What does your Rheumatologist have to say? Did they do bloodwork to check genetic markers, like HLA-B27?
I’ve learned that the bloodwork is not consistent between Rheumatologists. After seeing my 3rd Rheumatologist in 13 yrs, I was finally tested for the genetic markers.

It might be time for a new orthopedic as well that doesn’t discriminate because of age. I would get another opinion. I pray you find answers soon. It’s terribly frustrating. You are not crazy. Your pain is real. Keep researching, don’t stop. Find the top rated orthopedic in your area and look at patient reviews.

Let us know how it works out 🙏🏾

@A MySpondylitisTeam Member. Exercise helps inflammation a lot. But don’t stress the spine. I walked a lot and that was a mistake. Do a lot of upper body core and back muscles strengthening. Don’t jog or run or take extensive walks. This sounds crazy but do things like alligator crawls. It’s a plank with opposite arm and leg movement. There are crawl youtube videos for complete workout. For aerobic do sit and be fit youtube videos and Justin Agustin videos for strength and flexibility. get a cheap Walmart blood sugar meter and eat within normal blood sugar limits for every meal. Eat low fat and low carb and low saturated fat. If your sugar runs high only eat 1/3 cup grain or beans, or potato or 1 slice bread, or 4 crackers at a meal. Half the plate should be no. starchy vegetable. 1/4 plate a starch and 1/4 plate lean meat and maybe 1 teaspoon olive oil. If eat a salad don't have more than a tablespoon of dressing. Instead flavor salad with meat sauce or lean meat and spices. I kept my inflammation pretty much under control until recently when my doctor got a wild hair to lower my thyroid med. I have an eating disorder so I’m. it consistent and don’t lose weight that I keep off. But I’m up in years now and just now getting into spinal stenosis issues. I’m still mot on diabetic meds. Yet my adult children did not do these things and they are both in very expensive diabetic meds and way more overweight than I am. They are in their 40’s. I’m late 60’s and have avoided the diabetic meds. We do need to walk some to keep up knees and spine but not very much. Too much just wears them out. I was walking a mile and a half a day and some days in my 50’s If walk 3 miles. Now my stenosis is bad. I had crooked hips making one leg shorter and I was ruining y spine unknowingly. Don’t do what I did. No one gave me a heads up about alternative exercise for overweight people like me.

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@A MySpondylitisTeam Member. I have noticed it I fast some and go low carb low fat and just eat veggies and very lean meat, mostly chicken that my pain is less. But it is disgusting to eat seared skinless chicken breast with veggies with olive oil and garlic every meal. I can’t take it!

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@A MySpondylitisTeam Member. I could cut and paste your question as my own. I’m getting the same BS you are getting. I think doctors are lazy and after quick bucks of running people through like cattle. I don’t think they diagnose anything unless your leg falls off or psoriasis just crusted up a whole half of the body or something like that they can’t ignore. I just wish I had stayed more active because maybe I could have slowed mine down more. I also didn’t understand my condition and didn’t know walking mikes and mikes was causing worse stenosis rather than helping. Doctors can really be stupid and don’t even seem to offer any advice or tips. I’ve had him tell me to do things that would almost guarantee them surgery or something. My faith in doctors is pretty low right now. Most of any respite from pain or remission I got by hard work at extreme exercise programs when I could do them such as riding a recumbent bike 22 miles a day. Can’t do that now though because it rubbed cartilage off back of knee caps.

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@A MySpondylitisTeam Member Both diet and exercise changes have direct impact on how it can help systems of AS. To help treat inflammation caused by AS itself my rheumatologist recommends the following supplements, magnesium, facts omega acids usually fish oil but flax seed oil supplements have some of the omega acids as well, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric. Staying active is another thing recommended, and of course weight lose is helpful. My primary suggested a low inflammation food based diet which she recommended the Mediterranean diet as a way to achieve this avoidance of foods that create inflammation within the body. Humara is a medication in fact a biological one, so i get the hesitation besides the cost. However the manufacturers often have assistance programs which if you qualify for will cover the cost in whole or sliding scale depending on your income range. Also I will say that though humara tried to keep AS In check and slow the progression it doesn’t cure so it’s just and option to consider. Holistically things like Reiki, acupuncture, massages are all also great ways to treat without medications. If included exercises I’ve been told low impact and more resistance training would be better and have been referred to aquatic PT and the use of those elastic hands for distance training. Once diagnosed and treatment options are presented by your assigned or chosen rheumatologist would probably start with the western side of practice regarding treatment options meaning pharmaceuticals. In my opinion my medical providers are very open to either assisting with research or sharing of supplements as well as other options that may help/treat and lower flare ups and reoccurrence of symptoms if you inquire. Medications though useful for many also come with side effects and those aren’t always easy to manage, in fact some people can’t take the recommended medications due to other health conditions, allergies or interactions. So make sure to have a list ready of things to discuss when you attend your appointment. I’d find that creating a list would be most helpful based on my experience as it helps me remember all I want to ask in an organized way. Helpful tips regarding Medicare, it does cover and so do Medicare individual coverage plans through other insurance agencies the treatments of, acupuncture, aquatic physical therapy, chiropractic care and sometimes massages. There is usually a cop pay and in my coverage because I also have Medicare, it does require a co post for most listed above treatment options. In particular I know off hand the co pays I would have it off pocket for an acupuncture session depends on what type of office setting I have depends on my co payment cost. These settings include primary care physician office, chiropractors office, and private practice all of which have a different amount listed for co payments based on where the treatments are performed.

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