Am I having a flare up

[Phm57]

I have non sero arthritis mainly in hands and feet on methotrexate 15mg and sulfasalazine 1000mg daily this week have had really painful lower back on left been using heat pads painkillers and tens machine. Feel really tired . Have seen Dr and he has eliminated other causes is this what they call a flare up and does it mean I will now have problems with my back i

[earthwitch]

Have you been properly checked out for spondyloarthritis? That is a sero-negative inflammatory arthritis that involves inflammation of the spine, especially the lower back. If you haven't, then you need to talk to the rheumatologist about it and ask them about having a sacroiliac xray, or a lower back and Sacroiliac MRI to rule out things like ankylosing spondylitis. Ask him about psoriatic arthritis as well as that often gets hands and feet as well as the spine. In the UK they seem quite reluctant to actually consider spondyloarthritis until it becomes really obvious, but that just means delays in getting it treated properly. There is an average 8-10 year delay in diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis for instance.

[Phm57]

No I have had no other tests since 2006 when the I was diagnosed .

[Hidden]

Hi Phm57,

Do email the NRAS Helpline at [e-mail] about the problems you are having. Our telephone service is temporarily closed while we move offices this weekend but one of the team will get back to you next week. I hope you will get some answers soon.

Kind regards,

Ruth