steroids??

karl81

Hi everyone i saw my arthritis consultant the other day.I had some good news the x ray of my derformed finger showed no bone damage which is good however i have only had psoratic arthritis for 3 years so it's a little early to get the chapaigne out yet.now my question is does anybody know of how many diffrent types of injected steroids there is caus i have been using kenologue for years now and at the start it was great but my relief time has gone from 6 weeks to 2 weeks and now nothing. I had a 80mg does 3 days ago and it has done nothing normaly it kicks in after two days.I can''t have any diease modifying drugs due to my dodgey liver so injected steroids is my only relief, but if there don't work i don't know what to do. any advice please iam having a hellish flare up and iam so much pain but caus they is no bone damage yet my consultant won't take the risk with my liver and the drugs.

dreamdaisy

I don't know if there are many different types. I have had steroid injections in my knees, which were supposed to give up to three months relief, they lasted three days, if that. I have also had a couple of depos in my backside, meant to jolt the system into life - nothing happened. I take oral steroids daily, they DO make a difference. They are my favourite pills - to hell with the consequences.

If something is given repeatedly the body can build a tolerance towards it so it loses its effectiveness. That sounds like what has happened with you, and I don't think much can be done. I am not a doc tho: they are the ones who should be able to help. It does sound as tho your options are limited, which will obviously make life tougher. I am so sorry, I can't think of anything to suggest. DD

tillytop

Hi Karl, so sorry you are in so much pain at the moment and I understand your worry about finding something to give you some relief. Sorry I can't answer your question about the different types of injected steroid. The only one I have had is Depo-Medrone which did work for me but can't remember for how long. Does your dodgy liver prevent you from having oral steroids? Just wondered because, like DD says, I have found that they work very reliably. It may be that a short, high dose, would calm the flare for you and you could then stop again until/unless they were needed again. Sorry I can't think of anything else to suggest to you.
Thinking of you.

Love Tilly x

karl81

I think iam band from most oral tablets but i will ask about the oral steroids. iam a little scared that if my arthritis did start to eroid the bone i won't have anything to turn to however iam aware that it can take many years til the bones could be effected.thanx for all the advice my whole ordeal with my arthritis has been one brick wall after the other the and each brick wall has been thicker than the last. My arthritis is getting worse every year like last my fingers and knuckles swelled up real bad but this year my middle finger knuckle joints have been swelling up real bad aswell as the previous stuff before, my flare up's are much closer together and last alot longer.i don't mean to wine but i have no one else to talk to i don't no anybody that has psoratic arthritis.

dreamdaisy

I do. It's a bas***d isn't it? I don't get the P bit so much, but I have the A bit in spades. I have been on oral steroids for 3 1/2 years now, and I also take alendronic acid (weekly) in a vain attempt (I suspect) to protect against steroid-induced osteoporosis (bone thinning). I fell about laughing when my consultant put me on the AA - apparently I wouldn't like the pain of broken bones! I like different pains, they take my mind of the ****ing PA! The only arthritis treatment I haven't tried is gold.

I have to remind myself constantly that this disease is not like others: you have pneumonia, you take some meds, you are cured. You have a cold, you take some meds, it goes away until the next one. You have a nasty rash after some unexpected bit of fun after a night at the pub, you take some meds, it goes. Your appendix flares up, they take it out, give you some meds, you're cured. Etc etc etc. You have arthritis, and the meds they give you TRY to STALL the progress of said complaint, and they don't. Simples.

I, in the past, have expected way too much of the drugs I have been offered. I don't expect anything now, and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. The humira I currently take has worked wonders in terms of inflammation levels, but the pain has never gone. One has to keep trying different combinations of meds until you find the mix that works for you. Obviously other factors have to be taken into account and this is where I really feel for you. The liver is the main organ of choice for clearing our bodies of this vile muck we are given. Your liver is not in too good a shape by all accounts, and that will therefore limit your choices of meds. I am not a doctor, but there could be a slight chance that oral steroids might work: I really don't know but I hope that someone involved in your care can. I've just remembered that the dermatology unit told me that steroids are not recommended for psoraisis sufferers, but mine is mild. Ummm, I've forgotten what I'm replying to: it's late, I'm tired and earlier this evening I was whacked on the head by a well-kicked football. My head is splitting! Lord knows if any of the above makes any sense: my apologies Karl, but I do have PA, as does dorcas and one or two others around here. I like to think we are more exclusive! It is a rarer version of a common disease! DD

dorcas

Hi Karl...nice to meet you

As DD says I too have PA...without the psoriasis ! I've had PA for about 15yrs and it started in my fingers and elbow but now affects other joints too.

I'm so glad your xrays were clear for bone damage..but can understand your concern about how to manage the condition and prevent the inflammation when you cannot tolerate oral meds. :roll:

I have had steroid joint injections and intramuscular steroids too...with mixed results. :? sometimes they work..other times not and I think (but don't know) that the dose given might be significant. I usually get 80mg kenalog IM which doesn't do much by way of pain/ inflammation relief; but one of my rheummy's injects 120mg IM as he says that is more effective..so far he's been right!.

I'm not on oral steroids...never been suggested for PA but am on injectable Methotrexate and about to start on my third anti tnf. These drugs are powerful but the support and monitoring by hospital and GP is rigorous so any problems are quickly addressed. I have autoimmune probs with my kidneys and biliary tract so the docs are very careful. It's a balancing act!

I also use hot wax therapy for my hands (used/ suggested by my hand therapist) and find this very soothing for aching bones. It's not a 'solution' but a good additional non-invasive treatment.

