A new post about sleeplessness and recent experiences are making me think about how the disease might influence us in insidious ways.
I've slept badly for as long as I can remember, especially in the 10 or so years before being diagnosed with PsA. I never quite got out of that teenage pattern of being wide awake in the evening and brain dead before about 10 am. And while I had to bust through that and hit the ground running early when I was teaching, I certainly paid for it.
Now I'm finding that my psoriasis is much worse in the evening. That's the time when inflammation joins up the plaques and the itching starts in earnest. Then, if it's going to be a bad night for skin, it itches even more and starts to burn after I go to bed around 11pm. After about 3 or 4 am everything calms down - the itch, my mind, my whole body. I awake with faded psoriasis and no irritation. Which makes me wonder: is psoriasis a visible indicator of the pattern the PsA disease process follows in a particular individual?
PsA is of course a systemic disease. I reckon that to some extent it therefore influences what we think of as our natural constitution. And, in turn, constitution influences character. I had what I now realise was very likely the first sign of active PsA when I was 16. And while I do not think for one moment that it has been active my whole life I often think, looking back, that it has been there at a low level. How much of what I think of as intrinsically 'me' has been influenced by this disease?
I say I've slept badly for ever, but that's not quite true. Sleep improved a bit when I started on PsA meds, the DMARDs. And since starting Humira quite a few things have improved even more, especially sleep. My health situation's complex as is true for most of us. There are various physical problems that make life tough. But in so far as I can weed them out and look at the rest of the picture, I'd say that I feel more 'normal' than I ever have since starting Humira. For a start, before this psoriasis flare anyway, I could at least fall asleep before 3 am most days of the week. I've remained restless in the evenings but I'm calmer than I've ever been, much less emotional overall.
Okay, age may be a factor, age can mellow a person. But there are so many things that I don't want to add to this already long post that make me think that various levels of systemic inflammation have made life very tricky for way too long. So maybe it wasn't all down to me, but to it.
Hi Sybil, thanks for this really thoughtful post. So much to think about. I agree with your ending; many of us have taken a long jouney to diagnosis (and some like me remain with a tentative diagnosis but are being treated 'as if' anyway). So this long journey and the knowledge that systemic conditions have systemic effects, probably means at least some if not many things we experience need a rethink...connecting dots I guess. One of the best Docs I ever saw was a gastroenterologist who told me 'someyhing wrong in the gut...something wrong in the whole body' Ditto for PsA.
After spending almost a decade thinking I was exaggerating, blaming the then undiagnosed condition for unrelated things I now realise that I have been doing the opposite which may have prolonged the diagnosis road.
Lately I have been noticing some things that I think might be related to PsA and I am doing my own experiments to see when they happen and what helps etc. Its my own way of joining the dots. This forum helps a lot too.
What I've noticed so far:
- my sleep is better on DMARDS
- lots of soft tissue involvement
- my neck pain is not posture like my struggling GP told me but actually surprise surprise surprise PsA
My new motto... if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck than it's a duck until I find out it's a fish or a dog or something else :-)
Sorry if I have taken this discussion off track, or have misunderstood your post.
One ,more thing, I am guessing you have read a few things about relationship between psoriasis and severity of PsA...did ypu find anything? What I read they say no link but I suspect they don't know yet....
Sleep…it’s my most sought after luxury. Hoping some time on the remicade and mtx will help. I too have been a very poor sleeper long before diagnosis. And the neck back and knee pain is always thought was my job working 12 hour shifts on my feet…looking back I had many symptoms I had not tied together like the “sores” on my scalp. But it’s all come together…now just waiting for an uninterrupted nights rest. I think my mate hopes for the same as I often wake him with my tossing and turning…maybe tonight will be that night?
You've not taken anything off track or misunderstood me at all. I'm so pleased that you got what I was on about so readily!
The neck pain rang loads of bells ..... I've had lots of things like that. Perhaps there have been a few joint or soft tissue problems over the years that were not down to PsA, but most seem to fit, in retrospect.
Great that you're sleeping better on DMARDs. Is that down to less pain or stiffness? Or just an easier time getting to sleep and staying asleep plain & simple?
As for any relationship between the severity of psoriasis and the severity of PsA, I've always understood that there is no correlation, that people can have mild psoriasis and severe PsA and vice versa. But this is the first bad psoriasis flare I've had and the way the rash changes over a 24 hour period seems to reflect rhythms that I used to think were just part of my character. Now I'm wondering whether a tendency to being fidgety, restless and somewhat anxious in the evening and first part of the night have actually been due to the disease being more active at those times.
