“To explain what it’s like to another person: it’s kind of like having the flu along with the world’s worst hangover.”
We recently spoke to five people who have psoriatic arthritis. They opened up about their condition, how it impacts their lives and how they manage the everyday: from drug treatments to remembering to keep your sense of humour. Do you have any tips to share or a story to tell? Let us know below 👇 #TalkPsA
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I know someone who was infected with this thru mosquito stings, within 2 weeks a rash developed on that site. Within six weeks, it had covered her scalp receded, her cuticles and calluses began growing on the joints in her hands, scalp and back. it was immediate. It is not a generational disease. It is not natural. It is not normal. We are being poisoned through the chemical toxins and the bacteria growing on our military bases in our country.
It all started when I was 26 years old.
I had hurt my back at work and when the doctor looked at my X-rays he said that I had degenerative disk disease, and that my skeletal system looked like that of a seventy year old man.
The doctor told me that it was a progressive disease. At that time I thought that it was no big deal.
I thought I am so young, I have all of this time, and I will not live long enough for it to make a difference.
Fast forward to age 44. At 44 years old I got really sick. I had a really bad case of Psoriasis all over the left hand side of my body or so I thought.
The doctor could not figure out what it was at first.
The person that figured it out was one of my best friends who is also a paramedic.
A week later I went back to the doctor because half of the left side of my body was covered in pus. My immune system was attacking my derma almost like a flesh eating disease. It had gotten so bad that I could see the my neck muscles through a hole that was eaten away in my neck.
It looked like one of those anatomy charts that I had first seen in High School biology lab.
The doctor told me that I had an Immune system disease, but he had too do some tests to find out which one.
I took the tests and waited for another week.
I went to his office a week later and the result was that I have Psoriatic Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Osteoarthritis.
The doctor prescribed antibiotics.
At that time I was either at home in bed or at the Hospital.
This went on for a whole year.
Fast forward to 56.
I hadn't had any signs of sickness for 12 years. Except for back, joint pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome, every now and then.
I was keeping a healthy diet and working out 5 to 6 days a week.
Then it happened I started to have pain in both of my hips as well as my left elbow, and both of knees.
At first I didn't think much of it, but after a couple of months the pain got to the point of I was barely able to walk.
I also noticed other symptoms, Psoriasis on the back of my joints, these weird bumps would appear on my joints, and other times my joints would turn fire engine red.
My doctor ordered X-rays and more blood tests.
The results of the X-rays were that I needed both of my hips replaced as well as both knees, and my left elbow.
I was scheduled to have emergency surgery on my hips first because they were so severe.
The right one was the worst so I had it done first.
Unfortunately the medical system is so backed up I had to wait six months to have the left one done.
This is when I found out how bad it was.
When I went back to the doctor and took X-rays before the surgery on my right hip. The X-rays showed that the femoral head was down to ten percent, and that the Osteoarthritis had infiltrated my pelvis and was moving at a high rate of speed. The doctor said that if it keeps progressing this fast I will need a new pelvis in a year to eighteen months.
The doctor said the combination of the three Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Psoriasis Arthritis is making the Osteoarthritis move faster than it normally would. What would usually take years and years is only taking months.
At this rate I will only have about two and a half years of life left.
At first I got freaked out about it.
Now I have accepted it. After I am done healing I look forward to living my life to the fullest, and helping as many people that I can.
I was diagosed 8 years ago. Im 49 but move like an eldery person. It's brilliant to hear from other people. I'm in a severe flare & its wonderful to know people feel the same.
I've had psoriatic arthritis for 12 years and its very aggressive. There are so many other problems that go along with it. I have arthritis from head to toe. My spine deformed so bad I had to have surgery to walk again. I'm going to need surgery again. The deforming of my spine Is pinching off nerves to my sciatic nerves causing pain down my hips and to my femurs. My immune system is attacking my connective tissue and organs. I also have Fatigue syndrome. Plus much much more. All of this is extremely painful. I was a Toxicology Analyst and worked in a hospital when all of this began. My first sign was a heart attack at work. It happened because of the inflammation in my body. Until they figured out the correct meds I went in for stent after stent after stent to unblock my artery. I also was a very active person. Working out, hiking and biking. I can't do any of those activities anymore. I've gone through so many medications and biologics. They seem to work for awhile then my body gets used to them. I start something new this next week so I'm a little hopeful. The pain is overwhelming! I see myself with a morphine pump in a year or two. Something to look forward to also.
