Ok, First time doing this. I have AS for 23 years, allways thought that denial was the best, the mind is very powerful and I allways found the more I admitted I had it the worse it got. I suppose the AS finaly got the better of me a couple of years back, mainly due to the fact I was taking Difiene for 10 years. Obviously I had some major GI problems. About two years ago during a flare I was put on Arcoxia Cox-2,my prayers were answered. The stomach problems were quite managable with Losac and I could move my Jaw again and eat that steak!!
So I guess everyone now knows the problems with cox2, I found out in the news paper last December, did some searching on the web and decided to go back on the Difiene.January was a nightmare I won't bore you as we all have gone through the same. Went back on the Arcoxia at the start of Feb,my Doctor told me yesterday that since I had high blood preasure thet he has recieved a new warning and I need to stop taking it, my response was, OK so if I take the Arcoxia it might kill me, if I take the Difiene I might kill myself.
My specialist only two weeks ago finally agreed to put me on enbrel since my ESR was 48 and I have very little movment in my lower back and neck.
So I say to all those who like to knock, s**t happens, give me the meds and I take my chances the alternative sucks.
It's funny the way your body is talking to you, when I started taking Arcoxia I was feeling the benifits but I was also going through some changes I did not understand. I started having palpations,lost any strenght in my arms and sex was a nightmare. Well not the sex as such but the pain in my stomach muscles for days after, and believe me sex is no maraton 3 minutes does the trick, so you think I have problems/ Gobd bless my wife!!
Anyway for those of you who like to tell the horror stories about different meds I say to you, no two people are alike and no two people experience the same thing with pain. Understanding is the key, i'll take the enbrel and if it turns out for the worst then don't pity me, the chance of things better is worth the risk.
One more thing,for those who like to preach of the benifits of excercise, this realy gets on my wick. Its works for some but not for all, don't judge everybody by your own experieces.
