Not that I know of. I would love for it and Friends to come back!
I have had real problems with dry eyes and feeling gritty and uncomfortable. Saw eye specialist and he diagnosed dry eyes - part of having psa. Gave me drops and ointment for night which helped but did not get rid of it. Have now started taking omega 7 (sea buckthorn oil) and it has made a huge difference, worth a try.
Groovyreba said:
Thanks Seenie, rusty dog, Dr. Mark, and Faye. For the last 2 years, I'd felt so good that I actually started running nearly everyday. Then, biking. Now I feel like doing nothing, but I will be a patient patient and yes I have some anti-inflammatories. I'll take them for the next few days.
Is it normal to even feel like your eyes are inflamed? I'm not having issues with my vision and I've been checked for potential issues from PSA. Still right now, they do feel inflamed. Weird.
Glad to hear Groovyreba 
I find this site amazing. There is always a plethora of info and support.
One of the best things I got out of it, is a pen friend from here that I email all the time. She is in the USA and I am in Australia. You can reach out on here and make some great connections.
Groovyreba said:
Thanks everyone. Man this site is so much more encouraging than another site I was on. I’m going to go shut down my account over there.
Thanks all for info on "Costochondritis"!!! It didn't sound like my problem, I was ready to get 2nd opinion, but I tried heating pad last night and it is feeling much better. My pain was so low on my left ribs, I thought it must be pancreatitis or gallbladder.
Seenie,
It's so good to hear that dry eyes are part of the PsA deal ("good" in the way that now something else makes sense). My eyes have been driving me crazy for months now. I've tried over the counter drops, and they help a little. But they still burn and are extremely sensitive to any air flow -- in fact, as the day goes on the only way to feel any real relief is to close them. What can an eye doc do? Have you tried any prescription meds for your condition?
Seenie said:
Dry eyes is one of the "benefits" of PsA. They can burn, feel gritty, or (oddly) tear profusely. Try some lubricating drops, and if that doesn't work, check with your eye guy (or gal).
Neil, an eye doc can rule out other, more serious problems, as unlikely as that would be. I haven’t tried any prescription meds for dry eye. When I get it, I just use whatever I can get in the drugstore. Mine is sporadic and fairly mild. (Except in the winter if there is a breeze – then my eyes stream as if I’m bawling.) But hey, I was reading about a new prescription med – teensy pellets that you pop into your lower lid, that dispense a constant flow of lubricant. Cool.
Thanks, Seenie. I think I'll go ahead and see an eye doc. I've been thinking about that for a while now. I'll let you know if I get the cool new med:)
Seenie said:
Neil, an eye doc can rule out other, more serious problems, as unlikely as that would be. I haven't tried any prescription meds for dry eye. When I get it, I just use whatever I can get in the drugstore. Mine is sporadic and fairly mild. (Except in the winter if there is a breeze -- then my eyes stream as if I'm bawling.) But hey, I was reading about a new prescription med -- teensy pellets that you pop into your lower lid, that dispense a constant flow of lubricant. Cool.
I have had dry eye's and have seen the eye dr. for it. He has put plugs in my tear ducts and put me on prescription eye drops and a antibiotic plus he has me using 2 OTC eye drops. Do a search on past discussion for dry eyes and you will find a lot of information. I ended up with a sort of double vision every thing had a shadow. My wife would not let me drive. After about 8 months of treatment I finally got a set of glasses that somewhat work so that I can now see much better. This can be serious stuff do not neglect your eyes.
Groovyreba, Are yo on Prednisone at all? Even a small amount like 5 mg. may help this flare. Being sick with a sinus infection will get you down & blue, feeling lousy, even w/out having a PsA a flare! Once you're through the sinus infection, you will feel better. Try to move a little even when you feel like you can't.
I don't hesitate to tell my family details of my pain, and the days I can't walk down a flight of steps. I tell them the dangers of various meds I'm offered, and so on. I ALSO send my family information, I tell them about Phil Mickelson and links like those below:
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/09/phil-mickelsons-psoriatic-arthritis-explained.html
Groovyreba, I'm so sorry. It sounds like bad things keep piling on top of bad things. Prednisone - my absolute least favorite medicine in the world - is pretty useful. Antibiotics sometimes need a boost, and Pred. provides that boost quite effectively. It also has the side benefit of toning down symptoms from a flare. Wouldn't hurt to call the doc and ask if he is willing to call you in a prescription. You might also look up dexamethasone, which is in the same family as pred, but has fewer side effects (at least for me).
Sinus infections are miserable, and I hope you start feeling better really really soon.
Definitely let your family know exactly how difficult this is for you, and share other's stories with them. Many of my friends and family members didn't understand what I was going through until I started blogging about things. You can share any of my posts on my blog: www.rannygahoots.blogspot.com . The post "Not JUST Arthritis" on rannygahoots is one of the most shared.
I have indeed experienced costochondritis. It is fairly common with PsA. If fact years before I was diagnosed with PsA, I had these symptoms. Working as an ICU Nurse I spent hours, weeks, months, years standing over patients and leaning over on the bed rails. ICU patients virtually have the bedrails up 24/7 so it was common practice for nurses. I even had an ER Doc tell me to stop leaning over the rails because of this. It is painful and annoying for sure but part of this thing we suffer with, PsA.
Faye said:
I agree - I will take the warm sunshine on my face and walking during the days with my dogs even though it means the climate change Cold>Warm is here and it's my worst time of year for pain, swelling, stiffness and affects my balance.
Anyone else experience "Costochondritis" as a side effect of PsA? I have it under my ribs, lower left side. At least that's what the rheumy said he it is.
Erinsmum said:
I have indeed experienced costochondritis. It is fairly common with PsA. If fact years before I was diagnosed with PsA, I had these symptoms. Working as an ICU Nurse I spent hours, weeks, months, years standing over patients and leaning over on the bed rails. ICU patients virtually have the bedrails up 24/7 so it was common practice for nurses. I even had an ER Doc tell me to stop leaning over the rails because of this. It is painful and annoying for sure but part of this thing we suffer with, PsA.
Faye said:I agree - I will take the warm sunshine on my face and walking during the days with my dogs even though it means the climate change Cold>Warm is here and it's my worst time of year for pain, swelling, stiffness and affects my balance.
Anyone else experience "Costochondritis" as a side effect of PsA? I have it under my ribs, lower left side. At least that's what the rheumy said he it is.
Erinsmum - my doctor is trying to tell me the pain down my left ribs to the lowest bottom rib isn't the right spot for costochondritis - yet he's the one who diagnosed it when it was all around my sternum and left of my left breast and below the left breast. Argh. Frustrating. Doctor's saying no. But it feels just like it!