I was curious how often do you have flare ups after starting the meds and have been on them for a while? I start the ENBREL next week and was hoping that you can all prvide me with some experiences on what it has done with you and how often you have flare up? My problems consist of pain and swelling, and no movement in my right ankle, left ankle/foot and left knee which is severly swollen and painfull... I have absolutly no pain or ever have to my back, neck, or hips at all....


Here is a little history on me and what I went through this last month to let you know what symtoms I have had and meds taken...



My name is Chris 24 male from Cali and was just diagnosed with AS 2 days ago! Iam so lost and confused so just hoping you all can help me out here Thanks you so much! I appreciate you taking the time out to awsner and share with me what it has caused you. to give you a little history with what happen to me here it is......

It Started in my right ankle one morning as I woke up I had sever pain. I went to work that day and it got worse as the day went on. Later that night the pain got so worse I went to the ER and they took x-rays of my ankle and said it was negative for any breaks and
that it was GOUT. So the ER doctor gave me Colchecine. The next take I went to a FOOT specialist and he said I had a fracture and to come back in 2 weeks and gave me vicodine and celebrex for the sweeling. He also sent me in for an MRI to my right ankle and game back negative for breaks fractures but showed I had swollen tendons and ligaments possiblye for an tear years prior. Well I went back to him
2 weeks later and it had spread to my left foot/ankle area more around the toes. So he sent me in for blood work. Also at that time I went to another Doctor and he said it was GOUT and gave me a cordazone shot in my ankle. Well 1 week later still nothing happen and then I got my results back on my Blood and the Doctor said I had a C-Reactive protien count of 63.2 and normal was .2 - 4.2 so he imediatly said I had to go to a RHUMATOLIGIST so I got in 2 days later and by that time it had spread to my left knee and now my
right ankle is swollen with no pain, left foot swollen with lots of pain and left knee is swollen with pain. So he sent me in for a test HBLA-27 or somthing like that and some other blood work and just yesterday I had a 101 temp so I called him and he precribed me some antibotics frearing I have an infection while taking the steroids he has me on, so over the phone he said that the HBLA-27 came back and he thinks its AS.... Which makes no sense to me because I have absolutly no pain to my back, hips, or neck ever and still dont.. So I dont know what to think?? But I am going for a second oppinion FEB 2nd in 2 weeks at UCLA so Im not sure what to do? Im 24 years old and in shape and just dont know what to think of all of this? Im scared that I wont be able to walk again run and do all the things I wanna do in life... The meds Iam on right now are CELEBREX 200mg, MEDROL 4mg, but stop taking MEDROL and now take PREDNISONE 10mg.... those are the only 2 meds I take for now..

So Im just curious are you able to funtion and be normal and run walk fine and just be a normal person?? I went to my Rhumetologists to day and he gave me the diagnoses in person instead of over the phone and said that its kind of good I got it now because 20-10-5 even a year ago their wernt really any meds to treat it but only to take the symptoms away. He said Embrel and Remicade were just FDA aproved not to long ago with 6 years research behind it and says it works wonders on people. He said that it will actually stop the desease from progressing and stop the flare ups, Yeah it sucks to take a shot once a week but if it takes the pain, stiffness and swelling away and mostly stops it from pregressing to my back and neck that is awsome! I have been like this since 11/28 just over 1 month and a 1/2 and glad I got a diagnosis so fast I guess some people can go years and years not knowing and it gets worse. So basicaly what Im scared of the most is not being able to walk and be normal anmd run! I was suppose to go to a CHP academy march 6th but that all got put on hold because of this! Somthing I worked so hard for now I cant do! The doc said he has a few guys that are officers that come in and have what I have and worse but I dont know how it will affect me seeing how I will have to go through essentially a 6 month boot camp style academy. Its like the marine core but worse and longer! So Im just scared that I will have a flare up and not be able to to the physical training which mostly consists of running, sit ups, push ups, judo pusch ups, pull ups and so on. Some people say that the working out will be good for me cause it keeps me moving and going but I dont know it it will enflame me because I will be working it out extra hard! Im sure once Iget through the academy I will be able to do the job just fine! what do you think? do you know people who are fine and can return to daily actrivities? its crazy man!!! here I thought I was on top of the world and BAM!!! I wake up and my life is literly changed! its crazy! Also do u think eating th right foods will help? like no soda, aclchohol or any fastfood and just good stuff, I always thought that if you eat healthy! work out excersis and do all the good things to your body it has no reason to act anything but healthy.... thanks for everything and talking with me about this man! Its great to know people can be their for times like this who know what we are going through!