Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Does anyone have thoracic pain?

Hi Jennifer

Again, I can relate to what your suffering, as I have the same thing.
The ankle stiffness on waking is one of my pet hates.
As for the hips, and out upper thigh area, the pain is so bad at times I cannot walk properly, only shuffle. You should persevere with your medication to see if it helps.

As mentioned, a no starch (or low starch) diet may help your symptoms.
Its worth a try. I was sceptical, but kept a food diary to start with, and found that certain foods (not all starchy) would increase my pain tenfold. Since I know what to avoid, I barely need my medication until a flare crops up.

Best wishes

Hi

Yes, I dont know if its been mentioned lately here, but I also get the terrible shin pain. The slightest touch, or knock - my goodness!!!!! Glad someone understands. There are alot of people out there who think I'm exaggerating when tears come to my eyes!

Amber

Hi Amber, Its all too familiar, all the pains we have mentioned above, missing out on the butt pain and the fatigue. Worse than all of this is to be told its in your mind. It really is nice to come to kickas to meet others who REALLY know and have felt the same way. Good luck all George

glad i could help, a little.
sorry you are hurting so much.

sue

I have known the agony of thoracic and rib pain with cramps for many years. Around the T7 T8 region I have a kyphosis gradually bending me forward but I continue to fight to stand straight. For sleep I have been on Lunesta for the last three years but have to miss a day now and then to make it work. Before taking it I was lucky to sleep daily.

I have described the pain to the doctors of feeling like there is a fist or ball under the skin pulling it tight with cramps through the ribcage. Other times it ranges from a dull burning constant ache to a stabbing pain that shoots up and down the spine.

Brent

Hi Dianne,

Sounds like you have a classic case of AS. I have had Arthritis for 24 years now and I have seen some very poor Rheumatologists in that time. Last year I encountered a very good one. A serious scientist.

As well as Back pain, neck pain Knees feet etc. I used to have very bad pain in my chest when i went to bed. This is a classic symptom apparently and it used to drive me mad as well.

I am now on Infliximab (remicade) and my life has been turned around. I am able to have some quality of life because I finally found a good Rheumatologist.

Kat,

I don't remember reading about your shin pains before, but I have often had stress fractures along the lenght of the bones in my shins. At other times it is just painful aches feeling like it is close to breaking. Do you get a funny sensation in the shins at any time? My doctors always laugh when I tell them it feels like something is crawling around inside the bones. My neurosurgeon said it was not actually inside the bones but in the nerves and muscles causing the sensations. I just tell them either way it feels like a bunch of ants are building a nest from watching them run around on the ground.

After having the fractures so many times my doctor normally rolls out the ultrasound machine now before sending me for x-rays if the shin pain has elevated. Actually they missed the stress fractures with the first x-rays until they used the ultrasound to pin point the area and reviewed the x-rays again.

Brent

Cortisone injections got me past the worst one. Hang in there!

Thank you Poppy, I am a'hanging!
Dianne

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