Ankylosing Spondylitis Or Fibromyalgia?


Apr 9, 2014

I'm 30 years old and have suffered back pain and knee pain to an almost debilitating stage and the fatigue can be immense. I've had this since I was 17 ish. Quite often out of nowhere my knees will 'pop' or 'crack'. This can be when I'm walking, starting to sit, try to kneel or even stand still! Sometimes the pain is horrendous. I've also noticed my back has become less flexible over time (in fact my whole body). My calves feel heavy and my feet hurt like crazy. I find it hard to sit for very long without my spine hurting. My wife has tried massaging my back, but she hates it because she sees the pain I'm in. I have been to a Chiropractor, but I seemed only to get worse! I have been to the Dr and they seem to only want to look at one thing at a time rather than collectively. However, I do get some violent jolts or shakes which has been diagnosed as Myoclonus. It has been suggested by one Dr that I may have Fibromyalgia, however, I read through the literature and although some of it sounds familiar I'm not so convinced. By chance I then read an article in my local newspaper drumming up awareness of AS. I'd never heard of this before so I googled it and I would say the symptoms described struck a chord with me. I'm yet to discuss this with my Dr. Has anyone else found the same awkwardness in regards to getting to the bottom of what their suffering from? I'm convinced my mother also had it, although it was never confirmed. I can remember how much of a struggle daily life was for her. One Dr even tried telling her she was a bored housewife and that she needed to get out of the house more! Unbelievable. Anyway thanks for reading this, just trying to build up more of a picture of what it is I have :'

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Ankylosing Spondylitis And Spondylosis

Hi. I have recently been diagnosed with spondylitis and I also suffer with spondylosis. I was in a lot of pain, so took myself down to A&E. A doctor came to see me and sent me off for an x-ray. When the x-ray came back I was told I had spondylitis. I asked was there some kind of mistake as I already had spondylosis, I was told no, this was just something else to add to my list. I was gobsmacked to say the least. This bout of pain hahas now eased. I have done some research on this, not realising that the pain would come back. I would like to know how other people cope with the pain?

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Ankylosing Spondylitis - Enbrel

I'm 34 years old diagnosed with as last year after over 10 years of agony with no one listening. Finally I got the diagnosis and my rheumatologist started me on enbrel last Nov. The change was unbelievable. Since then I have put on 21lbs even though I have improved my diet. For the last few weeks pain has been creeping back in and I've started using co dydramol again. I've also started with chest pain (not the as pain I had before in my chest). This has resulted in having ECG and being put on aspirin and statins. I've also had an echocardiogram today as there were minor abnormalities in my ECG. Wanting really to talk to people on enbrel. Have they had any of these side effects? Did the drug stop working as well at any point?

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Feeling Like That Of 90 Year Old?

I am 45 year old female, since my late teens I have suffered from what I always thought was sciatica, I would get bouts that could last weeks and although no proper diagnosis, DR agreed with me that was what it could be. Ive managed that through the years (and believe sometime the pain has been excruciating) with various pain relief concoctions. I would also always have an aching back, and if stretch too far its feels like something in lower my back has been ripped. As a florist for nearly 30 years I put most of my aches and pains down to the job (floristry is a hard, cold and very physical job). 

Also at 19 I had my first bout of iritis, I've had it four times now in all, the last time being in 2009. The eye doctor I saw though it would be a good idea for me to have a blood test as he said iritis is a symptom of something else.

So I had the blood test and it showed the HLA marker, I was then sent to a rheumatologist who took an xray, told me I was hyper mobile and that was it... 

To cut a long story short, I have been back and forwards to the docs since then. Various referrals to physio who give me exercises (which I do do) and then dismiss me. My legs now hurt sooo much, all the time in fact, I'm not unfit and not overweight (I did leave the florist 2 1/2 years ago) and although work from home, I walk the dog three miles every day. But this is more than aching legs - I can't get up the chair and as for getting up from the floor, forget it. I have to hold on when I go upstairs and lower back is constantly aching

My body feels like that of an old lady.

Incidentally, I developed a frozen shoulder in January and a lump at the base of my neck which physio said was down to posture!!!

