hi dianne..
count this little bug in. sadly i have felt the wrath of the AS monster grabbing my thoracic and ribs into a vise that is something crazy!

i have had lumbar pain, hand pain pretty bad, si joint pain, hips, but the thoracic/ribs combo or neck are by far THE worst for me. maddening is the best word i can use to describe it. when i first flared with it i thought i would lose my mind. it would not let up. my last ct scan i think said i had a calcified disc somewhere in my thoracic. not sure if it's from the AS or just something else. but the pain is horrible when it hits. and now with the humid months here in texas i am being reminded all too well of this pain.

when it hits me real hard all i can do is keep myself busy. i cant sleep much unfortunately. i take my norco in half tablets a few times a day. if its the summer months i use the biofreeze spray. it cools it and numbs it a bit but in a good way. it only works for about an hour or 2 but it's enough for when i am so exhausted and i knock out and get a few winks. i also use the max theragisic creme. works way better than bengay. i had a compound my rheumy ordered for me awhile back. it worked decent. but i moved and completely forgot to get some more. i have no clue where its at with the move. i am about to try some voltaren [spelling?] gel that my rheumy ordered on friday and see how that works instead.

during the thoracic flares i also take several hot showers. i stand there with it the shower head hitting the thoracic for quite a bit. one thing thats worse with thoracic is that you dread bed time. because there is no comfy spot. i do try to stretch out my arm over my head under a pillow when i sleep...whichever side i am going to lay down on. it helps stretch out the muscles a bit.

as you can see by the time..like you the thoracic is keeping me up at the 2-4 am hour. i'll be a mess coming morning. i wish the ER would do something to help you. when i was real bad in the past i would go to the ER and they give me demerol so that i can in least sleep some and relax the muscles and short term steroids to bring down the inflammation.

i hope you do follow up with your family doc and get it checked. thoracic pain is something hard to deal with and if you can get suggestions or meds from your doc in least it will help pull you out of this pain.

best wishes...and keep us posted...your pal buggy