Hi,

The pain and discomfort you've been having sounds very familar. It can move around heaps, other times it sets in certain places.

I can't help too much with the differences between the genders and the disease. There was a great post about a year ago from alot of the ladies outlining the disease, and displeeling the previous ideas the many in the medical fraternity still believe.

But I think everyone has it a bit differently and that's what you have to watch out for, do n't let anyone make you fit into their knowledge of AS or the other Spondyloarthropathies, the uveitis the gut etc and the inflammation on the tendons and the insertions. Some ladies do fuse as well so do n't let anyone tell you otherwise!!!!

As for the future, well there's lot of things you can do for yourself and their are lots of meds. It's getting/doing what suites and works for you.

There is a diet called the Low/No Starch diet which works for some, you'll find it on the home page down on the left hand side. It really helped me for years and several have found the starch food group independently on elimination diets.

Oh and Welcome to KickAS......

Your mum sounds an interesting case, some here have not only the AS indicators in their blood but also the rheumotoid factor. AS for years was also called rheumotoid spondylitis.....

David