Constant Pain & Exhaustion with Psoriatic Arthritis
I was diagnosed at 25 and I'm 41 now.
It started with pitting in my nails and skin lesions on my elbows, knees, and scalp. Then the pain began.
Pain and psoriatic arthritis
First in my shoulders. I figured it was just a bad mattress, tried changing sleeping habits. The pain, swelling, and stiffness moved to my hands, then hips, toes, and neck. My doctor sent me to a rheumatologist, he knew right away. Started me on a drug that just didn't work. My symptoms and pain kept getting worse.
Exhausted
My quality of life was getting worse. Everything hurt. I was exhausted. It took all of my energy to lift my arm up to put deodorant on in the morning. I almost lost my job due to sick time being used. The worst part is, nobody believed me. My doctor put me on a biologic that was a life changer for me. It worked awesome and my life drastically improved.
Relief from painful symptoms
Then through an insurance change at work, they would no longer cover the biological drugs. Through a miracle, I had the right levels of PA to be accepted into a drug study. Was on it for the past three years with good results. The study ended at the same time of me losing my job. Now I am untreated, cannot afford meds.
How do you manage the pain?
It hurts to move, hurts to sleep. I am exhausted again, in pain. I am taking life one day at a time. Doing the best that I can. I am not looking for sympathy, nor empathy.
Is anyone else dealing with this? My struggle is dealing with being in constant pain, exhaustion, and depression while maintaining a positive attitude.
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