Yep, I get that. I actually get really hard things that develop on any body part that has repeated contact with a hard surface.
Irishchick said:
Just wondering if butt pain is also part of PSA? I always feel like I am sitting on my bones so I have to sit on two cushions on my computer chair?
Yes! I'm no jlo but have always sat through long films etc. without so much as a twinge. But just lately my backside complains about extended sitting on anything harder than a sofa.
Getting ready to head to the consultant. Trying not to be nervous!
Good luck :-)
I'm back! I went through the whole list of questions. Showed him the pics of my swollen DIP joints and toe and.....
Diagnosis: PSA!
Starting on methotrexate and if that doesn't work he will move me onto a biologic.
I just want to run out in the streets (except I can't run) and scream "Im not mad!!"
I wanted to thank you all for listening to my compliants it really helped.!
I am so pleased for you Irishchick, to have a proper diagnosis is the first step to feeling better :-) and to hear that we have, in some small way, been able to help is fantastic.
You all helped so much. You gave the support and told me to keep going. It just goes to show if you have a gut feeling that something is wrong then it's probably right.
Jules G said:
I am so pleased for you Irishchick, to have a proper diagnosis is the first step to feeling better :-) and to hear that we have, in some small way, been able to help is fantastic.
Good. Very good. As Jules said, a solid diagnosis is the first step to feeling better. And to be told what the treatment plan is, is therapeutic as well. The fact that your rheum has a biologic in the game plan already says that he wants you better, and fast. Letâs hope the plan works.
I know exactly what you mean when you say that you want to run (yes, I knowâŚ) into the streets and shout âIâm not mad!â I had been told that my PsA was mild. My gut told me otherwise, as did the people on this site. They kept telling me to get a second opinion. I felt that I had to trust my docs. Finally, I took tntâs advice, and went to a specialistâs specialist, armed as you did with a long list, and a file of anecdotal and medical reports. I was ready for battle. But there was no fight. The diagnosis was severe, which had been my gut feeling. Strangely, I was elated, not because my disease was bad, but because the diagnosis was consistent with my gut feeling, and the doctors had a plan for getting better. And best of all, I was not stark raving mad!
IC, I have to admit that in a way your post was an anti-climax for me. I sort of wanted to hear that youâd gone in there with guns blazing, brandishing your list and displaying your knowledge of the PsA beast, demanding that this rheumy justify his position. That would have been exciting. But what you got was much better: Iâm impressed with the doctor, and his decisive short-term treatment plan. I think you are in good hands. Well done, IC.
And you are very welcome. But understand that we expect you to stick around here and let us know how things are going for you. Right? 
I will definitely stick around!
Oh I was very much all guns blazing. I was a bit busy earlier so Ill give you the full run down.
I went into the office and I saw that it wasn't my regular rheumy and I was a bit shocked. I've always seen him and I immediately thought it was going to be a waste of time. Then I pulled myself together and said no I have my list and I was going to be assertive.
This guy asked me what I was on and how I was and I told him. He hummed and hawed. Looked at my joints and he said "well your hands look OK today". At that point I whipped out the phone and launched into it all. I told him my DIP joints were swelling, I was having terrible pain, fatigue, ridging in my nails. etc etc
He knew by the look on my face that I wasn't going to be fobbed off I think. So he left the room and came back with Dr mohammed my usual rheumy.
I showed him the pictures and I told him that I felt I was getting steadily worse. I said that I felt that althought the plaqeunil were helping I was still in too much pain to be considered normal. I told him I was in a vicious cycle of steroids, then being ok, then crashing then more steroids. I told him I wasn't happy with constantly having to rely on steroids and that I would like to move to the next phase of treatment.
For a second no one said anything. It felt like a year but it was only about a second. Then he said yes I agree. I nearly fell over. He said that my joints were quite swollen and even thought the bone scan was clear it only meant that it had not yet damaged the bone.
Then he went through MTX and all it entails and told me to let him know if I feel sick and If I do I can change to metoject and if I'm no better in four months I can try a biologic.
If I could have skipped out I would.
So yes the guns were blazing and I have all of you to thanks for giving me the ammunition.
