Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Flare!!!!

I have been dealing with a major flare this week, and since I've been pretty much in remission for the past year I am having trouble with coping with the pain, I had forgotten just how hard AS can bite I think it's because I went off Arava for a few weeks while waiting to find out if I had cancer, didn't want to be on an immune suppressant if I did, and nope, didn't check with the rheumy, just pig headedly did it -- and also had those nerve conductivity tests where they stick needles in your back to see how many seconds it takes you to hit the ceiling. So am crab walking again, it's getting a bit better day by day, but doing the AS roll out of bed, and can't stand up straight for a couple of hours. Yesterday I was finally able to take the dogs for a walk around the block, hurt some but as we all know, if you don't use it you fuse it. My mom has been bringing food by -- you'd think by my age she wouldn't have to be looking out for me -- and I also did some pool therapy at my local arthritis support group, don't know if it helped but the heated pool feld good. So anyway, in a way this is not totally a bad thing, because it reminds me of just how much most people who come here hurt on a daily basis, and how lucky I was to get relief with Arava -- and hopefully it will kick back in and give me my "normal" life back.

Cheryl

Dogs love it when you leave your clothes on the floor

Hi Cheryl,sorry to hear that u r having a bad time at the moment,hopefully the meds wont take too long to kick in!!!!!! Try to keep smiling

Hi Cheryl

I'm sorry to hear you are going through a rough time at this time. I hope your meds kick in soon and help you with your pain and you get your life back soon. Thanks for the up date on Sue in OZ.

John

Sorry Cheryl to hear you are going through a bad time...hopefully the Arava kicks back in soon. I started on the Arava, but could not tolerate it so I am back to square one, not on anything at the time being...the AS monster is kickin my butt...hugs, DC

Cheryl - I have been in a flare for the last several days. I know it's that stupid hurricane out in the Atlantic. I'm a regular walking weather forecaster! Do you think low pressure bothers you? The front is only 120 miles off of our coast. I am hanging in there.....I know that I'll feel better when the storm leaves town!!!!!!!!!! See you soon.

Ellie

Cheryl,
I'm so sorry about your current flare. Hopefully that Arava will get back in your system quickly and you will find relief soon. I'm so glad that you have your mom close enough to help you. Wish I could be there to offer some help.
Glad to hear that you have had a little relief from the pool therapy at your arthritis support group. I know it will be great when your pool is done. That therapy will be the best!

Gentle Hugs to you Cheryl hoping the flare will settle soon!

Take care,
Liz


Cocoa Beach Sunrise
Begin each day with a smile on your face and a song in your heart!

Sorry to hear the AS lion has escaped ..but hopefully Arava will bring it back into its cage soon. I know how ugly a beast AS is.. And those needle tests...eek...leave the back sore for a few days....been there !!

Take care, and hope you get to feeling better soon...
Gentle hugs to you]]]]]

Toodles!
Angie

I honestly think when you are forced to deal with different doctors and different specialties that sometimes the right hand isn't aware of what the left hand is doing. And sticking needles into my back to try and figure out why my feet are numb and why I'm having referred nerve pain down my right leg might have just unleashed the beast again, a perceived assault to the back, wonderful, right where the inflammation loves to hang out and get out of control. The same thing with being prescribed Neurontin by the foot doctor, one side effect is -- gasp! -- back pain, just what I need right now. So I haven't even started it, the pain down my leg is tolerable, the pain in my back wants me to chew up something. This morning I was up at five, finally was able to stand up about ten minutes ago without shrieking, in the meantime I took Arava and Celebrex at six, even though I know Celebrex makes my BP go way up and eats my innards I am desperate!!!! And have been wrapped in assorted heating pads since six AM. I know I should call the rheumy but it's Friday, not a good day to cry for help or beg pain meds, so I'll give it until Monday and then see if I can get in. I don't know how this new rheumy feels about pain meds, and don't want her to think of me as a drug seeking person, so will soldier onward until Monday and then it will be almost a week. Sad but true, when you're female and dealing with a new doctor sometimes you have to "prove" you are suffering in order to get relief - - maybe that's true for men too, but I know from experience it's true for women. So bad mood, bad mood, bad mood

Cheryl

Dogs love it when you leave your clothes on the floor

I blame the needles they poked in my back for the nerve conductivity test, right in the nerve roots, and since then I've had a bout of quite painful referred pain down my right leg, which means my L4 or L5 nerve root has been upset, and bingo! Autoimmune, perceived injury, my body is once again overwhelmed by an immune system that doesn't operate very well. As far as Kyle, could be, but I've never really been bothered by the weather except extreme changes in temperature or really, really long periods of a low pressure system that hangs around forever, as in New England weather. And we've been protected by a high pressure system, which is why Kyle headed north and not here. So I dunno, I think it's those horrible needles!

I want to get back on my feet so we can do lunch again.

Cheryl

Dogs love it when you leave your clothes on the floor

Cheryl.... sorry to hear you are hurting... let's hope it goes away very soon!

Ellie.... I have been hurting more in the last few days and I blame the storm that won't go away! I think it started on Tuesday....sound right to you??

Kiss my AS, Amy