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Ankylosing Spondylitis


Guest finallyfree09

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Guest finallyfree09

it's something like RA i guess. its a type of arthritis that attcks the spine.

I have no insurance so i can't get any medication to stop the disease's progress right now. i was just wondering if there might be anyone out there reading this that might know a few tricks... diet changes, excercise, whatever ya got that might help with the symptoms.

 

also... what strains do you find that work best for you?

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I have several back issues. you should always consult a medical professional, and i am NOT one. but, i find that stretching helps me tremendously. i notice a marked difference when i do not stretch. If i can walk or even jog at times, i will. Get shoes with good support as well, if you haven't already. then, go and find yourself a nice Indica dominant hybrid and medicate!

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My wife has Ankylosing Spondylitis and she likes my topical Canna oil rubbed on her back several times a day. It helps her cope with the pain

 

 

PURE BLISS Topical Penatrating Oil

 

The recipe I share with other CG's and freely give to anyone that needs the oil is.

 

1. 1 Cup Olive oil

 

2. 1 oz. Osha root (Bear root, Ocha root, many names for it) ground or chopped up and soaked

in the olive oil (in a canning jar) for at least 30 days shaken twice a day. Low heat may help to speed the extraction process. Strain the oil with a coffee filter (Osha root can be found on ebay)

 

3. Add 1/4 oz. bud or 1 oz. sugar trim ground or chopped up to the oil and simmer in a double boiler for 90 minutes. Strain the oil from the cannabis with a coffee filter and save.

 

4. Add a 1/2 t. or 2.5 ml Clary sage oil. (ebay)

 

5. Optional add Myrrh oil. You can use anywhere from 1/2 t. to 1 T. or 2.5 - 15 ml. It's expensive. (ebay)

 

That's it simple and effective, for about 80% of people. "NOT Pregnant women though. It needs testing"

 

 

 

OSHA root whole( Ligusticum Porter) organic. The origin is from Egypt. Common names: Bear Root, Mountain Ginseng, Nipo, Indian Root, Empress Of The Dark Forest, Bear Medicine, Wild Lovage, Porters Lovage, Mountain Carrot, Colorado Cough Root, Chuchupati., Wild Parsley. Qualities & Properties: Boosts immune function and aids digestion. Chewing the root raw soothes sore throat and gum irritation. A tea of the boiled root loosens phlegm and combats viral colds and flu. Powdered osha root is used to make a soothing cough syrup. Leading herbalists say that osha root tea, or a stronger thick boiled decoction, can be used like echinacea for the treatment of respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throat, and typical upper respiratory congestion. Contains various properties which make it both antibacterial and antiviral, therefore useful for a wide variety of infections including herpes, sore throats, colds, flu, and as a bronchial expectorant.

Osha contains a volatile oil as well as an alkaloid, sterols, and saponins. Which components are most responsible for its therapeutic effects has yet to be determined, although one of the major ingredients is thought to be a lactone called ligustilide. Studies done on other Ligusticum species suggest that ligustilide has anti-asthmatic action. Chemists at Colorado State University recently determined that ligustilide has broad biological activity, including anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. WARNING: Not to be used during pregnancy.

 

I hope this helps you out. Peace rbuck

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My wife also take's Embrel (the generic version of Humera)in a shot once a week or 4 times a month, it weakens her immune system a bit but it gives her some relief from the pain. Our Co-pay is a little over $100 a month for it.

 

Without insurance it's around $1,400.00 a month. But I believe the maker will reduce the cost depending on your income if it works for you and you don't have insurance.

 

They put her on Humera first and it was like $4,200.00 a month with no insurance. But our insurance company moved her to the Embrel as it was just as effective but much cheaper.

 

It's a progressive disease and it just keeps getting worse over time, as you probably already know.

 

Good Luck rbuck

Edited by rbuck1501
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Guest finallyfree09

Thanks for the advice everybody. As far as jogging goes its to late for that as I can no longer do more than a slow walk. No speedy movements here.

 

I've apparently had this a long time which explains a lot of things to me when I think back on the last 15 yrs. My chiropractor caught it in an xray and thought it was cancer so he sent it to a specialist. Turned out to be AS. But they didn't tell me that. They said I had some calcium buildup and some arthritis and there was no need to worry. Regular dr said same thing. 2 yrs later I am preparing to file for disability. Just seems to be progressing very fast.

