PAIN Pain pain! (Newbie)
Apologies in advance, I’m sure this topic has been covered many times over. I’m just trying to get some perspective on my situation which is currently absorbing my every waking moment.
Feeling a lot of pain from psoriatic arthritis symptoms
After waiting what felt like a lifetime for an appointment to at my local Rheumatlogy Hospital i was diagnosed with Psa 6 months ago, I’ve had psoriasis for over 20 years with no real issues. The main problems at the point of the diagnosis were fatigue, minor pain and issues with nails on hands and feet. I’ve never had and still don’t have any visable swelling anywhere on my body. My major issue is pain, lots of it, all down my spine, in my kidney area and my chest mainly around the thyroid area. I would say that i have a very good pain threshold but things are reaching a point of being unbearable. The pain is constant 24 hrs a day, everyday of the week and it’s keeping me awake most nights, movement is getting more and more difficult and brain fog is now starting to kick in.
My current treatment plan
Medication wise I’ve been on Methotrexate injections and Etorocoxib tablets. My appointments at the hospital are very spread out so there is no ongoing guidance/support network. Is this level of pain what i need to expect ongoing??? Its having a huge impact on my mental health and i get days that I genuinely feel that my body is going to shut down. Another thing that I’ve noticed recently is that i have become increasingly sensitive to food, mainly carbs and chocolate/sweets which i try to keep to a minimum. Any thoughts/advice would be hugely appreciated
Lee
Hey Lee,
Firstly I wanted to say that I'm sorry to read that you're suffering with so much pain at the moment. It sounds like it's really intense. Are you still taking the methotrexate and etorocoxib? Unfortunately people with psoriatic arthritis can deal with varying levels of chronic, constant pain (although we are all different). Having said that, there are plenty of other medications besides methotrexate and etorocoxib, so don't lose hope of finding something that will bring you some kind of relief from the levels of pain you're currently experiencing. Here's some information on the various ways to manage symptoms: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/treatment/ If you haven't done so already, I would mention how much the pain is impacting your quality of life to your doctor. How far away is your next appointment?
With regards to the food sensitivities - a few of us have found that we've suddenly become unable to tolerate foods that we've been eating for years. Does avoiding the carbs and sweets have any impact on your pain levels?Thank you for reaching out and sharing how you're feeling with us. Chronic pain can have a huge impact on our mental health. Being in pain every single day gets incredibly wearing at times. Please know that you can always come here anytime you need to vent or just want to chat to someone. We are here for you. Sending very gentle hugs,
. -Catherine, Community Moderator 
Hi , I found out reducing sugar and processed sugars help a lot , lots of vegetables vitamins and water seems to make the pain a little bearable , alcohol and sugar definitely were triggers , , my pain and energy levels seem better the healthier I eat . Hope this helps a little
Thanks for sharing,
! Are there certain vitamins you find help more than others? -- Lori, Psoriatic-Arthritis.com, Team Member Your welcome , I am only going by personal experience , I really struggled through the winter months to be honest with swollen toes and stiffnes , I find the sunshine seems to be helping with stiffness etc too , i try to take a lot of vitamin d ,c , zinc .Some people seem to flair with certain vegetables but I feel like it helps , kale spinach mushrooms seem ok so far . It doesn’t really help with the chronic pain I get after exercise or walking but it makes my body feel healthier , hope this helps a little , as for medication I don’t take anything but Cbd at the minute as they didn’t want to start me on any new drugs with this virus thing , hope everyone stays safe and hope his helps a little
That's all good information,
. Sunshine is so important for overall health, especially for people with joint pain. It helps the body produce vitamin D, which can aid in the reduction of inflammation. I hope you are able to get on something soon that brings you relief from the chronic pain, but I am glad you found supplements and foods that help in the meantime. Hopefuly, your experience will help someone else. Stay safe as well! -- Lori, Psoriatic-Arthritis.com, Team Member Thankyou 🙂if you don’t mind me asking what helps with your pain and symptoms ?
