Hi i am new to the Psoriatic arthritis. I was diagnosed in August 2017. Just started on Simponi with a marked improvment. Has anyobe exprienced a rash on arm from arthritis meds.
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Hello and welcome, LoganJ. Glad youāre already seeing some improvement on the Simponi, it worked pretty quickly for me too and Iām still on it now after several years.
The only treatment that caused me a rash on my arms was leflunomide/Arava. Iām also sun-sensitive, with my arms being the worst affected, so during the summer I always have some degree of irritation. Itās worse this year than it has been for a while 
If youāre on methotrexate I think that can also cause skin sensitivity in the sun.
Definitely worth mentioning at your next rheumy appointment just in case there is correlation with your meds.
Thanks for the reply Jules.
I was on Arava prior to commencing the Simponi. Possible that this may have
been the cause of rash, however, it is still happening without the Arava.
I am always covered up when going outside. The rash this time was mostly located on my upper arms and looked a little bit like welts of variant size. I also had one larger one just below my neck near my chest.
I did ask my rheumatologist and she has referred me to a dermatologist who I see on Monday. Hopefully they have some answers. At least now my inflammation is settling down, so Iām hoping its not related to the Simponi.
Cheers
Arava takes a lā¦oā¦nā¦g time to get out of your system! But welts sounds alot more like hives/urticaria ā¦ did you think to take any photos to show the docs?
I nearly always forget to take photos but have got better lately as the past couple of years Iāve been having weird angiodema swellings of my throat/tonsils every few weeks and the last āeventā was the whole lower half of my face, thankfully that one stayed external. I carry antihistamines to take at the first sign of anything happening and an EpiPen in case of emergency ā¦ need the antihistamines alot but never needed to use the EpiPen, thank goodness.
Good luck for your dermatologist appointment on Monday. Hope for you it isnāt the Simponi either, itās been good for me ā¦ does what itās meant to do and with no side effects. Speaking of Simponi my syringe is warming up now so Iād better get moving ā¦ my last injection was two months ago as I had to skip the July dose because infection (pneumonia, the docs thought) ā¦ so Iām keen to get back on schedule with it from today. Fingers crossed it still knows what to do 
Yes. I have taken photos. So hopefully she knows what it may be. I hope your Simponi does the trick for you. Iām pretty bad with needles so itās huge for me doing this. I still have a nurse who visits to help me and my husband with the administration of it. Itās worth the anxiety for a minute or two for the relief it has given so far.
Welcome LoganJ!
Itās great to hear that you have a marked improvement since starting Simponi.
Just a thought ā¦ might your rash be psoriasis? I had a big psoriasis flare-up a few years ago with a right old smorgasbord of rash types on different parts of my body. Very little of it looked anything like psoriasis. One area was biopsied because it resembled skin cancer and the result came back as āpartially treated psoriasisā. Eventually, 4 or 5 dermatologists and several months down the line, I was told it was probably all psoriasis. Psoriasis can be a chameleon anyway, but when weāre taking medication I think that makes it even more variable.
Anyways, of course your rash may well be something else, I hope you get it diagnosed and sorted soon.
Hi @LoganJ. Iām fairly newly diagnosed only about 4 months ago, so have no experience of the drugs that you have been taking. Just wanted to see hi to a fellow photographer. Iām from the Uk so the other side of the world but we share a passion for photography as well as the wretched PsA. Good luck with getting quick relief with your treatment, I look forward to hearing you have benefitted soonā¦ Anne
Hi Anne
I am very new for the photography. My worst affected joint is my left knee so it was very hard to get to those hard to reach places for photography. However I am so determined.
Not much stops me if I can help it.
Thank you to all have responded to my post. I think its just good to know there are people also experiencing the similar things that I have gone through and comforting to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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@LoganJ hey and welcome! I have my first rheumatologist appointment on the 23rd of this month; although I was diagnosed in about 2004. It was by a family practice doc and he didnāt refer me to a rheumatologist. Iām fairly new to this too since Iāve had no formal treatment as of yet.
I do hope you get the rash cleared away. I also worry about SE and being allergic to the medication the rheumatologist may put me on. Hope and prayers for great results and no other SE.
This forum is a God send for me. I do hope you find it as helpful and encouraging as I have.
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Well went to my dermatologist appointment today. Apparently I have a fungal infection on my arm. I may also have rosacea as well. Bonus, another thing to have to deal with. Iām getting a little frustrated about the ongoing things.
Would like to have a clear run for a while. Oh well, onward and upward.
Thanks for everyoneās responses.
Cheers
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