Seenie said:
Good. Very good. As Jules said, a solid diagnosis is the first step to feeling better. And to be told what the treatment plan is, is therapeutic as well. The fact that your rheum has a biologic in the game plan already says that he wants you better, and fast. Let's hope the plan works.
I know exactly what you mean when you say that you want to run (yes, I know...) into the streets and shout "I'm not mad!" I had been told that my PsA was mild. My gut told me otherwise, as did the people on this site. They kept telling me to get a second opinion. I felt that I had to trust my docs. Finally, I took tnt's advice, and went to a specialist's specialist, armed as you did with a long list, and a file of anecdotal and medical reports. I was ready for battle. But there was no fight. The diagnosis was severe, which had been my gut feeling. Strangely, I was elated, not because my disease was bad, but because the diagnosis was consistent with my gut feeling, and the doctors had a plan for getting better. And best of all, I was not stark raving mad!
IC, I have to admit that in a way your post was an anti-climax for me. I sort of wanted to hear that you'd gone in there with guns blazing, brandishing your list and displaying your knowledge of the PsA beast, demanding that this rheumy justify his position. That would have been exciting. But what you got was much better: I'm impressed with the doctor, and his decisive short-term treatment plan. I think you are in good hands. Well done, IC.
And you are very welcome. But understand that we expect you to stick around here and let us know how things are going for you. Right? ;-)
WOWEE ZOWEE! Great work, IC, and great result. Your account of The Scene is a keeper too. Whatâs better, you had two rheums in the room, so you had two opinions. I think they see that you are serious, and you need proper treatment, and I love the way he even gave you the injectable alternative. Excellent. (FWIW, I would have just asked for the injectable.) Four months is a reasonable trial, and then a trial of a biologic ⌠darling, that is phenomenal. I tried four DMARDs, which took a year, before getting on the good stuff. Your UK friends here usually muddle for much longer than that.
You are on such a roll! IC rocks! You will be feeling better soon. First, mentally, then the whole package. Something to look forward to. Congratulations on getting the t-shirt.
Fantastic! Congratulations! You have got yourself out of one deep hole. Now to look ahead to better days. Just off out so haven't read the whole thing yet, but I am just so pleased for you.
Thanks! I think because itâs been going on so long so thatâs why heâs keen to finally get things moving.
And you gave him the PUSH he obviously needed.
I swear, if people with heart attacks had to do what some of us have had to do to get properly diagnosed and treated, they would all die. Tsk tsk, now youâre seeing the cynical Seenie.
Congratulations on kicking butt at your appointment.Now THAT is how you do it!!
Yes, Jane, Irishchick is a quick study. Most of us had to have a few dress rehearsals before we got to where she is now.
Whatâs up, Irishchick?
Not much. Still feeling sick from MTX. Going to my GP tomorrow and he will write me a letter to ask for permission to switch from Tabs to injectable form. The rheumatologist doesn't take calls and neither does the nurse so all correspondence has to be through a GP letter which is a pain!
Seenie said:
What's up, Irishchick?
A pain for sure! Youâll get that sorted eventually. Weâre thinking of you!
I'm just now catching up on reading, and saw this! I am SO HAPPY for you! This is so great! Not that you have PsA, of course, but that you have a diagnosis that actually makes sense. I had just re-read the entire thread and was so upset and frustrated for you. It is such a relief to know that you have your key to treatement with that PsA diagnosis. It must have been difficult to go in there and be so assertive with your doc, but you did good, girl!!
Irishchick said:
I'm back! I went through the whole list of questions. Showed him the pics of my swollen DIP joints and toe and.....
Diagnosis: PSA!
Starting on methotrexate and if that doesn't work he will move me onto a biologic.
I just want to run out in the streets (except I can't run) and scream "Im not mad!!"
I wanted to thank you all for listening to my compliants it really helped.!
Are you taking folic acid tabs or folate with the methotrexate? Those can really help prevent some of the side effects. You could phone your rheum about them since (if he agrees) you'll want a prescription dose anyway.
Irishchick said:
Not much. Still feeling sick from MTX. Going to my GP tomorrow and he will write me a letter to ask for permission to switch from Tabs to injectable form. The rheumatologist doesn't take calls and neither does the nurse so all correspondence has to be through a GP letter which is a pain!
Seenie said:What's up, Irishchick?