Hi everyone. I am new here. My doctor recently prescribed Cyclosporine for psa and psorasis. I have been taking it a couple of weeks but my skin is not clearing. I helps the arthritis a little bit but nothing major. I know it’s a disease modifying drug and I have heard it takes time for it to work. Has anyone had any success with this drug? I did try MTX and biologics and they failed me. Many thanks!
Cyclosporine is an extremely dangerous drug and typically isn’t prescribed anymore outside localized postulate psoriasis. The max length of time anyone can be on it is one year. Cyclosporine hasn’t much of any efficacy with PsA.
This drug made my blood pressure extremely high. When you said biologics failed you, what have you tried?
mataribot said:
Cyclosporine is an extremely dangerous drug and typically isn't prescribed anymore outside localized postulate psoriasis. The max length of time anyone can be on it is one year. Cyclosporine hasn't much of any efficacy with PsA.
This drug made my blood pressure extremely high. When you said biologics failed you, what have you tried?
I tried MTX tablets and injections and they made me very nauseous and even more fatigued. When I was on Enbrel it cleared my psorasis but I stayed sick with sinus infections. I then was put on Humira. I started breaking out with more psorasis plaques and they switched me to Remicade. It made me extremely tired and I broke out from head to toe with purple bluish bumps. Doctor said it may be allergic reaction so he discontinued it. Indicated I might be allergic to biologics. I guess this is my last hope.
Hi Danette, there are other biologics besides Enbrel, Humira and Remicade so you've not yet exhausted all those options and more are being developed all the time. My understanding is that it is easier to switch between bio's in the US (subject to insurance approval) than it is here in the UK.
I know cyclosporine is rarely used in the UK but even if it's only a short term treatment I hope you get a bit of a reprieve from your skin and joint symptoms while your doctor works out a longer term treatment and management plan for you. What about other DMARDS ... I had a pretty good initial response with leflunomide (Arava) but had to stop because of side-effects, and with sulfasalazine I had the shortest (25 day relationship) although the side-effects it 'gifted' me with are still ongoing two months later. Hey, ho the things we have to go through to find the best meds for us :)
Something else which is also newish is Otezla/apremilast? A few people on here are/have tried this.
I can't answer your question on cyclosporine but just wanted to say welcome to our community and you're not at the end of the treatment road so don't give up hope yet. Gather information on options to help you in your discussions with your doc.