Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Intermittent Back Pain

I have had pretty constant pain in my lower back and hips for a few weeks now.

Thankfully I think it maybe easing but in a weird way. Sometimes when I stand to move around I am bent double, leaning to the right and find it hard to stand for any length of time. But sometimes I stand and I feel almost pain free, only for the pain to return sometime later when I stand.

Does anyone else have this?

The other thing I find is that my lower back is so weak sometimes it feels almost as if I am precariously balancing myself on the spine, does anyone else get this feeling?

I am assuming that you have been diagnosed with A.S. or perhaps have suspected A.S.
Your symptoms are rather typical of someone with A.S. The problem is that A.S. is such an extremely erratic disease that not only changes from one day to the next but from hour to hour. It is usually worse first thing in the morning and can get better in an hour or so but may not get much better before lunch time and even then can be problematic all the time. In the same way the disease can get better or worse for no apparent reason.

I have in the past had periods of remission that lasted several years. During these times I needed virtually no treatment or medication. But A.S. is a devious complaint that returned and was so bad that I needed periods of hospitalisation and radical treatment. So there is no rule book as to how A.S. will affect a sufferer.

The way it affects sufferers can also differ from patient to patient. There are I have been told some who go through life with little more than a bit of a stiff neck while others have a major life changing disability.

In some cases an actual and accurate diagnoses can take several years so it may take time before the correct treatment can start.
I am sure we all wish you the best with it and let us know how you get on.

Thanks for the reply.

I was diagnosed with AS in 2005 but have suffered from it for a long time before that.

Nice, in a way, to know that I am not that alone.

That sounds fairly familiar. It's a fragile feeling. I have found the NSD helps with those symptoms although I have other back pain symptoms that linger.
I have discovered that my Soas muscle gets very tense which contributes to the very tired after standing a bit. NSD is a bummer, but really seems to help with the lower back problems.

I've suffered from constant pain from the age of 21. At different levels, dependent on my current treatment. Many a time I've sat up & walked forwards like a crab. Sitting on hard wooden chairs, probably the worst for me.
I'm still waiting for it to burn it's self out. I read somewhere this happens when you reach 50. Not too far away for me LOL.