Psoriatic Arthritis

Mindful
Mindful Member Posts: 8
edited 6. Dec 2024, 09:06 in Coffee Lounge

Hi all! I am new to this, it's been a long year but I finally have a diagnosis. Answers are good! I am just trying to navigate life now with this in mind and am a bit lost to be honest. I've gone from a working single mum who lifted weights 3 times a week to someone who can't hold a coffee cup without pain and my children help me complete daily tasks. Any advice would be amazing x

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  • PJoanne
    PJoanne Moderator Posts: 174

    Hello @Mindful

    Have you had a chance to look at any of the info here ? :

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

    All the best

    @PJoanne

    Need more help - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 837

    Hi @Mindful

    I saw your other post. I also have PsA and for the first 4 months after diagnosis I was on prednisolone. Like you it was on a reducing scale but it had to be increased a number of times so it looked like a saw tooth graph over the 4 months. I realise we are all different and what works for one may not work for someone else. I'm now on a cocktail of drugs - sulfasalazine, methotrexate and the biologic adalimumab.

    I'd advise that you need to be assertive in your dealings with medics. I'd just assumed that after diagnosis all the medical services would kick in seemlessly and GPs/rheumatology/physio etc would all work together - and quickly. That didn't happen and looking back I now wouldn't be so accepting if I relapsed now.

    I hope you get stabilised soon.

  • Mindful
    Mindful Member Posts: 8

    Thank you @jamieA I agree, being assertive is so so important. Its been a few weeks since I posted, so I am now 3 weeks into Methotrexate and still on 5 pred tablets reducing slowly. I feel much more mobile and have some lingering pain in my wrists but yes, staying hopeful and self advocating is key! @PJoanne thank you I'll have a look! X sorry I'm new and still navigating th9s site, I've only just figured out how to find my post to see if anyone replied! Hahaha

  • Mindful
    Mindful Member Posts: 8

    Hi,

    so it has been a few months, I am no longer on steroids or any DMARDs and have been on Amgevita for 10 weeks now. All the while relapsing and in utter agony most of the time. I am not sleeping, I cannot work, I cannot function properly and am at my whits end! I know the biologics can take up to 3 months to work but zero improvement and steady relapse doesnt look promising does it? I am seeing my Dr tomorrow so lets see what she advises.

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 837

    Hi @Mindful

    I'm really sorry to hear you are going through this. I know it can be a long process to find the right drugs. I've met other sufferers who have tried more than one biologic before finding one that worked. In my case I started off on sulfasalazine which didn't work, methotrexate was added and the combination didn't work. Eventually Amgevita was added and the 3 worked in conjunction. My rheumatologist describes the 3 drugs together as the sum is greater than each individually - working synergistically. I don't know if this method works for other people but it has worked for me.

    I hope you get some answers tomorrow.

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