Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group How mny people with as actually fuse?

Bob

I know what you mean about eating soup and things like that. You spend more time wiping your self of than you get enjoying the soup. Now I use a very large mug and drink the soup and then just eat the big parts with a spoon. I scoop them into my mouth so I don't make such a mess. I also learned never to order certain things when going out to eat.

John

Hey George,

My doctor's reports show I had a history of heart mumors just prior to having the MI or heart attack. I had never had a heart mumor before the last few years. My cardiologist is the only doctor I don't have copies of the complete report on yet. Give me a week or so and I'll have it though and the answers.

When I asked if the MI was due to AS he said what is AS.

Have a good one,
Brent

John,

I too have adapted to using mugs as well. I have even gone as far in a restaurant to order a bowl and asking them to put it in 2 mugs! LOL

Here is to those who keep their chins up even though they cant!!

Bob



Got an itch? Scratch it!! Scratchboard Art by R. Berendt

Hey Bob,

I love it when people like us can laugh at some of the restrictions we have been dealt with. Life would be a real hell if we took everything seriously.

Yes, for sure, life is good. Without it, you're dead.

George

My Cardiologist says that there is a definate correlation between heart valve deterioration and AS and the atrial valves are the most suspect. In my case, I have had an ever increasing mitral valve noise that is now bordering on severe.

Because of my age, I am not in a good position regarding a valve replacement surgery. My valves may still not be bad enough to warrent surgery right away but if they continue to worsen, I run the risk that I will reach an age where they would take me off the list of being a suitable candidate for valve replacement.

I don't really want the valves to get worse but on the other hand, I do.

George

You're so right Steve...not anything better than being old (older anyway) and being able to get away with being silly. It's a way to stay young forever.

I just found out today that my grandson's calander has a day of the week named after me...His calander says "monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, grammaday and sunday. Nothing better than that!


Hugs,
Lisa

Try what I do every day, actually several times a day. When I am sitting on my recliner and reading the paper, I do my head exercises by forcing my head to move as far to the right and then to the left for 5 minutes or so. Then I do the same for the vertical movement.

I just let my neck muscles do the work. I don't force the head in any direction by twisting with my arms.. Over the last few years, I am getting more movement than I had previously.

Sometimes, as I do the exercise, I hear a crackling noise in my neck which I am sure is because I am stopping the fusing by the extra movement. If I keep this up every day, I may be able to see an airplane fly overhead rather than just hear it fly past. And if I am sitting down on a log at the beach, I want to be able to scan the beautiful blonds as they walk by in their bikinis. Now how is that for a good reason?

George

Hi Steve,
I was very active most of my life and in great shape also, or so I thought. I blamed my soreness that I experienced for so many years on my active lifestyle. AS hit me hard in my early 30's and come to find out I had had it since a teenager. About 5 years after my diagnosis I ended up in a wheelchair, because it was so aggressive.
Granted I still try to walk and do things, but the pain and stiffness has me limited.
According to my doc, my sternum and most of my ribs are fused, my mid back and right now my SI's and hips are in the process. Some of the fusing seemed to go quick, but other areas take their sweet time. When I was a teenager I dealt with costochondiritis (inflammation of the sternum and ribs) on and off and nobody knew what was causing it. Come to find out it was the AS. So it took all that time up until now for the fusing to happen.
I do know I would much rather deal with the pain of the stiffness after the fusing than the pain caused by the inflammation.

Like everyone has said here...everyone is different and some go years of having pain and still don't fuse. Others fuse really quick with only a short amount of time in pain.
Point being...it's hard to say if you're going to fuse or not. Hopefully you don't and you continue to be as fortunate as you have up until now.

Hugs,
Lisa

Hi Steve,
I am 47 year old female with AS. My back is fused from my wasit down to tail bone. It is fusing in my jaws and hurting very bad in fingers, wrists, and legs. I just hope to be able to use my hands and be able to walk when this is finished fusing. This is so scary.
Rebecca

It sounds like fun -- times three!! I know that my favorite times with my kids is when we're being silly together.

Blessings! Paula