Was back at the docs today who finally said she would refer me again as its sounds very much like AS

Does anyone have any tips on how I can get them to take me seriously, I have only ever had one x ray in 25 years but I just can't cope with my body feeling like that of 90 year old.

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Enbrel Or Humira

I have recently been diagnosed with AS. At my last hospital visit the consultant gave me a self assessment form about my level of pain and mobility. I have to complete it again in 2 months when I go back to see if there has been any change - the consultant did say it was very unlikely there would be, but there is a process to follow. Anyway, she said when I return I could choose between Enbrel and Humira, and gave me some literature on them both. I understand that everyone is different, but wondered if anyone else could comment on the highs and lows of both drugs. I am 44 years old, and the main problem is in my neck. I can look left and right, with limitations, but cannot tilt my head to the side or look up. The anti-inflammatory drug that has so far worked best for me is Naproxen. Also do you have to continue with painkillers or are the injection a replacement for the anti-inflammatory drugs only.

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Anti-TNF Drugs In UK?

I have read on several message boards lately that there could be two new anti-tnf drugs coming to the market soon. Would that make the total 5? If so then does anyone know when these will be available to the UK market?

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Bad Reaction Following A Spinal MRI Scan?

Has anyone suffered a bad reaction following a spinal MRI scan?

I suffered (and am suffering) terrible muscle pain and muscle weakness following an MRI scan one month ago.

My scan was standard (i.e. without a contrast dye being injected into the blood - I know the dye sometimes causes problems) and I have so far found two people who have suffered a similar reaction.

It feels as if the scan has "stirred up" my immune system to produce inflammation in muscle and joints in my right leg and right arm.

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Ankylosing Spondylitis In The Top Of The Neck Affecting My Balance

I have been diagnosed with Spondylitis in the top of the neck it's not the tightness or the pain it's the way it's affecting my balance! I also have a inner ear problem so not sure what is causing the Vertigo or could it be a bit of both can anyone out there help before I go crazy thanks!

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Plantar Fasciitis Due To Ankylosing Spondylitis - Pain Management?

I am new to this forum so I apologise if I am doing things wrong. I have have AS for many years, well controlled with NSAIDs but plantar fasciitis is causing me a lot of pain at the moment. Does anyone have any ideas about the best sorts of treatment? Most web sites seem to concentrate on PF caused by running, being overweight etc rather than AS? If this has already been discussed, could someone direct me to the relevant threads?

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Anti-TNF - Does It Stop Pain? Experience?

After a two year battle with every drug going and being so terribly ill with AS my consultant has decided we need to move onto anti TNF after trying everything else with very little or no success.

Can you please tell me everything you know about anti-tnf. Was it is successful? Did it give you a life back? Does it stop the pain? Does it help with the fatigue? I am so worried about trying it, but need to urgently do something, as quality of life is very low and nothing else seems to work.

I need both my hips replaced, does anyone know if it helps with hip pain? 

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Pain Management Successes And Failures

I wanted to hear some of your experiences with pain management doctors. I have been involved with pain management doctors (usually anesthesiologists that have branched off into this specialty) for about 5 years now.  Frankly I continue to see them since they have provided me with hydrocodone during that time and this does help to some degree. However, I have also tried many of their various treatments. I have had epidural injections, nerve ablations, trigger point injections etc. etc. Most of the results have been very minimal if anything and any results that I did get certainly didn't last very long at all. I was wondering if it is very common for people suffering from AS or one of the other related inflammatory diseases to seek help from pain management doctors. Have any of you actually been helped to any significant degree by them?  For the most part I don't believe they really understand the inflammatory process. They ask me where it is hurting and when I tell them everywhere in the lower back they look at me like I'm just a hypochondriac. They assume that the pain has a specific source and their treatments should be able to fix it. My pain is severe but cannot be localized to one source.  Have any of you worked with pain management people and has your experience been different?

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Back Braces Helpful In Maintaining Body Posture?

I'm started bending forward due to AS, my neck has also bent slightly rightwards. Will back brace assist in keeping my posture.

