Ankylosing Spondylitis?

[sunflower]

Who do you talk to about this particular condition?? I am fairly certain I have the symptoms and have had them for years. When I talked to my GP about it, he said it can't be because you only have symptoms while you are flaring from Crohn's. Well, I don't think that can be true, because you don't have to have Crohn's to have AS.

I have thought about talking to my Gastro, but I am not sure he would be helpful either.

I have learned pretty much how to deal with the symptoms. I excercise my small back when it flares up, and that helps tremendously. I don't walk barefoot much so that it doesn't flare up the Plantar symptoms in my feet.

But, my big concern is that I have horrible symptoms in my upper back that I can't seem to get releaf from. The doctors have looked at it in the past, but did not find anything to attribute the pain and stiffness to. The pain can be debilitating and I have actually had to be off work for it for a while. I am not even sure these symptoms are from my possible AS. I can't seem to find much information on the upper back symptoms, though what I have read says it can move up your spine from your hip area.

Does anyone have any good information on AS that I can read for free? The sites I have found are very general and I can't seem to find any place where real people talk about their experiences. That is where you tend to learn the most, I have found. I don't know what I could do about it, really, as I don't even know how to get the doctors to take me seriously.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Astra]

Here's an American forum which might help.

http://forums.spondylitis.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

good luck xxxxxxx

 

[Crohn's Mom]

Have you had the blood test to see if you are HLA-B27 positive ?

I think you should ask your GI doctor about the possibility and ask for minimum of the blood test; or for all you know he may have already checked it in one of your diagnostic blood draws ? I know that was a standard blood test with our GI's, as AS and CD tend to go hand in hand.
You can also see a Rheumatologist about it as well, but if I were you I'd just start with questioning your GI.
good luck!

 

[sunflower]

Is that the gene for Crohn's?? If so, I am negative. They almost undiagnosed me a couple of years ago because of it. However, my biopsies show the specific cells that are present in Crohn's, so they re-diagnosed me. I will ask him about it next time. I will also check out the forum.

Thanks, both of you!

 

[Crohn's Mom]

no, it's not the gene test for CD..it's used to help diagnose or rule out AK.

The HLA-B27 test is primarily ordered to help strengthen or confirm a suspected diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), reactive arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), or sometimes anterior uveitis. The HLA-B27 test is not a definitive test that can be used to diagnose or rule out a disorder. It is used as one piece of evidence in a constellation of signs, symptoms, and lab tests to support or rule out the diagnosis of certain autoimmune disorders, such as AS and reactive arthritis.

Hope this helps

 

[sunflower]

Oh, okay! Thanks!