Any fellow AS (or other joint conditions) had the DS

I have Ankylosing spondylitis. I have no fusing of my joints yet... I take enbrel (2 shots a week). Just wondering how the DS has effected others with joint conditions. Here is a link to what I have if any one is interested in reading it....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankylosing_spondylitis

I know that getting the weight off my joints will help with pain... Because mine is a auto immune disease I know the DS and weight loss will not cure me BUT looking to moving easier.... Any of you suffer from a joint condition like mine?

Thanks in advance....

Miranda

I don't have AS...but I do have an autoimmune disease...Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus).  Since my surgery I have had some issues come up that has made me wonder about AS. 

Exmaple: at times, unpredictably, I will get a painful sensation in my spinal region, right between my shoulder blades, and I will be unable to move in areas of my upper body for several seconds.  The initial sensation goes away, but I have residual soreness in the area where it occurred.

I have had a spinal x-ray, and no fractures were found...however, I have been diagnosed as osteopenic, despite heavy duty calcium supplementation. I'm wondering if it's a sign of my body pulling more calcium from that region. 

Can you explain what AS symptoms feel like?

Hello Jazzyone For me the I started getting pain in my lower back (sciatic) caused from swelling in my joints... I spent 18 years misdiagnosed. I was pretty much told I was just over doing it and told to take muscle relaxers that did nothing for me. Then about 3 years ago I started having a severe stiff neck that after 8-10 months was getting worse and worse. I switched Dr and my new Dr said from day one he knew I had a auto Immune issue from my symptoms  but he was unsure which one.  I was sent to a RA and they Took a bunch of blood work and found the gene.. sent me for MRI's and and found it was in most of my joints.

Lots of pain in my lower back, I get severe stiffness all over my body, I get sharp pain in between my shoulder blades that will wake me from a sound sleep. aches in my hips,knuckles and toes. I also get severe exhaustion that fits mainly in the morning.  (feels like cement has been poured over me and I can not move). I am in stage two, which means swelling in joints but no fusing. Enbrel has been a miracle drug for me. Took away 70% of my pain in a matter of a month. As I get older I am starting to feel stiffness in joints that never used to be effected. (I am only 36 : ) 

Have you been tested for the gene?

Ohh and I also get the numbness in between my shoulders that comes and goes (only lasting 30 min or so).... My RA says she does not think that is AS related but I think it is.... 

I have DDD and DJD. I need back surgery and two knees replaced. I also have severe arthritis in my elbows and hands. I can take NSAIDS with the DS so that is a good thing. The DS helping me to lose weight has made a HUGE difference in my pain. Before surgery I could barely walk 15 minutes due to back and knee pain due to compression. Now I can jog! =)

I've had extensive arthritis since age 20---and I'm 55 now. Just before my DS in '03, I was practically confined to a wheelchair due to bad knees. My doctor said the only treatment was two total knee replacements---but that my weight would mean they probably wouldn't do well. So I had my DS instead. (*grin*)

I still haven't had my knees replaced. Yes, I still have some pain---but I am SO much more mobile! I can live with this, and will until I am once again in a wheelchair. Hopefully that will be another 20+ years.