How A Long Car Ride Affects My PsA

By Vickie Wilkerson

2 min read

One of the things I used to love was getting into my vehicle and going on a long drive. Pop a CD into the radio and turn it way up, letting whatever tension I felt drifting out the window. I loved to travel. Seeing new places was always exciting.

How has my psoriatic arthritis changed?

In the many years that have gone by, my psoriatic arthritis has shown up in more areas. It started in my back. Now the psoriatic arthritis is in my back, hips, and knees. Surgeries on both knees have not helped that situation either. The psoriatic arthritis has taken that love for a long road trip away. The love has been replaced with a knowledge that the longer the trip the more it is going to hurt.

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What was the longest trip I ever took by car?

One year a long while back I was going to my first psoriasis conference put on by the National Psoriasis Foundation. I think it was back in 2010. It was definitely before the psoriatic arthritis had gotten so bad. It was cheaper to actually drive there then it was to fly. Since I live in Louisiana it was going to take sixteen (16) full hours to drive there. The actual plan was for us, my husband and me, to go half way and get a hotel for the night. The next morning we would get up and drive the remainder of the trip. Through no fault of our own, things happened that made it where we had to drive the whole trip in one day.

How long can I be in a car now?

My youngest son lives three to almost four hours away from me. Even with stopping twice along the way to take breaks it seems like the trips are getting harder to make each time. If my husband drives then it doesn’t seem to be so bad because I can shift around. If I have to drive it alone it seems like it hurts me far more. Maybe it’s because with driving you can’t really shift around that much. Remember the knee surgeries I mentioned well by the end of that amount of hours they tend to hurt and start swelling. It truly makes me worry how much longer I can make the trip if I have to go by myself.

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Do I still want to go on road trips?

That is an easy answer. Yes I want to keep doing them. There are so many places that I have yet to see. Off the top of my head is a road trip to South Carolina. That is where my husband is from originally. The way he talks about it makes me want to go and see all of his old stomping grounds. At least on that trip I know he will be driving so I could handle it better. Oh did I mention he is a truck driver so hours of driving are nothing new for him.

When will I stop?

I will continue to take road trips as long as I possibly can. It is my hope that I will get on a psoriatic arthritis treatment that will make it possible to enjoy those longer road trips again. I am getting on in age also, so I know my time is limited to travel anyway. However, that time is not now.

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Do you also find it painful to sit for extended periods of time?

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Mary Lynn Member
 <inline-mention username="Vickie Wilkerson" user-id="3316344"/> , thanks for this article! Leisurely car rides and long road trips used to be something that my husband and I did often. We'd pack snacks and usually took scenic routes. Leaves will be turning colors in a month or so. I'd like to take that in. But it's getting harder for me to sit even though we stop often. I sort of dread hopping in the car these days. Your spunky spirit that says "I will continue to take road trips as long as I possibly can" inspired me. I just might plan a trip 😀 
1. Vickie Wilkerson Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Mary Lynn" user-id="4513411"/> I'm glad I can inspire you. We all need that when living with PsA. If you make that trip, I would love to hear about it if you feel like sharing. Vickie W., Team Member
Waseem Member
<inline-mention username="Vickie Wilkerson" user-id="3316344"/> how are you managing your hip pain. So i recently got diagnosed with PSA am 23 years old with neck stiffness and finger pain recently i hear popping sound from my hips
Froggycarmen Member
I drive a couple hours each way to go see my granddaughter a lot. It takes so much out of me. My legs swell, my neck hurts so bad I feel like my head is falling off. My hands ache, my toes hurt so bad I constantly have to move them. My back hurts.. I don’t know where all the PsA is at in my body, my rheumatologist hasn’t gotten that in-depth yet. I just know I have other health problems and the PsA exacerbates it. I’m in so much pain daily that I’ve given up trying to be pain free… I just want it to be a little less painful.
1. Amy68 Member
 Will do Christine. It'll be a while yet - I'm moving in two months so everything is kind of on hold until after I get settled, but I've added "look for local PM docs" to my "after move" list. That said, I've just had my second loading dose of Skyrizi and another member here has said he's had good results with it that began soon after the second dose, so fingers crossed that's the case with me, too! Maybe I won't need pain mgmt. And maybe road trips will be possible. 
2. christine.laaksonen Community Admin
 Good luck with your move, <inline-mention username="Amy68" user-id="6765940"/>! And I hope, as you mention, that after you're settled in you can find a supportive and helpful doctor. That being said, it would be even easier if the Skyrizi kicked in and you started feeling the relief from that so you don't even have to think about a pain management doctor! Either way, I hope that you start to feel some real relief and road trips are on your horizon. Thanks again for being a part of our community here. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
AlisaLavine Member
Vicki, I so understand this. My PsA started in my back as well though I wouldn't know this for more than 30 years. I too used to enjoy driving, especially to various places of beauty that only mother nature can create. Now I dread car rides over an hour long. ESPECIALLY if I am driving for the very reason you stated: because I can't shift around into another position. More recently my PsA has gone from subclinical to active which means more joints are acting up: elbows, wrists and feet. The numb fingers on both hands when gripping the steering wheel is problematic. My car isn't fancy so it doesn't have heated seats. I wish they made a heating pad that plugs into a USB port. A couple of days ago I had to cancel an upcoming trip because I'm in no shape for a 5 hour car ride. I get it. 🤗❤️
1. Vickie Wilkerson Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Froggycarmen" user-id="4173349"/> have you looked on the National Psoriasis Foundation website and put in your zipcode to see if there is a Rheumatologist near you that is affiliated with them? Vickie W., Team Member
2. Vickie Wilkerson Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="AlisaLavine" user-id="6222588"/> ask and you shall receive lol. On a whim I took a chance and looked up heating pads with usb port and there are several on Amazon. The price looks really reasonable as well. Now I might have to invest in one for my next trip. Glad you said something about it. Vickie W., Team Member
Amy68 Member
I've loved road trips since I first got my license - freedom, exploring new places, seeing friends in other parts of the country, listening to music or an audiobook; no better stress relief, no better way to see the country. Anywhere I could get to in under 20 hours was fair game. Now? Modifications required. Prepare with Ibuprophen starting 24 hours before the trip, a nighttime muscle relaxer the night before, and making sure I'm fully hydrated. Then have my route planned with stops every 1.5 to 2 hours with a 20-30 minute break in between where I stretch and walk around - usually with my dog. No more than 6 hours of drive-time per day (not counting breaks) per day, no matter what. I had a trip planned several years ago to drive across the southern states and see friends in MS, TX and AZ, then up through western NV and see friends there, then on to OR to see my sister and her family, followed by a drive through the Rockies and a direct route home so I could maximize visiting time. Three weeks total. But due to work issues that didn't happen, and now I can't fathom a scenario it would even be possible. Over 3300 miles one way, in 1.5 to 2-hour increments? Nope. At least, not until I can afford to retire and buy an RV, then maybe. I'm not giving up all hope yet! 
1. AlisaLavine Member
 That's an ambitious trip. I can't even fathom doing a road trip like that. I I'm all for the RV though! 
2. Amy68 Member
 Yeah, I can't fathom it either Alisa! Not sure I'd be up for it even in an RV, unless I could take six months to do it. lol. But who knows. I started a biologic recently - maybe it will make that possible. <inline-mention username="Vickie Wilkerson" user-id="3316344"/> - let me know how it works for you! I halfway suspect that this "preparation" is as much about getting me in the right mindset as actual pain prevention, but whatever works.