Finally Relief!
My last update spoke about my new care team. Wanted to quickly update my new treatment success. I’m diagnosed now with AxSpa (NR), fibromyalgia and Sjogren’s. I have completed about 2 1/2 months of Cosentx and about 2 months on Lyrica. A few weeks ago my Cosentx had not kicked in yet and the Lyrica was very low dose and I was in a lot of pain, fatigue was awful and was basically in what I can only call a months long flare. Fast forward to two weeks ago. I called my pain mgmt doc and told them, in tears, that I was really struggling. My doc called in the same Lyrica strength (100 mg) but for twice daily. I also take Amitryptilene (10 mg) at night for sleep. And, it seems my biological has started working. Man, oh man, this did the trick! I have been almost pain free for the last 2 weeks. Not sure which med, or both, has kicked in but the dragging fatigue is gone and pain sits at 0-2 consistently. I should say I have also been walking 1-1 1/2 miles about every other day and have lost almost 40 pounds over the last six months. I’m sure healthier eating and regular exercise have helped, but getting the correct diagnoses and meds has so far been a godsend!! Excited now for our upcoming 12-day cruise which I had been kind of dreading.
Hello!
Oh that is such an inspiring and positive post, thank you for sharing! I am happy for you and I can relate to both your story and your sense of relief after finding what medication and dose work for you. I am pleased you got some answers from your doctors. When a treatment can make such a difference in our symptoms, it can really change our life 😀
I failed two medications before being put on the right biologic, I have been taking it for 9 years and it works magic for me. I took Amitriptyline for a while for my sleep and that helped me a lot to catch up on sleep and restore my energy levels. It's great to read you have been exercising regularly too. When I did a rehabilitation program for people with AxSpa with a specialist clinical team, we were told that biologics work well together with exercise to ease the pain and sleep better so it helps with the fatigue as well. It seems you are on the right path and getting ready for your cruise. This sounds amazing!
Take care,
Julie (team member).
,
That's wonderful news!
I'm so glad to hear you have found the right combination of treatment, exercise, and dietary adjustments that have made a difference for you.
I hope you have a fabulous time on your cruise!
Enjoy, Doreen (Team Member)
- Great news! Getting the correct diagnosis and medications has been a positive turning point for you. It's a notable step toward managing ankylosing spondylitis effectively. Finding the right treatment plan can make a considerable difference in improving your quality of life - as you have noticed. I send thoughts of wellness your way, and hey, have a GREAT time on your upcoming holiday. So glad you're not dreading this anymore and are so much more excited. Warmly - Rebecca (community moderator)
