As we have seen, not all medication works for everyone and I believe everyone's pain is different.
The way the pain radiates from my fingers to my hand and wrist is likely different from other people and what they feel. I don't believe feelings should be challenged, they are what they are. One way is not right or wrong.
As we have all seen, there seems to be a process in dealing with the many issues with PsA and we all have to find our own way. We can share experiences and thoughts and our accomplishments and all others can do is try and see what works. It's easy to get frustrated while trying to find what works for each of us is what gets us. I think it's understandable to get a little impatient.
I'm confident the support and understanding here will help us all through both the mental and physical stress. It's so easy to feel like the only one with this disease when not on this site. I am so glad that we can all share our thoughts here and support each other.
Dini you’re absolutely right…although I’d never wish this disease on anyone it’s comforting to know we are not alone :-). Because there is no cure and the current meds are Hit and miss its difficult to deal sometimes but it’s great to know that there are some meds that will help! For some the journey may be long and for others they may find something quick. Some have mild cases while others are extreme. Reading,sharing,learning and supporting one another surely makes the journey more tolerable.
Hi Dini.........I totally agree with you that we all experience PsA differently, and that we must all find our own way through the drug and treatment buffet............but there is also a huge commonality to this disease. For me, one of the most difficult aspects of my 43 years living with PsA is feeling so alone. The vast majority of people have never even heard of PsA and the general feeling I get is they believe arthritis is arthritis is arthritis.You can't really blame them. It took a friend being diagnosed with MS for me to understand how complicated THAT disease is then educate myself about it. I worked for the last 15 years in a teaching hospital in Seattle on the Orthopedic and Surgical Unit and I was blown away the day an ortho doc asked me why I was limping and I told him I had PsA..........he just stared rather blankly at me which scared me. I could only think that if HE didn't know what I was talking about, then I was in REAL trouble. I am pleased to say that by the time I retired this past September, PsA was still rarely seen in the hospital, but it was no longer an unknown disease.
As you said, so wisely, it IS very easy to become frustrated when one treatment plan after another fails to give us adequate or lasting relief. Or when we do find something that works, suddenly our labs are coming back with red flags and we have to give up the treatment. For me it wasn't just impatience I had to deal with, it was anger and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and sometimes I'd get mired down in the self-pity place.
I got involved with a support group for RA and while I finally felt I was with people who understood and I DID get a lot of support, but RA and PsA ARE different in many ways and once again I felt like I was essentially alone.
The past few years, my main support came from the Internet. Just reading about PsA and it's symptoms and various treatment options was the only thing that made me feel less alone. When I came upon this site, I was elated! It was the very first site I'd seen that was specific to PsA and I couldn't join fast enough!
I am feeling so relieved to know I can come here and people are going to really and finally understand what my life is like. I am very sorry that each and everyone of you is here............that you too are having to live with this horrid disease, but to have this place to give and get support and understanding is a Godsend to me.
Just because I've had this disease for so many years does not mean there is nothing left for me to learn from all of you. I only hope that in return, I can offer some help to others.
You're right too, when people hear "arthritis" they already have a an idea in their mind as to what it is. I've gotten to the point where I'm tired of explaining it to people.
btw...I'm typing using 2 less fingers than usual. Too much pain and swelling today.