Comments for Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis

Comment on Well Well, its been a while! by Chapps

Chapps — Mon, 03 May 2010 04:25:41 +0000

Man, your stories are sure familiar. I’ve been an athlete since I was a kid, and AS kicked in, the docs figure, when I was in my late teens or early 20′s. I called it my ‘bad back’, and it drove me to work out harder, because that made if feel better. Fast forward to my late 40′s, and it finally ground me into the dust. Horrible spinal and hip pain, and pain in just about every other joint, along with chronic iritis.

What a horrible waste of time! The formal diagnosis of AS was just given to me this year, but I suspected it four years ago. Three doctors later, I got to one of the best rheumatologists in Los Angeles, and he’s now got me on Remicade. My instructions to my doc were ‘I just want my life back’. Bumpy ride, but it seems to be working.

And getting on with life is what it’s all about, eh? Congrats on the marriage (mine was last year), and the best to ya!

Comment on Who tells the story of ankylosing spondylitis? by Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:14:05 +0000

Good point, John. But unless Cousins is exhumed, we won’t know for sure. If we don’t delete him maybe we’ll at least add an asterisk by his name as we go about “spring cleaning” the site in the next couple of weeks.

It is true that many experts these days are suspecting that he didn’t have AS. However (Tom), having lived through the “Norman Cousins” era, I know first hand that he frequently claimed that he and was said to have cured his “terminal” illness by laughter.

We know that AS is not, in itself, terminal — if that’s what he had. But no doubt, keeping a positive attitude helps — if you have the luxury of keeping a positive attitude. Not all of us can do that all the time. I sure can’t.

In any case, we’d really prefer that remarks on our Web site be positive and supportive of one another. We have enough other things bringing us down, don’t we? Like gravity?

Comment on Well Well, its been a while! by Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:02:22 +0000

Congratulations on your marriage, Kenny!

Comment on Who tells the story of ankylosing spondylitis? by Tom

Tom — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:28:08 +0000

Norman cousins didn’t claim to be able to cure AS with laughter, he said it reduces the symptoms of chronic pain, which is medically proven. Looks like you should give it a try, lighten up and it’ll help.

Comment on New AS injectable? by Chris Scott

Chris Scott — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:23:43 +0000

I have some friends that are using Simponi for early stage AS with good results. I use Enbrel, but am staying in touch with these people, and may be pushing my rheumy towards Simponi if for no other reason than its a once a month injection, not weekly.

Also some folks are having great results with Low Dose Naltrexone not an injection but another tool..

Comment on Who tells the story of ankylosing spondylitis? by John

John — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:40:36 +0000

Norman Cousins did not have AS, he had reactive arthritis. This is important to people with AS, because Cousins claimed to have been cured with laughter. AS is not curable, and so the Cousins-cured-by-laughter myth is insulting to us because it implies that it’s our fault we have this disease. Please delete Cousins from your list in order to avoid spreading the myth.

Comment on I haven’t got AS, AS has got Kenny by Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:36:38 +0000

Whoa! Are you sure those aren’t your eyes **after** playing Modern Warfare? I’m envious. (Of the game, not the eyes.) Seriously, do you have an ID tag that says your eyes might be dilated or constricted because of medication, in case you’re in an accident? The medics might need to know that.

As for me, my sons and I are playing Left4Dead right now every night until way past my bedtime. I don’t have AS or iritis, but I think my eyes are going to start looking like yours soon.

Comment on I went to the Dr’s Monday! by Larry Clontz (however you wana say it)

Larry Clontz (however you wana say it) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:10:12 +0000

Hey brian bud, I’m sorry to hear about your back. I was up late tonight and thinking of everyone on bA, fuse, etc. I have been out of the game, (and had mony hopefull but eventually failing) attempts at return. I really miss everyone and as I do not feel like I will be able to return soon, I would love to come watch you all play. I get that bug every week, and it will never leave. Unfortunatly life has takin ahold of me and I got those pretty little plastic cards to pay off. Hit me up and keep on livin it up brother. Lets hang out sometime I miss everyone.

Comment on I’m doing good… by Jane

Jane — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:26:41 +0000

Hi,
I am a 40 year old woman with AS – 3 males in my extended family also have this debilitating illness.
I’ve found the no starch diet particularly effective along with a joint formular that is basically cherry concentrate.
Most recently I came across a product called Pain Away that I just spray on my lower back, it’s short term but really effective for immediate relief and really helps me get up and do some excercise. I am of course taking NSAID’s but find these natural options a little gentler on my stomach.

Comment on I’m Back! 10th September 09 by Wendy Beckman

Wendy Beckman — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:06:48 +0000

I understand that password thing, Kenny! I need to post more often, myself, but I have to ask Brian my password every time. You haven’t seen him in person (yet!) but after about the 50th time he’s gotten quite exasperated at me, I think, from the looks he’s giving me.

We had an AJAS Board meeting last night and are talking about having an Ankylosing Spondylitis conference here in Cincinnati around 2011, so maybe in your travels, you can plan to come stateside! I’d love to meet you, face to face!

Wendy
AJAS Communication Director
(Yes, I know it’s pitiful that the Communication Director is password-impaired, but what are you going to do?)