Hello - I'm so glad I found this forum. My Psoriasis started in high school, mild flakes in my ears. Then I had a big breakout in 1997 and I thought I had chicken pox, dx'd with P. It went away after a month and I forgot this even happened until I was reading my old journals last week. Never saw a sign again until..
In 2007 we moved and the climate changed, and my scalp became covered in P. I also have inverse and my butt/vag is totally covered in scars from the P - I was overweight and embarrassed and just dealt with it down there, didn't treat it at all.
For the last 2 years or so I've been using steroid creams and shampoos - my hair is so thin and breaks so easily from that medication - Luckily I have good insurance and I have a hand held UV light unit which does wonders, though takes me an hour to get everything.
The last year or so my right thumb joint has been in constant pain, but very mild most of the time, but sometimes so bad I wear a brace. In Feb I was told by the Derm to go to the Rhuematoidologist. Instead, I quit eating wheat, gluten, and dairy and dropped 42 pounds and my P was getting a ton better and the joint pain was completely gone. Well, now it's back.
I'm going to the Rheum on 10/4. I want to know HOW he will diagnosis if it is really arthritis? What tests prove this?
Another thing I want to say is that the Derm last week put me on Dovenate or whatever it's called (Calcipotriene)....and it is clearing up spots completely! Which is making me happy but my thumb is bad and now I'm noticing my left thumb is starting up, too.
I'm so scared to go on the big meds because I work in a prison and I need my immune system. I'm sure methotrexate will be the first bet, right? Isn't it so scary to think that the medication you take could make life even worse than you already are because it can cause things like leukemia? This makes me so scared to go on them.
My current plan of action is to increase my water intake because sometimes I don't drink any water in a day (Only coffee, etc). Any other tips or advice on what to expect for the dr. appt and how I can best prepare is appreciated. Or other tips on P treatment.
Thank you everyone, and good luck with your P issues.
(ETA: My stress is out of this world, I worry constantly, always have. Have serious anxiety disorder. I know it's up to me to change how i think but with this going on I'm feeling pretty hopeless, gloom & doom).
Edited September 15, 2012 at 1:13 pm
I am so sorry you are struggling right now. I was recently just diagnosed with PsA. For my rheumatologist it was a matter of eliminating other issues first - he did a lot of blood work - I had very high inflammation levels but the test for RA was a 'good' level. I had radiologic xrays done on my feet, ankles and knees (the worst of my pain) which showed some joint damage but no stress fractures, breaks or other concerns. I have one fingernail with slight pitting, which is a sign of PsA. We also made the correlation between more skin lesions and more joint paint. And then I responded well to (high) doses of steroid for both my joints and my skin. All of those things together gave my doctor the info he needed to diagnosis me with PsA.
I did start on methotrexate a couple of weeks ago. It really freaks me out BUT the alternative was worse - I was living no-sort of life being unable to function because I was in so much pain.
Good luck. I hope you have a productive appointment with the rheumatologist.