Just diagnosed..
So I’ve just been officially diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Literally 9 hours ago. It’s taken 4 years of battling to get the right amount of face time with the right dr. Now I have the diagnosis I suspected I should feel relief. But I don’t. I’m so sad. No magical wand/drug/diagnosis that’ll take away the pain, that means I won’t suffer for years. Hey all, this has taken a dark turn, sorry bout that.
Tisbadger, I get it. 2 years ago I was exactly where you are. After 2 years of multiple attempts with biologics and inhibitors I’m feeling “some” relief. I figured like every other disease we’d figure it out. In reality it’s a stinking battle just about everyday. So, it really comes down to lifestyle change and more importantly attitude. Each day I simply choose to work with it as well as frequent contact with my rheumatologist.
The reality is everybody’s story and treatment is different but for all of us the pain can be intense, chronic and debilitating. I’ve also learned that everybody has “arthritis “ and they simply don’t get what you and I have. PSA is not your average osteoarthritis. Quite honestly, your state of mind makes complete sense. I will say, once I got the diagnosis I was excited to get going with variety of treatments even though most of them didn’t work🤣.
Methotrexate, enbrel, Humira , 2 years of prednisone tapers/bridges and now taltz with laflunomide which seems to help. If these quit working I’ll try the next one. Get started ASAP and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Antonthanks for your kind words. I have the box of Methotrexate sat next to me, my first dose today, hopefully the pathway to at least feeling better - my goal is to reduce the disgraceful amounts of pain relief tablets I take every month, all prescribed I must add. It’s a big task to wrap one’s head around, I think it’ll take some time.
Hi
. A new diagnosis can be awfully overwhelming even when you see it coming. There are lots of treatments you can try for PsA, but they can take up to four to six months to become effective. So, you are right. There is no magic wand. The good news is that many people find the right medication gives them complete relief. My brother is a mess without medication, but he sometimes forgets he has PsA when he is on Enbrel. That can happen for you as well. The challenge is that doctors have no way of knowing which medication will be effective specifically for you. Everyone responds differently to PsA meds. So it becomes a game of trial and error, and that can become frustrating. Your doctor will probably start you on methotrexate because it is relatively inexpensive and many insurance companies require that you try it first, but know that there is a whole arsenal you can try if it doesn't help or if the side effects are unbearable. Some PsA medications, like biologics, can be insanely expensive, but most drug companies have programs that cover all or part of the cost. So there is plenty of hope for you.
I would like to share two articles with you that might help. This one is about all the treatment options: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/treatment. This article is from one of our advocates with some wonderful advice for people who are new to PsA: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/dear-friend-newly-diagnosed. Give yourself a little time to grieve and adjust. Your feelings are perfectly normal and natural and it is good to validate them. But then take that energy and pore it into self-advocacy. Learn all you can about PsA and the potential treatments so that you can be a partner in your own care. I hope this helps and that you get relief. Thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)thanks for your kind words. I’m lucky enough to live in the UK where our NHS takes care of treatment payment and I don’t have the additional worries of how to fund ongoing treatment. I do indeed have Methotrexate prescribed, with my first dose today.
Just be diagnosed as well. It's destroying my marriage
