psoriasis-and toes

sunnyside2

I have had psoriasis for many years (I am 49 & female)

I was sent to a rheumatogist about 5 years ago as was diagnosed with a bicuspid heart valve + have severe arthritis in my knee plus had 3 episodes of temporarily losing half of vision in one eye which was put down as some kind of mini stroke type thing. I am also hypermobile most joints.

Rheumatogist did a load of blood tests, said I hadn't got rheumatoid arthritis or lupus and didn't think psoriasis arthritis so sent me back to cardiology who bunged me on a couple of meds.

but.. last couple of years I have spells that go on for a week or three at a time where my 2 smallest toes on one foot go super swollen and hot and look like sausages.. it does it for a while then stops a while then kicks off. kind of painful when happens as get stabbing pins and needles in them. I am starting to wonder if this is psoriasis causing it?

I really do not want to go to GP over it as have only just got onto waiting list to get my very painful ruined knee replaced and don't want to risk losing my place. plus it is not exactly an emergency thing & my GP is busy enough with covid without daft women coming in saying toes sometimes swell up badly-and you can bet by time I got an appointment it would be a spell when they are not swollen so nothing to see...

if it is psoriasis doing this it is not unbearable- just another minor irritation on the list so is it bad just to ignore it?

frogmorton

Hi @sunnyside2

I have read you post and think your toes might be of interest to your GP and possibly rheumatology as well.

In your shoes I would be photographing my toes when they are normal and swollen on my phone and making notes about the pain, duration of the pain etc so that you can show your GP and hopefully get referred back to rheumatology. They should be interested in the symmetry.

Yes it's not an emergency like a heart condition you sound like me....'the Drs are busy with COVID' but it does need investigating, with Inflammatory arthritides early treatment is really important.

Don't worry about your knee and being on the list for that either it wont affect your surgery, but be brave if you can and get plenty of evidence first even a video consult while those toes are swollen ...

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Take care

stickywicket

@frogmorton beat me to it and said it much better than I would have done. Yes, photos and notes. It's best to know these things and GPs want to know them covid or no covid.