Am I Crazy For Thinking I Have Psoriatic Arthritis & Depression?
Hello, all.
I was diagnosed with Psoriasis several months ago after finally going to see a dermatologist for the scales on my scalp, ear, and upper lip that I've had for a little over a year. I have had depression/anxiety for most of my life. Sometimes it's worse than others. But in recent years, it seems that with every dip in my depression, there is an insane amount of pain associated with it.
Pain and depression
I've not yet tracked whether the pain flares or the depression dips arrive first as they're both prominent in my daily life. I feel as if every day there is a new pain. My thumb one day, my knee the next, my neck, my lower back, my feet, so on, and so on. I don't even like to acknowledge the pain out loud anymore as it makes me feel - erm - crazy? I finally bit the bullet and went to see a doctor. I prefaced with the fact that I was probably going to sound like a hypochondriac and that I was not there looking for pain medicine, just answers.
Doctor dismisses my pain
After a long discussion of my symptoms (pain, exhaustion, depression, skin tingling, toe numbness, etc.) and my family history (rheumatoid arthritis on both sides) a plethora of blood work was done. It all came back fine. No cause for concern. When I went back for a follow-up appointment, my fingers were putting on a show. Red and swollen. White when touched. Hurting and tight as I had only been up for approximately an hour before the appointment time. The doctor told me that I needed to simply "get my mental issues under control" and there was essentially nothing wrong with me.
Morning struggle
Waking up in the morning physically hurts. The actual act of opening my eyes makes me want to cry. Stepping out of the bed feels like my body was frozen overnight and my joints haven't had time to thaw out yet. I feel so lost. My depression is eating away at me. I can barely find the motivation to get a shower, much less wash my face, or cook a decent dinner. And to boot? I'm a hairdresser who spends 10+ hours a day on my feet using my hands. Plus I'm only 28 years old, 3 years into my career. It doesn't seem like I should be battling anything like this which makes me want to dismiss it all and blame it on my brain. I guess I'm just looking for someone to tell me I'm not crazy. A coworker whose husband has been diagnosed with PsA sent me to this website, so here I am.
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I am glad you came here,
. You will lots of resources and a community of very supportive people. You will also find many people who, like you, were told their symptoms were all in their heads.
About 50 percent of people who are diagnosed with PsA have normal bloodwork, so that should not be a reason to discount PsA as a possibility.
Have you asked for a referral to a rheumatologist? PsA can be difficult to diagnose because there is no definitive test for it and everyone presents differently. It can be helpful to find a doctor who is familiar with it or specialize in it. Can you ask your coworker for the name of her husband's doctor? Here is an article about the diagnostic process for PsA: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/how-doctor-diagnose/. The more you understand, the better you will be able to advocate for yourself.
If your primary care doctor refuses to refer you to a rheumatologist, you might want to consider a second opinion. You will find lots of people in this community who had to go through a few doctors to find one who was compassionate and understanding.
Keep track of your symptoms so you won't forget when you go to a doctor next and keep in mind that you are paying for the doctor's services. You don't deserve to be dismissed like that.
Please keep us posted. I will be thinking of you.
- Lori (Team Member)Hi Bethead
Diagnose is hell in these systems we have to navigate. There is a complete lack of compassion in the medical world. I agree with Laurie a second opinion might be order.
The first rheumatologist that saw me said my issues were all neurological, nerve pain. He was right about neurological but the second part was PSA. Don’t give up. I saw the second rheumatologist 10 years later by pushing the system cutting all my meds and getting new blood work to see that my inflammation rates were psa. The blood rate was 3 times the normal once my nerve meds were cut. They were screwing all my blood results, last week I started methotrexate.
I hope my shares let’s you know there is hope,
Hi Bethead23
You’re not crazy, I’m not crazy and my Mam wasn’t crazy either.
My Mam was eventually diagnosed 15 years after her first symptoms appeared. She was told repeatedly there was nothing wrong with her until there was.
I’ve had psoriasis since I was 4 and over the past 4 years I’ve been experiencing morning stiffness and joint pain and now like my Mam I’m being told there is nothing wrong with me. My first rheumatologist in 2016 told me I was basically fat, lose weight and see a physio. I did but my symptoms persisted. My most recent one has said I have ‘chronic pain syndrome’ despite not a single family member have that. My grandmother had crohns, 6 of her children including my Mam have psoriasis, 2 have rheumatoid arthritis and two have psoriatic arthritis (one being my Mam).
Despite my own history and family history I’ve somehow managed to get a pain syndrome. My only hope now is that I’m going to see a dermatologist for some skin issues and that they will link it all together and see what’s staring them in the face.
All of my blood work is normal and so have my radiology scans. My Mam’s were all normal too until they weren’t when her joints were completely destroyed.
I can assure you, you are not crazy, I’ve questioned this so many times myself but we know our bodies, we’ve lived in them all our lives and we know when there is something wrong.
After my dermatology appointment I’m going back to my gp and I’m going to scream, and scream and scream some more until someone listens to me.
There are some rheumatologists out there that have a lot to answer for. I live in Ireland where we don’t tent to sue doctors but I think it’s about time we started and maybe then they wouldn’t play God with our lives.
