Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Suggestions

Ok,

I am fairly new here but learning quickly. I have a question for everyone. I am on Humera 40 mg twice a month and celebrex
one pill a day(2 pills a day kill my stomace) But i am still hurting I have tried over the counter stuff but nothing seems to work? Is there something i am doing wrong?


Here is how my day goes! Wake up stiff and tired, My hands hurt
Knuckles,knees,and back. My knuckles hurt the worst out of all my pains. But i work and go thru the day tired and i hurt on and off all day. When i get home if i stop and sit down i get stiff and very tired. So i try to keep moving until bed time.

I guess my question is are there any other things i should be doing(taking vitiams,supplements ect.................

Thanks All...

Hi there, you could try eliminating more of the starch out of your diet. I know you're Coeliac, so you're part of the way there already. Also, do you stretch every day? That might help as well.

Ice paks, heat paks, Omega 3/6 oils are very good. Hot shower in the morning should help ease the morning stiffness.

That's all I can think of right now. I wish you weren't hurting so much.

Hugs,

Thanks Anna! I haven't tried the omega oil. I will give that a try. Thanks!!!!

i wouldn't look at it as anything YOU are doing wrong, rather are there other things to manage your disease even more than you already are?

like kat said, heat for stiffness, ice for inflammation.

if i'm sitting at home in the recliner, i've got the heating pad set on low on my upper back, often with an icepack over my SI.

i also can't imagine starting my day without a hot shower in the morning. usually end my day with a hot bath as well, with epsom salts and lavender oils.

i have a paraffin wax bath for my hands and feet.

when my hands or feet are at their worst, i do contrast baths instead. that back and forth in the hot-cold water helps more than heat or cold alone. learned that trick from a hand therapist in PT.

since i have undiff spondy and that's harder to "quantitate" with blood work or scans, its been a long time coming to the stronger drugs. and nsaids have been a challenge (either they work but cause gastritis and/or edema, or don't work enough). because of this i started LDN (but if you are on a biologic, not sure about the combo, drizzit is the one i know who either is or was on both). the LDN has been really helpful for me.

and zanaflex, helps my muscles not be so tight, which helped my joints (tendons really) not be so inflamed.

so many other little things really that i often forget til i do it / use it, then remember, lots of assists to help my body out.

You're not doing a damn thing wrong, just need to know that there are many options out there. Don't for a second feel guilty or that you've brought any of this on yourself. You're here on KA and that's a great start.

I agree with Kat that the no-starch diet might be worth a try. I know that its done wonders for me. Head over to the NSD/diet related threads and read up.

And keep coming back here and asking questions, venting, troubleshooting, etc. We're all here for each other.

Best,

Stretching is the best, natural way to fight pain. I have had AS for 6 years now. Started out taking remicade till insurance changed and couldn't afford it. It by far helped the most. I have taken Humera and it did not work very well for me but everyones diffrent. Been taking simponi for a month and will let you know how it works for me later. These drugs helped, some more than others, but stretching is key. Find some good stretches (ask doc or search internet) and do them aleast twice a day.I also go to a massage therpist who is top notch and he helps me with my stretches. He is well worth the $50 a month. I was olny getting about 4 hours of sleep every night, now I get 6 to 8. When you do your stretches, hold them for 15 to 20 seconds. Make a routine and go through it twice. I stretch for 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins at night. I sometimes get to stretch at work. Remember, your AS is trying to pull your body in a certian direction. You must fight back. I know it hurts and you wont see alot of improvement over night, but keep at it and you will see results. Hope this helps and remember, MOVE IT OR FUSE IT!

ginger... doesnt stop current inflimation but stops new apparently. I have used it for years i just get the capsules. I take one at night and a couple times a day i take them.

Also i have to say the Starch thing.... has its merrits.. cutting out potatoes was hard but i had french fries 2 days ago and had major flare up yesterday ... no other causes could i see.

There is nothing wrong with taking narcotics as well to ease your pain. When you have tried everything else and know in your heart that you have done your best then it is time to see a Pain Specialist. My first go around with AS was controlled just by Sulphasalazine and Swim Therapy. After 4 years I was in remission for 14 years. 7 years ago I came out of remission and have went every route I could and tried everything. Just this year, year 7, I finally saw a pain specialist. Now I wish I would have done this several years ago. After not being able to walk or sleep I started Percocet. I also have injections straight into my feet and back and neck so I can walk and turn my neck. I am now on Morphine and it works better than the Percocet as it is time released and there are no side effects. If I am having a bad flare due to a weather change then I have to still take the Percocet to bring down that level of pain. I take neither of these on a full time basis only as needed. I don't have any withdrawal symptoms either. I am also back in swim therapy as it mentally and physically makes me feel better. This disease is painful and you do what you have to to have some quality of life. I hope this helps some of you who are afraid of taking narcotic's. I certainly didn't want to and waited this long. Pain Specialists are there to help people just like us. My Pain Specialist knows more about AS then my Rheumy and he knows a lot.