Hello! PSA sufferer

felicityh

Hi everyone! I'm 20 years old and was diagnosed with PSA when I was 17 (had psoriasis from 6y/o). I've been on methotrexate (injections) for nearly a year now and they've helped me so much.. until recently when I've started having a 'mini flare-up'. My psoriasis is back and I have a swollen and painful finger, hip and neck. I've been finding it a bit hard to accept that my disease is still active despite my mtx (I guess I was hoping that mtx would 'cure' me even though I know it doesn't work that way). I'd love to be able to talk to people who can understand my frustrations and worries so I though joining this community would be a good place to start! x

[Deleted User]

Hello felicityh and welcome to the forums from the moderating team.

We have a great community here, with lots of experience of arthritis so absolutely this is a good place to start. There are quite a few members on here who have the same type of arthritis as you, although many of your symptoms will be very similar to those of other types, so you will get lots of tips and support.

I am very sorry to hear about your diagnosis of Psoriatic arthritis particularly that you feel the Methotrexate isn’t controlling the disease as well as it was. This link takes you to information which you might want to look at (apologies if you know it all already), including medication options. Many members here are on more than one medication to keep their disease under control.


https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/


Maybe you might need to get an appointment with your rheumatologist if you don’t have one due soon too?


I do hope you manage to get things under control soon and look forward to seeing you posting.

Best wishes



Ellen.

felicityh

moderator wrote:

Hello felicityh and welcome to the forums from the moderating team.

We have a great community here, with lots of experience of arthritis so absolutely this is a good place to start. There are quite a few members on here who have the same type of arthritis as you, although many of your symptoms will be very similar to those of other types, so you will get lots of tips and support.

I am very sorry to hear about your diagnosis of Psoriatic arthritis particularly that you feel the Methotrexate isn’t controlling the disease as well as it was. This link takes you to information which you might want to look at (apologies if you know it all already), including medication options. Many members here are on more than one medication to keep their disease under control.


https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/


Maybe you might need to get an appointment with your rheumatologist if you don’t have one due soon too?


I do hope you manage to get things under control soon and look forward to seeing you posting.

Best wishes



Ellen.

Thank you for replying. The medication link is very useful and I'll definitely look at that. I spoke to my rheum nurse earlier today and I have to try NSAIDs for a week or so to see it they'll help bring things back into control before we start to consider anything else. I've only recently had a steroid injection into the finger that's currently causing me problems so I can't have another of those just yet, and I don't think that a new med would be started just yet as it's only 2/3 joints affected and it's not been going on for too long. It's always hard to just wait and see, but I know it's what I need to do for now.

dreamdaisy

Hello, I too have PsA but without much of the P. I was born with eczema, developed asthma so more auto-immune dross was always on my set of cards. I began aged 37, am now 60 and never had success with just one med or a combination. I feel for you if the meth was serving you well, this is not nice, is it?

I've just answered another new one at some length so have 'shot my arthritic bolt' - I will say goodbye and will be back when I've recovered. DD

stickywicket

Hi Felicity and welcome from me too. I have RA and OA. They did wonder, for some time, if my RA was actually PsA as my mother has psoriasis but, as it became clear that I didn't, they finally accepted it was RA.

I rather like your take on things. You really know that methotrexate (I take it too, along with hydroxychloroquine) isn't a cure but still can't help harbouring a little hope. Well, no such thing as a cure but we can keep ensuring it lies as low as possible and that's just what you're doing.

I actually read your post late last night when I was too tired to give a proper reply. My first thought was to advise you to contact your rheumatology team but I see you're ahead of me on that. Well done! I hope the NSAIDS help but, if not, don't hesitate to get back to them. You might need more meth(otrexate) or something else adding to it. Many of us are on two or even three DMARDS, Whatever it takes.

