6 Facts about Ankylosing Spondylitis

A diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis can be very confusing. Is it the same as RA? How do I know when I have it? Learn the specifics here and understand when you need to talk to your doctor.

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The guide you need to tell your doc your story -and get answers once and for all!

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⏱Time Stamps:
1:38 What is AS and which joints are affected?
2:37 Men are affected more than women. But don't forget the ladies!
4:07 AS is not "RA of the back"
6:00 AS is a seronegative spondyloarthropathy
8:05 The right questions can help make a diagnosis
8:40 Which questions to ask
10:45 the HLA-B27 blood test

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About me:
👩🏻‍⚕️ Hello! I am Dr. Elizabeth Ortiz and I'd like to thank you for stopping by Connected Rheumatology. I am a board certified Internist and Rheumatologist with over 12 years experience practicing Rheumatology and am passionate about teaching & empowering patients to partner with their doctor.

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** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional. Any comments and/or recommendations made in the comment section by anyone other than Connected Rheumatology does not reflect the opinion or recommendation of Connected Rheumatology.**

[kimberlypuravida]

It took me 30 years to get a diagnosis. I was disregarded, given medications, and treated like a hypochondriac. I was not paid attention to. Finally my cell phone after multiple years of searching butt pain, tail bone pain, low low back pain why does it hurt so bad, my cell phone kept sending me notices about Ankylosing Spondylitis that I was ignoring. Then 1 night I opened it up and looked at it in the middle of the night when I was in pain and couldn't sleep. Sure enough I read myself, I read my condition, I read everything I've been suffering through. I made an appointment with a rheumatologist went through all the testing and was diagnosed with AS.
I am so thankful now for the privacy invasion of my cellphone listening to my conversations tracking my search history and discovering my conditions before any Doctor had.

[anitaboddie]

It took me over 25 years to get a diagnosis. I had them tell me that I was a hypochondriac. It took a dermatologist to diagnose me with psoriasis to start the ball rolling.Since my diagnosis I have also been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, Graves disease, hashimotos, and sjogrens. They are watching for more to develop.

[jenniferdeering]

I AM Crying. Finally, a dr who EXPLAINS my health issues! It took 8 years for me to get some answers! NOW, I come across this WONDERFUL DR. THANK YOU, Dr. For your amazing help. Many blessings and prayers. Jennifer . Namaste

[trailrunningphil]

I’ve had psoriasis, knee pain, ankle pain, tendon pain and even chest pains as well as the spine pain and until I started watching videos like this, I didn’t know they were ALL connected to having AS!

[becd]

I’m 48 and have suffered with this all my life. wow. it is extreme! i’m currently in a flair. been going on for 12 months now. it’s taking all my strength this time. it’s getting harder each time. you just can’t describe it to anyone unless they suffer it. it’s different from the other back, joint pains. then there’s the stomach and heart issues too. if you know, you know. i’ll be ok when this all ends. i’ll be well and truely worn out just from the chronic pain and stiffness. but i’m loved. so it’s worth it. some days anyway lol.

[Tom-In-Ga]

Just came across your channel. Been going through the internet scaring myself half to death about AS. I was diagnosed about 2 weeks ago. I'm 69 and have always had aches and pains but, one morning, woke up with a pain best described as an electric shock in my lower left back. Only came if I moved a certain way or did some odd action. Dealt with it for a week and finally went to the doctor. They took an x-ray that came back with classic signs of AS. Blood test also confirmed it. Now I know I said a I was scared but not for myself. My son is 46 and I'm about to let him know that maybe he should get tested so, if he's positive for AS, he can start to treat it ASAP. Your video was one of the more reasonable things to watch concerned AS and I thank you.

[Yarnover_PullThrough]

It took about ten years before I was diagnosed with HLA-B27 w AS, Sjögrans and fibromyalgia. No one believed me. I felt like I was crazy for years. At least now I know.

[anniepruett]

I was told in the early 90s AS was a man’s disease. I suffered for decades. In the 2000 I was diagnosed with a somatic problem. “All in my head”.
Misdiagnosed with Guillan Barre and hypochondria. I’m so ashamed at the dr’s of whom supposedly cared for me. I’m was made to feel foolish and a liar. I have a brother and 3 sisters that are hla-b27 positive, they suffer as well.
I am now bedridden and unable to walk. I have a caregiver to assist with simple needs.
I’m am a military veteran and treated inappropriately by the medical field.
Such a sad sad situation. Shame on ALL the doctors who shamed me.
Yes, I am righteously angry.

