Weirdly as I thought to write this I learnt that is it National Arthritis Week. Here is a link to the official website if you want to read and know more about it. Although I am very early into my diagnoses, Arthritis has effected my life totally and changed it since January. With being so young it totally shocked me and made me realise how much health is valued and how much it is so important to keep so healthy and generally fit. I have been told this will effect my life for a very long time but can been controlled with medication and other things like swimming ect. I'm not even half way thru getting the right medication and it may takes years but I wanted to share my story. At first I let it get to me and got very down and still now I get days I sit in bed and just want to cry but I have learnt you cannot let it stop your life.
On 9th May 2014 I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Something which I had never heard of before and something that would change my life...
January 2014 :
I started getting back pain but not just any old back pain. Females often suffer with back pain due to hormones and periods ect but this felt totally different to any pain I have experience before. I just took paracetamol and hot water bottle for a bit to see if the pain got any easier.
February 2014 :
The pain was getting unbearable to the point where I made a doctors appointment straight away. The doctor prescribed me co-codamol and said to come back within 2 weeks if not any better. The pain was getting worse so back to the doctors I went, the doctor sent me off to a blood test and to have physiotherapy. Off I went for the blood test and physio the week after. Honestly Physio made things so much worse at this point I felt so down with the pain.
March 2014 :
I got a call from the doctor's receptionist to book a appointment with the doctor for results from the blood test. I generally thought nothing of this as it was a general blood test so was expecting something else. I wasn't nervous or anything, as I went into the doctors room I could tell by hes face that something wasn't right. He explained how something came up in my blood test which is very rare and needs to be tested in other way before a full diagnoses. So off I went for X-rays on my back, neck and joints a week after.
April 2014 :
By this point I was in more pain and my sleeping was getting affected by the pain so I was put on Tramadol to take at night to get me to sleep. I got another call from my Doctor to say I needed to do another blood test this time it was a special one. Thank god at this point I had my strong painkillers otherwise I wouldn't of known how I would of went by day to day.
May 2014 :
Back to the doctors again ( its was becoming my 2nd home ), I remember it so well as it was 8th May on a Thursday as that weekend I was going away with the girls. My doctor explained how the bloods came back that I have the HLA-B27 Gene and he forward me to a Specialist of Rheumatology.
June 2014 :
I went to see My specialist for the first time, I was totally nervous as I didn't know what to expect. My Specialist explained everything and what the Gene is ect and examined me. She sent me off for a MRI scan to get more answers but I was told the condition I was being tested for may not show up in any X-Rays or MRI scans for years and years. Totally different from my back pain but I was rushed to hospital for vomiting blood which was caused do to some medication I was on for my back. I was taking Naproxen for a few months but wasn't giving a PPI ( protects the stomach as the Naproxen upsets the lining of the stomach ), so due to not been given the PPI with the Naproxen it caused me to have internal bleeding and was in hospital for few days. This meant I was taken off the Naproxen which was quite annoying as they did calm the pain down.
July 2014 :
Off I went for my MRI scan, Honestly the most scariest thing as I suffer with panic attacks also being straight for 1 hour was impossible. I had to have the test repeated after as they couldn't get a clear reading. I was so nervous and couldn't keep calm. A week after my MRI results were back and I was my specialist. This time it was another person as the usual one was away. She told me "Ankylosing Spondylitis" is what I have but it could take a very long time before they get the right medication for me to be put on. I was prescribe with a medication called "Amitriptyline" which is basically a antidepressant but they also use it to relieve the long term pain of Arthritis.
August 2014 :
I was told I would have 6 months of instant physio and the new medication before going back to see my Specialist which works out Dec/Jan. Didn't hear back from physio so rang the department at my local hospital and my specialist and was told the form wasn't sent thru. The pain at this point was same it has been for few months.
September 2014 -
Still haven't heard from physio so went to my GP he got in contact with my specialist and she said she "forgot" to send the request form thru.. ANNOYING!! So this meant I am 2 months behind on physio. The pain hasn't really settled and the hot water bottle has been my best friend this month.
October 2014 ( NOW ) -
Very annoyed with my Specialist and Physio as I STILL haven't heard. I have been ringing so many people and departments and still can't get why I haven't been given a date to start. I have been walking alot more which means I haven't rested as much so back been alot more painful. The no sleeping is back and general feeling down. I haven't felt much benefits from my new medication to be honest but was told that they might not even work.
