I am possibly over analyzing everything to the point of making myself crazy. I just thought I’d throw it out there— do you keep getting new areas of pain? I thought it was just my SI joint, my feet/ toes / ankles, my wrist and fingers of my right hand. Now I have recurring issues with my neck, my hips, and ( the cause of this post) my jaw! I realize I have ligaments and tendons in my jaw, but REALLY? I am second guessing everything. Did I strain my neck? Are my hips sore because I haven’t been getting enough exercise? Does my jaw hurt because I have a bad tooth ( just had a dental visit last month). Do you all have new areas all the time? Does it ever END? Do you find yourself keeping it a secret? I feel like everyone is going to think I am a quack if I tell them, oh… It’s my hip today…oh, my feet are good but my ankle feels like someone has shoved a knife in my ankle. I guess I shouldn’t care what people think, but I do. I don’t even know how to explain my diagnosis. Everyone always seems to say something like, “yeah I have arthritis in my pinkie too, it really sucks”. I am not out to win the pain contest, but I feel like people don’t get it. Sorry I keep typing too much 
LN2015, you probably are over analyzing but it's pretty hard not to when you're trying to get to grips with that is happening to your body and why. For me, my PsA is a committed traveller, it is determined to visit every location in my body!
And as for trying to explain it to other people .... you'll drive yourself nuts. I've gone nuts twice over this in the last few years and the results are two Blogs that you can read on my page. If anything in them is helpful then please use them any way you want.
Thank you Jules!
Yes, I can relate to that. I work as an industrial mechanic very hard labor work. So I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was PSA and what was work for months. I also had TMJ so my jaw would get worse during flares and when I get stressed. I now only worry if it lasts more than 2 weeks otherwise I just try to focus on life itself which can be hard especially when it feels like everything hurts or aches. Hang in there it does get better and try to enjoy good moments, hour or days depending on where you are at treatment wise. Keep plugging away advocating with your doctors and you will find your normal soon. Not everyone understands but here we do.
I can relate to the things you say about analysing and keeping things to yourself. I think that over time you will find the right level of analysis to keep a check on things plus an approach to communicating your situation to others that works for you.
Over the last few months I've begun to feel easier in my own mind about both things. And that's over 3 years since diagnosis. I reckon most people get there quicker than I've done!
Just today I was wondering why I keep burbing and have a persistent but low-level pain in my side. Then the penny dropped (though it might not be correct) that I have fairly constant intercostal tenderness. And that possibly the inflammation between my ribs is affecting my stomach somehow. That's my analysis for today & the purpose it serves is that of making a mental note to run this past my rheumy.
Part of 'getting there' with these things is that effective treatment will hopefully stop the disease throwing quite so much your way. Fewer symptoms to consider, less distress to keep to yourself or to explain to others. PsA is a flipping weird disease, and as a general rule, other people are not going to get their heads around it easily and nor are we patients. Posting here is a very useful pressure reliever so please don't apologise for that.
It does help if there's at least one person who understands. Do you have one such being in your life? In any case, we're here and we get it.
I know exactly what you are talking about. I keep having new areas pop up as eell and new symptoms also. Like the trigger finger...just staryed one day put of the blue in one finfer and now i have in four fingers....sometimes have to manually move back into striaghter position with my other hand. New places and not a single improvemnt with the cirrent and past treatments. I dont really have any advice bc this os all pretty new to me but i can definitly relate and i am very frustrated
Thank you, Sybil. Talking about it here really does seem to help!
Sybil said:
I can relate to the things you say about analysing and keeping things to yourself. I think that over time you will find the right level of analysis to keep a check on things plus an approach to communicating your situation to others that works for you.
Over the last few months I’ve begun to feel easier in my own mind about both things. And that’s over 3 years since diagnosis. I reckon most people get there quicker than I’ve done!
Just today I was wondering why I keep burbing and have a persistent but low-level pain in my side. Then the penny dropped (though it might not be correct) that I have fairly constant intercostal tenderness. And that possibly the inflammation between my ribs is affecting my stomach somehow. That’s my analysis for today & the purpose it serves is that of making a mental note to run this past my rheumy.
Part of ‘getting there’ with these things is that effective treatment will hopefully stop the disease throwing quite so much your way. Fewer symptoms to consider, less distress to keep to yourself or to explain to others. PsA is a flipping weird disease, and as a general rule, other people are not going to get their heads around it easily and nor are we patients. Posting here is a very useful pressure reliever so please don’t apologise for that.
It does help if there’s at least one person who understands. Do you have one such being in your life? In any case, we’re here and we get it.
Sorry you have this all going on. I had the same thing happen, there wasn't enough time to talk about everything. Every time I told the collection to the Doc he said it was the disease not the meds, and it was hard to remember to mention every problem. It did worry me that every new thing might be a side effect of a med. and that the Doc didn't have a good idea of what I was dealing with.
I finally started a body picture and marked on it where the pain was front and back. When I brought it to my Dr. it gave him an instant pic with out the laundry list description. I think it was a good idea for him to see at least once. I now date them and keep them for me so I can see how some pains come and go. It seems to help me not think about the list so much.