It's Not Working: Dealing With Treatment Disappointment“Try this, it will totally change your life!” “This amazing drug is now over the counter, I use it every day!” “All I need is 100mg of this and I'm... By Jed Finley4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
How I Incorporate the Topic of AS into My College WorkI am a student studying Social Care Work. If you’ve read my article AS Doesn’t Give a Damn About College Deadlines or if you are a student, you will know... By Ali Long2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Blinded by ASAnkylosing spondylitis diagnoses can take years to find, and they usually come after a ton of pain and unexplained symptoms with a search for doctors that will take you seriously... By Ashley Nemeth2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
My First COVID-19 VaccineI was sitting in my friend's garden, socially distant when I received the text on Friday the 23rd of April saying that my consultant had registered me for my vaccine. I was due to have it on Wednesday the 28th of April. I was ecstatic. I was very shocked... By Ali Long2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Switching From a Biologic to a BiosimilarI began my first biologic treatment, Humira, just over a year ago. After 11 months, I had a follow-up appointment with my rheumatologist’s office. My prescription expired after one year... By Jamie Shinkewski2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
A Mental Health Flare-Up KitDuring a flare-up, we all have our tools and assistive devices to make things better. From a walker to a cane to a showering chair, we try to keep up... By Lisa Marie Basile3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments15 comments
I Experience Ableism When I Use My Mobility AidsI’ve been using my mobility aids (mostly my walker) more and more the past few months. Over the course of the pandemic, my chronic fatigue has gotten worse, so I... By Steff Di Pardo3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
How I Use Medical Cannabis to Manage AxSpaI have been suffering from not only axial spondyloarthritis, but with other conditions that cause inflammation in the body. I have spent the past decade in and out of hospital... By Jes Hojsan2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
An Open Letter to Able-Bodied IndividualsDear able-bodied individuals, If you lived in my shoes for just one day, you would understand—the trauma, the sacrifices I have to make, the constant pressure to perform more abled... By Sarah Lee2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Life Lessons from 17 Years of IllnessI’ve had many different chapters in my life—I was diagnosed with AS when I was nine—and I was incredibly ill until I was 16. I spent the next eight years... By Sarah Lee2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
An Unrealistic Outlook on ExerciseIn the past year, I have gained unwanted weight. This is due to a lack of mobility and medication. I was pretty much bed-bound for three months, while on steroids for 5 months... By Ali Long3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments15 comments
I Was Wrong About ArthritisI was wrong about arthritis before. I was wrong about who arthritis affects. I thought it was an affliction of the elderly, a nuisance I might encounter as I age... By Cassia Pelton2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Tuning Into Self-Worth While Chronically IllA lot of the time when I'm speaking to people with AS (and other chronic pain conditions), they mention that their disease has made them feel worthless. This always breaks... By Lisa Marie Basile2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
I Tried TENS For PainTENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This is a fancy way of describing mild zaps of electricity being sent through the skin to disrupt pain sensations. It's important to discuss... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Everyday Thoughts and My Chronic IllnessWhen it can affect every aspect of your day-to-day life, there’s no forgetting about a chronic illness. After I was first diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, I had trouble plugging the... By Jessica Gama4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
How I Sleep Better With ArthritisMy best days go full circle, with a natural flow from activity, rest, more activity, relaxation, and then sleep. I begin and end the day with a quiet spiritual practice... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
My nr-AxSpa Biologic Journey: Part OneSince being diagnosed with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis in 2018, I have tried four separate biologics at various times. I am telling you about my experience with these biologics not to... By Pamela White3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
A Brutally Honest Shingles FAQI've learned that a lot of people in the ankylosing spondylitis community have experienced the incredibly disgusting, horribly painful, grossly unattractive plague that is shingles. So have I. And so... By Lisa Marie Basile3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
My Achilles Heel Is Literally My Achilles HeelAn aspect of AS that is often overlooked is foot pain. AS can cause a lot of pain in the foot, especially the heel. One of the symptoms I did... By Anna Samson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments19 comments
Grief, Arthritis, and Applying for DisabilityI grieve for myself. I should say my former self. I no longer grieve the event that caused the grief (that ship has sailed). Instead, I grieve my suffering. What... By Lawrence Rick Phillips4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments23 comments