Just been to see my specialist Dr Menon at Bognor Regis hospital as I have had a very bad flare up of my AS over the last 5 weeks on and off after having stomach flu. I started with just pain in my Sacro-illiac joint like I normally get with an attack which feels like something sawing through my hips every time I move, but over the last few days I have had pain everywhere, my spine is stiff and very painful, my left shoulder is so bad I can't lift my arm up, painful neck which I can't move and sore left hip which hurts to lift.
I decided yesterday to try and get an appointment to see my specialist and was lucky enough to get a cancellation. He confirmed that I was having a very bad flare-up and that my inflammation level has reached 40 ! which is quite bad as it normally is about 10. After explaining my current pain list to him, he suggested that I need to try a new drug to help reduce the inflammation further. The drug is an anti-TNF drug called Adalimumab (Humira) and should block the action of TNF in my joints and reduce the inflammation. It will be taken by injection every 2 weeks which I will have to do myself, yikes!! But it should really help control my AS and stop me feeling so tired all the time.I shall be taking this alongside my methotrexate. The side effects are about the same as Methotrexate, likely to get more colds, viruses etc.. I'm just hoping this drug doesn't make me feel too ill as I still have to travel all the way to work and back 5 days a week. Anyway, this is a very positive step and other AS sufferers I have found on the web have found it very useful indeed in helping them lead a normal healthy life. So just awaiting the phone call from the hospital now to arrange for this treatment to start. I'll keep you posted.
I've been signed off this week by my GP to get the flare-up out of my system.
Pain in left hip - 6
Pain in left shoulder - 9
Pain and stiffness in spine - 6
Shoulders - 5
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