Your Rheumy is an Idiot...Spinal fusion is not based on sex.  You need to find a new Rhuemy, one that can spell CLUE...

Get a new rheumatologist immediately. One who actually knows how to treat AS. That is insane.

There does seem to be two tracks, so to speak, for AS symptoms. Fusion, of course, and then a less severe group of symptoms including enthesitis. Most patients with fusion are male and most with enthesitis are female. That being said one can infer from these comments alone that women do fuse and men, like me, are on the enthesitis track. In short, find a new doctor.

You should report this person to the AMA. And, please, run, don't walk, to another doctor. Any rheumatologist should know that this is a myth. Women can and often do fuse with this disease. I have fusion in the T region of my spine. It is easy to see on an xray. Anyone who says that women don't fuse should not be practicing medicine.
Fusion can be prevented in men and women with the new biologics if it is caught in time. But unfortunately, because of doctor's like this, many women are not diagnosed until the disease is already devastating the body!!!

That's insane!!  You need to find a Dr who knows about women with AS.  Men's spines basically fuse from the bottom straight to the top & can actually fuse them straight.   Women's spines fuse in random spots. Women also have more problems with muscles & really should be on muscle relaxers. I know they are hard to find since it's a "male's disease" but keep looking until you find a Dr who understand women with AS.  Good luck!!!

Definitely need a Rheumy that knows what is going on or is willing to look into things.  Women most certainly can fuse!  I have run into the same problems with doctors, especially in the ER.  They say I am the first female they have known to have AS.  Just silly actually.  I find it hard to believe that there is a Rheumy out there that would still think that way.  Keep your chin up!!  You just have to keep looking until you find the right one that will listen and know what is going on.  My Rheumy actually has 2 people working for her that do nothing but research on the autoimmune diseases and up and coming meds and news.  Wish you luck!!!

What a load of rubbish- as everyone has said - get a new doc - very much a woman and very fused back!!!!

That is actually quite frightening.....

I'm female, and I have definitely been fusing in the neck and in the lower spine.  I have the x-rays to prove it.  Hurry to a new and different rheumy.

All I can say is WOW!

Wow he sounds sexist.

Well maybe I have something different. I'm new to all this, but on my paper it has spondyloapathy, fibro, and secondary sjogrens syndrome and that I am not a gainful employee..We have not found a med. To help with the pain..  I take about 15 different med.s for other problems and it hard to found one that doesn't interfer with the other ones..

What?!?! Where did he go to medical school, idiot ville? That is crazy. I'm a female and I have fusion.

Well i think everyone pretty much says it.. I know its hard especially where i live but its highly recommended finding another dr. This one doesn't sound like he cares.  I'm 38 and i started fusing ages ago

What? I'd check his qualifications!

I love my rheumy, he doesn't pretend to know everything but seems to look into answers as needed. I got lucky.

Hmmmm, sounds like somebody needs to change Rheumy's.  They use to think that AS would burn it self out too, but now we know it doesn't.  Also, it was thought to be a male disease, but we know now that's not true.  Good luck!

I agree with Kathy. Jeff is right.
I'm definately female & I'm fused.

Jeff is right