I had this happen when I had an ulcer a few years ago. My family doctor would not listen me about the research in Australia about bacterial causes and put me on Zantac, prescription then, and told me I would probably be on it for the rest of my life. After about a month and as I read more about the australia research I went to a different doctor and she had heard something about it and was willing to experiment. She put me on Pepto Bismal (a topical antibiotic) and a regualr antibiotic. In three months my ucler was gone. About two years later the AMA acknowledged that bacteria may play a role in ulcers and recommended a antibiotic treatment.
I am going to talk to my arthritis doc about the antibiotic treatment for AS in about two months. It will be interesting to see what she says and if she is willing to proceed. I hope she is open about it. I mean it is not like I am asking for a narcotic or something. I will only do Enbrel or the biologics as a last resort. It may come to that but I am in no hurry. Fortunately my AS is fairly mild most of the time. If I was in constant Pain I would probably have a different attitude about the new drugs.
