I was diagnosed with DISH (Forestier’s Disease) last year with multiple areas on my thoracic and lumbar spine. I am developing protruding boney areas on my chest and sternum areas as well. I also have several areas of stenosis in my cervical and lumbar spines. It has become very painful, especially when I try to sleep at night. I have always been a side sleeper but now if I lay on my side for very long, my chest really begins to hurt all around the sternum. I am very stiff all the time and attempting to bend over to retrieve something from the floor has become very difficult. I just turned 55 and feel like I am at least 75 because of the pain and stiffness. I have also developed excruciating pain in my groin on both side, especially the left and it is very difficult to spread my legs apart because of the pain and the tendons in my groin have become very tight and hard. It’s funny that the last two people that have posted on here are in the medical profession. I am a retired physical therapist assistant of 20 years and had to take an early retirement because of the severe pain and difficulty with safely transferring and ambulating with patients.

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