How to Care for the Caregiver...“But honey, what can we do to help you?” It’s a question that echoes in my head from time to time. It’s a question I remember my mom asking while...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How Changing My Diet Sent My AS Into Remission...Editor's note: Please check with trusted doctor, dietician, and/or healthcare provider before beginning any significant dietary changes. In early 2017, dissatisfied with the superficial nature of pain medication, I sought...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How do you support yourself during the flare? ...Often I am very hard on myself during a flare. I realize now that I shouldn't be. I need to be kind to myself and my body. I need to...Reactions0reactionsComments14 repliesTips & AdviceFlare ManagementCoping
How to get an AS diagnosis?...My 18 year old son has had AS symptoms, on and off, since he was 14. Debilitating pain that has affected his life greatly. Both of my brothers have been...Reactions0reactionsComments9 repliesTips & AdviceSymptomsDiagnosis
Night sweats...Night sweats is a new symptom for me. Does anyone else experience this with flares? Thanks!...Reactions0reactionsComments1 repliesFlares
Describe AxSpa in 3 words...I'll start: Unpredictable painful flares...Reactions0reactionsComments3 repliesAwarenessCommunity SupportVenting
It's a new month! ...For me, January was an awful month. I had a big flare-up that lasted weeks. Now that I've come out of that flare-up it's time to work on me. I...Reactions0reactionsComments6 repliesFatigue Flares Coping
Taking Risks as a Chronically Ill Person...As a sick and disabled person, it isn’t very often that I actually get to take risks or even have the choice to. I recently took a road trip with...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
I Have No Clue What I’m Doing with My Life...I know, I know-—none of us really know what we’re doing with our lives. The majority of the world is just fumbling around hoping that everything works out for the...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Movement Is Medicine: My Strongest Tool Against Symptoms...Movement has played – and still does – a huge role on my healing journey. If I don’t move daily, my body is very quick to send signals of stiffness...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
New Year's Resolution: AxSpA Edition...My resolution this year is two-fold: to be kinder to myself and let go of expectations. Oftentimes I am very hard on myself. This was true before I got AS...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Advocates Sharing With Advocates: James Interviews René...If you read the first part of my conversation with advocate René Agterhof, you will have realized what a truly inspirational man he is. He is also full of surprises...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
My Pain Brought Me To Tears...Many days we as chronic pain patients are able to endure pain. I have had days where I have been at a number 10, if I was to give my...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
United We Stand...Today we live in a world where a lot of people have an opinion. At times those free-floating thoughts are insensitive, and other times they can be really helpful. One...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
When it Comes to Pain, How Much is Too Much?...As a health coach who specializes in axial spondyloarthritis I often find myself talking with people about their experience of pain. Unsurprisingly, it’s the most common topic that comes up...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
My Fight...I have always been a fighter from the day I was born. I was born addicted to heroin from my biological mother's abuse during her pregnancy with me. Strangely I...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Debunking Able-Bodied Individuals Observations of Being Housebound...So many times we hear about how able-bodied people glorify being homebound. We hear things such as “It must be so nice to be able to relax all the time!”...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Combatting Chronic Fatigue: 4 Ways to Cope with Physical Symptoms...Aside from the general knowledge of being absolutely exhausted all of the time, chronic fatigue is more than just feeling tired. In my personal experience it has brought on many...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
My Experience With Accessible Transportation Services...There is an accessible transportation service in Ontario called TransHelp. Many disabled and elderly people use it. For a reduced fair, eligible people can receive personalized door-to-door transportation. As someone...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Tanning beds - does anyone else have experience with them?...Yes, I'm well aware that they are not recommended. I have no intention to convince someone that this helps. However, after really struggling for the past few months, I was...Reactions0reactionsComments3 repliesAlternative TreatmentDepressionFatigue