Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Friends and Family Support Group Hubby just diagnosed with AS... help.

P.S. Please tell your husband to not play around with iritis. It can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated.

All the best,

Craig

You know I doubted my diagnosis for 3 months. It is frankly a tough pill to swallow. My back and hips were not inflamed when I got my diagnosis, I really really wanted my doc to be wrong on this one. That was a couple of months ago, my back and hips hurt now. I even have a fusion in my lower back now. Go easy on your hubby. Give him time to wrap his mind around it. If he will, have him read around on this site to compare "notes" on symptoms.

Also, be hopeful and optimistic. 10 years ago there were zero medications on the market for ankylosing spondylitis. Today there are 5. The last two came out in this past year. So the scientists are hard at work developing meds to help us battle the AS monster. Will this Dx change his life? Yes. Will it take all the joy out of life, No. Since my Dx I get more rest, eat healthier, excercise more, and spend more time with my family. And I have 6000+ new friends to share the ups and downs of this disease with right here on KA!!

WELCOME Renee and family,

So glad you tuned in to this station Renee, cuz it rocks when it comes to the real deal.

What you will get here is straight talk and complete empathy. We get IT! So you ask or vent or whatever you need to do here to get thru this time.

I was dx at the age of 50, my daughter was dx at age 30. I am not going to sugar coat it - it really sucks . But it is do-able . We all have been thru the ringer as far as docs and meds and tests and txs-whew! And he will too, but just hang in there and just try not to get overwhelmed . One cannot wrap their minds around this disease for a while after dx. So just take it each step of the way and check in here often.

I am now on remicade, which is really helping, but it is imperative that he cuts out starchy foods. Don't go crazy at first cuz you don't want starch withdrawls but it will make a huge difference. Eventually he will not even miss them. It's a great mealplan for the whole family actually so it's something that you can get involved and support him with.

Like most diseases, it affects each one a little differently. With any luck, he will get good care and get started on good meds soon to assist his pain. And by the way, I would recommend staying away from NSAIDs as they can mess w/the tummy big time!

Stay positive and believe me if you don't have a good sense of humor now, get one! You will need it and it will save your sanity. This forum is great for that and I love it here. These spondys are incredible resources!

LOLuck and LOLove to you and yours. Keep us updated!

You are right, time and odds ARE on your side.I have two boys myself, a 2yr old and 3 month old. I really am sorry to hear that you are going through this diagnosis process while you have your new baby. So keep hopeful and just enjoy the time with your baby- it is a fantastic distraction for you both at this time. Regards, Emily

I was diagnosed with AS about 4 years ago. At first I thought it was from the extra weight I used to carry. But 1 day before work I fell and my back poped and I could hardly move. My wife took me to the chiropractor where he did x-rays and saw where there were no spaces in between my disks on the x-rays. He wanted to confir with another Dr. as he had his suspesion of it being AS. He called me in and my wife and myself sat down and he went over what he had found as I was suprised as to how much research he had put into this situation. I made an appointment with my Dr and I went for my visit. He told me that this was a situation not to mess with. As at the time I was fused from my tailbone to the base of my ribcage and 7 of the 5 in my neck were fused. He told me the BEST thing to fight this is to stay active and as mobile as possible. 4 years ago I had gastric bypass surgery since the operation I have droped over 250 lbs as I was well over 420 lbs the day of my surgery. I do feel alot better and more mobile and active. But as of Wed.(10-21) I found out I was fuseing again in my neck. The next step is more aggresive medication and to STAY active. It is a scarey disease and yes in severe cases it is disableing. But the 1 thing I keep telling myself no matter how bad I hurt is not to give up and keep going. So I know how your hubby feels with the extreme pain. I remember when I was fuseing it would bring tears to my eyes I was hurting so bad. But since the weight loose it does seem to help that I am carrying less weight as well.