Ankylosing Spondilitis

[karloff]

Just wondering if anyone sufferes from Ankylosing Spondilitis (Arthritis of the Spine). If so, what medications do you take for the inflamation and the pain?

[FlowerFairy]

Hi,I have arthritis of the spine. My Dr. didn't call it by that name though. When I was first diagnosed I was in a lot of pain and could hardly walk and they put me on relafen 500. It helped a lot so I took that for a year and a half. It quit working after that so I stopped taking it. After 4 or 5 years,the arthritis in my spine seemed to go into remission and I started having problems with my feet,knees,hips and sholders. I have flare ups all the time and I had been taking Naproxin,which helped more than anything,but now,my Dr. doesn't want me to take it because of my kidney problems. He gave me Bextra which doesn't help that much so I just tough it out. I don't have insurance now so i'm limited as to what I can do. I'm just thankful that I can get around and I can always soak in a hot bath which always helps...i've seen people in worse shape than me.

[studhorse]

Hi,
If you have that , that means your bones are fusing together, I have arthritis in my spine all over my spine
and facet joint arthritis and DDD, I started on the low meds and now on oxycontin20 . But I guess it is just how bad do you have it? And how much pain you can handle? Im so stiff in the morning that my wife helps me from bed and then I take my meds and about 30min later I can move around pretty good. Im only 42, who knows what will happen in 5 or ten years from now? But Ive used Bextra, Vioxx, celebrex, etc. They did me no good.

[This message has been edited by studhorse (edited 04-08-2003).]

[steveforest]

Hi Karloff,

Check out Dr. Milne Ongley--he treats ALOT of people with AS.

I don't have AS, but know people (meeting them at his clinic) with AS who have been helped *tremendously* by him

Steve

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[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 04-23-2003).]

[LadyofSteele]

I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with AS when I was only 16. My dad had already been diagnosed with AS years before. His sister has also been diagnosed. Both my brother and my aunt's son are beginning to show signs of the disease. I've been on Celebrex, Vioxx, Bextra and Mobic. Mobic works best for me. I've recently had some x-rays and MRI's done which shows that my right SI joint has narrowed some. I'm a female and AS typically runs in males. I guess my aunt and I are exceptions. I began having lowe backpain when I was 16 and after seeing several doctor's I was finally able to visit my father's reumatologist. She is the one who diagnosed me with AS. Recently, I have been having pain in my shoulder and knee which is a change from just my lower back and hips. I have found that if I stay active, I have less flare ups. But, I still get sore a lot. There are more people with this disease than you think. We've met several who we didn't even know had it until we bagan discussing our pain. So far, my aunt and I are the only women that I know who have been diagnosed with it. I know there are more out there and I'm curious to see what works best for them. I'm also intersted in seeing how many young people have the disease. My aunt and father are still reletively young, also. Both are under 35.