Hi, LizJane . I'm sorry I didn't include my med. stuff in a signature or in a profile. It's just been my preference not to do so; I don't want it staring me in the face after I've posted each time. Some days, I'd rather not be reminded; I've already a scooter, a wheelchair and cane staring me in the face every day.

I've Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) on top of AS (Asperger's Syndrome). I do have PN, along with obturator neuropathy (which predominantly effects my left - groin, thigh and knee). In addition? Well, since we were asked to share:

I've lived with arthritis since I was a child but it wasn't formally dx'd until I was 22. My first "bout" with it was costochondritis during a college yoga class, of all places, and it felt like I was having a heart attack. I was excused from the class and all I got to sit around doing was watching the other students; it wasn't a fun way to get any grade .

I've been through a ton of x-rays, bone scans, MRIs, CTs, and a couple rounds with EMGs/NCVs, along with a host of ESIs and RFs for my spine.

I see a PCP, rheumatologist, neurosurgeon, neurologist, PM doc and cardiologist (for symptomatic MVP, PVCs, and SVT - I think that one is) and I take Toprol-XL 50 MGs a day to regulate the ticker a bit better.

I'm doing my best to assist my doctors in their withdrawal; I don't want to see them! but they got this thing about thinking I need to see them once in a while to monitor everything. Fine... but, I do believe, I won't need a costume for Halloween. I may glow in the dark thanks to the radiation . (I actually know that it's low-level yet ... the cumulative effect from years and years worth and so many tests... ?)

In addition, it was by a fluke (a mistake in tests - FSH and Estradiol levels - that led my doctors to believe I was post-menopausal) that my doctors sent me for a DEXA scan and discovered that I've got osteoporosis. Even being mistakenly informed that I was post-menopausal was far better than doctors scaring me for several months with the scare that they suspected I had cancer; test after test proved that wrong, but the fear was there and, whenever they mention something that brings it up, I don't hestitate to remind them about the emotional trauma they created with their "it might be cancer, no it isn't, it could be cancer, no it's not, it ...." They were just flatly wrong and had a difficult time accepting it.

In addition, I have another "O" word: Osteoarthritis and DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease).

There is something wrong with my peroneal nerves, only my neurologists are not sure what it is and said it could take about 10 years for them to know. Maybe that's like having arthritis as a child and the years' delay in its dx, too .

The current medications I take are: Toprol (as I mentioned, and which reminds me that I've another cardio appoint. in few days), Activella (to - it is hoped by my doctors - slow the progression of bone loss and to control bleeding; yes, I'm a bleeder and spent an un-gawly amt. of hours in ER for it).

I also take codeine and use Stadol on an as needed only basis. And, those medications were a total pain in the rump to get authorized for how my doctors wanted it Rx'd. Even with three doctors giving the go-ahead, my insurance had some putz-wit seeking to over-ride. What finally happened? It took a HR woman and the CEO which provides the bulk of my insurance to issue a directive to my insurance and get my medication filled as written, not as insurance wished. In that interim, though, I did it the insurance's way and spent a month throwing up - due to my body not getting along with Oxycontin.

Ohhh, a couple years ago, my doctors suspect I had a TIA.

How to summarize this for a profile? I dunno. Nor do I want to .

I hope that I may have addressed some of what you were wanting to know.

P.S.: I posted about my TN in the TN forum; I have arthritis in my jaw bone and TMJ, which my dentists knew before they decided it was okay to force my mouth to remain open for a dental procedure and blowing out the 5th cranial nerve. And, I posted about vagal nerve response in this thread:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=1870

In extreme pain, my body responds by wanting to pass out. But that's only when it feels like someone is trying to tear my legs off my body.