other key symptoms:

- not food related illness

- early morning pain

- multiple migratory joint pain

- family history / personal history of psoriasis

- stress related (for me it was my PhD)

for my self, archilles tendon pain (enthesitis) was the give away, because i am not doing extreme sports, and that is definitely not a gout presentation

The diagnosis is mainly by clinical observation. HLA B27 is both expensive, slow and unreliable. While MRI & Xray is diagnostic, some signs and symptoms are staring right at you

The bigger problem is, it mimic other illnesses. So, even a doctor might mistaken it for other illness for years (like me, I was diagnosed with young onset gout since 10 years ago!)

nostr:nevent1qqsyt66ugtmszvmet928emm6qfvrujysvyfffcmljs49hx5ujrx7w2cpr3mhxue69uhkummnw3ez6vp39eukz6mfdphkumn99e3k7mgzyrgrp0fr8gf50egscdetrpuwqqsykg5qw2q5xc29zc3hq7ykgdw6jqcyqqqqqqgk3e475

SpA is rare, affecting only 1.2% of the world population

yesterday my rheumatologist told me this

"Dont think of it as an incurable disease. rather, think of it as an illness that you can control".

we say bonnet, shopping centre and torch too in Malaysia

gm

gn

this is probably how hal finney felt when he was diagnosed with MS

life has to go on. i have to be strong

yup. which is why she went empirical. no harm trying anyway.

she start me on sulfasalazine & prednisolone-(KIV tapering)

the doctor did not charge me at all for consultation. i just paid for the xray.

the rheumatologist suggested MRI. but i cant afford it. so we just go with empirical treatmemt

spondyloarthiritis. autoimmune

now next stop is my future work. pray i can work as long as i can ☺

thanks. i feel helpless. just holding not to cry

good thing is, well it is not cancer.

bad thing is, it is an incurable illness

my doctor warns me, if i confirm this diagnosis, you can never able to apply medical card

thanks. i am in a survival mode!