Newly diagnosed - Psoriatic Arthritis

LemonMerigue

Hello all! I've just found these boards and I think they'll be (hopefully) helpful for me. I've just been diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis and in all honesty I'm feeling a bit over whelmed and I need somewhere to vent or feel support. I've tried talking to friends & family but they just don't 'get it'.

I started showing symptoms of arthritis back in March last year (2014). Just in my right index finger. Pain was easily managed and it didn't really affect my day to day life and to be honest it was easily attributed to my line of work, so I just ignored it for the most part. Come September (2014, shortly after my 25th birthday) I started waking in the night with back pain. It was like nothing I'd ever felt and that's when I stopped working as it was affecting my ability to work, walk, sleep, eat. Pretty much every aspect of my life that was before, free and easy had been turned upside down and was now a daily struggle. From September - December it was constant visits to the GP, a different pain killer every week but still insurmountable pain. It left me with nothing short of my very own pharmacy that would make an actual pharmacist blush! Early January, I came out in huge psoriasis patches (a condition I had never before had!) and My GP finally referred me to see a Rheumatologist. I had my appointment with him last week and he diagnosed me.

I'm relieved to be getting the right treatment but psychologically I'm struggling with it. I know it's going to a problem I will always have and it scares me, quite frankly.

Anyway....I'm rambling. Thank you for reading.
P.

[Deleted User]

Welcome to Arthritis Care Forums LemonMerigue, from the moderation team.

As moderators we are here to help with any problems you may have on the message boards.

There are lots of lovely people here who have a wide range of experiences of arthritis and the problems of living with the condition. Hopefully someone will have had similar experience to yourself and be able to offer you some advice. I can definitely guarantee, though, that you will get a great deal of support from the forum members which should make you feel much less alone.

I look forward to seeing you posting on the boards.

Best wishes

ModEm

dreamdaisy

Hello, I too have PsA but I was not diagnosed anywhere near as quickly as you. I am now ending my eighteenth year of it and having a rough day so won't hang around. I replied to your other thread, I am on injected meth and have no trouble with it. I also take other meds but, as I said, I am eighteen years in. I'll be back when things improve. DD

PS For friends and family I recommend the following articles which can be found on the net: 'The Spoon Theory.' and 'There's a Gorilla in my House.'

frogmorton

Hi there Lemonmeringue - I've already said hello on a thread!!

It is good to meet you and see you posting

I hope your rheumatologist gets your symptoms under some control soon.

Love

Toni xxx