A.S. Face 1384: Jamie D.

A.S. Face 1384: Jamie D.

My story starts about 2 years ago about a year after I had my son Jacob. I had gotten back into shape and even ran a half marathon. I started getting pain in my back on the left side that would spread all the way to the front by the belly button. I have a long history of kidney stones since I was around 10 years old. I am now 36. So my urologist, assuming it was kidney stones which I did have at the time, did a couple of surgeries to remove them but the pain never went away. He decided to send me to a gastro doctor who did some tests also and did not find anything. The gastro dr is the one who suggested it might be muscular. He sent me to a phsiatry dr who finally did the MRI. When the MRI came back all they told me was to see a rheumy. Once I got to that appointment she told me that I have AS. I was shocked and never heard of this disease. I cried and she told me to go home and do some research then come back and that there was no cure but it could be treated. I was devastated. It took about a year to finally get the diagnoses.

She started me on enbrel which gave me horrible muscle aches all over my body and landed me in the ER. I then tried humira for about a month which wasn’t working. Then to Cimzia. I did not feel that she was treating me great and she could never answer the questions I had on the disease. About 3 months ago I found a new Rheumy who seems to know her stuff and is helpful with the pain. She has me back on humira because she believes I did not try it for long enough. She also has me on something called diclofenac.

My life has changed dramatically the past 2 years. I went from being so active to gaining some weight and not being able to exercise much. My husband is very athletic and I wish I could work out with him again. I am hoping that I finally find the right medication and I can get some of my old life back. But I know I will never be the same person who I used to be. My 4 year old son and my wonderful husband help me through the day good or bad. I know I just have to keep going and that’s the best I can do!! Everyone’s stories on this web site have helped me realize that I am not alone!!

Illinois, United States of America