Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group 'as good as it gets??'

Methotrexate has helped me tremendously with peripheral joint problems _ ie: hands, feet, elbows. For me, it also appears to boost or bolster the benefits of remicade. That said, MTX is not known to be significantly effective in treating the spinal symptoms of AS. You may find better inflammation and pain control on a combination of MTX and TNF.

My son and I are both largely pain and symptom free on a combination of TNF and MTX. My Daughter is pain and symptom free on a TNF alone.

Thanks all....

Good wisdom here. I shouldn't post in the middle of the night when I'm sleepless. It's usually the time I'm most pessimistic.

I'll push pain doc that I'm not making it on the measly 2 norcos a day in the past month. There is going to be another epidural injection scheduled next week. I can't keep that up long term, but it's good right now. Maybe that fracture will get better in time? She was going to ask a neurosurgeon in the group about my suitability for vertebroplasty despite the age of the fracture. Not sure about consenting to this, but would like to hear more about it. I know someone who has had it successfully and one who had it unsuccessfully (just osteoporosis-not AS). May find out more regarding that at appt on Monday.

And I'll mention to rheumy that while the 15mg dose of MTX was okay, it didn't help as much as I'd like. The 20mg dose hasn't done enough to justify the hair falling out so I want to drop back and add something to it. If I read correctly, there isn't anything to add to MTX other than a biologic? Long term steroids are not an option.

And I'm probably going to order some strontium citrate. I'll run it by the pain doc and the rheumy. Appts are a week apart. I'd like to get another DXA right now to see how the fosamax did (and get a new baseline before starting strontium) but don't think I'll get it since last one was in October.

In the light of day, most problems look somewhat better and are more amenable to handle. Note to self-don't post questions in the middle of the night. I'm thankful to all who pointed out the need to challenge the docs, who are working FOR us, to come up with a treatment that will give us the best life we can get (realistically).

rumble, it is a journey, a process
Other than a fast, nothings seems to help.
so i duck and dodge and try to stay active, learning to walk away form stuff I can not do right now, is ok with me, I' got tomorrow i intend to love and be loved,
keep us posted, but go for the gold, in your own fashion and in your own plan. but let yourself be who you are becoming as long as it is smothered in grace and love and peace and joy.