Biologics

It has been obvious for a few years now that biologics are the future of disease management.
Almost every type of autoimmune or inflammatory disease is going the way of biologics treatments.

But what if you cannot take biologics?

No wonder there are so many fundraisers. We find one decent treatment but it won't work for everyone, so we need even more research to help those who do not benefit from current treatments. Or we finally get a handle on a specific disease and it mutates!

I am running a fundraiser for Arthritis Research, with a focus on Ankylosing Spondylitis. Treatments for inflamed joints and autoimmune arthritic diseases are limited. We have
• Methotrexate - I am currently on this medication.
• NSAIDS (advil, ibuprofen, aleve, toradol, oxycodone, etc...) - I am allergic to these medications.
• ASA (aspirin, voltaren, A535, pentasa, salofalk, etc...) - I am allergic to these medications.
• Biologics (remicade, humira, enbrel, simponi, cimzia, cosentyx, stelara, etc...) - I am severely intolerant to these medications.
• Corticosteroids (prednisone, cortisone injections, hydro-cortisone, etc...) - I *might* now be intolerant to these as well

I do not have many options. Long-term steroids is not recommended anyway, and the Methotrexate can only do so much all on its own.

I have just seen my rheumatologist and I will need a neurologist to clear me for any additional cortisone injections. Not only that, but my rheumatologist said that there will not be a new medication for Ankylosing Spondylitis for at least a year - and it will be another biologic. (Sounds like the next 3 medications coming down the pipeline are TNF-blocker biologics).
In the meantime, my disease progresses.
Even my ribs have been giving me trouble lately. Although I am holding out hope that it is just muscle pain, AS will eventually fuse my ribs, making it difficult to breathe - to sing - and move properly.

So for me personally, fundraising is incredibly important. I am not expecting a cure soon. I am not even expecting that they find a cause. All I am hoping for is another set of medications that can help reduce the inflammation and slow the progression - something I can actually take.
So please help spread the word from April 27 until May 4, help by sharing a photo practicing yoga or any activity that engages the spine, using the hashtag #FightTheFusion. Help us find better ways to slow or even prevent fusion from occurring.

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