Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group I am new to this site and to AS, and Im not coping

HI and welcome Aussiegirl (from another ex-Banana Bender)

I had Sever's Disease (in the heels) and my now 14 yo son had it when he was 10-11 y.o too. Some days when he gets up off the couch he staggers a bit and when I questioned him he said "I feel a bit stiff" so I worry about him too.

It's up to you if you get him tested for the HLA B27 marker. If he was shown to have it, there's no guarantee that he will get AS, but it certainly increases his chances... I would just keep him away from water and ice cream for the time being! Seriously though, if he happened to need a blood test for anything else, I might be tempted to ask to have a HLA B27 done as well. That way you can keep a closer eye on him, and a diagnosis could be made much earlier and he might not end up in the sort of state that you (and I) are in now...

I do the NSD and I know it would be hard for my carb-loving growing teen, but the choice is simple - terrible pain or a restrictive diet - a No-Brainer for me *most days* (never easy, though...)

What part of wet Queensland do you live in?

Louise