Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group AS Patient under methotrexate for 7 years now.

Hi Everyone,

Advanced Merry Christmas!! I am Lui and I was diagnosed with AS in 2007. My symptom initially started in the right sacro iliac and later on to the ankles, knees and back. I had minor flarings too in my shoulder.. Upon diagnosis , i was given methotrexate 2.5mg x 5 a week. I think methotrexate has reacted very well because i have been using it for 7 years now and I have only experienced some flare ups for like 50x only during those years.

I have observed that most of you guys are under the biological treatment already? My doctor actually did not recommend it since im coping well with methotrexate (2.5mg x 3 for the last 5yrs i think) i live in the philippines and the biological option is not cheap. I am however migrating to the us in january so biological could be an option. I am getting married and heard that methotrexate has side effects if we plan to make a baby.

Anyone on methotrexate here? And i learned about the NSD and im very much willing to try it. Anyone here who quit the biological treatment and went NSD and has been very succesfull?

Thanks! I hope you can help me start somewhere if there are links that i can read.

I tried methotrexate but it gave me death headaches so I had to stop. We lived in the Philippines for a few years ago. My third son was born there. I did not know I had AS then, only had the beginnings of it. By the time I was able to go to a rheumatologist, I was so bad off, he got me on biological a week later. It hasn't been a miracle for me. Helped some. I've been off it for a month because I had to get new insurance and the new one doesn't want to pay.

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for your feedback. Great to hear that you once lived here. How are you now? So you started the biological treatment already? Im still in methotrexate for 7years now and it has reacted well accdg to my doctor. But last night have flares so i took pain relievers today.

I plan to do the nsd and im hoping for the best. Are people here who took nsd did the biological still? I want to take things naturally without drugs as i believe diet plays a major role to beat this disease

The biologic option isn't cheap here either and many are unable to get it. I was getting it for free through the abbvie foundation but then we moved and got insurance and the insurance is fighting paying.
I am on the NSD diet though I don't do it perfectly. It really helped a lot when I fasted for two days and then did the diet. I felt great! I've cheated the last few days because I've had a sick starch and craved comfort food. But I'm back on it today. As others will tell you, it isn't a race or competition. It's an experiment to find what works for each individual. I was on hydrocodone for a while. At first it helped but then I think it actually aggravated the problem. Now I take the occasional tylenol and am doing ok. Not great but ok.
My family and I lived in Mindanao for a while, then south Manila, then, negros.

Hi Amanda,

I see.. Do you have any idea for people here who initially used biological but stopped it for nsd and turned out great?

Also, i have read here that some fasted just like you for 2days before starting the nsd. May i know the purpose of that? Is there a link I can read regarding those topics?

I really want to stop taking methotrexate which is my only medicine since my wofe and I have plans to have a baby. Biological treatment is actually my last priority. If the nsd works then that would be better. As far as I understand my body, i guess i can do lsd for a while and see the results. I have been ALMOST pain free for the past 7 years with some episodal pains not watching my diet and only under methotrexate of medication.