u/Throwaways2728

Hello, I recently managed to see a Rheumatologist who after an initial examination, thinks I have PSA with some spondylitis (I was thinking the same before the appointment, so the affirmation feels good).

The doctor started me off on Naproxen 500 MG twice daily, which seems to work, but only mildly at pain reduction. I see them again in under a month for more imaging and testing to confirm my diagnosis, as some of the usual markers (blood, x rays) are coming up inconclusive (she thinks I'm seronegative). I didn't get much time to talk because a large chunk of the hour long appointment was consumed by diagnostic questioning.

My question is, if it's normal for your Doc to initially start you off on an NSAID? I would've assumed a DMARD would've been where we started for prevention purposes. I know in Canada you typically don't start on a biologic. Could this be kind of like a diagnostic round of prednisone where my Doc is using relief from the NSAID as a way to confirm something autoimmune is going on?

Could it just be because they've yet to confirm a diagnosis, so they are wary to hand out stronger meds? Finally, my Doc left me their phone number so maybe I should just contact them, but I was wondering if being put on only an NSAID at first was common. Long post, so thank you for reading.

Hello, I (25M) am currently going to see a rheumatologist for what I suspect is PSA or AS or some kind of related autoimmune disease. From my understanding, Biologics are the best way to treat these diseases.

I currently do not have insurance through work. I know many drug companies have programs to help people like me, but I'm confused about how the trillium drug plan/government funding for biologics works. I know you need to fail 2 regular DMARDs first, but I have heard there is a requirement to have visible inflammation in 5 joints.

I have had sporadic joint pain all over (knees, ankles, elbows, hip, fingers) but my most consistent pain is in my neck, shoulder and chest. I also think my pain feels more similar to enthetitis rather than classic joint pain. This worries me because imaging might not show 5 inflamed joints. It doesn't help that my pain locations differ day to day.

To those in Ontario on biologics, did you have to meet this 5 inflamed joints requirement for biologic coverage, or am I misinformed?

Hi, sorry if this post is long.

I (25m) got diagnosed with costo about a month ago. I was quite active in the gym (5 days a week) and think I got it via benching too hard, too fast, plus a moderately poor posture and bad sleeping position (I slept on my stomach with my head rotated to the right every night).

I immediately (like two days after diagnosis) started trying some of the suggestions on this sub. Since then, I've progressed the backpod to raised butt, do peanut ball crunches, and foam roll my spine. I've been doing the thoracic twist exercise after, as well as the doorway pec stretch. I do all of these twice a day, sometimes 3. I'm also being a lot more aware of my posture, holding my head higher, keeping my shoulders back, core engaged. Importantly, I've completely swapped to back sleeping as well

My sternum itself feels better, and I've haven't gotten any proper sharp stabbing or burning flares. Maybe just some tightness, especially if I bend over and let my shoulders hang. I get the occasional pain at the bottom of my ribs, but my breathing has greatly improved, even while walking fairly briskly. I think I've even noticed my ribs appearing wider at the bottom than they did a month ago.

My left shoulder (the same side as where my costo mainly is) is not great however, with some snapping and grinding especially doing overhead pulling down movements (think lat pull downs) and a painless but noticeable snapping noise doing external rotations. It also just feels weaker overall.

Could this be related to my costo? It started a few days after I tried fixing things up. It almost feels like my scapula isn't used to how my ribs are positioned now.

On another note, my doctor, who is usually great, didn't find anything via ultrasounds or x rays, which is to be expected. She gave me a pt prescription for costo. I think it's a good idea to see one now, with things being more opened up, but what should I look for and/or inform my pt about. I live in Toronto, so if anyone had a good experience with someone there, let me know.

Sorry for the long post, I made this to vent more than anything. Being out of the gym sucks for me, lol.

(Forgot to add so writing here, I'm getting a lot more back cracking with the twists lately, hoping that's a good sign, considering I don't think I've ever heard a crack out of my back once since before costo)