Living Life with Arthritis

“I was walking with two canes prior to being diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis,” said Samuel (Sam) Buchanan. 

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of arthritis that causes inflammation of the spine and large joints, resulting in stiffness and pain. The disease may damage the joint between the spine and the hip bone. It can also cause bony bridges to form between vertebrae in the spine, fusing those bones together.

“My symptoms started when I was 19 or 20,” Sam recalls. “I had many tests done over the years, CT scans and dye tests, but it took about 10 years for me to finally get a diagnosis.”

With the help of Sam’s primary physician, who had a three-way consultation with another doctor off Island, and a residency student at DAL, he was finally given some answers. 

“There is no real test to diagnose this condition. I was sent for bloodwork to look for a certain protein marker, which I had,” said Sam. “Some people have the protein marker and have no symptoms, some have the symptoms but no protein marker in their blood, so it's very difficult to diagnose.

There were many steps to get Sam where he is today, including a referral to an Orthopedic surgeon.

“The surgeon felt that I was too young to have a hip replacement, and he referred me to a rheumatologist in NB as a next step,” said Sam.
Sam was prescribed Remicade, which he’s still taking today. It contains living organisms and is administered intravenously at the Polyclinic Medical Centre in Charlottetown. 

“Initially I went every two weeks, then four, then six, and then eight. Once I was on the 8-week regime, I stayed on that for many years,” said Sam. “Within the first four days of my first infusion, I already felt better. My chronic pain was lessened, my mobility and flexibility improved.”

Sam is grateful that he now has a Rheumatologist on the Island who he sees 1-2 times a year.

“One of the big misconceptions about arthritis is that it’s an older person’s disease. That’s not always the case. It can affect children, it can affect young people, people in their 20s. There are different types of arthritis. Some come from wear and tear and develop over time but some, like mine, you’re just born with.”

–    Sam Buchanan

Sam wants people to know that with this kind of condition and the right treatment, you can live a perfectly normal life. 

“I do get soreness in my hips and back generally, but I am still able to do many of the things I could do before like golf, skate, and even something as simple as walking, things most people take for granted.”

Arthritis affects approximately 25,000 Islanders. If you feel you may have signs or symptoms of arthritis, speak to your primary care provider.