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My wife also take's Embrel (the generic version of Humera)in a shot once a week or 4 times a month, it weakens her immune system a bit but it gives her some relief from the pain. Our Co-pay is a little over $100 a month for it.

 

Without insurance it's around $1,400.00 a month. But I believe the maker will reduce the cost depending on your income if it works for you and you don't have insurance.

 

They put her on Humera first and it was like $4,200.00 a month with no insurance. But our insurance company moved her to the Embrel as it was just as effective but much cheaper.

 

It's a progressive disease and it just keeps getting worse over time, as you probably already know.

 

Good Luck rbuck

 

 

 

rbuck, does the Embrel help your wife with fatigue?

 

People on RAliving suggested tart cherry juice (8 oz. a day) and it does relieve some of the pain.

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Hi, AK is an auto immune disease and you do need to be followed by a doctor.

 

Enbrel is NOT the generic to humira. The are both TNF alpha inhibitors but they are made with different proteins and are two different medications used to treat many of the same illnesses. Remicade is also in the Biological TNF inhibitor category but is given by IV over several hours. I have been on them all.

 

I have sarcoidosis. It took them 8 years to figure that out. I was incorrectly diagnosed many times by many doctors. AK was one such dx.

 

It can be a progressive and devastating disease. Do you qualify for any state insurance so you can continue to be seen by a doctor?

 

Cannabis actually has TNF inhibitor properties to it, which is what the biological drugs mentioned above do. However, my research has found that in order for cannabis to function as a TNF inhibitor, the dosage needs to be very precise. Finding research in this area has been very difficult.

 

My hubby makes a very concentrate form of hash which we than put into capsules and I use those for pain relief and I am hoping the stronger concentrate will help with my systemic disease. I also vaporize daily. I find strawberry cream is my favorite day time sativa, leaves me happy and clear headed. I like a good indica with some bubble hash mixed in for night time. I like whiteberry and purple kush right now.

 

You should consider a regime of CBD capsules to help with the inflammation. Here is how we make them:

How to Make Activated CBD Capsules

 

Introduction

These capsules are very helpful for medical marijuana patients

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You'll Need

 

* Coffee grinder used exclusively for cannabis

* Marijuana leaves/shake

* Cap-M-Quik capsule maker for Capsule Size 00

* Size 00 gelatin or vegetarian capsules

*OPTIONAL food processor

*OPTIONAL wire mesh collindar

 

Step One

1. Preheat oven to 220F in BAKE mode and let the temperature stabilize. It is important to make sure your oven is at the proper temperature before adding the cannabis.

 

WARNING: If the oven gets too hot, you will vaporize your cannabis, which removes the medicine, so keep it below 250F always. If you are not sure about your oven temperature, then you can put an oven thermometer in a dish and check.

 

2. Dry cannabis thoroughly before grinding – a paper bag works fine. A tip is to use leaf/trim/shake or immature/harsh bud for capsules and save good bud for vaporizing.

 

4. Remove stems and veins. These can cause stomach upset. Pulverize cannabis to dust in a coffee bean grinder used specifically for cannabis. You can put about .4 gram in a double 0 (00) capsule. Some think pulverizing to dust may improve digestion particularly in persons with irritable bowel or malabsorption problems.

 

5. Transfer the dust to an oven-worthy dish like a casserole dish with or without cover. Rake the cannabis dust with a fork to get it evenly distributed on the bottom of the dish to improve heat distribution.

 

Step Two

6. In the pre-heated to 220F oven, place the cannabis for 20 minutes. Sources say 10 minutes at 210 to 220F will decarboxylate or remove the carbon dioxide from the raw cannabis or leaf.

 

7. While the cannabis is activating, set up your capsule rack. I use one from www.cap-m-quik.com. They are sold at health food stores where natural herbal medicine is offered. The vegetarian capsules work fine because there is no oil. Some experience belching or bad aftertaste with capsules that contain oil.

 

Step Three

8. Be sure to allow the cannabis to cool thoroughly before putting into capsules. Make the capsules as directed by the instructions included in your capsule rack. Use the tamping tool and pack to raise the amount of cannabis contained in the 00 capsule from about .2 grams to .4 grams. The finer you grind the cannabis, the more you can pack into the capsule.