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Ankylosing Spondylitis :: Flare Ups Of Sore Throat And Sore Oesophagus

Does anyone else have flare ups of a sore throat and sore oesophagus, the Dr thinks it's acid reflux, ppi's aren't doing anything, now being tested for h pylori bacteria, but can't help thinking that it may be connected to my ASR

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Spondylitis :: Scared Of Enbrel Side Effects

I am a vocal coach, and around about 30 students a week. I have developed Spondylitis in my hips and my Dr prescribed Enbrel after a 2 month period of taking large amounts of Aleve and cortisone shots in hips and sacroiliac joint. I am terrified of the side effects. I teach voice all day and that is my income. I am afraid of getting sick and losing work but the pain from the arthritis can on some days be very depressing. Feel between a rock and a hard place.
 

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Diagnosed Cervical Spondylitis Not Cervical Spondylosis

I was diagnosed with cervical spondylitis when I was 27 ( had a severe fall when I was 16 yrs old...fell 2 stories), am 48 now and moved to Wales almost 2 yrs ago from South Africa and since being here, my pain has increased in intensity. Used to get steroid injections and am aware that I won't get that here in the U.K. I now suffer extreme nausea due to the pain and can only dry retch, as the valve below the oesophagus was tightened yrs ago and now prevents me from throwing up. I would appreciate if others with this condition could tell me what the maximum dosage of Ibuprofen one can take. Taking the normal dosage (2) does not alleviate the searing pain or spasms.

I am also very confused. After x-rays, all dr,s have said cervical spondylitis and not cervical spondylosis. Been told that I don't have arthritis and yet this is not ankylosing spondylitis, which 1 dr said it was..(he never saw the x-rays)...really confused even after numerous x-rays and dr,s. I am almost on the verge of giving up hope of getting effective painkillers from dr,s here. Do the exercises, use heated neck bags and nothing much helps, especially when I get a flare up.

Need to know if increased dosage of Ibuprofen would help.

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Could I Have Fibromyalgia?

I don't know where to start really but I'll give it a go. This may end up all over the place so I’ll apologise now.

6 years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. 3 years ago I had a fall trying to take my jeans off and had pains in my left wrist. I never had a diagnosis for the pains. I was given a few steroid injections and splint treatment and eventually the pains stopped.

Whilst I was pregnant with my daughter last year, I developed SPD (where the pelvis loosens too much during pregnancy) and ended up being on crutches for the last month of my pregnancy. I had a traumatic delivery with my little monster and ended up with an emergency c section. I was still on crutches for about 2 weeks after her birth and then seemed to end up using her pram as a support whilst we were out and about. If I take her out and about on my own I have to take her buggy as I can't lift her pram in and out of the boot (it's only double the weight of the buggy!) The longest I can stand holding her is 10 minutes before I'm in agony with my back, pelvis, ankles and feet.

Continuing from her arrival I have been getting the pains in my left wrist again and I'm now randomly getting them in my right wrist and the insides of my elbows too. I have even had to remove my wedding ring on the odd day because that causes pains in my finger. My daughter is now 10 months old and I am still getting the pains around my pelvis and back. I struggle to get comfortable at night laying on both sides and wake in agony with my neck and shoulders. I'm also waking during the night with the loss of sensation in my hands and/or pins and needles feeling. During pregnancy and now I get pains in my ankles and feet (I was in and out of hospital at the end of pregnancy over pre-eclampsia fears) to the point where I can only walk around for a maximum of an hour before I'm in agony. Fairly recently I've been getting pains in my jaw where no matter how I try to "rest" it, it hurts. I was given a mouth guard a few years ago as my dentist felt I was grinding my teeth during my sleep.

I should probably also mention that I have been diagnosed with Post Natal Depression (PND) and have been put on a low dose of Fluoxetine. I recently went to see one of our GPs as my hubby was quite worried about the fatigue I have been struggling with. I can't get through the day without feeling tired. Come an hour or so after lunch I have to summon up all the energy I've got to continue with my day, I just don't seem to have the energy to do much at all anymore. The GP just said it's probably a side effect of the anti-depressants and wasn't worried about it. I haven't mentioned anything else as I just feel like I'm over reacting. Just typing this out I've got aches and pains going through my fingers and wrists.

