Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Hello Kickers....want some good news?

Hello Kickers,

I haven't been back to this site for over a year....but I remembered a post I read once that lamented the fact that if Kickers got better, they left the site never to return. I got so much out of this site, that I couldn't forget. I had to come back and give you a progress report. Maybe my experience will help some of you.

For the past year I have been feeling better than ever. Never feeling perfectly healthy, but it is all relative. When you have suffered from the worst of pain and stiffness, you accept gratefully the days with less pain, and when you start stringing a few of those good days together and realize that maybe you could actually go on living, it becomes very encouraging.

I just posted in the AS Pharmacy forum, a description of my use of Effexor (an antidepressant) for pain management and control It has worked wonders for me when nothing else did.

You can read that post by following the link to my other posts.

I am not saying it will work for everyone, but discuss its use with your doctor. I was reluctant to try it, but it has continued to work for me for almost a full year. I have decreased the dose from 900mg per day to 75mg every other day, and the pain is still at a tolerable level, allowing me to do exercises, yard work and even to row again.

Just thought you all should know there is some hope,
Rowr

I take this for PMS....I call it my anti-b*tch pill....75 mg a day.

Seems to even things out pretty much, and I have had no side effects...

Nice to hear that you are doing so well. Hope that it keeps up for you.

Lori

Hey Rowr,

It's good to hear you have been doing so great. I was on Effexer for about 6 months and have been on about every anti-depressant that has been marketed since the early eighties. My problem is a combination of AS and Degerative Disc Disease so nothing has seemed to work. The surgeons are now even telling me there is nothing they can do.

It makes me happy to hear you got the relief you have gotten.

Have a good one,
Brent

I am glad it has done well for you...

I have been on Effexor 350mg a day for 6 years now, it's helps with my depression, but has never done anything for my pain control.

Lisa

Hey Rowr, glad to hear you're doing well. It's always encouraging when one of our own finds something that works!

Hugs,

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Ian

Well, I can stop taking them