[terramareverburg]

Interesting...I was dismissed as a hypochondriac as well. I´m not making up my physical problems. Recently I noticed avoiding bread and beer from my diet thus going glutenfree helped me a great deal in controlling this awful condition or auto-immuun disease. No medicine could help and even worsens the jointpain. Now with this accurate diagnosis of AS, I'm finally served so thanks a million!
Michiel H V

[kelleywyskiel]

More than a decade ago I went to a specialist for something. Maybe a lupus test at the time? But he did tell me I have AS and that there was nothing I could do about it so enjoy moving while I can until it becomes unbearable.
I blew him off because I thought it was a pretty whack way to not diagnose but diagnose someone.
But I watched this out of curiosity and you’ve pretty much described my life and my pain 100%.
After cancer, and hashimoto’s, I tend to feel like I’m over complaining and that they think I’m a hypochondriac so I don’t go a dr for anything other than my thyroid meds.
I just take night quill when I can’t stand it anymore and try to sleep through the pain, the. I take lots of pesto that never works, then laxatives, then just push through the stomach issues, headaches, pain pain pain….just keep moving,
I do a lot of your ga, a run even though it’s incredible painful on my feet hips and knees, and I cycle on a stationary bike when it hurts too much to run.
If I stop moving I may not be stuck like that so I’m doing whatever it takes.

[Darealdopegirl]

I got diagnosed around the age of 35 years but was having back pains from the age of 19 years old. It has its moments i can say. Arthritis, bowel discomfort, bloating. I never let it got me down, I work out alot but when I do too much then the stiff joints leave me in pain for 3 days. Constantly in pain but bearable, each morning I woke up with pain to the lower back. Yet I can function, exercise free up my joints I realised. Dont gain weight with SA it makes it worst on your knees, back, feet bowels, you name it. Am beginning to wonder how my life will be as an elderly person.

[christinedumont]

I was diagnosed around 19/20 with A.S. A year or two later I was than diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Raynaud’s. Mental health without a doubt plays into and also goes hand in hand with rheumatoid issues. These chronic issues are exhausting

[mumsiedarkdragon]

I'm stiff as in the morning, I do stretching in bed. I feel better once my painkillers kick in. I can't sit down all the time but the thought of the gym is a nightmare 😂 I get through my day by gardening and chasing a toddler. The part of the disease I hate the most is not knowing what I'm going to be like day to day. Even more than the pain. My rheumy is lovely but idk if she's listening to me. You seem like a gem ❤️

[christopherrussell]

Took 10 years for diagnosis. Now I'm just in pain every day. Pain mainly in hip but it used to be in chest. Have no trouble sleeping, although sleeping in is normal. Went to my family doctor for years, complaining of back and foot pain. Doc tried me seeing foot specialists for years. Saw a rheumatologist and he diagnosed me in 5 minutes. I do have the HLA-B27 gene.

[karikruska]

I would love for you to do a video talking about Enthesitis/Tendinopathy related to Spondyloarthritis.

[grammyb]

I am a woman who was diagnosed at 22 after 10 days in Baylor hospital with an amazing Rheumatologist, who financially said, I had a variant of AS. Since then, Fibromyalgia, of course IBS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, (yes the big bad one) and more, y’all. I have issues with my eyes, knees aren’t good, but the GI troubles are the most difficult to deal with.

[deborahhovan]

You are so right that you must keep moving. I’m 71 years old now. I’m now concerned that my daughter who might have this!

[kimberlyredfield]

I walked in the er with back pain 6 years ago. Now 6 years later my thoracic is fused misdiagnosed pacemaker paralysis. I wish they would have helped years ago. God bless you all on here

[haleydoe]

I had psoriasis as a baby, and chronic idiopathic urticaria caused my cold air/water in childhood.

I was diagnosed with costochondritis at 23, and over time the joint pain and transient paresthesias, worsening back pain with other, more worrying internal and neuro symptoms found me completely disabled by fatigue and pain.

I started Enbrel today. Wish me luck!

[HouseKatArmy]

I started having symptoms at 17 years old, and did not get a proper diagnosis til I was 47 years old, then I had a year of treatment with humira, lost my insurance, and it took another 5 years before I was able to get another rhuematologist to get me back onto humira. My spine is destroyed, I have stenosis at every level, my neck is the worst. I have permament nerve and spinal cord damage from the stenosis and need to use a wheelchair to get around if I need to be on my feet more than a few minutes. I have sclerotic lesions in my thoracic vertebrae (this was the first place I had symptoms at 17) and any standing, or movement of my arms to do chores like dishes causes the center of my back to BURN and my arms go weak, painful, tingly fingers....I was told for years that there was nothing wrong with me. I am one of those who have developed almost all of the features along the spectrum, and I have to think that if I had good medical care when I was younger, that maybe I would not be such a mess now.