I am 50 yrs. old. I have suffered with Ankylosing Spondilytis, since its appearance when I was around 11 or so. Back then they hadn't discovered the gene marker, so it was called growing pains and such. However, my GI system was devastated withthe the available anti-inflammatory drugs, Butazoladine and Clinoril amongst others. To make a long story short, the disease combined with the treatment, pretty much screwed up my adolescence. I was angry, but at who? They finally put me on pain meds which led to decades of addictive  and destructive behavior. I now am partially fused in the cervical region, but have millions of microspasms and micro-tissue tears by the second. My GI tract is always at play  LOL , I now take a cox2 inhibitor, celebrex, and Narcotic Pain meds. This amongst the myriad of work and social problems is a good start for my story. Thank You for listening.

Jeff Givant