Has anyone with AS got muscle atrophy (wasting) that is attributed to the AS? I have started to lose mass in my calves, thighs, and shoulders. I am also developing some weakness, though it it not real bad. I lost 27 pounds over the last 9 months due to CD. I am probably only about
5 pounds "overweight" now but the muscle disappeared ffrom limbs while fat stayed on my hips. I was diagnosed with the AS in 1995 but only started having the atrophy over the last year. I was just diagnosed with Crohn's during that same period, but the GI says my small bowel ulcers are too far apart to be causing a malabsorption problem. He said that I need to talk to the rheumy about
it because there are several metabolic muscle scenarios associated with AS. I can't seem to find very much info on this relationship. I did mention it to my rheumy the last time, and I was normal on the CPK blood work so it was chalked up to the CD until we learned what the GI thought.
For meds, I was on Enbrel for 2 years without any muscle issues and then I stopped it for a year. I went back on it at the same time as the beginning of the CD symptoms and was switched to Humira. So far, I have only had 2 Humira injections. Could the biologics cause something like this? I don't get back to the rheumy for 5 more months unless the wasting increases or I start losing weight that can't be attributed to the CD; I need a break after the dozens of doctor visits and multiple procedures over the last year.
Thank you in advance for any comments!!