Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Finally Getting Some Answers

For months, I was chasing down Rheumatologist appointments, to no avail. Some time ago, I mentioned I was going to a chiropractor. That was working out for a bit, but I stopped going to him for supplements, etc. when I realized he had "listened, but not heard" anything I said about my "condition." For example, we sat for a long time and spoke about my diet. I won't take supplements with animal by-products or gluten. First thing he gives me to fight "gut inflammation" is a supplement loaded with all the things I don't want, including cow gut and gluten. WTH. I felt like everything I said was just so uninteresting to him.

I broke down and went to a pretty well-known (therefore EXPENSIVE) Dr. of Chiropractic and Homeopathy here in my city.
I have found the light! After sitting for 1 1/2 hours, he was actually understanding me...I couldn't believe it. The second time I went in, he remembered me and what we had spoken about during the first appointment. Again, floored.

I feel like I'm with family when we speak, it's just wonderful.

So here's where we are, and here's where I am still overwhelmed and confused:

I always thought I had fibro, but I don't. Dr. Mohrdar says I have nerve damage brought about by a deficiency of B12, Vitamin D and Magnesium. He wants to try Magnesium supplementation first, but everything I've been reading about B12 deficiency describes me to a tee...twitching, tingling, balance issues, scalp pain etc. There is definitely a link to many auto-immune conditions, AS included, but I don't quite understand: Is the B-12 a by-product of AS or is AS a side-effect of B-12 deficiency? What came first? And how did I get to that point?

It's all so overwhelming, it makes me short of breath just thinking about it.

HOWEVER....I am still managing without medications! I watch what I eat (whole, organic when I can), I keep myself up-to date on all the AS and arthritis sites and I exercise.

Have a good week, everyone!

Hi, Ina:



Understand that AS is the product of a conspiracy of factors: Genetic predisposition, environment (food), and key injury (intestinal lesions). Regret very much it is not due to any kind of deficiency, like scurvy or pellagra; it would then be much easier to treat.

AS came first, and this disease results in myriad deficiencies especially of minerals: B12 is really cobalt just in a form that can be easily assimilated. We are each deficient in calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, vitD; etc etc--every element required for proper bone building and management. Our skeletons are in the process of melting away--aging--at a much faster rate than average humans.

I am happy You have found a doctor able to help within Your guidelines. However, I remain very skeptical regarding Homeopathy, but the one thing about these "medications" is that they will do no harm!

HEALTH,
John

Thanks for your reply, John!

I don't know, someday I might come to the point where biologics are for me, but I feel that right now, this is the path I will wander for awhile.

Contacted my homeopath via Facebook PM (really!), and he answered and told me that the B12 def is already on his mind and that we'll be looking into that at one of my upcoming visits.

I.

So Fibro(to some extent) is ubiquitous in AS. Pain, muscle spasms, and depression are a result of chronic inflammation.

B-12 is absorbed from the gut - right ? so if your gut is "broken" then it would make sense that many of us are low in B-12 ....so unravelling the whole IBS/ Klebsiella connection makes even more sense ?!
I came across this little bit of interesting info ....made me realize that maybe there are ways to stop the spinal degeneration that is causing so many of us pain !!
Source:
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
Summary:
A previously unknown biological process involving vitamin B12 and taurine that regulates the production of new bone cells has been uncovered by researchers. This pathway could be a potential new target for osteoporosis treatment. Through the study, researchers found that bone mass was severely reduced at eight weeks of age in the offspring of mice with vitamin B12 deficiency. Giving the mother a single injection of vitamin B12 during pregnancy was enough to prevent stunted growth and the onset of osteoporosis in the offspring.

I'm assuming you will get B12 shots, take the D and Mg supplements and see how that makes you feel?

I'm assuming the gut inflammation / spondy comes first, then the vitamin and mineral deficiencies, due to the gut inflammation perhaps.