I had a ruptured cerebral aneurysm a couple of years ago. After one of my brain surgeries I got c. diff. After the c. diff I have been in severe pain in my hip. My doctors all said it was my sacroiliac joint but no treatment has helped. Recently, I became very fatigued and stiff in the mornings. All joints ache. I scheduled myself with a rheumatologist. He found flaky skin behind my ears and on my palms. My toenails are also messed up. My family doctor said it was a fungus. I have never been diagnosed with psoriasis. no one in my family has it. The rheumatologist said the c. diff could have triggered the arthritis. I am not certain yet if it is psoriatic or reactive arthritis. I feel depressed and scared. On november 4th I will get the results of all my labs from the rheumatologist. I am 42. I have been through so much with the aneurysm and several brain surgeries. It is depressing to now have this. I wonder what it is going to do to me. I worry about passing it to my kids. I wonder if it will disfigure me. The rheumatologist put me on sulfasalazine, doxycycline and diclofenac. I have been on it almost two weeks. It has helped a lot with the pain. If I get stressed the pain flares though. I feel a little queasy and bloated on the meds. Hopefully it will get better. People in my family are not very understanding. That increases the stress. I feel like a burden. Today I have not been able to do anything. It is fatigue. just wanted to introduce myself. If it turns out not to be psoriatic I will leave the group.
Where are you at with the c diff? Reactve arthritis is a very common reaction. Most of the recent research though suggests its not as connected to antibiotics as once thought. In any event ask your GI doc about fecal transplant for the c diff. Its just now commonly being done.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/medicalprofs/fecal-transplants-ddue1012.html
It could clear up the arthritis. whether you call it PsA or something else is irrelevent They are all related and treatment the same. It certainly sounds to me like PsA especially the stress and disease triggers. So welcome to the group lots of support here. Keep us posted. As there is no blood test for PsA, you blood work will be guidance not definitive.
PsA is rarley disfiguring espcially with treatment and the ods of your kids getting it too aren't all that high.
I have tested negative for c. diff for over a year now. Three rounds of antibiotics cleared it up. Thank you for responding. It has helped a lot. The toe that was mainly affected with what my family dr said was a fungus is barely able to bend. The rheumatologist said it is severly diminished. The meds he prescribed have helped a great deal with pain and mobility. I just feel nauseous and fatigued. My flaky skin has cleared up. My nails seem to be reattaching. They are looking a little better. The last couple of years have been stressful. I had several brain surgeries and two of my kids have had brain surgeries for different conditions. One bad thing after another has happened. Sometimes I break out in hives. The rheumatologist said my dermatologist should have noticed my skin problems. I have colitis after the c. diff. Have really suffered in pain the last couple of years. We spent a fortune trying injections etc that didn't work. Stress definitely triggers pain for me. I am trying to get adjusted to the meds. He may add more later. The rheumatologist said he may inject my piriformis that he thinks is causing my sciaticnerve to flare. I'm glad that I am getting treatment. No one would listen to me. I knew there had to be something systemic going on. The rheumatologist put me on meds the very first day. I am usually optimistic but am feeling depressed after this diagnosis. From what I read remission is not hopeful. That is why I worry about what is going to happen.
Colitis is the reason for the fecal transplant A direct connection between colitis and PsA is pretty clear in the literature. I'm not sure your definition of remission. Well over 90% of us respond beautifully to treatment. Getting there is a bit of a challenge. I once was wheel chair bound abd opiate dependent to get through the day. Last summer I pack packed with my Grandkids throgh Glacier park. Frankly a challenge for anyone my age not to mention disease. I'm not saying its always been smooth ( in fact the last week was a real bear) but when I'm away from here there are times I don't even think about my disease. You have been through the real scary stuff. Compared to where you have been, this thing will be a bunch easier. We'll help you as much as we can......
Hi. I know how you feel. I never realized that all the little skin issues I have had for the past 35 years were different forms of psoriasis. They always came out when I was under extreme stress. This year I lost my job and am unemployed for the first time in my entire life. It is hard for family to understand this disease. You probably look fine and people think you just have some aches or you strained a muscle or you will be fine with some rest. The thing is that PSA seems to kind of jump up and bite you right when you are least able to handle it. Just my opinion. I have been taking MTX for the past three months and my psoriasis is better. I had horrible hand lesions and flaking behind my ears and knees. The pain in the joints comes and goes. Lately it has been really hard to sleep. I do not have much sound medical advice for you as I am new too. Just know that a lot of people here have been around the block several times with this nasty disease. And they always have an ear to listen. I hope you find some relief from your pain and that your stress gets less. One thing I do know is it takes time, and it takes trying different meds, and maybe even different doctors. But I hope in the next few weeks you start to feel better.
Welcome. And I hope you find some relief for your symptoms soon. Cheers!
Welcome!
It’s amazing what time can do for your spirits. That and a great therapist! 
I was really down and angry when I was diagnosed. I won’t say that my last year has been a picnic, but it has gotten so much better. You will adapt and figure out how to live with this and how to live well. Just give it time. Until then, we will be here for you when you need us.
Thank you all. I got a copy of my lab results. I don't know how to interpret the genetic stuff. He said I have the gene for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It is not something that I see on my labs. Of course I'm not qualified at all to know what it means. With my history I have been concerned about behcets. From what I see I have a gene for it. My liver enzymes have been elevated for years now. He ordered an alk phosphatase test to determine if it is coming from the bone. I am doing very well I just get times that I feel anxious. Last night could not sleep. My skin is dry and cheeks are red. I get a little sore in my wrists, heels and shins. That is probably my own fault for not taking meds on time. I have not been drinking enough water. Never been one to drink water but am getting used to it. Thinking about paleo diet. It is something I was going to start anyway. Me and my husband need to lose weight. I am not overweight yet but am at the edge. I think it would help my joints to lose some and be active. It is hard to not be stressed. I have so much I need to do. DH is type A, Lol. I need to find a way to deal with stress.
That would be HLA-B27 (there are several others) There are lots of false negatives, but rarely like almost never a false positive so with the fear of being slapped from distance:
WELCOME TO OUR EXCLUSIVE LITTLE CLUB!!!!!!
Don't do too much at once. Meds first.
I have no idea what my hla test means. My doctor said I am B27 negative. I tried looking it up but probably do more harm than good since I don't know what I am looking at. The rheumatologist talks fast and I was not able to understand so I called to ask what my tests show but no return call yet.