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Ankylosing spondylosis

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/18/2010 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
Do any of you have this condition? How do you treat it? How was it diagnosed and by what kind of doctor?  Thank you all!!
Posted 11/18/2010 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
You might like o pop over to the rheumatoid arthritis forum. There are a few AS people there, including the moderator :-).


Best wishes,

Ivy.
Posted 11/19/2010 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
I have AS. It was diagnosed by a rheumatologist. I take a biologic medication akin to Remicade and Humira. It is called Simponi. It is working fairly well at keeping the inflammation at bay. People that can take NSAIDs are usually started on that. Then the progression can be to meds like sulfasalazine, methotrexate, sometimes Imuran. I also get steroid injections into joints and near tendons that flare. Sacroileac joint inflammation is one of the hallmark signs of this disease. I gat pretty good relief from sI joint injections. Spinal involvement and SI joint involvement doesn't show on xray until the later stages of the disease. Mine was daignosed by MRI.
Posted 11/19/2010 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Ides, is your pain worse at night when you lay down in bed? I find that I can't lay in my bed for more than three hours without becoming miserable. I end up sleeping in my reclining chair most nights and I'm miserable.
Posted 11/19/2010 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi WantRelief!  Do you also have Crohn's disease?
I went to the rheumatologist thinking I must have rheumatoid arthritis. He told me I have Spondyloarthritis in my spine and sacroiliac joints. It is almost identical to Ankylosing Spondylitis only it is brought on by the crohn's disease. My spine and sacral joints are fusing together just the same as Ankylosing Spondylitis. The rheumatologist said I needed to get treatment for my crohn's disease and that would also help the Spondyloarthritis. I have had no treatment for 2 years due to insurance problems. Long story short, I finally found a GI doc that will take Medi-Cal (low income insurance through the state) so now I will most likely soon be on Remicade. The GI doc also said that it would help both the Crohn's and the Spondyloarthritis. Also the rheumatologist said that Remicade is the same thing he treats his rheumatoloid patients with. So I guess it is kinda like killing two birds with one stone! smurf
Posted 11/20/2010 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
In the beginning I was like you - needing to sleep in a reclioner to get any restful sleep. Since I began biologic meds in 2004 I can sleep in SOME beds. I have a medium firm mattress with a 3" memory foam topper on it. I have stayed at friends homes and not been able to sleep because of the bed being too soft or too firm. The past to trips I took I stayed at hotels that had mattresses with pillow tops. Those worked somewhat well.
Posted 11/20/2010 4:31 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, have it. I'm on methotrexate and Remicade but still have trbl sleeping. I have a sleep number bed and keep it soft but seldom sleep all night. I take naps when i can. Doc says its time to go to a neurosergion but I cant have surgery now. Too much other stuff going on but its just a matter of time...
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