ITS STRANGE IN INDIA A PERSON WITH 10 YEARS OF PSORIASIS GETS ARTHRITIS WELL IN MY PAINFULL FLAIRS AS I QUIT FOODS SUCH AS VEGETALES CHAPATIS RICE ETC. AND RELY ON FRUITS ONLY THE PAIN OR FLAIR GOES AWAY MY TOES HEALS UP AND MY SKIN TOO I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS THING FOR 15 YEARS NOW AND I DID ALL MY RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THIS SO I ACTUALLY DONT EAT OR TAKE MILK OR ANYTHING AND IT GETS BETTER VERY SOON JUST EATING FRUITS ONLY FOR 2 DAYS THE FLAIR SETTLES DOWN THE TOES SHRINKS AUTOMATICALLY SO ITS JUST RELATED TO WHAT WE EAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR EATING HABITS I BELIEVE ALSO A TRAUMA TO MY BONE TRIGGERED THIS SO PEOPLE WITH PSORIASIS ALWAY BE CAREFUL DONT LET YOU BONED GET DAMAGED IN ANY WAY LIKE I GOT FRACTURE AND IT WENT INTO JOINTS STRAIGAWAY
At least I know what to expect
3 months ago started major flair up. Did not qualify for discount . Would have last year. They lowered qualification income. No way spending every last dime every month and then some. Disabled 65+. Married 40 years. Will not make my wife endure the cost or her loss of quality of life. Nothing left to say that is not depressing.
😂
I've had it since 1997. Took my gp 17 years to refer me to a specialist. He came up with the diagnosis then precribed methotrexate and then luflunomide. Eventually, I could no longer live with the side effects. I have settled with voltaren and medicinal cannabis which is a lot more enjoyable than those hideous medications.
well, shit..
Took my family doctor years to finally refer me to a specialist. I kept complaining about different issues (foot pain, shoulder pain, etc) for 4 years but he kept telling me a sports medicine doctor would say the same thing as him, which was "I don't know what's going on". He finally referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon after my physiotherapist sent a note to my family doctor. After doing some imagining, the orthopaedic surgeon got me to do a blood test, revealing I I had arthritis. She referred me to a rheumatologist who currently has me on Bimzelx. The treatment has been amazing. I used to have massive foot pain and aches throughout my whole body. Now, I don't feel any arthritis or psoriasis symptoms
What is the best medication for this? They all appear to have severe side effects. I take 4oz of Castor oil before bedtime. It does wonders for me…
Any one on cimzia
I wonder if a low inflamation diet would help. Low carbs, low sugar etc
Thank you all, been sifter for ten yrs
I'm 37 and i started to have this symptoms onky last month. and it's so painful. both of my hands/wrist, left knee and left foot are inflamed and painful 😢😢😢
This greatly affects my fingers which are almost permanently swelled and if terrible I can't grip things to pick them up. I literally have to scrap things off a bench with the edges of my hands because my fingers can't grip. I also feel guilty as the fatigue really robs me of motivation and I feel like a burden. It took me over 10 years to be diagnosed because the symptom would come up random. Sore ankle, sore Achilles, sore toes, sore fingers. And they'd come back from x Ray and say we can't see anything or there is a bit of swelling… but despite going to the same doctors, they were not connecting the dots. The other problem is I got the arthritis before the rash. So sorry about the whine.
Jesus thank you for the subtitles. No clue where these people are from but hard to understand them. I’m Canadian we speak clear boring English here. But easy to understand
I am almost 70. I've had Psoriasis since 1980. 4 years ago I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. I have tried Otezla, Xeljanz and Sulfasalazine. I was not able to tolerate any of these meds. I was prescribed Humira, but my copay was $1800.00 a month, so that didn't fly as I can't afford that.
I am in pain everyday. Fatigue and pain has almost ruined my life. No more working construction, playing guitar, playing racquetball, riding dirt or street bikes. I used to restore old cars. I have a garage full of tools and equipment that I can no longer use. I am depressed and feel like there is no hope in getting a handle on this. Seems like death will be the only relief I can look forward to. I'm not suicidal. I figure it is in God's hands now.
15 years here. Using cane to walk due to enthesitis and constant flare ups. This with Cosentyx. Do what you can while you can!
To look at me you wouldn’t know that I’m plagued with this condition. I don’t let it stop me, although there’s days I feel like I’ve been run through a meat grinder…. 😵💫
It hurts so badly! I cry everyday and I feel so miserable. I'm 19 and I got scalp psoriasis a year ago and it led to nail psoriasis and to psoriatic arthritis I really feel so much pain . I tried every medicine to cure it Nothing seems to work. Taking those meds gave nothing! I'm no longer me i lost everything !
So much nonsense out there. Ignore it all. Make friends with your doc. Buddy up like a team. Imraldi turned me into the 20 year old I was 10 years ago within 24 hrs of injection. It didn't last that long but it just shows. Diet nonsense and such is only half the story. The immune system is complex but can be dealt with. Remember food is not medicine. The best eaters still get old and die. But a nice mixture of science and movement, plus a doc on side is your best bet.
dunno what to say other then thank you, I'm really struggling today and its just nice not to feel so on my own with it
I would definitely check into things that reduce auto immune response.
I found the answer to arthritis pain in my right hip which was making every step painful and I was hobbling around like a 92 year old man. But it seems this thread is a year old so no one is on here ….
I have had psoriasis for the last 10 years now. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis the pains in my knees and feet is on real. My dermatologist as put me on a biological called Cim Zia I can't believe how this is helping. I hope everyone can get some relief.
I have had for 18 years too, It's a pain In the ass
Medication has a lot of side effects