I like your motto!
MacMac said:
Hi Sybil, thanks for this really thoughtful post. So much to think about. I agree with your ending; many of us have taken a long jouney to diagnosis (and some like me remain with a tentative diagnosis but are being treated 'as if' anyway). So this long journey and the knowledge that systemic conditions have systemic effects, probably means at least some if not many things we experience need a rethink...connecting dots I guess. One of the best Docs I ever saw was a gastroenterologist who told me 'someyhing wrong in the gut...something wrong in the whole body' Ditto for PsA.
After spending almost a decade thinking I was exaggerating, blaming the then undiagnosed condition for unrelated things I now realise that I have been doing the opposite which may have prolonged the diagnosis road.
Lately I have been noticing some things that I think might be related to PsA and I am doing my own experiments to see when they happen and what helps etc. Its my own way of joining the dots. This forum helps a lot too.
What I've noticed so far:
- my sleep is better on DMARDS
- lots of soft tissue involvement
- my neck pain is not posture like my struggling GP told me but actually surprise surprise surprise PsA
My new motto... if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck than it's a duck until I find out it's a fish or a dog or something else :-)
Sorry if I have taken this discussion off track, or have misunderstood your post.
One ,more thing, I am guessing you have read a few things about relationship between psoriasis and severity of PsA...did ypu find anything? What I read they say no link but I suspect they don't know yet....
I hope you find that sleep gets easier. I think that took a while for me. A few years back I would have thought that sleeping as soundly as I often do these days was impossible. Joining some of the dots helps a bit I reckon and, when they work well, the drugs can help considerably. I used to get stuck in a loop wondering why I could walk for miles on soft ground in the countryside, but every shopping trip or visit to a supermarket or museum, anything that involved walking on unforgiving surfaces caused all over pain. I kept coming back to self-blame along the lines of 'must improve my posture' or just 'get a grip!'. But now, even though I have some joint damage and don't particularly like a lot of walking on hard surfaces, I can do that much more comfortably.
Wishing you a good night's sleep, if not tonight, then soon.
Mcr said:
Sleep...it's my most sought after luxury. Hoping some time on the remicade and mtx will help. I too have been a very poor sleeper long before diagnosis. And the neck back and knee pain is always thought was my job working 12 hour shifts on my feet...looking back I had many symptoms I had not tied together like the "sores" on my scalp. But it's all come together....now just waiting for an uninterrupted nights rest. I think my mate hopes for the same as I often wake him with my tossing and turning....maybe tonight will be that night?
Sybil, maybe it's common to have more itching in the evening and overnight. Even the small amount of psoriasis that remains on my lower legs itches so bad most evenings, I just scratch and scratch til it's bleeding--then the itching stops haha! But I remember when I had psoriasis worse and really bad on my scalp I'd wake up scratching during the night. Ugh it was bothersome. I don't think I had REM sleep then, because I wasn't dreaming at all, most likely cuz of the itching. Now, most nights I dream at least part of the night. :-)
Tonight is one of those sleepless nights--it's 3:45 a.m. I made the mistake of sleeping from 6 til 9 p.m. I think I have the opposite problem of most people on a biologic--I feel more hyper and usually don't need much sleep. I rarely get tired at work anymore. But, when my PSA was undiagnosed (and I didn't even give PsA a thought) I used to be so tired at work, my eyes would go crossed and I had crushing fatigue.
I do agree that, long before PsA diagnosis, we have flares. Maybe they're mild, or don't last too long, but they're there. I also had soft tissue involvement, and weakness in my arms and legs. Unfortunately, my legs are weak now, but that's because of my bad back. Speaking of backs, my middle back in the thoracic spine area has always been very weak. For as long as I can remember, walking any distance caused terrible pain in my middle back. So, I never went on long walks.
It isn't until we have tons of symptoms before we get a diagnosis. But, maybe that's how it has to be. There are so many conditions with symptoms of aches and pains like ours it's no wonder most of us don't get diagnosed early on. And, I remember my first rheumy told me she didn't wasn't to label me with PsA before it was 100% sure I had it.
I think I got way off track. Please excuse me--it's 4:00 a.m. I need to get some sleep!!!!
I'm sure it is common for psoriasis to kick off in the evening and at night. Maybe that's when psoriatic disease generally is most active(?)
