Hey Colin,

Mine also started in my neck. As a matter of fact, I was outraged that the rheumatologist was looking at my hands and SI joints in xrays and MRIs when my neck hurt so much... She never really bothered to explain either. And I crack and pop like an orchestra. It's sick.

I also have no family history, though my paternal grandather had gout and his half sister had and their mom had a hunchy back. And I don't have the gene, but I def have AS - SI sclerosis and have had bilat iritis so the dx is pretty much sealed.

I think we all experience the onset differently and progression differently, and to listen to drs, they live by statistics, by just b/c something is statistically uncommon, it doesn't mean it doesn't happy - just a frustration of mine.

And HLA gene is only one of several that plays a role. I was researching to see what the difference is in being + vs - for the gene, and they really don't know other than with blood levels it seems??...

My rheum told me -'s have more thoracic involvement, which is def me too. (you're HLA negative too right)

Good luck, Be well, Jessica

Dx'd AS (seronegative spondylarthopathy), Fibromyalgia 8/2007
Be happy for this moment... This moment is your life.