Hey veggie, my name is Amanda, I have the HLA-B27 gene and have been told I could develop AS. I struggle with all over cracking, pain/numbness when sitting. Chest pain so awful I have to crack my sternum and my rib cage hurts just having any bit of pressure. I crack my hips, finger joints, spine, everything. It’s torture. I can’t sit for long periods of time without being in so much pain. I have stiff low back out of bed, so make sure you see if you have that. It’s an inflammatory back pain symptom. I am now losing my hair and just took steroids for a facial rash and it healed up after a few days of that. Now I have COVID and have had it as well. Such torture. No one can see my pain but I can barely hold my phone in my hand because my nerves are compressed because of my hypertension and Hypertonia in my muscles. I suspect and have suspected ankylosing since this severe change in my life december of 2021. I can’t expand my chest completely or lean on my elbows at all. They actually get stuck if I keep them bent to long do that results in cracking. I’ve had red inflamed knees as well. Feels like my world is crashing down and no one understands. I’m 19 and have dealt with “Fibromyalgia” since I was 16. The doctors told me before that it was all I had and to just address my obesity and mental health. Look at me now. Never stop fighting for medical care. Never stop advocating for yourself even if they don’t believe you or your tests come back “normal”