Do you feel happier when you dream / are aware of having dreamt? I do. Sometimes after a good dreaming session I awake feeling like I've been to the best counsellor there is and ironed out a few kinks.
Sometimes I'm inclined to be understanding about the length of time it takes many of us to get diagnosed. But. The doctors must waste a lot of time and resources while getting it wrong & in some cases I can't help thinking that if one or two of them had sat down and thought through an individual case really carefully they'd have got there a lot sooner. Then there's the small matter of the damage done to us over the (undiagnosed) years.
It is interesting that you feel hyper on Enbrel. What I wonder is does that feel very natural to you? As if Enbrel has helped you to be 'like you should be'? Because that's the feeling I get about a few of the positive changes I've noticed in myself since starting on aggressive treatment.
Grandma J said:
Sybil, maybe it's common to have more itching in the evening and overnight. Even the small amount of psoriasis that remains on my lower legs itches so bad most evenings, I just scratch and scratch til it's bleeding--then the itching stops haha! But I remember when I had psoriasis worse and really bad on my scalp I'd wake up scratching during the night. Ugh it was bothersome. I don't think I had REM sleep then, because I wasn't dreaming at all, most likely cuz of the itching. Now, most nights I dream at least part of the night. :-)
Tonight is one of those sleepless nights--it's 3:45 a.m. I made the mistake of sleeping from 6 til 9 p.m. I think I have the opposite problem of most people on a biologic--I feel more hyper and usually don't need much sleep. I rarely get tired at work anymore. But, when my PSA was undiagnosed (and I didn't even give PsA a thought) I used to be so tired at work, my eyes would go crossed and I had crushing fatigue.
I do agree that, long before PsA diagnosis, we have flares. Maybe they're mild, or don't last too long, but they're there. I also had soft tissue involvement, and weakness in my arms and legs. Unfortunately, my legs are weak now, but that's because of my bad back. Speaking of backs, my middle back in the thoracic spine area has always been very weak. For as long as I can remember, walking any distance caused terrible pain in my middle back. So, I never went on long walks.
It isn't until we have tons of symptoms before we get a diagnosis. But, maybe that's how it has to be. There are so many conditions with symptoms of aches and pains like ours it's no wonder most of us don't get diagnosed early on. And, I remember my first rheumy told me she didn't wasn't to label me with PsA before it was 100% sure I had it.
I think I got way off track. Please excuse me--it's 4:00 a.m. I need to get some sleep!!!!
Hey, Sybil! I think I go overboard when I say hyper. But Idk how to describe it. Awake? Alert? Yes, alert!!! Maybe because there’s less brain fog, I’m just not so tired out! Last night–or I should say this morning, I finally fell asleep at about 4:30. I woke up at 6:30 and couldn’t sleep anymore! So altogether from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am I only had 5 hours sleep, and I’ve been busy all day. It’s crazy! Sure my feet hurt a little and my ear ringing is nearly driving me nuts, but I feel pretty good these days!
With PsA and the biologics’ unpredictability, we never know how long the “good” is going to last. As you found out, it doesn’t last forever for most people. So disappointing and such a reason to worry! But, lately, I’ve honestly taken on a new outlook. For a long time–before I started Enbrel and continuing until just recently (even though Enbrel’s been working for over a year) I worried too much about having PsA. It was so scary for me. So, I’m glad I finally came to grips with it!
About dreaming–yes! I used to love going to bed at night because I always had good dreams. And then they stopped. So now it’s nice to have a dream some nights. I had a funny dream Sunday night–we were at a casino hotel near Duluth. The real part is, Jamie and I had decided to go gambling after the kids fell asleep (don’t worry, Neil their dad was with them). We jokingly agreed to split our winnings, but we knew we wouldn’t win–and we didn’t! That night I dreamed Jamie won $3,000.00, but she didn’t offer to split it with me. Knowing she has a big family I felt bad asking for half of it, so I was trying to get up the nerve to ask her for $500 of it. Then I woke up! I’d say waking up was a little disappointing! That money would have been nice!!! Do you ever have dreams that you’re relieved to wake up?
Well, I gotta go watch some kids. I hope you’re getting some good creams and ointments for that psoriasis. And, I hope you have a nice Sunday.
Sybil said:
I’m sure it is common for psoriasis to kick off in the evening and at night. Maybe that’s when psoriatic disease generally is most active(?)
