Hello everyone!
I’m so glad to finally find a forum to discuss my PsA.
I was (correctly) diagnosed about two years ago and have gone through the treadmill of cures ( MTX, Embrel, Humira, Otezla, Sulfasalazine, etc.) I’m just had my second booster shot of Stelara, and hoping and praying for some relief.
My symptoms started 15 years ago in my right hand and my left knee, swelling and joint damage. The first rheumy Dr. diagnosed me with pseudo-gout and osteoarthritis. No medications helped and the symptoms kept getting worse, spreading to my lower back, both hands and feet. I knew something was wrong because I felt worse than my parents, who are in their late 80’s and I’m just in my late 50’s.
I’ve been through 4 different rheumy Drs. before I found someone who would take the time to discuss my symptoms, diagnose the correct issue and help with experimenting on medications. Thank God that my wife has excellent insurance or I would have never been able to even try these $$$ biologics.
Welcome! I’m glad to hear you finally have the right diagnosis! It sucks that it’s taking so long for you to find your miracle drug though… I really hope stelara will be it for you!
Welcome! Same here with the healthy parents! IDK if it’s that they’re so healthy, but they sure are (were in my dad’s case) tough! I’m 64 and my mom’s 93–when she and my dad were my age they could run circles around me! My mom has had OA in her fingers really bad for years and had polymyalgia in her 70s and has been in a low dose of prednisone for nearly 20 years now…I really think the few mg of prednisone each day gives her a boost she wouldn’t have w/o it! My dad had celiac disease and that and smoking killed him when he was only 82, but he toughed it out right to his last day!
It’s interesting to me so many of us get our dx in our 50s—it’s either then or in some unfortunate people it’s in their 20s-30s.
Anyway, it’s good you found this site! Sorry the biologics so far haven’t worked for you—hopefully, Stelara’s the miracle you’ve been waiting for!