Yesterday I received an arthritis magazine I subscribe to in the mail. I began my subscription years ago, when I was first diagnosed. Back then I looked anywhere I could to get more information on ankylosing spondylitis. I found limited amounts even on the web.
Eventually, I discontinued my magazine subscription for a period of time. This was mainly due to the magazine not having much information pertinent to my disease. At that time, it's articles were more focused on rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. However, my rheumatologist office usually has waiting room copies of this particular magazine. I would peruse it while waiting, I began to see more articles including AS. So I made the decision to resubscribe. It has some very informative articles that include ankylosing spondylitis. I am so pleased that newly diagnosed AS patients will have options for information that those of us diagnosed several years ago did not have.
The article I was reading last night spoke to the likely factors indicating if your disease will be mild or severe. It covered three inflammatory arthritis - Rheumatoid, Psoriatic, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. It also had indicators for osteoarthritis in a separate footbar.
Ankylosing Spondylitis likely milder disease prognosis:
Eventually, I discontinued my magazine subscription for a period of time. This was mainly due to the magazine not having much information pertinent to my disease. At that time, it's articles were more focused on rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. However, my rheumatologist office usually has waiting room copies of this particular magazine. I would peruse it while waiting, I began to see more articles including AS. So I made the decision to resubscribe. It has some very informative articles that include ankylosing spondylitis. I am so pleased that newly diagnosed AS patients will have options for information that those of us diagnosed several years ago did not have.
The article I was reading last night spoke to the likely factors indicating if your disease will be mild or severe. It covered three inflammatory arthritis - Rheumatoid, Psoriatic, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. It also had indicators for osteoarthritis in a separate footbar.
Ankylosing Spondylitis likely milder disease prognosis:
- female sex
- absence of hip arthritis or dactylitis (so-called "sausage" fingers or toes)
Ankylosing Spondylitis likely more severe disease prognosis:
- male sex
- early age at disease onset
- early development of hip arthritis
- high sed rate
- dactylitis
While the article goes on to state that these are not set in stone, they are indicators. It also states if you experience the more severe indicators you should do all you can to live a healthy lifestyle. In my opinion, that should be your approach in either scenario.
My personal life with AS has a majority of these indicators. I am female, have hip arthritis, have dactylitis, and consistently have a high sed rate. My prior sed rate had lessened to 41, which is still high, but better than 51 from three months prior.
So what am I going to do with this information? I am going to use it to help continue my motivation for exercise, weight loss, and healthier food choices. I hope each of you will use it to motivate you as well.
I sign off today feeling thankful for the spreading awareness of our disease. May my blog also help spread awareness. May it be a source of information for the newly diagnosed, as well as for us that's been in this fight for a while now.
Footnote: Sighting article notes from " Arthritis Today" March-April 2018 Page 28 What To Expect From Your Arthritis by Mary Anne Dunkin
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