Hi, I'm new :)

Susiecubes
Susiecubes Member Posts: 4
edited 30. Oct 2012, 20:54 in Say Hello Archive
Hi, I was just diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis last week. I am a 38 year old with two adorable, happy and very loving children. Looking back it seemed to start shortly after the birth of my son nearly 5 years ago. I had an extremely painful frozen shoulder which lasted about 2 years. I then started to feel really tired after the birth of my daughter nearly 2 years ago which I just put down to being a very busy mum :). I also get painful joints sometimes my elbows, fingers etc. At the moment its my right knee which is giving me pain, especially at night. I wake up every morning stiff all over and feel is if I have not slept at all!! After a few coffee's I start to feel more human though lol. I have had flaky skin on my head for at least 10 years and within the last five it has started to appear on my elbows and knees. I am a really positive person and do not like to moan about my symptoms to friends and family so I thought it would be really nice to chat to others who has psoriatic arthritis or shares similar symptoms :) xxx

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,709
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Susiecubes. It's good to meet you and I hope you'll find us all a good source of support, advice and a fair few laughs too.

    I think it seems fairly common for any of the inflammatory forms of arthritis to start up after a pregnancy. Mine's RA and I already had it before I got pregnant but it flared afterwards on both occasions.

    Now that you have been diagnosed you will hopefully be put on some meds that will help to control it. Arthritis + very energetic children is a tough combination.

    Please join in anywhere you like. Living With Arthritis and Chit Chat are the busiest places. I'll look forward to seeing you around.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, welcome to the PsA gang. :D I've been a paid-up member for sixteen years, but it wasn't accurately diagnosed until 2006 when my skin helpfully obliged with a bout of P. I now have OA too, one lottery I really didn't want to win. :wink:

    Arthritis and fatigue go hand-in-hand, I can 'sleep' for hours and still wake up drained. Pain leads to light and disturbed sleep - what are you taking for pain relief? Over the years I have learned to pace myself with activities so that I don't wear myself out too quickly but then I'm very lucky in that I'm 53 and childless. Arthritis is not an easy guest to live with - google the Spoon Theory and There's a Gorilla in my House, they explain it all beautifully! I wish you well and look forward to seeing your name here and there. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Loulou11
    Loulou11 Member Posts: 86
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Welcome susiecubes,

    Glad you could join us, I have RA but many of our symptoms are the same (stiffness, sore fatigue etc), and with little ones running round you must be exhausted. All I can advise is to pace yourself as much as poss, and stay positive now you have a diagnosis they can help with meds.
  • Susiecubes
    Susiecubes Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi again, Thanks you to you all for your warm welcomes :) very much appreciated!!

    Stickywicket - Thanks for your lovely message. Ive been having a look on the website and i'm sooo glad to have found it. Loads of great info and support!! looking forward to having a few laughs too :))

    Dreamdaisy - great to hear from you. I did not even realise you could get both at the same time!! Gosh, I cant even imagine what you are going through! Im very much still in the learning stage. I was prescribed diclofenac sodium to be taken 3 times a day. Been on them for 1 week and still feeling exhausted and in pain at night!! Not sure how fast they are supposed to work. Also unsure if it will actually help with fatigue. I know they are anti inflammatory's, so I'm assuming once the joint pain is treated with these I would start feeling less tired...I'm probably totally wrong...I often am :)

    Loulou - Lovely to hear from you too :) I was really pleased to have been diagnosed last week. It was a relief to me because for the last 4 years or so I have been beating myself up over why I was so tired. Feeling guilty about not springing out of bed in the morning to play games etc. Not to mention the pain and stiffness. So, no I know I'm not cracking up!! Hopefully I can now begin to feel less guilty

    Each day I feel like I have a mountain to climb. Today (as usual) I have to get me and two kids ready, which is a challenge in itself with an 18month old and 4 year old!! Breakfast, clean dishes, entertain, walk to nursery pushing buggy and running after son, walk home, tidy, take dog out for a walk again with my daughter in the buggy, go back to nursery with my daughter to pick up my son and his friend who is staying for dinner, walk home again, cook for 5, tidy, bath kids, bed kids, ironing, tidy then pass out!! It's a scary thought as I'm tired already cause I had a bad night last night with my knee!!

    I should be entertaining the kids at the mo lol but having a little rest with a strong coffee!!

    Thanks again for your kind messages xxx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I aquired the OA as a result of the joint damage caused by the PsA doing its thing before anyone realised what was going on. I began sulphasalazine after five years of trouble (my left knee swelled to 27" in circumference before anything was done about it) and it's been steadily downhill from there. :D The OA was confirmed by Xray in April 2011 and that is an absolute beast. The meds I take for the PsA naturally enough do nothing for the OA but I reckon the PsA is being fairly well-controlled, albeit too larte for me to feel any real benefit.

    It is possible (although unusual) to have more than one sort of auto-immune, it's more common to have an auto plus OA. As Penny says in 'Miranda' "Such fun!" DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Susie
    And a warm welcome from me, you will find everyone so supportive whatever type of arthritis they have, and its so good to have people to talk to that understand what you are going through xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • villier
    villier Member Posts: 4,426
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Suzie

    A big welcome from me, I haven't been around very long but the support and friendliness I have had has been terrific, it's great to know people understand your pain, it's not all doom and gloom there has also been plenty of laughs to cheer us up, hope to see you around.........tc........Marie xx
    Smile a while and while you smile
    smile another smile and soon there
    will be miles and miles of smiles
    just because you smiled I wish your
    day is full of Smiles
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