It’s been a year since diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis!!

And let me tell u it’s been a learning curve !!

I have finally accepted my diagnosis!

I think it takes time to learn how your body reacts to meds and rest and flares . No one is the same we are all unique!

I started on sulfasalazine and a steroid shot bit hit and miss I was coping not doing much as soon as I would do more I’d be in pain !

I was the given prednisone wow it’s amazing stuff whilst I upped to the maximum dose of sulfasalazine,but then I tapered and pain come back it’s a quick fix to bring inflammation Down whilst changing or upping medication!

well in a year I have more finger joints adding to pain and more recently my elbow has been aching on waking up so I’m biting the bullet and have said yes to the methotrexate fingers crossed 🤞 for me I have appointment on the 29th December they have already done my chest X-ray so hopefully I’ll be starting it then !

my post is just an insight into how it’s been for me in the first year of diagnosis! There have been lots of low moments but I’m finally ok with my diagnosis and not letting it all consume me which is hard in the beginning .

Thankyou to everyone that has helped me on my journey xxx

Comments

  • Arthuritis
    Arthuritis Member Posts: 443

    @Hairobsessed123 I think you have done remarkably well. Any idea what your ACCP & RF numbers were? Mine were 500 (off the charts) &115 in October, and the latter now at 125.

    I went from a swollen right finger & painful feet in Mid Oct to all joints affected including painful elbows now. So still coming to terms with it, and started MTX.

    So pat yourself on the back, you handled it really well.

  • Jewels
    Jewels Member Posts: 202

    Im glad your feeling positive hun 😁 and have a lovely Xmas 🎄🎅xx

  • @Arthuritis I don’t have any idea what my blood results are but the nurse said something was raised on last blood tests ! Hense being given more prednisone!

    well l hope methotrexate works !!

  • @Jewels thankyou !! Have a good one 2 xx

  • YvonneH
    YvonneH Member Posts: 1,076

    @Hairobsessed123

    Thanks you for coming back and giving us an update, it will be so helpful to other members new to diagnosis. I do hope the methotrexate does it's job and improves your pain/swelling.

    Yvonne x

  • Little update ………..

    I started the methotrexate 15mgs a week along with my usual 6 sulfasalazine tabs it’s nearly my 4 th week and I can make a fist 👊🏻 how amazing is that !!! No side affects just a little queasy first week but I take it after my dinner (big plate of carbs SlimmingWorld ) on A Wednesday evening !!!

    I have also lost a stone in weight following the SlimmingWorld plan feeling more like my old self each week !!! Hope this helps people a year on from diagnosis update x

  • Arthuritis
    Arthuritis Member Posts: 443

    @Hairobsessed123 🤗🤗Well done.

    I lost a ton of weight too, but it was unintentional, the RA made my shoulder & leg muscles glow red, I am sure they would glow in the dark! Anyway, RA ate my muscle but not much fat, so although I am much much slimmer, I doubt I am healthier. Lost about 20% of my starting weight. MTX has helped, but its a sledgehammer to our immune system, which is more like a swiss watch, so whacking it with a hammer will certainly slow it, but not fix it … not to mention all the other risks associated with non specific suppressants. Still, better to have some joint flex & less pain than how it was before mtx.


    I did find cold gel wraps and showers give hours of pain relief, if you could put up with 10min of cold shower or wrap cold gel round the joint, which is what I do at night when RA is most active. Its helped me sleep a lot better.

    Now if the govts of the world said sales of curative drugs would be tax free, but subscription drugs would be price capped & tapered taxed to 90% over 5 years we’d have a cure in no time! 😅 (And this is my rheumy’s view on not having the right incentives for pharma… which I agree with!)

  • Fif16
    Fif16 Member Posts: 5

    Really helpful to read this..... got my PSA diagnosis last summer because of swollen finger. Steroid injection in finger helped greatly but other finger joints affected now and will start on methotrexate soon. Very interesting to hear how your PSA developed and that you have sore elbows. My new rheumy (who is great) said I'd got tennis elbow ( doesn't say much for my golf swing) but sounds like it could be PSA. Glad you've accepted your PSA diagnosis and that methotrexate not been too bad - very encouraging ... thank you!

