Since 2016 I have been on Humira, Remicade, Entyvio, and now Simponi.  None of them have done much to help.  I still have a lot of rough days and issues.  I am not sure I have ever expected a lot better.  The 360mg of codeine I have been taking daily for the past 21 years have definitely helped.  Without it, I am not sure where I'd be.  I have been on Simponi for about 3 months and I have not seen any improvement.  I had been told to discontinue the other meds as none of them seemed to help after significant periods of time.

I took a new job in another province in September.  I recently made the approximate 16-hour drive to return home for about a week for winter break.  I had a horrible aching splitting pain in my lower back for the entire trip.  I am now in the middle of my return trip and the back agony is back again!  I drove about 11 hours today and the longer I drove the worse it got.  I tried changing my position several times with no relief.  On my way home last week, I tried putting a pillow behind my lower back but that didn't help either.

Today, not only was my back in absolute agony, but after having a late lunch of turkey sandwiches and fruit, I struggled with all my might to hold out for a restroom while on the highway.  Not once but twice I was in a panic to find a washroom.  The back pain and digestive issues made for a rough day.

There just seems no end to my discomfort.  I have another MRI scheduled for my back in March.  To say that I have had a lot of stress in my life over the past 3-4 months would be an understatement.  I am not sure if there is a simple solution to that.

I am back to square one.  The splitting pain in my back seems impossible to figure out.  I suppose I could always go harder on the codeine and / or other pain killers when needed.  Although I have always been pretty religious about my dosage and have stuck to it without fail 98% of the time.  My rate of diarrhea and the urgency that sometimes goes with it seems overwhelming some days.

Not a clue where to go from here.  I started seeing a new GI about 3 years ago after re-locating.  Although she is very good and very thorough and has tried a lot, I reluctantly admit that I am no better off than I was before I first saw her.

I have never had much confidence in any of the treatments I have tried over the years.  I don't have very high expectations that things will get much better with my digestive tract or with my back.

Suggestions are welcome...  THANKS.