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I have ankylosing spondylitis, sjogren's, lupus, hashimoto also osteoarthritis. I don't know what else I can do.

August 14
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A MySpondylitisTeam Member

@HpJenniferRivera. None of your conventional medicine doctors will treat your causes. They are only trained to try to test if your body will respond to their treatments for their specialties. It comes down to "too many cooks in the kitchen adding ingredients from different recipes to the same meal". Hmm, does that make a bit of sense?πŸ€”The only successful treatment is for someone to run the tests that conventional medicine does not necessarily do because some tests are too expensive for insurers to want to pay for, such as mold IgG assays, Lyme provocation, or gut microbiome mapping. They are not part of "Big Pharma" Standard of Care Protocols. If you can find one, look for a functional medicine practitioner in your area to help you find out what your causes for illness are and help you work to eradicate or at least mitigate those many causes and actually give your body a chance to heal. Think about it like this: If your body was on fire from a dozen sparks, would you want someone to stamp out just one spark or all of them? Would you keep sitting next to a spreading wildfire left to burn? Learn the causes. Begin a path to healing. If you cant find a functional medicine practitioner, there are several fantastic online practitioners giving free interviews and podcasts all the time with sound, researched, healing methods. A few of my favorites are Gordon Medical Associates.com, Drjockers.com, MyAutoimmuneMD.com with Dr Micah Yu; Dr Terry Wahls who healerd her own progressive end stage MS to full remission. You can do it too. Research what you hear to confirm if you think their methods sound reasonable. My favorite info verification research sites are Cleveland Clinic.com, Mayo is okay but not very thorough I have found, National Library of Medicine published research papers, European Medicines Agency publications, and Ayurveda Medicine publications all available online free of charge. Best of luck to you πŸ˜ŒπŸ™

August 18
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

I flipped a switch to turn off reactions to pain receptors and pushed through fatigue like a Navy Seal. It was the only way I could get moving again. Mind over matter may not "fix" anything, but boy does it make all the difference!

September 3
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

I have tried all of the above and even though my inflammation markers are now normal, my pain and exhaustion is really intense.

August 14
MySpondylitisTeam

Living with ankylosing spondylitis alongside other conditions is genuinely exhausting β€” both physically and emotionally. It makes complete sense that you're feeling overwhelmed. You're not alone in this.

Even when standard treatments have been tried, there are still some avenues worth exploring with your care team Show Full Answer

Living with ankylosing spondylitis alongside other conditions is genuinely exhausting β€” both physically and emotionally. It makes complete sense that you're feeling overwhelmed. You're not alone in this.

Even when standard treatments have been tried, there are still some avenues worth exploring with your care team: Biologic Therapies
If you haven't already, ask your rheumatologist about biologics like anti-TNF or IL-17 inhibitors. Studies show about 35% of people with AS reported complete fatigue relief after starting a biologic.

Pain Management Specialists
A multidisciplinary pain clinic can offer a fresh perspective. They often combine medication, therapy, and lifestyle approaches tailored to complex cases like yours.

Psychological Therapies
Chronic pain and fatigue take a real mental toll. Therapies like CBT or mindfulness-based stress reduction can help manage pain's impact on daily life and sleep.

Gentle Movement
Low-impact activities like swimming, yoga, or tai chi can actually reduce fatigue and stiffness over time. A physical therapist can build a safe plan around your needs.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet
A registered dietitian can help tailor an anti-inflammatory eating plan to support your energy levels and reduce inflammation.

Supplements
Some people find vitamin D or B12 helpful β€” but always check with your doctor before adding anything new. Most importantly, keep advocating for yourself. As one MySpondylitisTeam member put it, "Find a doctor who truly cares β€” they are out there." Don't hesitate to seek a second opinion if you feel unheard.

August 14

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