New! Diagnosed November, 2019
Hello. I am recently diagnosed with PsA. It took me by surprise. My story starts almost 11 years ago after I quit a heavy smoking habit. Within months I broke out in a horrible rash that stayed for months! No creams, even $100 ones!, prescribed helped. Fast forward a couple years, I started noticing a new rash always appeared in the spring. Along with quitting smoking, I also quit tanning beds. I happened to restart tanning one year during an outbreak and noticed that it cleared up my rash! Every year now I will start tanning if I feel a break out coming and I have not had any more horrible breakouts.
A couple years ago, about 5 years after my first rash, I started developing neuropathy. I was eventually diagnosed at 41 with idiopathic sensory motor axonal polyneuropathies. All my lab work was fine and I'm not diabetic. We couldnt find a reason for my neuropathies. I started having joint pains in both shoulders so my neuro advised I see a rheumatologist. It so happened on my appointment day I was suffering from tennis elbow. The rheumatologist diagnosed psoriatic arthritis at this visit. Originally I refused any treatment and it was decided I would use NSAIDS and curcumin. This has changed due to horrible flairs I'm having and I have an appointment 1/9 to, hopefully, begin treatment.
I guess my point of posting is I'm not certain which illness is responsible for my flares. The neuropathy or PsA. My feet at Achilles and my heel hurt constantly and I'm pretty sure that is PsA. Will treatment stop this pain? I've suffered with it for so long. I'm a bedside nurse, no foot pain would be wonderful! Does PsA cause muscle spasms? My legs tighten up in these horrible spasms. On bad days, it takes me a couple tries to walk. I bought a cane for those bad days.
How bad is PsA? Will I eventually be bed bound? Has anyone else had PsA cause neuropathies? I mentioned at the start that this diagnosis surprised me. While waiting for appointments and diagnosis I considered just about every autoimmune disease was at fault at least once, but never even read about PsA.
I dont know what I'm needing. I just know I'm interested in hearing other people's stories regarding symptoms and other conditions you may also have with this horrible disease.
Hi Angie,
Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to the 'forum' although the only people really to ever reply are the moderators mainly! You'll notice the odd tumbleweed probably...
Neuropathy can be caused or worsened by psoriatic arthritis as far as I know. PsA is a systemic body wide condition and affects everything from skin, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue to causing cardiac and bowel problems and other related conditions too.
How are you doing now?
I'm 18 years down the road with my Psoriatic arthritis story. Whilst I do have better days than others, I wouldn't say I've ever really been bed bound for more than a day or two at a time at worst. It has led to other issues with my health I suspect too. I have had to learn to ration my energy and pace myself. I'm starting an NHS pain management program on Thursday for 10 weeks. I'm hoping this will help me self manage better, esp in regards to sleep and work.In the other side of things I am a busy working mother of two and try to keep active as much as I can and I have no intention of letting PsA dictate the terms that I live my life by!
I think my condition has made me who I am as our experiences shape who we are - if my children should develop this condition they know that in me they have a solid advocate, who knows what they might be going through who can empathise with every swollen joint!
And regarding the spasms you have mentioned.. classic PsA unfortunately. It took me YEARS to find Amitriptyline (recommended on a more populated P forum that isn't around anymore sadly) which I now take at night and this has dramatically reduces the spasms that were really impacting my sleep. I would definitely ask your doctor about it.
Dear Sarah all of us have a bright future, as the underlying cause of our disease has been determined to be a Prion by Doctor Jim in Pacific Beach. Treatment is to augment our immune system with ions via an IV drip line. The problem is the power supply, as the current is so small no battery or supply maker has one to produce 5 millionths of an amp at the medical devise manufacturing expo in Anaheim recently. The ion chamber is in limited supply as they are made by 3D printing.I have 5 chambers, but only 2 power supplies, that I will give to 2 persons in the San Diego area. I will visit you Daley to see that all goes well. In 2 weeks your Authorities will stop hurting, but it requires 30 days 16 hours a day to to effect a cure as the prions continue to regress into the blood for 26-27 days. Reply to this if interested to Joan Kroc org San Diego. Best wishes Phillip Burris
I’ve had two surgeries on my right elbow and I’m going in for my third on Monday because it’s so painful and nothing seems to alleviate the pain except when they go in and clean it out and I guess open it up for more blood flow. But I don’t know anybody else that has had three surgeries on their elbow and my orthopedic surgeon says he doesn’t see any signs of arthritis so is there any information I could give him I really appreciate any feedback anyone has for me thank you. I voice text because of my arm so I apologize for the spelling and grammar problems
Hi
you might try getting in touch with the Patient Navigation Center of the National Psoriasis Foundation to find out if they have any information on it that you can take to your doctor. Hope this helps. Vickie W., Community Moderator Where would I find that is that on this website
