I believe that the first signs of my AS began when I was a child and didn't have the energy other kids did for running about. Lack of energy has been the one constant in my disease progression.

First went to chiro for back pain at 15 - lower back I think that was. Knew by the time I was 18 how to use gentle traction to ease the pain at the base of my skull in the occiput/atlas area. That pain continues to this day (over 30 years) and there are very few things that make it stop.

My AS follows the classic, textbook case involving a ton of sciatic nerve issues at the beginning and multiple incidents of iritis. Not all women present differently, but I do believe that many of us are protected by the hormones that allow us to give birth. Certainly, my symptoms did not reach diagnosable until I was 38, when I finally had damage showing on x-ray - sacroiliac was starting to fuse (classic first sign).

Hope that helps.

Warm hugs,

Kat

A life lived in fear is a life half lived.
"Strictly Ballroom"