Do you feel happier when you dream / are aware of having dreamt? I do. Sometimes after a good dreaming session I awake feeling like I’ve been to the best counsellor there is and ironed out a few kinks.
Sometimes I’m inclined to be understanding about the length of time it takes many of us to get diagnosed. But. The doctors must waste a lot of time and resources while getting it wrong & in some cases I can’t help thinking that if one or two of them had sat down and thought through an individual case really carefully they’d have got there a lot sooner. Then there’s the small matter of the damage done to us over the (undiagnosed) years.
It is interesting that you feel hyper on Enbrel. What I wonder is does that feel very natural to you? As if Enbrel has helped you to be ‘like you should be’? Because that’s the feeling I get about a few of the positive changes I’ve noticed in myself since starting on aggressive treatment.
Grandma J said:
Sybil, maybe it’s common to have more itching in the evening and overnight. Even the small amount of psoriasis that remains on my lower legs itches so bad most evenings, I just scratch and scratch til it’s bleeding–then the itching stops haha! But I remember when I had psoriasis worse and really bad on my scalp I’d wake up scratching during the night. Ugh it was bothersome. I don’t think I had REM sleep then, because I wasn’t dreaming at all, most likely cuz of the itching. Now, most nights I dream at least part of the night.
Tonight is one of those sleepless nights–it’s 3:45 a.m. I made the mistake of sleeping from 6 til 9 p.m. I think I have the opposite problem of most people on a biologic–I feel more hyper and usually don’t need much sleep. I rarely get tired at work anymore. But, when my PSA was undiagnosed (and I didn’t even give PsA a thought) I used to be so tired at work, my eyes would go crossed and I had crushing fatigue.
I do agree that, long before PsA diagnosis, we have flares. Maybe they’re mild, or don’t last too long, but they’re there. I also had soft tissue involvement, and weakness in my arms and legs. Unfortunately, my legs are weak now, but that’s because of my bad back. Speaking of backs, my middle back in the thoracic spine area has always been very weak. For as long as I can remember, walking any distance caused terrible pain in my middle back. So, I never went on long walks.
It isn’t until we have tons of symptoms before we get a diagnosis. But, maybe that’s how it has to be. There are so many conditions with symptoms of aches and pains like ours it’s no wonder most of us don’t get diagnosed early on. And, I remember my first rheumy told me she didn’t wasn’t to label me with PsA before it was 100% sure I had it.
I think I got way off track. Please excuse me–it’s 4:00 a.m. I need to get some sleep!!!
Hi Sybil, it's interesting, I don't really know why I am sleeping a bit better on DMARDs...it's not every night but it's better than it was. They aren't helping with the condition much except for decreasing inflammation on the balls of my feet....maybe that's enough to improve the sleep...or maybe it's working at a level that I am not aware of yet.
I do hope the psoriasis improves soon for you :-)
Sybil said:
You've not taken anything off track or misunderstood me at all. I'm so pleased that you got what I was on about so readily!
The neck pain rang loads of bells ..... I've had lots of things like that. Perhaps there have been a few joint or soft tissue problems over the years that were not down to PsA, but most seem to fit, in retrospect.
Great that you're sleeping better on DMARDs. Is that down to less pain or stiffness? Or just an easier time getting to sleep and staying asleep plain & simple?
As for any relationship between the severity of psoriasis and the severity of PsA, I've always understood that there is no correlation, that people can have mild psoriasis and severe PsA and vice versa. But this is the first bad psoriasis flare I've had and the way the rash changes over a 24 hour period seems to reflect rhythms that I used to think were just part of my character. Now I'm wondering whether a tendency to being fidgety, restless and somewhat anxious in the evening and first part of the night have actually been due to the disease being more active at those times.
I like your motto!
MacMac said:
Hi Sybil, thanks for this really thoughtful post. So much to think about. I agree with your ending; many of us have taken a long jouney to diagnosis (and some like me remain with a tentative diagnosis but are being treated 'as if' anyway). So this long journey and the knowledge that systemic conditions have systemic effects, probably means at least some if not many things we experience need a rethink...connecting dots I guess. One of the best Docs I ever saw was a gastroenterologist who told me 'someyhing wrong in the gut...something wrong in the whole body' Ditto for PsA.
After spending almost a decade thinking I was exaggerating, blaming the then undiagnosed condition for unrelated things I now realise that I have been doing the opposite which may have prolonged the diagnosis road.
Lately I have been noticing some things that I think might be related to PsA and I am doing my own experiments to see when they happen and what helps etc. Its my own way of joining the dots. This forum helps a lot too.
