It took so long to find out what was wrong

I used to be a really active person. In 2019, I qualified as a personal trainer and at the age of 48, I felt really quite proud.

Beginning to experience PsA symptoms

This was in March 2019 and by September 2019 I was struggling to walk on my left foot and ankle and my left wrist constantly hurt.

To begin with, I thought I'd pulled a muscle or twinged a tendon or something. So I rested, but there was little change. I went to my GP and tried to explain.

I had so many tests initially they thought it was lupus, then RA. But the tests didn't reveal anything except my inflammation levels in my blood were sky high. Well that made sense, I was in pain.

For weeks and weeks, I struggled on becoming more angry and frustrated. I was sent to MSK, they put me through nerve conduction therapy... nope that wasn't it either, so they sent me to rheumatology.

By the time I saw the consultant in Jan this year, after having another load of tests, I was ready to explode. If one more person told me there was nothing wrong and congratulated me for it, I would go crazy.

Finally getting a diagnosis

Fortunately he didn't, he was lovely and knew exactly what was wrong. This was when I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). I was placed on a strict diet, medication, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

I still have days like today where I feel like I've run a marathon. I get pain that feels like a mixture of cramps and delayed onset muscle soreness without doing anything. The fatigue is dreadful at the minute and many people have given up with me as I just can't cope in the evenings and going out is like a major operation. I am pleased I have a diagnosis it helps me understand it, but I will not let it define me and I will get better or get to the best I can be.

Thank you for listening xx