Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group I can't believe how many of you/us suffer

Welcome to KickAS!!

This is the place for information, fun, and friendship. I've had a "bad back" most of my life, but managed to deal with it until I hit 40. Tried every type of medication known to arthritis sufferers. I started Enbrel 3 months ago and it was like being reborn. The pain levels are down, and the stiffness is gone. You need to keep trying new things until you find something that works for you. And come here and ask questions. With a disease like AS, knowledge is power. Welcome again, and hope to get to know you better.

Hugs,

Cindy

Hi ya Bones!
Welcome to KickAS! You'll find some really fine people here that have terrific compassion and abundant humor! People that live everyday with this disease
and are strong and hang in there when the going gets tough. No wimps here,
thats for sure, their busy getting the most out of life they possibly can. By fightin AS with a passion.
I hope your doc finds you something to help you sleep better and get rid of your pain. I use Soma at night for muscle spasms, and I will be picking up a prescription this week for something to help me sleep from my Rheumy. When I see the name I'll let you know what its called. I to take the dreaded Vicodin and have the same complaint... feel like I'm tired and drugged, makes it hard to get things done. I think other folks here will probably have a few suggestions that will help about pain meds.
I hope you hang around, the jokes are good and there a lot of good friends to be made here.

Take Care,

Coleen Ann

Welcome to KickAS...you have a place for great info and support...DC

That's alright George, as I always say ... "Age before beauty"!

A warm welcome to you Bones (great username by the way )

Loz :)

Hi Bones

You have definatly arrived at a good place. I am new myself and finding this site has been such a relief. It feels so good to be amongst people who know exactly how this feels. Stick around.

Take Care

Maggie

Hi Bones:
Sorry to hear about another fine athletic bod taken over by the AS monster.
I'm 39 and healthy other than AS which started about a year and a half ago, but only diagnosed in January. I'm still pretty active and I feel lots better when I am active, so I try to exercise a lot. I'm on diclofenac (an old NSAID... Voltaren is the brand name) which has helped greatly. Also am on doxycylene and Azulfidine and my rheumy put me on a small 50mg dose of trazadone for sleep. I work fulltime as a nutrition consultant and I can't afford to NOT be able to think every day. I found that when I am sleeping better, the brain is much clearer. So do seek some help for your sleep problem.
The trazadone at first made waking up a little harder, but I soon adjusted and it's not so bad, especially if I can get myself off thecomputer and into bed ontime!
Good luck and welcome!
Darla

"Starting today, your kindness will lead you to success" from a recent fortune cookie

Bones,
I am one of those few people who think Kaiser is as good as any other group...my kids both have AS and one (my son, who is a profile of your comments...28 year old athlete...now father of two, who has been pretty much in denial until the pain has forced him to face this freaking monster) also has Kaiser. He is seeing a rheumatologist in Woodland Hills named Dr. Hurwitz. He has been on Vicodin and Indocin for a couple of years now, but Dr. H has actually suggested that it is time for him to consider using enbrel or remicade. I was surprised that Kaiser would consider paying for this expensive med...thought he would be the LAST guy on the block to have access to this treatment. I have watched both of my kids weave their way thru rheumatologists who know next to nothing about AS, and I actually think Dr.H has done his homework. If you are in the So Cal area, the Spondylitis Association of America is having a Walk a Thon at Balboa Park in Encino on June 9th. They have been a great help to our family and work very hard to keep the research funded, plus it should be a pretty fun day. You can get info at www.spondylitis.org or PM me. I am putting together a team (called the AS Kickers ô¿ô )for the event (walking is optional...the lake is small but the walk is more symbolic than it is necessary...it is about awareness and raising money for research.) My kids both have to get up early and get to work too...a tough way to start out the day when you hurt. I know that my daughter spends about half an hour in the tub before she does anything in the morning. Good luck.
VenturaCntySusan