Psoriatic Arthritis

whatsthepoint

Hi all, first post. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis 2 years ago when I was 48. Rheum still trying to find a medication that will agree with me!! Am very low as am in a lot of pain and struggling day to day physically and mentally. I have other health conditions too. My Dr spoke of Biologics but said I need to show I have medium to high inflammation… this is difficult as my only inflammation is currently my fingers, hands and wrists, yet I have pain everywhere it could be and have limited range of movement. I’m scared and I feel useless and worthless and cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel. Any advice, support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you x

noddingtonpete

Hello @whatsthepoint and welcome to the Community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that will be your experience as well.

First of all you are now among friends and people who have some understanding of what you are going through, you are no longer on your own with this. Our website has a lot of useful information which might be of help, and we also have a Helpline available Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm on tel:+448005200520 if you would like to talk to someone. I've put a couple of links in below which I hope might help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/research/research-achievements/anti-tnf-the-inflammatory-arthritis-treatment-revolution/

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/september/arthritis-and-depression-what-you-can-do-about-it/

Please keep posting and I am sure that others will connect with you to share their support and experience as well. As I said you are among friends now that you haven't met yet.

With very best wishes,

Peter (moderator)

jamieA

Hi @whatsthepoint

I was diagnosed with PsA in late 2020. I was put on sulfasalazine initially which didn't work, then methotrexate was added and finally 9 months from diagnosis I was put onto Amgevita which is an adalimumab biosimilar - alongside the sulfasalazine and MTX. It's made a really significant difference to me for the better. When I saw a rheumatologist in February this year she said that she's sure they'd managed to limit the damage to my joints by moving me onto biologics quickly (in their terms). She said that was the thinking now - to move people onto biologics quickly to limit disease effects. I was told the test for biologics was to have tried 2 DMARDs which hadn't arrested the disease and have 3 swollen joints. If your fingers, hands and wrists are swollen that would seem to meet the criteria.

I can only suggest that you have a frank discussion with your rheumatologist and leave them in no doubt how much this is affecting your life. I came to realise that being nice and accepting of my condition was getting me nowhere so I told my rheumatologist if he wasn't prepared to help me I wanted to be referred to another doctor - a month later I was on the biosimilar.

I hope you get the right treatment soon.

PsAMaria

Hello, @whatsthepoint, your post is a mirror of what I am going through. I also have PsA, on Leflunomide as liver didn’t like methotrexate. I had a massage and didn’t think anything about it, she gently moved my wrists no issue. But OMG that night had to wear arm splint to give support. Have trouble with hoovering and weeding, so all in all very depressed at the moment.

Thinking about going back to consult to see if he can suggest anything. But he was quite dismissive when I saw him first, that was until he nearly got kicked him in face as he squeezed my ankle!

Chris_R

Hi @PsAMaria

Welcome to the online community,good to see you posting and chatting to others with psoriatic arthritis

You write that you are feeling a bit depressed.Here is a link that may help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/

Hope all goes well with you all the best Christine

whatsthepoint

Thanks JamieA

NJC218

Hi, I was Diagnosed with PsA back in 2019. I'v been on many medications since being diagnosed such sulfasalasine, methotrexate injections, Taltz. I'm currently on Methotrexate once a week, and Adulimumab every 2 weeks. I was on Etoricoxib which was the only NSAID that seemed to make any difference for me, but after 3 years they decided to do a blood pressure check and realised it had caused my BP to sky rocket. Since being taken off it my blood pressure started to drop but not quick enough for their liking so I'm now on Ramipril and a Statin a well. I'm on Magnesium every day to educe cramps that I seem to have nightly. Sometimes I wonder if I should just stop everything and have a re-boot but realise that it will likely have a significant effect on my symptoms/progression. Last year the pain was so bad they put me on Tramadol and Oramorph which did absolutely nothing for my pain levels. My rheumatologist says that my pain is neuropathic and won't listen to any of my concerns.

At easter my health took a turn for the worse and I had a seizure...So now I have been diagnosed with Epilepsy and my life has been turned upside down. When you drive for a living it it pretty much changes everything.

I'v finally been given an award from PIP but have totally lost my income, independence and pretty much don't know what's going to happen next. Thankfully I have a really understanding partner who cares for me and has been supporting me since April...but I really wish there was a long term solution to managing my pain (not inflammation apparently). I can't even bend my fingers when I wake up...and that's not even after a full nights sleep, that can be after falling asleep on the sofa for an hour....this whole situation is just overwhelming and exhausting .

Sharon47

Hi

your post resonates with me as have been diagnosed with PsA last year- numerous failed trials on different meds and to start hyrimoz injections ( Adulimumab) which m not sure how I feel about it but I need something to settle it down - doesn’t help as I work as an OT apprentice, so have knowledge on rheumatology. I feel lost and isolated as people look at you as your normal but I’m absolutely knackered mr low in mood !

Sharon47

Hi

your post resonates with me as have been diagnosed with PsA last year- numerous failed trials on different meds and to start hyrimoz injections ( Adulimumab) which m not sure how I feel about it but I need something to settle it down - doesn’t help as I work as an OT apprentice, so have knowledge on rheumatology. I feel lost and isolated as people look at you as your normal but I’m absolutely knackered mr low in mood !