What I've noticed so far:
- my sleep is better on DMARDS
- lots of soft tissue involvement
- my neck pain is not posture like my struggling GP told me but actually surprise surprise surprise PsA
My new motto... if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck than it's a duck until I find out it's a fish or a dog or something else :-)
Sorry if I have taken this discussion off track, or have misunderstood your post.
One ,more thing, I am guessing you have read a few things about relationship between psoriasis and severity of PsA...did ypu find anything? What I read they say no link but I suspect they don't know yet....
Keeping busy happily enough on 5 hours sleep sounds pretty good no matter what we call it!
Oh yes, I certainly have dreams I'm happy to wake up from .... but I appreciate them too as they make the day more welcome. Are you sure the casino dream was a dream? Or is this you covertly confessing your secret life? I'm very suspicious, such clarity about the sums involved .....
Humira's working very well for the PsA incidentally, although rheumy reckons it's not 100% under control. Derm mentioned that the reason why my psoriasis presents 'atypically' (looks pretty typical to me) could be because it is, in a sense, being partially treated by Humira. So that's complicated! I'm having a biopsy done on the P on my back to firm up the diagnosis.
Anyway, I'm very envious of your energy. But better luck at the roulette wheel next time.
Grandma J said:
Hey, Sybil! I think I go overboard when I say hyper. But Idk how to describe it. Awake? Alert? Yes, alert!!! Maybe because there's less brain fog, I'm just not so tired out! Last night--or I should say this morning, I finally fell asleep at about 4:30. I woke up at 6:30 and couldn't sleep anymore! So altogether from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am I only had 5 hours sleep, and I've been busy all day. It's crazy! Sure my feet hurt a little and my ear ringing is nearly driving me nuts, but I feel pretty good these days! With PsA and the biologics' unpredictability, we never know how long the "good" is going to last. As you found out, it doesn't last forever for most people. :-( So disappointing and such a reason to worry! But, lately, I've honestly taken on a new outlook. For a long time--before I started Enbrel and continuing until just recently (even though Enbrel's been working for over a year) I worried too much about having PsA. It was so scary for me. So, I'm glad I finally came to grips with it! About dreaming--yes! I used to love going to bed at night because I always had good dreams. And then they stopped. So now it's nice to have a dream some nights. I had a funny dream Sunday night--we were at a casino hotel near Duluth. The real part is, Jamie and I had decided to go gambling after the kids fell asleep (don't worry, Neil their dad was with them). We jokingly agreed to split our winnings, but we knew we wouldn't win--and we didn't! That night I dreamed Jamie won $3,000.00, but she didn't offer to split it with me. Knowing she has a big family I felt bad asking for half of it, so I was trying to get up the nerve to ask her for $500 of it. Then I woke up! I'd say waking up was a little disappointing! That money would have been nice!!! Do you ever have dreams that you're relieved to wake up? Well, I gotta go watch some kids. I hope you're getting some good creams and ointments for that psoriasis. And, I hope you have a nice Sunday.
Sybil said:
I'm sure it is common for psoriasis to kick off in the evening and at night. Maybe that's when psoriatic disease generally is most active(?)
Do you feel happier when you dream / are aware of having dreamt? I do. Sometimes after a good dreaming session I awake feeling like I've been to the best counsellor there is and ironed out a few kinks.
Sometimes I'm inclined to be understanding about the length of time it takes many of us to get diagnosed. But. The doctors must waste a lot of time and resources while getting it wrong & in some cases I can't help thinking that if one or two of them had sat down and thought through an individual case really carefully they'd have got there a lot sooner. Then there's the small matter of the damage done to us over the (undiagnosed) years.
It is interesting that you feel hyper on Enbrel. What I wonder is does that feel very natural to you? As if Enbrel has helped you to be 'like you should be'? Because that's the feeling I get about a few of the positive changes I've noticed in myself since starting on aggressive treatment.
I think the drugs do sometimes work on a certain level below our radar ... especially at first. Hopefully in time the effects will be even more obvious. Their less obvious effects, the improvement that goes above and beyond reducing pain and stiffness and decreasing swelling etc., really interest me though.
MacMac said:
Hi Sybil, it's interesting, I don't really know why I am sleeping a bit better on DMARDs...it's not every night but it's better than it was. They aren't helping with the condition much except for decreasing inflammation on the balls of my feet....maybe that's enough to improve the sleep...or maybe it's working at a level that I am not aware of yet.