I also read your other post on the 'Young People's Forum' in which you voice your concerns about uni. No-one can give you a guarantee that you won't flare while you are there but we have several people who have coped with uni and arthritis. Unfortunately for you, they coped so well they are now busy people who don't often visit the forums :roll: I did it waaaaay back in the '60s. There was no help then other than an amanuensis for my finals. I had one session in 'sick bay' and had to study back at my parents' for a while in my final year but I made a II(i).

Sadly, arthritis thrives on stress so, if you're anxious about uni, that could have triggered your current flare. If you were to look back at my early flares they'd go O-levels, A-levels, Finals. I even started my 'arthritic career' at 11+ time. 'Nuff said? I don't know how to override the stress. Thankfully, over the years, I've become a much more laid back person and I'm sure that has helped.

felicityh

dreamdaisy wrote:

Hello, I too have PsA but without much of the P. I was born with eczema, developed asthma so more auto-immune dross was always on my set of cards. I began aged 37, am now 60 and never had success with just one med or a combination. I feel for you if the meth was serving you well, this is not nice, is it?

I've just answered another new one at some length so have 'shot my arthritic bolt' - I will say goodbye and will be back when I've recovered. DD

I am very lucky with mtx working so well for me, with minimal side effects too. It almost felt to good to be true and now it seems I may have been right about that unfortunately. What meds are you on currently (if you don't mind me asking)?

felicityh

stickywicket wrote:

Hi Felicity and welcome from me too. I have RA and OA. They did wonder, for some time, if my RA was actually PsA as my mother has psoriasis but, as it became clear that I didn't, they finally accepted it was RA.

I rather like your take on things. You really know that methotrexate (I take it too, along with hydroxychloroquine) isn't a cure but still can't help harbouring a little hope. Well, no such thing as a cure but we can keep ensuring it lies as low as possible and that's just what you're doing.

I actually read your post late last night when I was too tired to give a proper reply. My first thought was to advise you to contact your rheumatology team but I see you're ahead of me on that. Well done! I hope the NSAIDS help but, if not, don't hesitate to get back to them. You might need more meth(otrexate) or something else adding to it. Many of us are on two or even three DMARDS, Whatever it takes.

I also read your other post on the 'Young People's Forum' in which you voice your concerns about uni. No-one can give you a guarantee that you won't flare while you are there but we have several people who have coped with uni and arthritis. Unfortunately for you, they coped so well they are now busy people who don't often visit the forums :roll: I did it waaaaay back in the '60s. There was no help then other than an amanuensis for my finals. I had one session in 'sick bay' and had to study back at my parents' for a while in my final year but I made a II(i).

Sadly, arthritis thrives on stress so, if you're anxious about uni, that could have triggered your current flare. If you were to look back at my early flares they'd go O-levels, A-levels, Finals. I even started my 'arthritic career' at 11+ time. 'Nuff said? I don't know how to override the stress. Thankfully, over the years, I've become a much more laid back person and I'm sure that has helped.

Thank you for your reply!
Yes, it's very hard to not have some hope like that when starting a med, even if you really know it won't happen. I won't be too surprised if I need to add another med but I'm glad I've had at least the last year only on one DMARD as it was an easy first step and made adjusting to needing meds a bit easier.
Ah yes I can imagine they wouldn't visit the forums anymore. I'm very thankful that there are a number of support options for uni these days as it will make it so much easier and more accessible for me and other arthritis sufferers. Well done on completing uni and your grade! You're probably right about stress playing a part in this flare up. My arthritis also started around exam time in school a few years ago so I'm aware of the impact stress can have but, as you said, it's not always easy to override it. I hope you're having a good day x

dreamdaisy

I am on injected meth and was taking humira which has been switched to imraldi, it's bio-similar. I know that they are 'working' as disease activity is controlled and my bloods are good but they have never reduced the pain and were unable to stop osteoarthritis setting probably because I started the meds far too late. It's a long and boring story which never improves with re-telling. DD

stickywicket

Thanks. We have our grandson here so, yes, a good day but a demanding one.

I do hope you can manage to get to uni and enjoy it.