Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group ? Those w/fused SI joints

Hello & happy 2014!

I remember ages ago some members commenting that once their SI joints fused, they had no pain!? So thought I'd ask again on this topic in part to give me some hope of an eventual painless AS.

My SI joints have caused severe pain for many years. I had joint injections with mixed results--once working for 6 months then was signed up for radiofrequency ablation which my insurance would not allow therefore I quit going to pain mgmt place.

Now, 2 years later, it's back to pain dr, they took new xrays, and my SI joints show arthritis/calcification. In fact on one side he said it was difficult to get the needle into the joint capsule due to calcification and they'd never injected into such a narrow space. These changes have all taken place in 2 years while my SI joints have been raging (despite enbrel).

So it appears my SI joints are fusing but it's taking too long! Is it true that those with fused SIs have no pain? If so, what can I do to accelerate fusion?? Eat more starch (just kidding dragonslayer)? This is taking too long!

Hello and happy 2014 to you, Snowy!

I'm not sure you will want to read my reply, so consider hiding your eyes behind the big floppy ears.

My xrays no longer show SI joints on either side... but for the last week I'm back to limping due to the pain (deep throbbing mixed with acute stabs for fun). It sort of amazes me how distinctly I can tell it's SI joint pain, even though I didn't think I owned these joints anymore. I'm due for Remi soon and I massively over did it last week when attempting to clear thick ice from a walkway, so not surprising. Bad idea but it needed to be done!

When I haven't overdone things, mine still ache when I stand too long in a line or walk too much on an unforgiving surface... otherwise, I don't generally think of the pain anymore as it is usually minimal in comparison to the past.

Not as encouraging as I'd like to be but hopefully things will get better for you!
mig

Well thanks for your honesty though that's not what I want to hear I also recall reading articles + comments here about females taking longer to fuse and experiencing more pain so I do hope we see some replies here in comparison.

My SIs have been under attack for >7 years and it does not relent. Even hurts to touch and among other things--I apply capsaicin directly in line with those joints. It took many years for SI involvement after heels/feet were first to be attacked. Well, I kicked off 2014 with a couple shots in the AS! Did you ever try radiofrequency ablation?

Females................more pain...........what............t. well as if, if I may say. No one has more pain than a tough guy but we hndle it you see.........oh yes when I am in pain, well I just smirk and jog for a day or two....none stop that is, No women make a deal of fuss about their fiddling bit of an ache here and there..........take Mig for instance............a thought actually....anyone want Mig?////////she's available to be taken and left somewhere.............anyway back to your slightly uncomfortable si'S..............God bless you Snowy I hope it eases soon giving you some respite...I fear though that I must disagree with the wig .....mine don't hurt now that I don't have any...........hips that is............err well sort of hips but well...................you still skiing?......is Mig still bossy...

Haha...I knew the men vs women pain issue would bring you out of the woodwork. Yes I will google long lists of links on the subject thereby prooving my point but of course will exclude any links with an opinion to the contrary.

Sooo.................I do know of a few male ASers who've stated their SIs were fused much to their surprise without any pain!? So I wonder if that's possible and have even considered shooting some superglue in there to accelerate the fusion. In the meantime, think I'll go sit in the snow--a handy ice pack. Decades ago I used to stand barefoot in the snow when feet were the worst...it can be lovely out there under a full moon!

P.S.--You never answered the question as to whether your SIs actually hurt? Perhaps afraid that 2 females have reported continuing pain?

well as to the subject of my SI pain well you see..............errrr........I have to say that I am not quite sure what an SI is........can they be bought or does one need a technical manual to operate one......unless of course they are a tasty foodstuff?


IF I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THEY WOULD HURT LIKE CRAZY AND I WOULD BE NONE GIRLIE AND TOUGH AND DENY IT TO THE WORLD............LOVELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN SNOWY

Hi Snowshoe,

Yes! Mine no longer hurt. They were the first thing to fuse back when I was 28-32. Made quick work of it in those few years. Since then they have no longer caused me any pain. I'm about to turn 56 so that pain is long gone to be replaced with intractable pain everywhere else that got taken care of with my bionic pain pump. It doesn't take care of my poor enthesitis ridden feet though. Sounds like you are suffering quite a bit. You might be possibly close to done if it is showing a lot of calcification. Sure wish you could have gotten the Rhizotomies. My TNF blocker doesn't seem to be slowing anything down except the Uveitis.

Can you tell if your SI joints are fused without taking an x-ray?

Good day everyone! After being on this site I now know I really need to ask my doctor a few questions. I do knot that my SI joints are fused. My back pain is still there in the lower back especially after sitting for more then an hour or sitting on hard surfaces. My pain is not localized to my back only. I believe that it took so long for a doctor to take me seriously that I have further damage. My feet, knees, upper back and elbows are also affected. Some days I just want to cut off my head and replace everything below it..

Snowy, sorry for the pain you are having. Can't answer as to the speed of fusing because I don't have AS and have no fusing. However, I have had the radio-frequency ablation done FIVE times. Did your insurance completely deny you this procedure? If so, that totally sucks. Gentle hugs, but I'd fight them on it. Maybe the pain doc can go to bat for you.

When I'm having breakthrough pain between RF procedures, I liberally rub Voltaren Gel over the SI joint. The right side 'screams' much louder, but I discovered the left side hurts quite a bit on its own when I had a steroid injection done on just the right side (under fluoro). So I treat both SIs, just in case. Have to do it 4 times a day to get the best effect. Ice doesn't do squat for me, but laying on a heating pad helps a little if I'm lucky. Sorry, not much help.