Diagnosis

Hi everyone!

I am unsure as to whether I belong with you or not. I was diagnosed with psoriasis when I was in my 20s. It was on my scalp. My daughter was 7 weeks early and has had it all her life. My last 2 flares have been because my Synthroid (I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) dosage was too low. Doctors (dermatologist and endocrinologist) smile benignly when I tell them this but it is the truth.

Experiencing pain in hands and feet

My hands began to hurt at the base of my thumbs earlier this year. First in the right hand, then the left. The rotation of my thumbs hurts. I know I have osteoarthritis in my left foot but my right foot started hurting after I walked last year. This year it became bad fast. An MRI showed a stress fracture in my heel and 4-5 tendons inflamed. I did not hurt it-just walked on it. My endocrinologist checked for rheumatoid arthritis through a blood test. Although my c reactive protein was elevated, it was still normal. My SED Rate was 46. Not too high but not normal.

Should I see a rheumatologist?

I am 66, a retired nurse and I am exhausted all the time. I usually sleep 10 hours at night and can nap for 2 hours daily. My endocrinologist doesn’t want to send me to a rheumatologist as he said the rheumatologist will laugh at me if I don’t have RA. He thinks it is possible I have psoriatic arthritis. Does this sound like psoriatic arthritis? I am wearing an air cast and start PT on my foot next week. Should I push to see a rheumatologist? I don’t know what to do to get help. All help appreciated!

By providing your email address, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Psoriatic-Arthritis.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

Community Poll

When it comes to living with multiple health conditions, I've found my: