i was diagnosed with advanced Ankylosing Spondylitis today, its bad, but its a diagnosis. my wife and i have been expecting something 1/2 serious at least, so we arent too shocked, just learning about this condition, and the treatments. i have been to the ER more times then i can remember for joint pain/swelling, but never checked out enough to find a reason, or even looked at to find a cause, i would always get vicodine and be shuffled off.
Since i was 16-18 i have been having these pains, im 31 now and do wish someone would of checked looked for a cause as a great portion of the damage done could of been avoided, and not of been allowed to reach this stage of progression. the pain is 24/7, i can only seem to get 3-5 hours of sleep at a time before im awoken by pain, and ive only been offered pain meds(timed hydromophone IV doses, and hydrocodone 7.5mg), after awakining smoking marijuana stops a large amount of lower back pain with in minutes or half way through a joint, and then gone with in 20 minutes. w/o marijuana, the pain/inflamation lasts for at least 2-3 hours and is what id consider to be an 8/10.
i found that, a good 1/5 gram +,- joint works as well and is less debilitating then 20+,- of hydrocodone, or 2-4mg IV hydromorphone. i sent in for medical marijuana, and was asked to perform a shot on myself of Humira; a biogenic TNF-pain blocker, these are very expensive, $800 per preloaded syringe, i would be taking 1 shot every 2 weeks, the trouble is i dont have insurance that covers prescriptions, i am on mental disability for schizoeffective d/o and bi polar, another story, so my medical bills are paid for, just not scripts. humira generally takes a few days to start working, my rheumetologist said i might feel some relief tomorrow or the next day, so we will see how i react to this stuff, and see if it holds up value as a pain blocker as it does in its price...
Since i was 16-18 i have been having these pains, im 31 now and do wish someone would of checked looked for a cause as a great portion of the damage done could of been avoided, and not of been allowed to reach this stage of progression. the pain is 24/7, i can only seem to get 3-5 hours of sleep at a time before im awoken by pain, and ive only been offered pain meds(timed hydromophone IV doses, and hydrocodone 7.5mg), after awakining smoking marijuana stops a large amount of lower back pain with in minutes or half way through a joint, and then gone with in 20 minutes. w/o marijuana, the pain/inflamation lasts for at least 2-3 hours and is what id consider to be an 8/10.
i found that, a good 1/5 gram +,- joint works as well and is less debilitating then 20+,- of hydrocodone, or 2-4mg IV hydromorphone. i sent in for medical marijuana, and was asked to perform a shot on myself of Humira; a biogenic TNF-pain blocker, these are very expensive, $800 per preloaded syringe, i would be taking 1 shot every 2 weeks, the trouble is i dont have insurance that covers prescriptions, i am on mental disability for schizoeffective d/o and bi polar, another story, so my medical bills are paid for, just not scripts. humira generally takes a few days to start working, my rheumetologist said i might feel some relief tomorrow or the next day, so we will see how i react to this stuff, and see if it holds up value as a pain blocker as it does in its price...
