Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Does anyone have a physical demanding job?

Hello all, I'm new to this site, and was wondering if anyone has or had a physical demanding job, and how has AS played a role in their career? I've been a firefighter for the last twelve years and would like to do another 14 before retirement. Back and neck problems are no good in my line of work so they are usually kept quiet from administration and the city, so its tuff to reach out to other firefighters on this subject. Any input would be great. Thanks Joe.

Joe,
Thank you for what you do!

Welcome to KA, I think you'll find lots of support and information here. My job is not physically demanding so I can't address that issue, just wanted to welcome you to our family.

Hey Joe,

Chris, (fyrfytr) is a former firefighter, I think he's the only other one here.

I USED to have a physically demanding job (I was a stable manager and horse trainer) until the AS took that away from me. Then I waitressed for a couple years, till the AS took that away too. Now I'm a flippin desk jockey and the AS is taking THAT, too, because my hads are going bad. I'm trying to go to school but it's very difficult because I can't really take notes, and I can't take art classes, but I'm an art major, and yeah it's all very awful. I can't think of anything else I want to do, other than agriculture or art, and I'm totally stumped. I still live on the family farmette and it's going downhill fast. I feel awful.

So basically, I used to work cows, break horses and run a 30-horse operation, rodeo, as well as being a hunting guide, fisherwoman, and houndswoman, plus lifting weights at the gym . . . and now I'm a flabby couch potato who gets exhausted from feeding the chickens and can't bend down far enough to collect the eggs. I'm appealing for Disability right now, and working 30 hours a week in an office, which I despise.

AS has totally screwed me over, career-wise. And identity-wise. Being a disabled has-been at 23 wasn't my childhood dream, y'know? I honestly can't think of any wonderful advice at the moment, except maybe to say don't give up on anything until you absolutely physically can't do it anymore (I can no longer get my leg over a horse). Then at least you won't beat yourself up about it so much later ("I gave up too early, I could've played tennis for another 5 years, and now I'll never be able to again . . .").

grr I've just totally depressed myself again . . . *sigh* but in my NEXT life, I'm sure I'll be healthy, fat, and ugly . . . lol

Send fyrfytr a PM, I know he struggled with the whole thing, having to quit the physical work. There are a ton of us here who started out super-active. Sometimes I think the only reason I WAS super-active was because the AS made me want to live every day to its fullest, because I knew I wouldn't be able to forever. the AS started when I was 10 years old, but I didn't have a dx till age 21. Maybe I wanted to prove myself, too. Being a crippled kid is tough.

sorry I'm such a downer today . . . I'm in a mini-flare, I apologize. I'm usually much more cheerful than this (and this is a tough subject for me).

Welcome to KickAS, it's an awesome place (when Bridget isn't being depressed . . . lol)

,
Bridget

Hey Joe,

Thanks for the work you do. I used to be in construction management as an estimator, a superintendent and a project manager. While most of the job is mentally stressful there was also a lot of physical stuff I had to do. On bad days when my AS was active I had a lot of problems getting into small tight restricted areas crawling in a prone position. Every time I would start to move my ribs and back would cramp up making me stay there for a few moments before going any futher. I finally had to give it up after the stress gone to be so bad I stayed in a constant flare. I had both AS and mechanical back problems now having 11 ruptured discs with spinal cord compression so it was a combination of things for me to make the decision I did.

I think you have and will continue to play it by ear and your body will tell you when and if you will have to give it up. AS progresses differently in each patient who has and the timing of the flares are different. All I can say is to be careful working out and in doing your job.

Good luck,
Brent

big hug, bridget! I'm an ex farm super-girl, trying to be a sailor & artist bale-slinging woman brought down to not being able to weed my garden and had to stop some creative things too ..... very frustrating. and depressing.

Know that God can still use you and you just have to find a different place & a different path that is not so rocky and has lots of rest stops on the way!!! It's ok to be weak ... physically. know that your mental strength will compensate!

I'm now 'just a mom' to 5 kiddos that is sometimes physically demanding, but the older ones are starting to be helpers so I can take it easy on occasion....!

JoeA - used to be a auto//truck mechanic and snow ski professional - AS dx helped me decide to go back to school at 29 and get a techie job - it is the only way I can continue to work!

Brian

i'm a mom too and i believe my job is physically demanding. i have a 3 yr old who is nightime toilet training, and a 7 month old who weighs about 20 pounds and can't walk or crawl much and can't bear to have me out of her sight. i guess it's not the same as being a firefighter but its tough coz its 24/7.

the way the pain affects me is that i get frustrated easily, grouchy, irritable, its hard for me when the older one makes a lot of messes or when the lil one wants to b picked up all the time. i'm sure not the mom i pictured myself being. i thought i would b very active and playful with my kids becoz i was young but i'm no more active than the average 30 yr old mom.

I was a Driving Examiner for 13 years (despite having AS) and had to give up on medical advice four years ago. Being a Civil Servant they did find me alternative work that was office based but I found this to be even more troublesome as I had to travel long distance by public transport and try to sit at a desk, which I found impossible.

Try to keep active doing the recommended excersises, and watch your weight and you may have many more years of work ahead of you.

It really is down to how you manage your condition yourself.

Dobsy

Alan,

I was in the military and had to cut back first on sport then more and more things eventually even desk jobs were hell and over the last 5 years even part time was hell.

Manual work was ok sometimes in between episodes but these days it's a full time disease and just looking after myself is dodgy.

As patients with manual labour employment do n't do well, it's a statistic in alot of the research papers on AS.

We are all different but if you plan ahead a bit more maybe you'll reach retirement, but if it goes bad then you will need good health insurance and an income is a good thing as well. With AS you have to look at the activities you are doing and how they affect you.

AS is basically enthesitis, inflammation of where the muscles tendons ligaments join the bone, so heavy work,. injuries etc stir it up.

Dave

PS Welconme to KickAS

Just wanted to say hi and welcome and thank you for doing your job!!! I cant help with the demanding job, I sit at a desk all day. I did have to give up my physically demanding sports and stuff, just cant do it anymore. I used to race with my boyfriend on our catamaran and run 25 miles or so a week but no more ... Anyway, welcome...

Angie