Ankylosing Spondylitis Success Stories

Read about other people with AS’s journey. Find out what’s working for them and the difference it has made to their lives:

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🔗 More amazing AS success stories from around the web

(All from people who have followed a Starch Free/Low Starch Diet)

I found other people’s stories so inspiring when I started on my AS journey.
They helped me stay motivated so I want to link to as many as I can here.
Click on any of the below to be taken through to their page:

Amy's Story

January marks my first anniversary of being medication free. I have not had any flairs, and my neurological problems are almost completely gone. I continue to see my rheumatologist every six months, and she is amazed by my results. Each time I see her, she is convinced I am on borrowed time before I must resume medication. I hope to prove her wrong.”
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Anne Marie's Story

It’s now been over 12 months since I’ve had a flare so I feel empowered to keep going with the combination of strategies that work for me (of which diet is still an important part). I’ve had virtually no bone change since my diagnosis and, although research doesn’t yet give us all the answers about what causes progression, it feels like what I’m doing is helping.”
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Carol's Story

“Years before, she had suffered terrible back pain, especially in the mornings. Despite cortisone injections, the pains in her shoulders, elbows and arms prevented her even lifting a pot from the cupboard – and they disappeared about the time she eliminated starch from her diet.”
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Charles' Story

In the months before I began the diet, my daily pain was about a 5 out of 10, with no easy days to speak of. Some days, I would flare up to an 8 or 9. After two weeks on the diet I was down to 0-1. At six months I couldn’t detect any pain or inflammation at all. This completely astonished me.
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Dan's Story

“Within 30 days I felt wonderful. No more flares that had my crying for release… none.”
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Erren's Story

“Guess what? The pain is gone. I no longer wake up aware of my body. Only someone with chronic pain knows what it’s like to feel every movement you make. Mornings have always been the worst. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to wake my husband to help me out of bed. Now I wake up fine.”
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Giulia's Story

“I feel the best I have ever felt in my adult life. I have been off all medication since I started the diet, and have not even felt close to needing any. I do sometimes get a slightly stiff back, but that is my cue that I ate something my body wasn’t ready for, and the ‘flare’ is nothing compared to what it used to be.”
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Heather's Story

“My body felt so much better already – I could not believe it! I was motivated to continue to work through missing certain foods or socializing with friends around food because the results were too life-changing. So, I pressed on. I was sleeping through the night without propping up on 85,000 pillows and a completely stiff lower back. I was getting up in the mornings and I would say 75% of the mornings, I didn’t think about stiffness as first thought. As I said before, big-time motivation!”
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Jemma's Story

“It’s been three years since I started the no-starch diet, and it’s been so effective in my fight against AS that I haven’t been tempted to take a single bite of buttery croissant or sample a slice of hot pizza.”
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Jenn's Story

“After only a week of fasting and elimination, I was pain-free. I was so pain-free that I accidentally skipped a Humira injection. I was elated and completely freaked out at the same time. It was unbelievable! I took one more dose of Humira because I didn’t know what to do. Then, again, injection day came and went with no pain. I waited several more days, and still no pain. I kept the injections I had, just in case, for several months, thinking I’d have a flare and need them, but I didn’t need them! … Most days I’m pain-free (or maybe a 1 or 2 depending on the time of the month).”
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Jenneke's Story

After a few weeks on this extremely restrictive diet, I slept through the night until morning without pain or stiffness. I was shocked! I started sleeping longer and more regularly. Gradually, the number of days I woke up without pain and stiffness outnumbered the mornings I was crippled. Following strict compliance with this diet, I found the constant ache was virtually eliminated in a matter of months. I successfully weaned myself off all medications I’d been using to control my pain.”
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Jon's Story

“After 9 months on the diet he didn’t have to take pain or inflammation medication anymore. He has no swelling anywhere and only some minor residual lower back pain (level 1 to 2 out of 10). He now works fulltime again and stills runs his own business. If he strays from the diet his symptoms begin to return. So the diet keeps his AS suppressed.”
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Justin's Story

“This is a diet that I wish I had followed when I was in my 20s. I feel much better as a general case, plus the healthy composition is great for gains in fitness and other health measures. I typically say I feel 90% or better 90% of the time, and I can generally do whatever I want, which is a victory.”
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Monty's Story

“The absolute best thing i did was to take control, be proactive and own my disease. No-one else was in the position to sort it out so i did. I discovered many things about the human body, many more things about my own and regained ten years of apparent degeneration.”
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Paul's Story

“In October 2001 I started a no-starch diet. I was able to stop taking all painkillers by March 2002. By 2006 I had gained back all my spinal mobility and to this day experience no pain at all unless I eat a basket of fries or some of that really fabulous double chocolate cake.”
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Sean's Story

“I immediately reduced the starch intake in my diet and within 3-4 months I had the most incredible feeling of “getting my life back” and after 9 months all of my symptoms had disappeared! I have now been symptom free for the past 18 years and have not taken a single anti-inflammatory drug in this time. I lead a very active life playing racket ball, mountain bike riding, yoga, skiing in the winter and practice Wing Chun Kung Foo.”
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Stacy's Story

“…the amazing thing is, IT DOES WORK. That makes all the extra work and sacrifices worth it. I’m thankful to (hopefully) avoid any long-term damage, but feeling good in the here and now is so life-giving. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to try it. I know it’s daunting to think about such a drastic and permanent change; specifically starting with an elimination diet –It’s hard. It’s not super fun. You might be in a bad mood (ask me how I know). But that elimination phase does end. And if, when it ends, you’re pain-free, it’s worth every bite of plain chicken.”
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💬 Your story could help others!

Ankylosing spondylitis can be a painful, lonely and cruel. Yet so many people have found ways to manage their AS and turn their lives around. Hearing the stories of those who are achieving real, tangible results can be motivating, inspiring and even life changing. If you have ankylosing spondylitis and have found ways to manage your condition please get in touch by clicking the button below.