 

9. The ideal dose will depend on the quality of the cannabis. It is always easier to add more medicine than it is to take it out once you swallow it, so “start low and go slow”. An average dose might be one or two capsules every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain or spasm. They work faster and better if taken on an empty stomach with a full glass of water.

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Guest finallyfree09

i do qualify for some things now, maybe, as my business is falling apart and i don't make a 1/4 of what i did 3 years ago. i just can't go on any more. i came to that realization 4 days ago. my run is over. i can barely walk unless i have smoked a hogleg of the best green i can get my hands on. eating it seems to help a LOT more than smoking but i can't produce enough for myself yet it seems. i really don't know what is worse... the pain and inability to move, or the lethargy. i barely have enough energy to walk out to my garage and medicate.

 

anybody here ever file for disability with as being the cause? I'm filing very soon and want to know how far along with the disease were you when you filed and what kind of success you had. i'm pretty sure i will get it. all i know is that I AM DONE. i can't do this any more. i cant work. i am so distraught that i can barely contain myself.

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What area are you in? We have a very good disability attorney who comes to our public cc meetings and is happy to speak with patients about disability issues. I can get you his number if you like.

 

I find eating hash to be the most effective at pain relief. Not too much fights the fatigue though. You have to balance rest with activity. Too much or not enough of either, can definitely make things worse.

 

I highly suggest you try your hand at growing. The gardening is therapeutic both physically and mentally for me!

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  • 3 months later...

I have Ankylosing Spondilits. Three things have helped.

 

First finding the item(s) in my diet that were causing flairs. A food journal revealed that I can not eat potato without flaring. Apparently, potato is of the nightshade family and has long been associated with AS. Check out the London AS diet for more information.

 

Second, I had hydrotherapy. The therapy increased my range of motion... and sometimes it hurt, but, I was better the next day.

 

Third, I started eating cannabis every night before bed. Cannabis helped me to get to sleep, helped me stay asleep by relaxing my overactive bladder and I woke up without the pain and stiffness that had become my lot. Also, it reduced greatly the asthma attacks that had been plaguing me from prescribed overuse of Ibuprofen (known to cause asthma attacks) and a mold allergy (anti-allergen). Further, my bowels move better than before the cannabis and I am no longer fighting fatigue from lack of iron. Amazing... wish I had tried it sooner. I was never a recreational user.

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well if you can go see a ra do so me i have spondyloarthrthropathy it can hit every were as i do not have any joints left in my toes any more i look like a rusted out car they had me on methotrexate but all it did was make me sick as far as Enbrel or Humera did not get a chance to try as my insurance would not cover it they did not want to pay the 1300 a shot every week, and the docs around here would not give me any thing for pain that is why i do herb meds yes i could have killed pain with beer but i did that befor for pain but that was the bad way to deal with it i have had spondyloarthrthropathy snice age 24 and now it just hurts to even get out of bed 4 hours of sleep a night well i do hope you find some thing that will help you with your ra, every one have a great day

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Guest Happy Guy

I have Ankylosing Spondilits.

The things that have helped me the most are Enbrel, the treadmill, and vaping cannabis oil at night to help with the morning stiffness and pain. Also, a pliable mattress and a lot of position changes during the night helps. You will find that sleeping for about an hour at a time with a flip-flop will help you more than staying in the same spot for hours. Sounds crazy but that was one of my first breakthroughs.

Sleeping position, STRETCHING and exercise on the treadmill, enbrel and cannabis. That's what makes me a functional member of society with this disease.

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Guest Happy Guy

A lot of people have hip pain that is really the SI joints fusing. It's one of the first things that happen with AS. The thing about this disease is that it is so often mis diagnosed because a lot of the symptoms are just like other things that are more common. A blood test for high inflammation along with one for the genetic marker are key to getting going in the right direction. My inflammation levels, blood test sed rate, were always really high until I started enbrel. I have used cannabis for decades to help myself before I was even diagnosed. It wasn't enough on it's own and I needed enbrel.

