With me they did a bunch of tests.Blood,x-rays.cat scan,MRI.
Don't think there is just one test to confirm AS.Welcome to the group.

Thanks Arne. Yeah I'm suppose to go do the xrays on Monday and waiting for my rheumie for lupus will order the others, the MRI, blood and catscan.

I'm sorry for all of you here, this is very painful condition. I thought I was having bouts of bursitis in my hip but the pain was actually in the sacrolic joint and lower back as well as pelvis. It came in a flare and lasted five days. Is this how it is for all of you too?

Btw, thanks for anwering. Love Julie

I had a lot of pain in the same places.My flares lasted from a couple days to a month.Some times i was bedridden.I haven't had much pain for a few years now.Actually doing pretty good now.Hope the doctors can find some meds that will help you out.

Hello Julie it's been a few weeks i hope you've had some good news in that time. I for sure have AS and my spine is 98% fused i still have a wee bit of wiggle room in the neck but pain is fairly constant for me lately and by lately i mean the last 4yrs. My back still has one vertebrea that gives me grief and i've hunched over so much i've lost 6inches in height. It all started with a pain in the butt at 15 and the doc insisted it was siatic nerve trouble i never found out till about 12 yrs ago that it was AS after a multitude of tests. I also suffer with my bowels and i was told by yet another doc that the bowel sickness goes along with the rest most of the time. I do hope you get some good news and take care, D PS you too Arne

Dont mean to butt in here but it is very interrseting to me as what Julie has described is what happened tp me 4 years ago but I did not know what a flare was, I still get intense bouts of it and ibs and I am most comfortable in a wedge shape in the recliner. That first year was the most god awful pain I have ever been in. I sure hope this is what my rhumey is looking for , if not it will be. I have had so many si shots etc.....The hip one did work the best. Thanks for all the info.

Hi Julie You are going to have lots of test. Well at least I did... MRI's X'rays- Blood- Bone Scan's- Have they checked to see if your HLAB-27 positive? That's what showed up on me along with fusing and bone spurs. and inflamation levels. I here alot of people get relief from taking TNF-inhibitors. I can not take because I am TB dormant..and I can't take alot of other meds because of my history of cancer, along with sensitivies & allergic reactions. I find and do a lot of alternative meds. Eastern cultural healing, seems to benefit my needs somethings. I still have lots of pain, but I also have other challenges of other conditions in my life I deal with on a daily basis.. This is a nice site people here are very sweet.....like Arne :) & many -many more others!
Take- Care let us know what you find out. I wish you the best
Angels2u :)

It is very much true that only one or two tests are not enough to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis. Keep yourself in observation and tell everything to your Rheumy; that would be the best solution to diagnose the problem quickly.

Leo

I had LOADS of tests but the final one that showed 'something' was a targeted CT on my sacriolic joint. Good luck and for your sake I hope it is not AS :(