Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group NSAID allergy?

Was it this message board where someone posted about finally discovering they had an NSAID allergy? It wasn't the usual allergy type reaction they were describing, but more subtle stuff - including things like increased muscle stiffness and pain, and generally not feeling well.

That might be me. I get violent vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, horrible all over body pain and shaking, irregular heartbeat, headache... all this after 40 years of taking them w/ no problem. I miss them!

I tend to feel that way after a couple of weeks on NSAIDs. At the dosage that actually makes a difference, that's how I feel. I can take it for occasional pain relief, though. I'm on Voltaren, but I have been skipping the evening dose because it is too hard on my stomach. Still, my joints seem to hurt more.

(disclaimer: I am no doctor so please read this just as my opinion. Been diagnosed 'bout 4 years ago, sick for more than 10)

I have problems with chronic urticaria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticaria) and I have a theory that it has some correlation with my AS. Namely, my urticaria gets worsened when I have some kind of inflammation in my body - is it throat or just AS kicking back in. At those times, NSAID's can really worsen my urticaria symptoms - I'd often have to go to ER to get a shot of dexametasone after taking NSAIDs. On the other hand, if my urticaria is "still" at the time, I can take NSAID's with no problems. I like Voltaren, too, but lately I've been using Naklofen Duo which works out nicer for me (75mg designed pills to release 25mgs immediately while 50mg is released throughout next 12 hrs.)

Unfortunately, urticaria is as unexplored as AS is...both instances of my chronic diseases probably do have origins in auto-immune system dis-balance and whatever not.

Hi iznogud - As a child I and my sister suffered horribly from uticaria. We used to count our 'bumps' - which of us had the most!! Remeber once I had 120 raised and very itchy itchy 'bumps'. Would get em legs, arms, feet, around the middle and down the back. Year after year. Think they went away when I was about 14yrs or so. Can get heat rash - that was in India and in Greece. Didn't get one when I lived in Australia.

Do get rashes as an allergic reaction to certain medications and to some toothpastes. Can't tolerate NSAIDs - any of em (so far!) Oh well - c'est la flippin vie, innit?

Molly C (ex-patBrit France)
Keeping on Keeping on

Just a note: My Rheumy stated they will not give anyone with bronchial asthma, NSAIDs. As I have many allergies and bronchial asthma, taking NSAIDs was not a option.

Hugs
Gerri

I suffered with Urticaria for so many years - I never had a name for it - I now believe mine was caused by celiac, and severe sensitivity to the sun UV b rays. Never one to take medication. Now allergies prevent me from taking medicaitons.

Hugs
Gerri

had this myself one summer, came and went and came and went for a few months over and over again, about a week or two apart each day, i'd watch them come on, come to a head over a day or so, then be crazy itchy for a few days, then fade away, only to erupt with new spots a week or so later. went to dermatologist for them, had a puncture biopsy of one "bump", never did figure out what caused them. but it was the summer i flared so badly i pulled or tore a tendon/ligament attachment at the trochanter such that i couldn't walk for months, no exercise for a year, not even taking a walk, and then 2 weeks later, tore a ligament in my wrist that made it useless for 2-3 years, no typing with that hand, nothing. that was the summer that this erupted. a combination of steroid creme and hydrocortisone cream helped the itching, but ice helped even more. drove me crazy though. mostly lower legs, some upper legs, some on hands. not an nsaid allergy, don't think it was an allergy of any kind, think it was part of my flare. the next summer got it again, but less so, fewer "bumps" lasted fewer weeks. my current rheumy not surprised, indicated it was a typical autoimmune thing, though i know it can also be an allergic response as well: dermatologist reported indicated such general wording.

yeah. all the same. my "other" half of the autoimmune problem, allergies, they also tend to "walk around" my body. sometimes they are on the peripheral body parts (feet, palms...), sometimes onda belly, on my back, on my tushy. though, hives that bother me the most are ones that appear inside my mouth and... mucuos membrane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucous_membrane) also, if swelling is deeper in the mouth/throat it gets harder to breathe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angioedema#Pathophysiology <--- even this wiki article quotes problems with aspirin, ibuprofen, and other acetylsalicylic-like medication)... luckily, angioedema cases are rare for me now, perhaps once every year or two years i get my run to the ER. been troubleshooting allergies for 20 years, since i was 10 or something, double the time i have had with AS. i am kinda used to it, just as one gets used to the AS pain...

one more thing: my allergies generally get worse with heat (sup molly), with pressure (like, under the belt onda trousers), and definitely with alcohol (drinking alcohol, among other things, binds calcium from the body). i tried treating my allergies with calcium addition but i get mixed results - generally it helps in avoiding allergy rush after the night of drinking if i take a calcium pill when i get home; but when i have had chronic allergies calcium would not do much good. with those chronic outbreaks almost nothing helps, i just have to wait it out. i tried steroids and non-steroids, different medicines, but there is no single medication that would stop my chronic urticaria.

i guess i am still lucky that i am 99% mobile even if not fast (regarding the AS) and also that i don't have some bad case of psoriasis or something, which i read is common for AS-kickers i am doing fine as things are now, still living normal life. there is some pain involved, but in life - there is always pain. and rush, as well, so i guess at the end of the day i ain't much worse than any other as-kicker, hell, prolly doing even better than the most.

stay cool people, we can do it, stay strong. this ain't killing us and by God what doesn't killa us, than it makes us stronger. some of you girls and guys are human granite, i am telling you.