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Has anyone been diagnosed with PsA before psoriasis?

Hi! Here's a question from our community member: "Has anyone been diagnosed with PsA prior to showing symptoms of psoriasis or psoriasis of the nails?"

Do you have any experience getting diagnosed with PsA before psoriasis? Please share!

  1. I hope people may chime in to share their experiences! I've definitely seen community conversations about this before.


    Here are a few related articles that might also be of interest: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/clinical/psoriasis & https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/psoriasis-link. Elizabeth did have nail psoriasis when diagnosed, but she writes about seeing a new doctor and when not having any nail psoriasis. Not the exact situation, but it might feel a little relatable: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/without-psoriasis.


    Warmly,
    Minel (Team Member)

    1. I don't have a lot of psoriasis: mild patches in the folds of and behind my ears, and small patches on the back of my scalp. I've been using clobetasol for years so even my hairdresser can't see anything.


      I've never experienced psoriasis anywhere else. I do have mild nail symptoms but no pitting. No one except a good dermatologist or rheumatologist can tell that I have psoriasis at all.


      When I was diagnosed a year ago with PsA the first rheumatologist I saw classified my PsA as "mild" based on the fact that I had such minimal nail issues and no plaques. Never mind the fact that I have bone marrow edema in my spine, long term tendonopathy that originates at the joints, one SI joint is fused due to sacroilitis, etc.


      My mom, who has severe plaque psoriasis, and I joke that she has psoriatic disease on the outside and mine is on the inside.


      So while I technically have psoriasis, it's hardly enough to even meet a clinical diagnosis and is difficult to see.

      1. Yours sounds a lot like mine. My doctor calls it HLA-B27 arthritis.

    2. Hi, I still don’t know if I have psoriasis, the tips of my thumbs crack and are painful. I get a plaque like condition under two toes opposite feet same toe that is not fungal. My psoriatic arthritis was diagnosed because of my rapid deteriorating joints, pitted nails, and hand mri. I think that my patches under my toe nails contributed to the ex as well.

      1. Yes. I had pustular psoriasis under my nails along with pain and fatigue. My first rheumatologist saw my nails and immediately gave me a diagnosis

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