I had been receiving physio on my back from a fantastic therapist, but at the end of my maternity leave we were moved to a new unit. I went to see the physio at my new unit and had an awful session. She basically turned round and told me the only way my back was going to get fixed is loose weight, get back in the gym and get on with things. Not really what someone with PND needs to hear on top of everything else that they're dealing with. I didn't go into any further details about all the other problems I've been having as I just wanted to get out of there as quick as possible. This was 3 months ago and I haven't been back since.

My other concern is that I’m in the RAF. I still have just under 7 years left to serve until I reach my 22 year exit point. I just can't help think that if I do have this condition then I could end up being medically discharged. I wouldn't know what to do if I was. The RAF is all I've ever known, I joined when I was 16.

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Hypothyroidism And/with Fibromyalgia

Have had hypothyroidism for 10 yrs. 2 yrs ago started with lots of joint/pain/tenderness and extreme tiredness. Had blood tests to check thyroid function - told that my symptoms were because I was on too high a dose of levothyroxine (125mcg). Told to reduce to (100mcg). Done this. Symptoms lot worse now and just been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia but I am so tired etc. and my symptoms are very much like when I was hypo and was awaiting a diagnosis - very dry skin, hair loss etc. (I have no record of my function test results so I cannot gauge what the pattern has been) Anyone else who has hypo and has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia? I cannot help but wonder if my symptoms are more to do with inadequate treatment for hypothyroid than fibromyalgia. Any ideas please?

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Are These Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

I have these symptoms for over a year and each time it's a little different.

1. I get burning back of head usually back of left side neck at the base of my head then it goes up to my top of head.

2. I get dizzy or drunk like feeling, usually with a bowel movement.

3. confused feeling, lots of gas.

4. My back of the left side between my should blade and spine has a constant pain.

5. I crack in weird places I never used to. Example, the back of my head makes a clicking noise. Sometimes my chest will pop. 5. Burning in my abdomen, sometimes.

6. Pain by my heart or breathing, usually when I have to poop or pee.

7. Feeling like I have poor circulation when I sleep or awake in the morning. I will often wake up because of numb body parts.  

8. jaw pain or jaw burning.

9. I will get like heat or burning in chest to face then, I sometimes break out in a rash? I get red bumps on my skin, often. This comes usually with my hot face feeling. It kind of prickly.

10. tingling in hands of both. 11. I get weird beating or heart beat beats faster sometimes.

12. I feel nauseous when I drink water, often. Or when have to poop, sometimes.

13. short of breath at times.

14. Floaters in the eyes.

15. head pressure or eye pressure.

16. Tired arms, usually left arm.

17. If I push on my chest with my fingers at the right time, it will hurt so bad MORE than normal with just a push.

18. I bruise so easily on my legs.

19. twitching in different areas more than norm.

20. I find pain in certain area of my body that should not hurt.

21. crawling skin on head at times and, muscles moving or slightly tightening for no reason on my upper body.

22. Tooth pain all of a sudden, then goes.

23. I feel different in my mind.    

I have been to the E.R. a lot, it's annoying. They usually do not find anything wrong. I went to my Doctor she said nerves and I have ibs irritable bowel. I have a heart ultrasound looks good. I have bad tooth decay. I had a bad tooth infection 1 year or 2 ago. I used to drink a lot of energy drinks and WAS addicted to painkillers for about a year. All my basic blood work came back normal. I had an allergy test my Doctor said I don't have any.  Of course I was diagnosed with anxiety. I say of course because, it seems like a trend that most people have.

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Fibromyalgia - How To Deal With It?

Does anyone have any coping strategies that they could share with me. I have to have a cleaner because I'm too exhausted to even wash my clothes and a carer to shower me. My body is killing me with pain from top to bottom,especially in my back. The pain relief isn't working. I feel like bursting into tears. I can't go on like this any more.

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Fibromyalgia? Flu And Aches All Over

I was looking for some help a couple of weeks ago i felt really ill like i was gonna get the flu aching all over only lasted about a day and a half but last weekend the same thing happened again was in tears with the pains and it lasted about 2 and a half days this time but now when i have the chance to get to docs i feel fine but am worrying its gonna happen again.

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Fibromyalgia What You Have To Share?

For the past year I have had what appears to be fibromyalgia. I have had bad luck getting info from doctors so I am wondering what others who have a diagnosis might share.

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