The Effects Of Psoriatic Arthritis

It is possible to learn how to work with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) rather than let it try and defeat me. I have suffered with PsA for many decades now. I can tell you for a fact that it will limit your ability to perform many things daily.

Overcoming isolation

There were times I felt alienated. This led me to isolation which caused me to have anxiety and sometimes despair.

At times, I would get infections along with other chronic illnesses. When faced with things like this, I soon realized the worst thing I could do was not do anything.  

When I was diagnosed with PsA, I could have sat down and felt sorry for myself without taking any action. Sadly, I don't think I would be here today, and not sure how my family would have survived.

Navigating PsA

At the age of 25, I was starting the height of my working career. Then something unexpected started happening to my body.

I began to have tremendous pain in my ankles, and walking became difficult, as did my wrists and fingers. It was getting hard to function. My doctors didn't diagnose me right away with PsA, but I had been diagnosed with psoriasis (PsO) many years ago.

They gave me medication for PsA, but it wasn't very effective at all. I used to have a job standing on my feet. My job was gone within months before I realized that I couldn't stand for long periods.

As I continued my search for a rheumatologist for medication, I knew I needed to do something to improve my unemployment situation. Standing for hours was not an option.

In the meantime, I had to speak up and let my job know about my condition. Discussing depression and other things was crucial for me as I was starting to struggle with some limited mobility. I spoke with family and friends and told them what was going on.

Finding community and empowerment

In a short time, I began to receive visits from them, along with encouraging letters. They even provided some financial support.

But most importantly, a friend encouraged me to use social media to reach out to others in similar situations. I unwillingly began blogging about my issue on social media, and I was astounded by the wonderful feedback.

Who knew there were so many people with this condition?  It inspired me to start a support group. It attracted many people, and we encouraged and learned from one another.

My tip is to learn all you can about what is going on in your body. I further studied PsA and learned a lot about the dos and don'ts that helped me manage this disease. The more I knew, the more I acknowledged it and discussed it. This helped me to get rid of my fears and anxieties.

Embracing positivity

I am in my sixties now, and I must admit that it has been a battle of courage and resilience. It's still difficult, but some of the things I listed above have continued to help me each day.

There isn't much I can do with PsA, but I can be positive, keep talking about it, learn about it, and be the best patient advocate ever.

We are all in this together.