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?
View 4 RepliesAfter 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?
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 :'
View 4 RepliesHi. 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?
View 4 RepliesI'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?
View 8 RepliesI 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.
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.
View 4 RepliesHas 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.
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!
View 28 RepliesI 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?
View 2 RepliesI 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?
View 11 RepliesI'm started bending forward due to AS, my neck has also bent slightly rightwards. Will back brace assist in keeping my posture.
View 1 RepliesI’ve been having anxiety attacks for years now, and during this time I’ve been on several anti depressants - I’m currently on sertraline, but alongside them I’ve been also prescribed Xanax to help better control my anxiety. Since my old psychiatrist retired, I’ve got a new one and she thinks I’ve been on Xanax for too long and is now considering to switch me to Lorazepam.
I’m bit afraid that I might go into withdrawal from Xanax, so I’m wondering would it be OK if I continued to take Xanax for at least a while together with Lorazepam?
as a part of my anxiety treatment I’ve been taking Xanax for a few months now, together with Zoloft. However, despite the night dose of Xanax I’ve been having huge problems with sleeping, specifically with falling asleep. Despite how tired am I or when I take Xanax, I just can’t fall asleep.
Searching online I’ve stumbled upon information about Rozerem that should work precisely to help you fall asleep, and I’m definitely going to talk about this medication at my next psych appointment. What worries me though is - is it safe to use both Xanax and Rozerem at the same time?
Has anyone taken xanax xr for anxiety?? I definitely need this as I am very anxious and sometimes I can hardly get through the day because of my anxiety. I heard that you can just buy xanax xr on the web and that it is easy to come by. I do want to know if there are any side effects with xanax xr?
View 1 RepliesI’ve been on Lorazepam for my anxiety attacks for about half a year now and I’m also on fluoxetine. Lorazepam does help to ease my anxiety enough so I can function fairly normally from day to day, but I still do get occasional anxiety and panic attacks where even Lorazepam barely helps.
I’ve been reading a bit about this and came across info that Xanax is more effective than Lorazepam in fighting anxiety attacks, is this true?
I’ve been suffering from insomnia ever since I stopped taking Effexor and all natural ways to help me to get asleep didn’t really help much. I tried taking melatonin supplement, running and exercising and even herbal tea as a sleep remedy, but none of them really helped since I’m still managing to sleep only few hours before dawn.
Now i’m thinking to see my doctor to prescribe me some sleep aid and I was wondering what are your experiences with Valium and Xanax - which one works better as a sleep aid?
I am new to the idea of taking medication for my anxiety. I have suffered from anxiety since my teens but I thought that this is simply part of who I am, and that I could not do anything about it. I have since been in therapy, and I am now starting to consider the idea of medication. I have heard about xanax bars. Are they OK? Do xanax bars have any side effects?
View 1 RepliesI’ve been under a lot of emotional stress lately and this reflected mostly on my sleep patterns. So far I’ve tried using melatonin supplement before bedtime, but I can’t say it’s working since I’m still awake almost until dawn. My physician recommended I try this first, before medications like lorazepam or Xanax, but I can’t go on like this anymore and I’ll just have to try some of these meds.
From your experiences, which one of these, Lorazepam or Xanax is more effective in treating insomnia? Or is there some third option that is more effective than either of these?
I currently take 30mg of adderall xr every day and was put on strattera, which i took for about 18 days. On april 9th i had an episode of really bad vertigo where i stood up and the room started spinning and then i got really nauseous, light headed, started sweating a lot, and my pulse dropped about 30 bpm. I have thyroiditis and my pulse is typically between 95 and 105 and during this it dropped down to about 66 but started to go back up after about half an hour. and an hour later i was fine and felt great the rest of the week.then this past sunday the 17th i had another episode of vertigo with the same symptoms. I ended up going to the ER to get checked out because my pulse was not going up at all after about 45 minutes. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get in to see someone at the ER and by that time i was starting to feel better. They told me the vertigo episodes could be caused by the strattera so my psychiatrist took me off of it on monday. Since sunday/monday i have felt completely exhausted emotionally and physically, and i had been having some chest pains. I went to the nurse practitioner at my doctor's office and she told me that it is probably all related to my thyroid. She did an EKG that looked normal, of course when i wasn't having any chest pains. Has anyone else had similar symptoms or experiences with strattera?? I felt so much better when I was on the strattera than I do now, and it really was helping me a lot.Any suggestions I should bring up with my doctor or psychiatrist?
View 2 RepliesDoes 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
View 8 Replies