How did you feel after getting diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis?
There can be a rush of emotions, thoughts, and feelings after learning that you have psoriatic arthritis. How did you feel after getting diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis? Relieved? Worried? Surprised? Also, what would you tell others experiencing these emotions when newly diagnosed?
Please share your experiences with us!
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I cried at the doctors office and for the next 24hrs. I was shocked and very afraid of my unknown future. My rheumatologist was wonderful and helped me through the next 6 months of allergic reactions and failed drug trials. I moved to be closer to family and found another great doctor. I am almost two years since diagnosis and some days are actually good.
I'm glad to hear that some days are good,
. I hope you experience more of those days over time. Did you finally find a medication that helps? How wonderful that you found such supportive and compassionate doctors twice! Thanks for your honestly. Sending lots of gentle hugs your way! - Lori (Team Member)
I tried Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, Humira and Cosentyx with minimal response. Remicade has been successful.
Hi @KimW, going through trial and error with various medications can be very frustrating. I am so glad you stuck with it and have success with remicade. That is great to hear. Jill, Team Member
Basically I was just relieved; it made no sense to me that my feet and ankles caused me so much pain and were so 'unstable,' meaning they'd take turns giving out on me due to sudden unbearable pain. Since I never had warning, I'd fallen into or onto walls or furniture many times. When the rheumatologist who saw me a few minutes after I'd also seen my dermatologist for the insanely itching and cracking soles of my feet and diagnosed me with palmo-plantar psoriasis, she slapped the side of her head and remarked, "I should have caught this sooner!" She'd already diagnosed me with other autoimmune disorders. At least I had a reason for the issues that were crippling me.
I can understand why that was a relief,
. I hope your symptoms are somewhat under control now. Palmo-plantar psoriasis can be so painful at times. Wishing you the very best! - Lori (Team Member)
Relief for me too. At least with a diagnosis, you can start to plot a way forward. Not knowing why (for example) I was having trouble steppling out of a train onto the platform was worse in a way than the actual pains / 'ankle giving way' sensations.
Still, I'm saying this as a relatively late in life case and as one who got a diagnosis quickly. I was 50 at time of diagnosis, and that was just 8 months or so after first symptoms. I wonder how different I'd have felt if I'd been diagnosed in my 20s, or had suffered since that age.
I have an aunt who's had RA since age 17. My empathy for her is much greater now than it once was.
