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3 years after being diagnosed - No access to Biologics

Hello,
English is my second language so apologies for any typos.
I'm 32 years old almost 33 in 2 weeks. I was diagnosed on 2019 with a mild psoriatic arthritis after several months with a really acute lower back pain.

As many other cases when they brought up methotrexate, I went missing in action, until my next flare up. Then I crawl back to my doctors office with greater pain, and looking for anything that would ease my pain.

I live in Dominican Republic, and the access to biological specifically Humira is very limited, and almost exclusively through a government plan.

I was able to get a 3 month treatment, and it worked really well. Completely pain free. However I had to stop Humira after the third month due to shortage of the medication, and since then I had been getting inflammation in many new joints first it was lower back pain, then feet, and hands, now TMP, chestpain, and recently after a throat infection, I got a very strange swelling on my throat. After several studies they showed Cricoarytenoid swelling.

My question is what options do I have if my access to biological treatments are this limited? Is there any other treatment with more accesibility? Most of the time the pain is so manageble that I dont even need anything else, but since I have seen so many new joints are being affected, I'm starting to fear the progressing is advancing rapidly.

  1. Hi @CommunityMember618, thank you for sharing with us. I can hear how challenging this has been for you. Have you been able to see your doctor and ask them about this? They would know best as far as which medicines are more accessible in DR. I did want to send over this article from one of our advocates with some tips for getting medication. I hope this can help. Jill, Team Member https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/paying-for-cost-of-psa-care

    1. Hi @CommunityMember618. Have you tried contacting the National Psoriasis Foundation? While they are here in the United States they do have people who help with these issues in other countries. I am not sure they help in the DR but it is worth checking with them to find out. Their web address is www.psoriasis.org. Click on Patient Navigation Center to contact them. Hope this helps. Vickie W., Team Member

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