I am new to this site and just trying to figure it out…reading the instructions helped.
7 years ago I was diagnosed with Inverse Psoriasis and 2 years ago I started having knee pain and “back ground” joint pain issues. After a cortisone injection in my knee, my whole body felt better. The pain came back and spread to the other knee and I just accepted it as an age thing. Just over a year ago I developed what I thought was a heel spur but was told it is “just” planters fasciitis and went though all sorts of exercises and remedies to no help. Then fatigue hit like a brick and more joint stiffness…My Gp put me on 50 mg Prednisone for 15 days and I felt absolutely fantastic…all pain was gone and I had energy like a 20 year old. 3 weeks after I was off the prednisone I was told that I have PMR and was put on a longer course of it. That wore off and I was back to the pain and fatigue. My GP said she couldn’t help me and sent me to a new Rheumatologist. After 2 visits she was certain that I had PsA and prescribed a starting dose of MTX 10 mg and Prednisone to “get me through” till the MTX kicks in. I was in absolute denial about the PsA and just stared at the prescription for a whole month…and was getting worse. It was this site and another talk with the Rheumatologist that convinced me of the necessity to get on the MTX. I chose not to take the Prednisone as I had a real bad time coming off of it last time and chose to address pain with xtra strength Tylenol. After 3 weeks into the MTX, minor side affects of flu like aches about 48 hours after taking it. Minor stomach upset after 12 hours. So I guess that’s it. I don’t like having a disease…I have handled all sorts of painful injuries in my very active 59 years, some leaving permanent issues BUT this is so different from an injury. My male pride really wants to just tough this out but I am so drained and useless. The pain is ridiculous and random! I thought, “OK, so my knees, foot and elbow hurt…I can get used to this”. But then it leaves my elbow and heads somewhere else without much notice and certainly without my permission. 
I am very appreciative of this site…I hope I didn’t screw anything up posting this. I tried on my iPhone but couldn’t find the way to do it. Thank you for listening!
My female pride has a similar effect sometimes!
You sound kind of cheerful, that’s one hell of an achievement. Seriously, it is, however you feel inside. And I like the way you describe PsA, I mean it is very accurate, the pain does drift quite seamlessly, sometimes so much so that I can’t even have a good ol’ moan about one part of me without it being out of date before I’ve finished my sentence.
Getting started on the drugs is not something anyone wants but for many of us it does mean that things are likely to improve fairly dramatically over time. And of course there are the biologics as the next level of treatment if required …
Good to meet you!
Thank you!
Welcome, psa is quite a thing and I relate to what you are saying. It is the worst thing I have ever faced. It is random, complex, and frustrating. It can be a life changing thing. Finding the right treatment for you is the challenge.
Welcome,
And yes you described what PsA can do very accurately indeed. And it’s certainly something hard to take on board, get used to, deal with and get on with. But it sure looks like you’re doing a fairly decent job of it this far.
And I’m delighted you seem to getting along OK with mxt too. Remember mxt takes quite a while to start doing anything, 3 to 6 months. So just keep plodding. It’s hard doing so at the beginning of all treatment as it takes such an age to get going.
Three years ago PsA hit me all of a sudden out of nowhere. It rendered me barely able to walk around my house let alone do anything else. I’m now on a biologic and am about to go on a boating holiday where we drive the boat, moor it and generally deal with it. So an ‘active’ holiday for the want of a better word. And I can ‘do’ most of what I want to do presently. So it is possible to get there again, believe me. But it takes time.
I have inverse Psoriasis on my legs. On my elbows it is the nasty peeling stuff. My hands often look like I’m shedding skin. I found that Egyptian Magic (all purpose skin cream) helps the best on the itchy-peeling stuff.
I need to give in and go back to the Rhumy and go on meds. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this pain.
susan
You are the first one that I have encountered on this site with inverse psoriasis. That has been and is my psoriasis issue. It came out of nowhere and rapidly became awful on any areas where skin creases exist. My GP prescribed topical cortisone which gave little and temporary relief. The dermatologist prescribed Protopic. It is a very strong ointment and VERY little is needed. I think the inverse psoriasis on my eyelids was the worst! Since having the Protopic available for “touch ups” I have no psoriasis but miserable with the PsA. I would encourage you to run to the Rheumatologist and get examined and helped soon. There are too many with this diseases who waited and did permanent damage to themselves. I hated the idea of being on meds…its just not my way of handling things but this is a disease and at this point has no cure. I’m only 6 weeks into the Methotrexate so I am not seeing any improvement. Flare ups are really bad and when it has calmed down, I am such an optimist that I yell through the house, “I’m Healed!!”…but then another flare occurs. Huge swings! I hope it goes well with you and see if you can try Protopic for the psoriasis…works like a miracle. If used on the face, It did give me a flushed hot face for a few days…but I never need it more than 3 days and the psoriasis is gone!
My Inverse Psoriasis is on my eyelids and, get this, my shins! There is not a fold on my shins but there it is! Just as pretty and shiny and red and blotchy as it can be. I gave up wearing shorts. I can see people looking at it.
Thanks for the encouragement. We are all here for each other.
susan
Chiming in on psoriasis–I have used steroid topicals for a significant part of my life. So much in fact that I still have thin skin in places. The most effect drug from my psoriasis was Humira. I was pretty close to full clear skin. Well, until it stopped working which also was when my psa started to announce itself. The best all around skin creme was Cerave. That stuff was a god send. It is pretty expensive but well worth it as the cream and goes a long way. Applying after showering or bathing really helped keep moisture in my skin. My dermatologist suggested I use it and I did and still do. I mean my psoriasis was so bad that when I swept I could always count on flaked dead skin being everywhere. The types of psoriasis I had was everything except pustular as far as I can tell.
I love that. Sitting here, too early in the morning with my first cup of coffee, it so made me giggle. Keep being an optimist. I’m one too. And now I am far more ‘healed’ than I was when I started 3 years ago, that’s for sure. But I likewise ‘celebrate’ any gains.
Re inverse psoriasis, us woman do tend to suffer that a lot. Too many folds of skin. And in my case that’s aided by being ‘well padded’ too. I had horrid plaque psoriasis as a teenager. It stayed till I was in my 30’s when I badly shattered my shoulder tripping on a step and landing awkwardly on my concrete kitchen floor, upending the rubbish/trash bin on top of me for good measure, which was of course full. It was a severe fracture. Within a week all my psoriasis fled - never to return but for inverse psorasis. However I’ve treated it since (I’m now 57) with sudocream as in nappy rash cream. That for me truly keeps it away and indeed under control for now at least. Always worse in either hot weather or overheated environments. Worse too if I’m working at in sitting at a computer all day. But actually certainly not there all the time either. Maybe a couple of times a year possibly. It’s so mild and incidental I barely think to mention it or think about it.