Ankylosing Spondylitis

[SunWorshiper_26]

Hello everyone!  I posted in the new members post but I thought I would say hello over here as well. I am 27 years old and 27 weeks pregnant with my first child. I was diagnosed with reactive arthritis with I was maybe eight years old but once I was 19yrs old it became clear that it was something more. I was finally correctly diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis at the age of 20. I was in the middle of college and struggling to succeed in my course work because of the pain.

But I haven't let pain stop my life yet. I graduated high school early with honors, got a scholarship to a top 10 college where even though being dx with AS and it becoming so aggressive that it attacked my gull bladder and it had to be removed and my eyes became so swollen (iritis) that the optic ring in my left eye popped off. Even with that I graduated college with honors on the national scholars honors society and  on time with a BS in Psychology and a minor in studio art, I then got my masters degree on the excelerated track and graduated with honors. I am now working on my dissertation to complete my PhD.

It has been a long journey and as a child I remember going to dr to dr to try and figure out what was wrong with me. I also was in a horseback riding accident when I was 16yrs old. But I have a high pain tolerance and I walked away from that accident and was even able to compete on the springboard diving team in high school for an entire season before being told by a dr that I had a compression fracture in my spine at T12. I was lucky to be able to walk let alone walk away from that accident. I then on March 2 of this year was again thrown from a horse and this time was unable to walk away. I had to be carried away but after a five day hospital stay and a diagnosis of a compression fracture at L2 and a pelvic fracture I was back and ready to conquer the world.

I have a wonderful pain management dr who specializes in treating spinal pain in pregnancy. I take vicodein 5/500mg 2x daily (every 12hrs). I also use lidoderm pain patches and a TENS unit. I have tried PT several times but it always lands me in the hospital bc they push me to do too much too fast.

Of course I also have IBD, anxiety, iritis, neurologic symptoms and PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome).

It sounds like I have a lot in common with many of you wonderful members and I look forward to getting to know you all :). Thnx for reading, sorry it is so long!

[SunWorshiper_26]

Thank you so much Jaded!  If you are in the Chicago area I'd be more than happy to give you the contact info of the dr i see. She is wonderful. If so send me a message and I'll give you the info :)

[JadedSweetheart]

Wow, you have been through a lot!  It's wonderful that your doctor specializes in treating spinal pain in pregnancy!  It has been so hard for me to find anyone at all to see a pregnant PM patient, let alone a specialist!  I'm so glad to know one even exists, though!
Also, Thank you for the congratulations in the Welcome thread and Congratulations on your preganancy as well!  I read on your profile that this is your first and that is really extra-special!  I'm so glad you have a good PM team to work with you on everything and glad you've joined this forum.  I hope the rest of your pregnancy is as joyful and pain-free as possible!