What are your most common PsA symptoms?
It can change over time, but I'm curious to know: what are your most common psoriatic arthritis symptoms? What symptoms do you struggle with the most daily? How do you deal with them?
My daily challenges are fatigue and enthesitis. Some days the fatigue is enough to keep me at home in my pjs all day. Most days it is more manageable, as long as I'm realistic with my expectations and budget my energy accordingly. The enthesitis is tough to deal with, as I can't take anti-inflammatories. Gentle movement such as swimming, is helpful, as long as I'm cautious not to overdo. Monthly myofascial release massage also helps my tendons. It keeps my muscles from getting so locked up, making movement less painful for my tendons. As far as medications: Orencia and sulfasalazine help some, but not as much as I'd like. I also take low dose naltrexone at night, and it helps a lot! I sleep better most nights, and my pain is less overall. Before taking the LDN, I would have said that Complex Regional Pain Syndrome was a huge daily struggle for me. The LDN has pretty much eliminated the CRPS!
my rheumatologist told me that the government makes them try everything before putting people on biological because they are so expensive at least that is the truth in Australia. However, in saying that after being on biological for years I did develop lung issues due to the drop in my immune system. Now I have had to go off all of my medications because I have to build my immune system up to fight the lung problems and that is painful.
Thats terrible!! I couldn't imagine going through that much pain!! I am now wearing 2 x 15mg buprenorphine pain patches for the pain in my legs due to enthesitis & nerve pain & I'm back up to 20mg of Methotrexate. I am progressively getting worse! When I get out of bed in the mornings I can't walk! The pain in my back is so severe I can't hold myself up so I have to use crutches. After about an hr orvso I can put my hack brace on & push through the pain for the day until I just collapse & rest on my heat cushion on the couch. Everyday is a struggle but I have found a new Naturopath who is starting me on some natural tablets so hopefully I can get some relief!!! She also advised against biologics. I just want to be able to walk with less pain!!
Ingrid k.
Thanks,
! I've been taking LDN for about 5 months. My PCP started me at 0.5 mg/day and gradually increased it every 2-4 weeks. I've been at my long-term dose of 3mg/day for almost 3 months now. The gradual increase worked well for me and deterred any side effects. I started feeling a little relief after only 3-4 weeks, and the improvements increased with the dosage. Before LDN, the nerve pain was crushing, and the affected areas (ankle, and wrist) would swell a lot and get very hot and red. All of that is completely gone. I can deal with everything else much better now without that additional pain! I hope this information can help someone else who lives with CRPS. It has reduced the PsA pain as well, but not as dramatically. 
That's amazing,
! I'm so happy for you!!š I hope this will be the start of a wonderful journey of finding more relief for yourself! Thank you so much for sharing with us, I hope you're having a lovely weekendš - Abigail, Team Member
My main symptoms are pain in my fingers and toes and not just the joint. They soft tissue aches. I also have chronic throbbing pain in my lower and hips.
soft tissue is awful. Hard to get relief 
It really is tough to get some relief, How are you managing at the moment?
- Clair ( Team Member)
I'm currently in physical therapy for my hip and back occupational therapy for my hands. It's been really helpful. 
, it's good to hear that the physical and occupational therapies have been helpful! I saw an occupational therapist for my hands too. They gave me some exercises to do which really help with stiff/swollen fingers, and some compression gloves which also seem to make a difference. Hoping you continue to find these therapies helpful! Please keep us posted if you can. Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