Do you have the psoriasis as well as the PA?

Iris x

karl81

Hi i do have psoris but it's only mild , in the past it has only affected my knees, my scalp and my elbows.But since i have had imfalmtion of the spine i have developed a huge plaque of it right where the pain is on my back. like dreamdaisy my P is nothing like my A i have this in bucket loads yet my sister has real bad psoris but no Arthritis. may i ask does anybody no when the threat of bone damage ends what i mean is and i sorry if that last bit no sense, if they is no damage and you have had the disease for 5 years does that mean you will never get bone damage? the reason i ask is some info sheets say if they is no bone damage by five years then chances are you will never get bone damage other info says it can take many years before bone damage starts. i seem to always get conflicting info from diffrent arthritis websites.i do have hand deformities sliet drift on both hands with the same fingers which at first realy worried me.I hope your head is feeling better this morning dreamdaisy

dorcas

hello again Karl,

I don't know if the rheummy would ever say with certainty that anyone with PA for several years is likely/ unlikely to develop bone damage.

From personal experience I had PA for more than five years before I had joint damage and the condition and development of further damage has fluctuated ever since .

From what I've read it's important to prevent, if possible, and control the inflammation which leads to joint erosion and that's where the majority of my rheummy's treatment focus seems to lie.

why not talk all of this through with your rheummy? he/ she knows you best and can answer some of your questions?

Iris x

dreamdaisy

I know that my bones are beautiful. It's been proved by Xrays, they are not mis-shapen in any way or form. Despite constant pain in my toes ( and in my fingers now when I flare) there is no joint distortion. My PA kicked off (ha-ha) in my left knee - in no way shape or form did I follow the 'traditional' path of PA: it was only diagnosed as such when I finally had some P on my palms and soles. Everyone is affected differently by their version of whatever arthritis they have, I don't think there is anyway one can predict what can happen, hence the confusing information that is out there. I don't take much notice of the dire warnings about anything now, the progression of the disease, side effects of treatments, very little of it is guaranteed. My PA will do what it wants, when it wants and how it wants. It cannot be stopped or cured, it is what it is.

My head still hurts - thank you for remembering and asking! DD

karl81

Hi dreamdaisy and Iris when i whent to see my rheumy about my exta results he said even though the finger joint is deformed they is no bone damage he said caus you have no bone damage so far, i don't think it's distructive type yet in the letter to my GP he put it does not SEEM to be distructive to me that's not decive answer.When i go to my rheumy he never gives me straight answers it's always well i don't know how it's going to go, to i don't think it's going to that bad.With me it's a little weird caus even though i have had the disease for 3 years my hands only started about 1 and half years ago caus it was mmy spine that started first and from there it's my hands, wrists, elbows, kness, heels, shoulders,ankles and now i have osteoarthritis in my hips. but the swelling in my hands is getting real agressive.I don't mean to gripe but iam 28 and iam in a electric wheel chair tht i got from wheel chair services and i feel like ****.Can i say thanx for the chat caus i feel so alone with this whole arthritis thing and i hate the unown and i have put so much faith into the doctersknowlege and i feel that there are just giving up on me.

dreamdaisy

I think the main problem karl is that they GENUINELY don't know how the disease will progress. It varies so much from person to person but you certainly seem to have it very, very badly. My heart goes out to you. You are waaaaay to young for this rubbish, it's not so bad for me 'cos I'm 51 and past everything anyway but for you . . . . . . not, it's not right. I wish I could say something to help but, unusually for me, I'm lost for words. That don't happen too often. Keep in touch if you wish, either via this thread, or you can PM me. I do know a little of what you are going thro, but I won't pretend to understand. I can't, until I'm in a chair myself. DD

karl81

Hi dreamdaisy thanx for all your kind words and i have to thank you and everybody else i have spoke to about this it has made me feel alot better and i will keep in touch. if you ever want to chat you can PM me and i will more than happy to chat to you.

dorcas

Hi Karl.

it just ain't fair that you've got all that **** to deal with. :roll: :shock:
I know you have faith in your docs...but if you feel you're not being listened to...or not getting the answers you need then maybe you should ask for a second opinion?

There's one thing for sure Karl...and that's that you need never feel so alone again, with all us peeps on the forum to talk to.

You can come on here any time and post on any forum...you can be sad, glad or mad or just want to ask a question...it doesn't matter!

we are all the same here and all fighting the same disease. Having peeps who understand what living with arther is really like... and having the support of one another makes that journey easier.
...so keep posting!
Iris x

dreamdaisy

Thank you karl, that is very sweet of you. I'm a douhgty old bird, I've been fighting this for years but it's good to know you are there. You take care and as dorcas says, keep posting. it doesn't matter what, just keep in touch. Chit-chat is where we let our hair down - or what's left of our hair after the methotrexate! Roam around the forums and get aquainted with them - and dive in on anything: new voices and perspectives are always welcome! DD

skezier

Hi Karl,

I have pa as well, I do get a small bit of psoriasis but thankfully not much. I don't know how long I have had it but I think its a good 5-7 years actually.

I think its not common for it to really damage the bones but it certainly can do. I really hope they do find something that helps you.

As to your question, I don't know the answer but I do know Depo-Medrone is used in my neck and as trigger points every 8-10 weeks and it did help a lot and still does to a degree but this week she is going to use botox :shock: as well.....

Oral steroids didn't agree with me but they did do the job. I so hope they will do something to help you and fingers crossed for you. Nice to meet you. Cris x