I have to report. After eight, no, make that nine, weeks on Enbrel, I’m both in love and in shock. First there was the energy, and the lifting of my depression. That was good, although I thought it might be placebo effect. At the clinic, they assured me that it was for real. Then the other day … I couldn’t believe it. Suddenly I said to DH “The dermie was right!”. LOL She said my nails had psoriasis, and when she checked me over, she said I had it on my left elbow too. That was the dry patch that I’ve pretty much always had, and that I took credit for: it was just plain bad grooming, not psoriasis in my book. I should just exfoliate more often and put cream on it. Well, the patch is gone, and my elbow is now smooth as a baby’s bum. The following day, I noticed that my hands. They felt like they’d had a deluxe manicure with paraffin treatment. And they didn’t feel itchy or sting-y. Then last night, I went to throw my dark navy pants in the wash and I didn’t see the usual blizzard of white flakes on the inside. And what do you know … the flaky dry skin skin on my legs seems to have disappeared as well. What’s with that? Does it mean that all of these years (read: forever) I’ve had under-the-radar psoriasis? That’s my guess. I wonder if I could go swimming in the public pool without coming home itching and scratching? (I used to run the joint, way back in the last century, and I only ever jumped in when there was no option. Then I’d Aveeno myself all over to calm the itching.) Did I have Psoriasis even then? I’m thinking I must have!
So, I’m in love with my Enbrel, but in shock to think that I’ve had issues for so long that I didn’t even recognize as issues. And yes, I’m sorry that I trusted my conservative rheumatologist for as long as I did after the PsA diagnosis. I should have had early and aggressive treatment. (And some of you reading this will be nodding and saying “Told you so.” You were SO right.) Early for me, though, would have been twenty years ago, before they even invented Enbrel! Aggressive is now, and it is good.