Just diagnosed with AS - help

This is my first post so I would like to say hi to everyone. About 4 months ago I was diagnosed with AS. I had a gut infection about 4 years ago and slowly started getting more and more sever back pain. It continously worsened and finally went to see a doctor.

It was becoming so painful and the feeling of stiffness was very present. The doctor ran some tests, which came back positive for HLA B27 gene. An X-ray revealed narrowing of the vertebraes and fusing... The rehumatologist a week later did a detailed examination and then came the diagnosis of AS.

Currently, I am taking Naprozen and seeing a PT for exercises to correct or at least try to stop the curvature from worsening in my spine.

I am lost. Can anyone lend a caring ear and respond to how they were diagnosed, what symptoms they had, and what medications they have used to help the condition. Has anything worked?

I am hopeful somebody has a lending hand. Thank you for listening.

 I am also new here. I would like to help but don't know how. I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis 32 years ago it has been a long journey. Medicines are improving year-by-year.  I am on Social Security and so my medicines are paid for. They run around $80,000 a year and I am in more pain today than when I began them. For your sake  I have found more help through diet and exercise then with all of the medicine. Natural healing is the best way to go . Maybe in the future the medicines will get better. But I think diet and exercise will slow your diseases down.

 By the way, I not only have ankylosing spondylitis but psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel disease. All just one big bad case of autoimmune. I'm going to try to improve my body so that it can heal itself. 

Thank you Tad for your words of encouragement and your response.

What diet regimine or natural medicine so you take/follow?

i have a poor appetite and abdominal pains so i follow or try to a soft diet high in protein

@Mbaulch‍ thank you so much for your input!

I was diagnosed with AS 16 years ago and had to retire from the military early due to it. My rheumatologist has had me on Entanercept (Enbrel) for about 14 years. It’s a biological injection I give myself weekly. It slows the progression and helps with pain. I have no issues with the treatment and it’s kept me from being a knuckle dragger so far. It is pricey but I get it through the VA so I don’t have to pay for it. Most insurance does cover a good bit of the cost though. My cousin uses it too and her insurance helps a lot.