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Third, I started eating cannabis every night before bed. Cannabis helped me to get to sleep, helped me stay asleep by relaxing my overactive bladder and I woke up without the pain and stiffness that had become my lot. Also, it reduced greatly the asthma attacks that had been plaguing me from prescribed overuse of Ibuprofen (known to cause asthma attacks) and a mold allergy (anti-allergen). Further, my bowels move better than before the cannabis and I am no longer fighting fatigue from lack of iron. Amazing... wish I had tried it sooner. I was never a recreational user.

 

 

I don't have AK but another Autoimmune dissease, Scleroderma, and a Herniated disk & other degenerating disks in back causing pain. Eating medicated bread at night really helps with my pain at night too - I stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling more rested. Also it makes me more regular. I'm not sure if that's from the cannabis, or the other ingredients in the bread(whole wheat flour, applesauce).

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Why do so many of the treatments to Ankylosing Spondylitis lead to constipation? Iron pills and painkillers.

 

I have had at least a 43 year battle with constipation... and no natural method had ever worked before. My parents fed me "roughage" as a child and made me drink a lot of water. It did not work. In my teens I was addicted to laxatives. Getting off them was tough. Having three children led to hemorrhoids and fissures.

 

December 24, 2010 my life changed. I tried cannabis. Eating it works!

 

Cannabis has worked for other people with constipation as well. I researched cannabis for 2 months before trying it... and I did not believe all the good things I was reading, but, I was desperate for relief.

 

Regaining my health has also lead to weight reduction... by eating cannabis bake goods made from the leaves of the plant I have lost 20lbs, joined a gym (and actually go and work out without pain). Any time I start talking about this plant I must seem like a raving lunatic to the "normal" people who take prescriptions. I really can not get over the difference it has made!!!

 

My children have a mother who can and does play with them now... I shoveled snow this last winter, we snowmobiled, this spring we biked, we planted a small garden, we go swimming, I volunteer - this is living! I am no longer living through reading and watching. I do!

 

Real Quality of Life - and it comes from a plant!!!

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  • 2 years later...

Hi, I have ankylosing spondylitis, as well as psoriatic arthritis, a disc removed from my lower back, and my neck, lab created bone, a whole lot of metal fusing those area's together, hands/feet/shoulders/knees/and basically all my large joints, along with most of my small joints in constant pain. I also have chronic bronkitis, athsma, and all the anxiety, and depression that goes with this kind of life. I used to be the guy who out-worked everyone, was an athlete, musician, avid outdoorsman, did impossible physical feats, took the dares, and was always the smallest tough guy surounded by the scary guys, and always pushed things to the limits. You never see this coming, no matter how long you gradually get worse, till you cant even hammer a nail in without severe cramping. The last 7 months I have dropped my daily hand fulls of meds., and haven't seen my doctors, because some of my meds. have effected my heart, my immune system, and my energy level, and wanted to get clean of all meds., to try and feel normal. I'm afraid I may need to go back to it though, I just can't take the pain any longer. This is a list of what meds. I finally ended up with every day, after all the trial and error; methotrexate 2.5mg. 6 per week, celebrex 200mg. 2 per day, cyclobenzaprine 10mg 2 per day, hydrocodone 7.5mg. 6 per day, tramadol 50mg. 6 per day, folic acid 1mg. 2 per day, bupropion 150mg 2 per day to help quit smoking, advair discus 100/50 2 per day, b-12 5000 mcg 1 per day, and one-a-day men's health formula 1 per day. Ive tried embril, and most the other things the others mention in this forum, and some of them were dangerously toxic to me. I would love to just be able to use a little M.M. like our ancestors, but polititions have made me a convicted felon,(never been in prison though, but 2 weeks in jail), medicating myself with marijuana. It was the only illegal thing in my life, no matter how good of a person I am, our legal system has betrayed our constitutional rights of freedom. I haven't even had a drink of any kind of alcohol for over a decade !

What strain of M.M. would be advised for my situation. My email is dcl65cuda@yahoo.com for anyone wanting to contact me with information, or questions.

Thanks for reading, Don.

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Hello and welcome to the 3MA!

 

I am sorry to hear of your health issues.  You are among

friends here, many (?) are suffering our own health issues

and are empathetic towards others suffering.

 

I cannot help you about strains for your specific health issues

and do hope someone can.

 

 

65 cuda hu?  SWEET! My mom had one :)

Edited by imiubu
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