Hi all, My name is Vicki, 54, and after years of being sick with all kinds of different things, going to my GP and not getting anywhere (I was starting to think I was a hypochondriac) I finally made an appointment with a Rheumatologist. After some tests and talk I was told that I have PsA. After reading all about it I found that all the things I was going to my GP about are linked to PsA. Now I find myself researching, researching and researching all about it. It seems ever since I was diagnosed I have been taking a nose dive. I am severely depressed and not sure how to end that. I think I am focusing on all the negative that I am reading at this point and not how to handle it. Time for a change. Reading through this site has been a help so thank you to all that have contributed.
Starting treatment is singularly the BEST way to start to handle the depression (which is often CAUSED by the PsA. Finding out you have a disease helps for about ten minute the realist of âOh chit I have a chronic diseaseâ takes hold. Be careful with your research, There is mor crappola out there than truth. Most of us repond well to treatment, those of us that donât DO see improvement. We are just greedy and want MORE.
Hi Vickic! Glad youâve joined us! But also as we always say - sorry you needed to.
I guess the diagnosis make âitâ seem more real & therefore the depression hits home. Is that how you feel? Being entirely rational about it all isnât so easy at this difficult point but of course diagnosis is a massive step forward. Believe me, very good things can come from getting diagnosed! I suppose I had a severe onset of PsA, or at least it had to get pretty bad to get recognised, but I bet about 95% of all those negative things youâre reading about have not happened to me in the last 5 years.
If you have any questions or want to âtalkâ anything through, just go for it.
Hi âMy2kittensâ - fabulous name too.
If itâs any help to you when I got diagnosed and it was very quick - just months after PsA hit me, I had a temper tantrum for about a year as I simply couldnât accept I had this chronic disease. Then I got depressed too and finally now in my second year Iâve accepted this is just the way it is and thatâs so much better. It all takes time to come to terms with so be gentle with yourself. As Mr Lamb says the fact youâve started treatment is just the best thing youâve done as the only way now is for getting on top of it and feeling far better. However the treatment is usually fairly slow at getting going so again be gentle with yourself on that one too.
But here, you can vent all you want and we all understand. Thatâs a huge help too, believe me. So never hesitate to express yourself, as itâs so much better to do that than not.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and advice. Iâve been going through life these last two weeks in a depression fog is the only way I know how to explain it. I start reading things, seeing pictures and digesting everything I could get about PsA and it gets worse so I finally told myself to STOP!
Like Sybil says, âall those negative things youâre reading about have not happened to me in the last 5 yearsâ so why am I stressing about? Time to stop! I am usually a go with the flow girl. I guess my stream has just changed direction so I need to get with the flow of this.
Just remember the pictures you see first on Google are like the news⌠Only the once where you think OMFG!!! Will show⌠Itâs the same for everything elseâŚ
Also I donât share pictures when my nails look pretty normal⌠I did share pictures when 2 nails almost fell off⌠and that was twice and is no were near ânormalâ
This is the tuff part - adjusting your view of your life. Most people who are diagnosed with a life altering condition get depressed, then there is the fact that your condition has been progressing in a negative way and thus the depression which is very common in Psoriatic Arthritis is also present. There are a host of treatment options that did not exist 25 years ago. You will find some relief but you have to also limit your view that you are being beaten down by yet another condition that has no cure (BUT can be managed - given time to find the right mix for you). I find that the more information I get the more I feel I have something to work with rather than just feeling like a leaf in the wind - blown to nothing but a bad place. Hugs to you.