Had right SI joint issues as an early teen. Chiropractic helped. Started Powerlifting at 25, felt inflammation increase in the SI and had thought it was a bulging disc. Did rehab exercise routines for over a year and didn't get better. Traction just pissed it off even more as well. Eventually fell out of the exercise out of hopelessness.
Relevant note: I hooked up with girls from time to time, and apparently one day I contracted chlamydia. Symptoms didn't show immediately, but when they did I started and finished treatment with antibiotics.
So I was still suffering fro. SI pain, and recently I had learned that I could gain relief from sacrum adjustments by the Chiropractor even though they hurt initially.
So I was dumb and decided to do it myself at home. After I popped my own sacrum, I began walking funny, with pain getting progressively worse in the SI joint.
Little did I know that, in conjunction with the chlamydia bacterial infection, somehow that self adjustment would trigger a HUUUUUUUGE inflammatory response.
During that night, I jumped out of bed quickly to relieve myself like I normally did, and the inflammation was so bad, I realized I could not stand. I was in so much pain, I fell and was nauseated. I was on the floor for more than 24 hours before calling an ambulance. I was given Fentanyl just so I could be put onto a scoop stretcher. And I was given some steroids in the ER.
Once I switched to crutches, I went to Urgent Care to see if it was a disc issue. We weren't sure.
Went to an Orthopaedic clinic and saw a Nurse Practitioner. Put me on Gabapentin, Meloxicam, and a few others I don't remember off-hand. She eventually recommended I receive a shot in my lower back. Long story short, that didn't help.
I was pretty much bedridden for months, and in many moments just spasming in bed while not even moving, yelling in terrible pain. I noticed my knees swell up as well. I'm talking a huuge amount of swelling. This raised the practitioner's eyebrows, so I was then sent to a knee specialist.
At this point the SI has been under control (thank God) but the knees were the remaining issue. I gave him the story, and he mentioned very quickly the possibility of an autoimmune issue. We ruled out what we could through imaging and other poking/prodding. He said it looks autoimmune but should get blood tested.
Blood tests were a bit indefinite and vague. They just saw that I had alot of inflammation in me. They ended up recommending a Rheumatologist and so I went to her. She wanted another blood test to be sure of what's going on.
My C-Reactive protein was a whopping 132mg/ml and she said it definitely looks like AS. She put me on Cosentyx and symptoms got better after each weekly dose.
Weekly doses with Cosentyx extends only up to 5 weeks, then it should be taken monthly. The 5th week passed just fine. The 6th week came and I was still ok. A few days later after that 6 week mark and symptoms started worsening again in the knees. I'm still taking meloxicam as well so this was not comforting news to me.
One thing I noticed during all this ordeal was that when I didn't eat, inflammation amd pain would lessen. So I decided to do that and then begin a pretty solid paleo diet. Symptoms are improving since then but I hope to be in remission soon. Also, I'm really ready to take another dose of Cosentyx to see if it gets even better.
Ending note: Currently have Crepitus in the knees due to rapid decrease in swelling/inflammation. Also, forgot to mention thoracic spine was gaining inflammation earlier, that subsided greatly as well.