I am new here, it is nice to see others sharing their experiences. I first started having significant pain in all of my joints ( fingers, wrists,elbows,shoulders,hips,knees and ankles) last summer along with reddish spots on my fingers, wrists and feet. Took until December to be diagnosed with Psa. It was at a point where I could hardly walk, had limited motion, strength and mobility. I was put on 25mg methotrexate per week. Psoriasis cleared up but all other issues remained.In March I was also put on Inflectra.3 - 4 hour infusions every six weeks. I haven't noticed any changes yet but I'm hopeful that things will improve soon.I used to walk 5 kms every morning and up to 8 km,s throughout the day at work. Since December I have barely been able to get around even for small tasks.I walk with a very abnormal gait and a very slow pace. Most doors are difficult to open and so I usually have someone with me whenever I go anywhere. It is very difficult to explain to people when they ask ":why i walk funny" or why i can't open a lid on an already opened jar. People hear the word arthritis and they roll their eyes. I keep an electric heater in any room where I sit as I find the cold hurts my joints even more. Pressure changes due to weather also seems to make things worse. I have been off of work since December and can't do much to help pass the time. I read about others who have periods where they experience pain, and then it goes away or they are able to have a fairly normal day. I just want some kind of normalcy in my life. Thinking back, Ive had a lot of time, I likely started having pain in different joints for the past 10 to 12 years. My doctor at the time always attributed it to something else. Tennis elbow, overdoing it, old football injury, so on and so on. I understand that there is a try and see period for meds, but Im having a difficult time with this.
Welcome Mr Bob!
There are so many familiar 'items' here, right down to tennis elbow. That one stopped me playing tennis. 'Something wrong' with my achilles tendon put paid to squash. I only wish I could have got housemaid's knee. Actually I probably did somewhere along the line but I still had to do the housework.
To me it makes sense that the longer PsA has rumbled on unrecognised, the harder it'll hit when it really does make itself obvious. I think many of us have had very long flares at first. Here we talk about the 'gap', the frustrating period in between getting diagnosed & starting meds and actually seeing some improvement. It is truly a difficult time, you're not alone in that by a long chalk. I've not heard of inflectra before ... is it a biosimilar? Unfortunately most PsA meds do take a long while to take effect, but fortunately many of us find that they make a huge difference when they do.
You must be missing the level of activity you're used to. Though I reckon having that level of fitness behind you is really good news with PsA. What can be hard is adapting to doing gentler, less invigorating exercise during the bad times, it can easily feel pointless if you're used to long walks etc. and personally I seriously resented sitting around doing repeat leg lifts etc., especially as they hurt like hell. But they make a difference, it's vital to keep muscles and tendons as strong and limber as possible.
I hope you start to turn a corner soon ... wishing you all the best.
Hi Bob, and welcome. All that sounds familiar… It looks like we’re at similar stages… I was only diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis in Nov and with PsA 6 weeks ago, after 4-5 years of significant problems. My abilities and activity levels dropped off further and further, like you, in a horrible downward spiral.
The good news is, I have been on DMARDs since Nov, and do feel better now. I have damage that won’t be ‘cured’ but hopefully I’ll get this disease under control. I hope you can too.
Hello Bob
I too was only diagnosed December last year with PsA,despite having PsO for most of my life and I am now 50.
The good veterans on here assure me that it will improve once we find the right medication or combination of medications for us,so hang in there.It's good to know we have lots of options.
Hi Bob. Welcome! I hope you find some relief soon, and that you find this site to be a source of information and support.