greater pain when the pain drugs where cut back.