How old were you when you were diagnosed with PsA?
It can take a long time to get diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Since PsA is a progressive condition, an earlier diagnosis means more time to find an effective treatment plan to hopefully slow or stop further progression. How old were you when you were diagnosed with PsA?
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I was diagnosed in Dec 2019 which made me exactly 68 1/2 years old. I also was diagnosed at the same time with RA & Systemic Lupus. 21 years ago my PCP recommended that I consult with a rheumatologist because he suspected the Lupus. I never did follow up with that & now I know that if I had listened to my doctor, my PsA & RA would have been diagnosed then, too instead of believing I just had 'arthritis' & fighting through the symptoms daily. 
I am glad you finally did get your diagnosis,
. That is a long time to go with so much pain. Are you now on a treatment plan that helps? I recall you've been experiencing some serious pain around your hip replacement. I hope your other symptoms are under control. Sending the warmest of wishes your way! - Lori (Team Member) thank you. I am on hydroxychloroquine for the PsA, which started to help me very quickly, but didn't provide me with enough relief so I went back to the rheumatologist & we discussed options for the RA & I chose methotrexate. I started the methotrexate at 12.5 mg once a week & it helped quickly, but as the weeks passed I felt I wasn't getting enough relief so I called the doctor & he raised my dose to 17 mg a week & so far it works well for me. The area around my hip replacement is still somewhat painful & I'm still waiting for the delivery of a new chair in the hopes that will help.
Best regards to you. Thank for being a concerned & thoughtful PsA friend!
Sheryl
I was diagnosed a year and a half ago at the age of 18, but i think it started well before then but with school and the exhaustion I couldn't verbalize what I was feeling. Hi
. It makes sense that an 18-year-old might not have the life experience to verbalize that kind of pain. When did you finally get diagnosed? I hope you are on a good treatment plan now and that your symptoms are under control. Best wishes! - Lori (Team Member) I was diagnosed Feb. 2020, I had been seeing a rheumatologist for a year before I was diagnosed. My primary sent me to him after I came in with a flare in my neck, not being able to move my head. When Prednisolone made EVERYTHING better, i.e. being able to touch my toes, running etc. we knew it was something more serious.
I have just been diagnosed, or at least the rheumatologist is almost sure, I have PsA. I am 42 and only have pain in my left wrist, but it started in September last year. I was diagnosed with asthma at almost 3 years old, but it was very well controlled with medicine between the ages of 18 and 28 (before that the preventative medicine wasn't as good). Then I got pneumonia and ever since then I have been prone to chest infections and asthma flare ups and moderate fatigue that can last for weeks after a cold. I also have suffered from mild dizzy spells since I was around 12 and can't stand still for too long without needing to walk or sit down due to nausea or dizziness. Doctors put this down to low blood pressure, but my blood pressure is still in the normal range. I don't know if any of this is connected to autoimmune issues, or is just related to my asthma or something else altogether. Multiple chronic conditions, plus an anxiety producing pandemic and long lockdown last year and then getting back to normal life just as my wrist started having issues makes it difficult to know what is causing tiredness and certain symptoms. I did notice I had lower energy than some people and have always needed my rest and downtime, since my 20s, but it was never bad enough for me to seriously consider it might be caused by an underlying condition.
Hi
.EC. Welcome to our community! A new diagnosis can be confusing and overwhelming, especially if you have other health conditions to consider. Are you planning to take any medication for your PsA? If so, it will be interesting to see whether it helps with your fatigue as well, though some PsA medications can contribute to fatigue. Some people do experience vertigo with PsA due to damage in the inner ears. Though it is rare, psoriatic arthritis can also case lung disease, so that connection might be worth looking into. Since you are newly diagnosed, I thought you might be interested in this article from our editorial team: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/advice-newly-diagnosed. I hope some of this helps and that you are eventually able to differentiate your PsA symptoms from issues caused by other health conditions. Best wishes! - Lori (Team Member)
Symptoms started last February (Feb'21) and I am 26 years old. I did not have any skin issue before from literally one night to the next day I suddenly had pain in my foot and from there on my journey began. I wasn't diagnosed with PSA up until a month and a bit later after going through various tests, scans, wrong diagnosis etc. and started my treatment with Meta at the beginning of April. I am currently taking Meta and Sulfa. So far I am still on crutches and am not able to walk without them. On really bad days I can't even as much leave the bed as the disease is within my left ankle, right knee and left arm and paralizes me completely.
Since I basically just "started" the treatment I can't really tell if they are helping or not, if it were up to me to say, then no, because the pain is still there and I still cannot move freely without having to fear to burst out in screams of pain.Hi @Phobos.Ilungian! I wish you were not in so much pain. If you have been on those medications this long and they are not helping, it might be time to try something new. There are so many medications for PsA, but they affect everyone differently. It can take a lot of trial and error to find the medication that is right for you. Here is a list of the available medications: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/medications. Maybe you can use this list to start a conversation about your options with your doctor. Thinking of you! - Lori (Team Member)
