Answer Summary

Members rallied around a parent seeking guidance for her 24-year-old son whose ankylosing spondylitis worsened significantly after stopping... Read more

Members rallied around a parent seeking guidance for her 24-year-old son whose ankylosing spondylitis worsened significantly after stopping medication during COVID, now experiencing increased stiffness, fatigue, and documented joint damage despite resuming NSAIDs and physiotherapy. Several members emphasized that consistent daily movement is essential even when painful or exhausting, with many recommending gentle morning yoga or stretching, infrared therapy, heating pads before activity, and the mindset that motion is lotion for stiff joints. A recurring theme was the exhausting trial-and-error nature of managing AS, from navigating conflicting diet advice and expensive supplements to finding the right biologic medication, balanced with encouragement to keep advocating for better treatment options, take full advantage of good days, and never stop searching for answers that bring relief.