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Do you think this is ankylosing spondylitis?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Matthias87
Matthias87

Hi

I've been getting more and more problems with my body the last months.

It all started in April when I got diagnosed with a herniated disc in the neck. The herniated disc is probably because a heavy crash with my snowboard some time ago.

After I got that diagnose I have been extremely worried because the doctors didn't now if I would be able the continue with the mountainbike which has been my whole life the last 15 years.

My family keep telling me that all my problems that I will write under here could be because of the extreme stress and because I have stopped to use my body since the herniated disc, and it could be even if I find it highly unlikely.

Anyway, here are all my problems:

Since two months ago: Been having wrist pain since in both wrists. The pain goes on top of the back of my my hand and up on my forearms. Feels like it burns on the inside and gets worse when I write on a keyboard. The fingers cracks a little bit as well, not so you can hear it but I can feel it.

Since 6 weeks ago I have had the same kind of pain in both my foot wrists.

Since 1.5 half week I have been having pain in my lower back when I stand or walk to much. It feels like I am tired in the back at the same time. The hips also been hurting and they are cracking/snapping a little bit when I walk.

When I ride a bike they don't snapp, but I get a little bit pain in my coccyx from the saddle.

Also the shoulders have started cracking a lot and hurting a bit.

Since yesterday the left side of my jaw have been hurting when I chew.

Also the rest of my body have been cracking really much lately.

I had an appointment with the RA-doctor two weeks ago, before the problems with the back started. He took all the test he could take including the one for HLA-B27, and I all results was good and I didn't have the HLA-B27.

What do you guys think? Does this sound like AS?

I will have MRI soon on feet, hands, back and shoulders. I know it can be hard to see bone changes on MRI early in the disease, but shouldnt they be able to see that when my joints are crack so much?

Best regards

Matthias

0 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • lilian05079
    lilian05079 Matthias87

    Posted

    Hi matthias87

    Have you had and ESR inflammation test.Erythrocite Sedimentation Rate blood test also a CRP blood test C-Reactive Protein test and an ANA test Auto-Neucleic Antibody blood test these three blood tests if high will indicate inflammation in the body..you may be presenting with Polymyalgia Rheumatica...also the jaw pain when eating could be the start of GCA...Giant Cell Arteritis which is associated with PMR.....GCA could get quite serious...ask your doc to test you for inflammation in the body.....as a process of elimination...best wishes..keep us posted...

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      Thanks for you answer. I don't think it sounds like that disease, more like AS.

      My family thinks I'm crazy because there is such a small risk that I should have this disease. They seam to be sure that I feel all this in my body because I think I have the disease. Its hard rolleyes

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87

      Posted

      I should add that the pain is minimal. Is it usually like that in the beginning and builds up?
    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      If my doctors took all those tests, then those disceeases could be ruled out 100% sure?
    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 Matthias87

      Posted

      Hi Matthias87

      If the tests i mentioned come back low levels on each test then it will confirm you have NO inflammation in your body...if you do get them done keep us posted.. best wishes...

  • dani_91330
    dani_91330 Matthias87

    Posted

    Hi I'm so sorry to hear about your pain! I'm glad you are HLAB27 negative.

    I am worried that you actually have a break in your back or neck. Not just herniated. Have they x rayed your entire spine? You should go see a neurologist and see if you can get complete X-rays.

    My mom broke her lower back and lived like that for years. In pain. Knees giving out. Pain in legs. Pain in feet. Years later on an X-ray for something else it showed up as a healed break in her lower back. They had x rayed her neck from the car wreck but not her lower back.

    It sounds like you have a few possible injuries. Pain radiates. It doesn't always show up where the injury is.

    Maybe that is not it, but it would be good to rule it out because if you do have a break you might not be so lucky as to have it heal on its own.

    Good luck. Just a different thought

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 dani_91330

      Posted

      Hi Dani

      Thanks for your answer.

      I will try to get an xray, but I don't believe that is the case. Before I knew about the herniated disc I lived like normal, doing extreme sports 5 days a week. And the crash happened like 5 years ago.

  • tony68114
    tony68114 Matthias87

    Posted

    Hi Matthias, Have suffered all that A S. has to offer for over 50years this doesn't sound like A.S. which usually follows a fairly predictable path with varying degrees of severity, but that doesn't really help you and with over 200 types of arthritis you definitely need a firm diagnosis, good luck and keep active, Tony

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 tony68114

      Posted

      Thank you for the answer!

      Yes, it would be nice to have a diagnose so that I know how to attack the problem.

      I'm thinking that maybe the extreme stress I have had lately could give me all these kind of symptoms, and possibly could go away if I could let go of the stress.

    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 Matthias87

      Posted

      Hi Matthias87

      You are obviously stressing over all the symptoms your presenting with...get the tests done to rule inflammation out and go from there....best wishes....

  • lilian05079
    lilian05079 Matthias87

    Posted

    Matthias87

    How old are you???

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      I'm 30. Except for little pain in the neck I was living an extremely active life just 4 months ago.

    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 Matthias87

      Posted

      Hi Matthias87

      Ok....you have pain in your neck..where else do you have pain right now?..and does the pain present in different places now and again?

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      I don't have pain in my neck now and not very often. If I ride my mountainbike I get pain in the neck.

      Right now I just have a little pain in my lower back and my left shoulder. And if I use a keyboard I get a strange pain in my hands/forearms.

      And also my body is cracking a lot.

    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 Matthias87

      Posted

      Hi Matthias87

      I suggest you do get the tests i mentioned..you may have the start of another autoimmume condition...it is best to get it checked out now so you can rule out an autoimmune situation...also as another respondent mentioned get some xrays also...keep us posted..best wishes....

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      I believe the rheumatoid doctor took all the tests that was possible to take regarding rheumatism and inflammation and that all my values was good. If that is the case, could it still be an autoimmune disease?
    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 Matthias87

      Posted

      Hi Matthias87

      You didn't mention previously that your rheumy carried out autoimmune testing!!?...if they were good then it is unlikely you have an autoimmune condition.....if you think.you have AS. you will have to 'wait and watch' to see if your condition progressesfor instance into vertabrae fusion.....this could take some time to occur....best wishes for a firm diagnosis....

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87 lilian05079

      Posted

      I think he did that, but will double check tomorrow.

      Yes, the wait and see is so hard though sad

    • Matthias87
      Matthias87

      Posted

      Probably a long shot, but could it be some kind if cancer? How could the doctor rule that out?
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