This is my story so far and Im sure it is a story that will never end. This link HERE is all the information to what Ankylosing Spondylitis is. I still don't understand it 100% and most of my family can't even pronounce it ha.
I would like to thank my family and specially Beth who understands and helps me alot. Whenever I feel crap or down Beth is always there to listen to me have a rant or just to have a hug.
Love Katie
On 9th May 2014 I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Something which I had never heard of before and something that would change my life...
January 2014 :
I started getting back pain but not just any old back pain. Females often suffer with back pain due to hormones and periods ect but this felt totally different to any pain I have experience before. I just took paracetamol and hot water bottle for a bit to see if the pain got any easier.
February 2014 :
The pain was getting unbearable to the point where I made a doctors appointment straight away. The doctor prescribed me co-codamol and said to come back within 2 weeks if not any better. The pain was getting worse so back to the doctors I went, the doctor sent me off to a blood test and to have physiotherapy. Off I went for the blood test and physio the week after. Honestly Physio made things so much worse at this point I felt so down with the pain.
March 2014 :
I got a call from the doctor's receptionist to book a appointment with the doctor for results from the blood test. I generally thought nothing of this as it was a general blood test so was expecting something else. I wasn't nervous or anything, as I went into the doctors room I could tell by hes face that something wasn't right. He explained how something came up in my blood test which is very rare and needs to be tested in other way before a full diagnoses. So off I went for X-rays on my back, neck and joints a week after.
April 2014 :
By this point I was in more pain and my sleeping was getting affected by the pain so I was put on Tramadol to take at night to get me to sleep. I got another call from my Doctor to say I needed to do another blood test this time it was a special one. Thank god at this point I had my strong painkillers otherwise I wouldn't of known how I would of went by day to day.
May 2014 :
Back to the doctors again ( its was becoming my 2nd home ), I remember it so well as it was 8th May on a Thursday as that weekend I was going away with the girls. My doctor explained how the bloods came back that I have the HLA-B27 Gene and he forward me to a Specialist of Rheumatology.
June 2014 :
I went to see My specialist for the first time, I was totally nervous as I didn't know what to expect. My Specialist explained everything and what the Gene is ect and examined me. She sent me off for a MRI scan to get more answers but I was told the condition I was being tested for may not show up in any X-Rays or MRI scans for years and years. Totally different from my back pain but I was rushed to hospital for vomiting blood which was caused do to some medication I was on for my back. I was taking Naproxen for a few months but wasn't giving a PPI ( protects the stomach as the Naproxen upsets the lining of the stomach ), so due to not been given the PPI with the Naproxen it caused me to have internal bleeding and was in hospital for few days. This meant I was taken off the Naproxen which was quite annoying as they did calm the pain down.
July 2014 :
Off I went for my MRI scan, Honestly the most scariest thing as I suffer with panic attacks also being straight for 1 hour was impossible. I had to have the test repeated after as they couldn't get a clear reading. I was so nervous and couldn't keep calm. A week after my MRI results were back and I was my specialist. This time it was another person as the usual one was away. She told me "Ankylosing Spondylitis" is what I have but it could take a very long time before they get the right medication for me to be put on. I was prescribe with a medication called "Amitriptyline" which is basically a antidepressant but they also use it to relieve the long term pain of Arthritis.
August 2014 :
I was told I would have 6 months of instant physio and the new medication before going back to see my Specialist which works out Dec/Jan. Didn't hear back from physio so rang the department at my local hospital and my specialist and was told the form wasn't sent thru. The pain at this point was same it has been for few months.
September 2014 -
Still haven't heard from physio so went to my GP he got in contact with my specialist and she said she "forgot" to send the request form thru.. ANNOYING!! So this meant I am 2 months behind on physio. The pain hasn't really settled and the hot water bottle has been my best friend this month.
October 2014 ( NOW ) -
Very annoyed with my Specialist and Physio as I STILL haven't heard. I have been ringing so many people and departments and still can't get why I haven't been given a date to start. I have been walking alot more which means I haven't rested as much so back been alot more painful. The no sleeping is back and general feeling down. I haven't felt much benefits from my new medication to be honest but was told that they might not even work.
This is my story so far and Im sure it is a story that will never end. This link HERE is all the information to what Ankylosing Spondylitis is. I still don't understand it 100% and most of my family can't even pronounce it ha.
I would like to thank my family and specially Beth who understands and helps me alot. Whenever I feel crap or down Beth is always there to listen to me have a rant or just to have a hug.
Love Katie
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