[caputsky]

Hi, I know this is a rather random post, but I am the type of person who believes in using all my resources when I need information. To shorten a rather long story, I have suffered from digestive difficulties for the past 5 years. I'd like to say that I am better off now than when it first started, but that wouldn't be true. I have daily diarrhea that does not respond to most therapies. But today I'm posting about a different condition that I may have. Basically, about 3 weeks ago my right eye started to get red and burn. An urgent care doctor diagnosed me with conjunctivis (even though I've had that several times and this didn't feel like it), but then an opthalmalogist diagnosed me a week later with a condition called iritis. This means that the colored part of my right eye was infected. As the opthalmalogist was going over my history, he noticed I had IBS and asked if I had been diagnosed with IBD, which I told him I hadn't. Then, he asked me if I had back pain. A little confused, I said that I had lower back pain, which I had had for years due to sciatic nerve pain. I asked him why he wanted to know, and he explained that there was a condition called ankylosing spondylitis (say that 3 times fast), which involved lower back and joint pain, and iritis. And also, many of those people who had it had inflammation in other parts of their body, sometimes including their colon. I guess everything is connected. Anyway, he got me drops for my eyes and had bloodwork done and an xray of my back. The bloodwork came back with a marker that at least 90% of the people who have the marker suffer from this akylosing condition. I'm still waiting to hear about the xray. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the condition or had experience with it in some way? I realize that this forum might not be the best, but I wanted to throw it out there anyway. Any replies would be greatly appreciated -- thank you!

 

[BQ]

Have you seen this website?http://www.spondylitis.org/

 

[mommyof3]

Wow, can't believe I found your post.I too have daily D, very bad joint pain and been told its IBS- which I don't believe at all.I will research more on this topic.

 

[caputsky]

BQ - Thanks for the website, it has a lot of good infomommy - I was amazed at how my othalmalogist was able to connect all three problems! I have had three colonoscopies, though, and all of them have been negative for UC, Crohn's, and celiac disease. But I am thinking that there still may be inflamation there that is making my IBS worse. When I googled it, I found a website for a woman who has both AS and IBS and how she follows a strict low-starch diet. I always have thought that wheat may be a problem for me, but figured it couldn't be true because I've tested negative three times for celiac. So I might start reducing the starches I eat -- this is hard for me because one of my biggest triggers is dairy, so the idea of cutting out almost all of another food group is daunting :/. But I'm still going to try, and see how it goes. Anyway, thanks for your post, its good to know someone else has the same combination of issues. My primary just referred me to a rhuematologist (sp?), and I'm getting more bloodwork done. Let me know if you want any info about the tests I'm getting done.