Hi newly diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis
Hi everyone!!
Joint pain came on quiet suddenly in dip joints April 2020 put it down to not working (hairdresser ) due to covid thought I was just stiff from not doing what I usually do wh blow drying ect .
The thing is it just never went it kept coming and going and didn’t know why and when I struggled with a saucepan of potatoes or hanging up clothes on a hanger I knew something wasn’t quiet right .
So I was backwards and forwards phone conversation with G.P they obviously have me naproxen and ordered blood tests no inflammation at all ! Another G.P rang me and said come off the naproxen and take co-codomol these did nothing the naproxen worked well ! So I was like I’m masking my symptoms so another call to G.p and I mentioned a dry patch I’ve had in my scalp for a while and scaling around my ears ect she then referred me to rhumatology.
I had a video chat with him and he could see toenails ect and sent me for X-rays and MRi scan , xrays show I have osteoarthritic changes in thumb and wrist joints and my feet ! Mri scan diagnosed the psoriatic arthritis.
I have had a face to face appointment and was given steroid injection . It took 9 days to kick in I still have heel pain most days .
Patch in scalp is still there but all other skin patches have cleared up .
My question is he said if it relieved all my symptoms the steroid injection might be enough to dampen it all down and I won’t require any other treatment what I’m a bit confused on is does it go away or is this a lifetime condition?
If joint pain returns then I have to be prescribed methotrexate and one beginning with S I can’t remember how to spell it lol
Anyway thanks in advance x
Hey!
Firstly I hope the Steroid injection has time to help you more and things are getting easier for you.
Reading your description of how you presented has some similarities to how I presented, like yourself, mentioning my scalp is what got me towards the diagnosis.
The short answer to your question is that unfortunately PSa is a lifelong condition. But it does present in different people in lots of different ways and can change over time. I for example started in a fairly regular cycle of a flare up and at least a month of remission after. This is not the case anymore with it being a much more stable constant level with good and bad days. It is worth seeing if you can identify anything which might make you worse, for me the cold and damp is one for sure! However, (this is the key bit) there is a lot of different treatment, management and support options out there! It's just a case of finding the one that works for you now. The one thats works now also might not be the best in the future but there's plenty of options to try.
When I was in a limbo state of not having a full diagnosis I had a steroid injection which worked for a couple of months I have heard of people who it does work much longer for tho, hopefully you're one of them 😀 There are a lot of other options out there other than Methotrexate and Sulfasalazine, I've been on both and come off both fairly quickly as they didn't work for me.
The biggest thing I have learnt is not to suffer in silence, when I first started getting treatment I would note everything down for my next appointment, to be told at that appointment I should have called up to get extra help. My local Rheumatology department (NNUH) are so helpful and always remind me to call no matter how much of a nuisance I think I am being!
My best advice is don't let it beat you but also be mindful of how much is sensible to do. Listen to your body when it needs a break. I saw an article on here a few months ago which related to each day waking up with so many tokens and that is the energy you have to spend that day, it sounds odd with how I have written it but it helped me think a lot more consciously about spending the limited energy PSa allows. I'll see if I can find it for you if you like?
I hope this helps answer your question? Sorry it has taken this long for someone to reply, it's such a great community.
Adam
You have gotten some great advice here,
. It is true that PsA progresses and that medications can slow the progression, but some of the medications can have some serious side effects. It is possible your doctor is hoping you can put off getting on regular medications as long as possible.
But it is a balancing act. You have to weight the potential effects of further damage and your current quality of life against the side effects of treatment. If you feel your doctor is not addressing those issues in the way that is best for you, you might want to consider a second opinion. Not all rheumatologists are equally familiar with PsA.
Here is an article from out editorial team with some advice for people who are new to PsA: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/newly-diagnosed-whats-next. I hope this helps. Thinking of you! - Lori (Team Member)