Hi Sybil, I agree. My Significant Other has such a systems head....he has always accepted that the condition could work in weird mysterious and individual ways. I have sometimes experienced this as him being discounting but actually it's the opposite...he is completely accepting of this system impact and trusts my experience of it. This thread has reminded me of this and given me stronger resolve to be curious about what the pathways of PsA might be for me, test things out and see what fits and what doesn't. It has also validated my resolve to stay on Arava a bit longer to build up a bit more of a picture of the beneath the surface effects...who knows it could be just like a duck....much of the dynamic action below the water's surface.
Was in Sydney this weekend and hax a great swim at the beach....I know that had a great impact on my system!
Sybil said:
I think the drugs do sometimes work on a certain level below our radar ... especially at first. Hopefully in time the effects will be even more obvious. Their less obvious effects, the improvement that goes above and beyond reducing pain and stiffness and decreasing swelling etc., really interest me though.
MacMac said:
Hi Sybil, it's interesting, I don't really know why I am sleeping a bit better on DMARDs...it's not every night but it's better than it was. They aren't helping with the condition much except for decreasing inflammation on the balls of my feet....maybe that's enough to improve the sleep...or maybe it's working at a level that I am not aware of yet.
Swimming in the sea in Sydney. Don't ever expect any sympathy from me LOL!
That phrase 'he trusts my experience of it' - I suppose that's the ideal in a partner and my husband's the same. It makes life so much simpler and happier than it would be with doubt and questioning.
How long have you been on Arava? My immediate reaction is to suggest that you don't let it overstay its welcome ....... though I've just looked back at your profile so can see treatment options might be a bit of a tricky area(?)
MacMac said:
Hi Sybil, I agree. My Significant Other has such a systems head....he has always accepted that the condition could work in weird mysterious and individual ways. I have sometimes experienced this as him being discounting but actually it's the opposite...he is completely accepting of this system impact and trusts my experience of it. This thread has reminded me of this and given me stronger resolve to be curious about what the pathways of PsA might be for me, test things out and see what fits and what doesn't. It has also validated my resolve to stay on Arava a bit longer to build up a bit more of a picture of the beneath the surface effects...who knows it could be just like a duck....much of the dynamic action below the water's surface.
Was in Sydney this weekend and hax a great swim at the beach....I know that had a great impact on my system!
Not long on arava...about 3 months. It's unlikely to work in the long run because there is not enough impact on the condition but I hve de ided to stay on it till rheumy appointment in early December. By then it's a good picture of what it does and doesn't do. Obviously if I get worse than I will change the plan. I know the PsA has prigressed over the last 5 months but still in the mild to mod range I reckon. Looks like I might be heading for biologics. Maybe I will try mtx beforehand....but I am not sure. This group has helped me so much....it's the 'living with ' focus and everyones determination and support for eacbother. To be honest I was really reluctant to joina forum but have felt so lucky that I did.
I know ....I feel guilty mentioning the beach....if it's any consolation I grew up in Sydney but live in Canberra....2 hours drive from a beach and 4 hours drive from Sydney. Probably doesn't help right?!
I understand ... definitely sounds like a plan. I'd plump for biologics if & when possible. I realise everybody's different but again and again they seem to be the most reliable game changer. I'd have thought I was doing okay on Mtx were it not for my persistently swollen knees (the left one was swollen for about 3 years, the right for 2). Then I found that not only did Humira bring the swelling down very quickly but it also eradicated or improved loads of other 'subtler' things ... which perhaps were not that subtle, I'd just got used to living with them.
MacMac said:
Not long on arava...about 3 months. It's unlikely to work in the long run because there is not enough impact on the condition but I hve de ided to stay on it till rheumy appointment in early December. By then it's a good picture of what it does and doesn't do. Obviously if i get worse then I am nos I will change the plan. I know the PsA has prigressed over the last 5 months but still in the mild to mod range I reckon. Looks like I might be heading for biologucs maybe I will try mtx beforehand....not sure
I know ....i feel guilty mentioning the beach....if it's any consolation I grew up in Sydney but live in Canberra....2 hours drive from a beach....????
So disappointing and such a reason to worry! But, lately, I’ve honestly taken on a new outlook. For a long time–before I started Enbrel and continuing until just recently (even though Enbrel’s been working for over a year) I worried too much about having PsA. It was so scary for me. So, I’m glad I finally came to grips with it!