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 691

    @Hairobsessed123

    That's really good news the MTX is working for you. It's been 15 months since I was diagnosed with PsA and it's been a crazy period. I initially lost about 12kgs but as I've built up my walking my muscles have too so I'm now about 7kgs lighter than I was which is no bad thing. I've given up alcohol - I think the various drugs have altered my taste buds. The only issue I've really noticed with MTX is a real lack of energy the day or two days after taking it. When I was on 20mgs I needed to go for an afternoon lie down on that day. Since the MTX was reduced to 10mgs I don't get that loss of energy so much so no need for a lie down.

  • @jamieA i have also given up alcohol!!! Since last October with the cocktail of drugs it’s just not worth it best decision I have made !! I’m glad my updates have helped x

  • Seaiguana
    Seaiguana Member Posts: 2

    Hi do you have psoriasis the skin condition with your psoriatic arthritis? Just asking because I also have a swollen finger but nothing showing up in blood tests and I also don't have any skin psoriasis

  • Anna
    Anna Moderator Posts: 947

    Hello @Seaiguana,

    Welcome to the online community - I see this is your first post, and you're wondering if your swollen finger could be linked to to psoriatic arthritis.

    I've linked to a page where you can read more about psoriatic arthritis. It may answer some of your questions, but it's always best to speak to your GP about your concerns because they can arrange all the necessary tests.

    Please do keep on posting, and have a look round the forum, joining in wherever you feel comfortable. Everyone is very friendly and I'm sure will be happy to answer any more questions you have.

    Best wishes,

    Anna (Mod)

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


  • Hi @Seaiguana !!

    u don’t have to have psoriasis on skin to have psoriatic arthritis I had a tiny psoriasis plaque on my scalp and toenail changes what I had been told was excema on my scalp which I also used to have on the sides behind my ears turned out to be psoriasis and it always flared up when I was under stress or pressure!

    I don’t have super swollen fingers just painful joints at the start stiff to move and very painful feet on heel and under arch !

    most of my blood tests came back normal but do show when I’m flaring it was the MRI scan that showed it was psoriatic arthritis

    I hope this has helped it’s a tricky one to diagnose xx

  • AndyT
    AndyT Member Posts: 47

    @Hairobsessed123 Hi, I was going to ask the same question but you’ve answered it I think, I have swollen Fingers and a few toenails that are flaking away in the middle.

    What did the MRI scan show, was it hands/feet that gave them the diagnosis of Psoriatic arthritis or somewhere else?

    Thanks.

  • jamieA
    jamieA Member Posts: 691
    edited 16. Feb 2022, 12:54

    Hi @AndyT

    In my case I had an MRI scan on my lower back last July. I asked why as it was one of the few places I didn't think PsA was causing me problems. The response I got was that PsA can show up in the sacroiliac joints - they connect your spine to your pelvis. I was put on biologics 3 weeks after the scan so I've made the assumption they found something there. The medics had said that before prescribing biologics they needed to see evidence of PsA in a number of different joints - I can't remember whether it was a minimum of 3-4. I couldn't find any reference to this on versus arthritis but this website details it.


  • @AndyT

    The MRI scan showed the psoriatic arthritis in my hands ! Not just the joint erosion but the inflammation on the tendons and other indicators as well hope this has helped x

  • AndyT
    AndyT Member Posts: 47

    @Hairobsessed123 thank you so much for your reply! I’ve been convinced that my problems are inflammation on the tendons from the way my hands feel but the Orthopedic surgeon/Rheumatologist I’ve seen don’t seem to have any experience with this, and previous ultrasound scans don’t highlight my problems. Not sure if you’re UK or not, can I ask was your MRI done on the NHS or was it private? Thanks x

  • @AndyT im uk and it was nhs MRI also they have seen inflammation on ultrasound on my heels x