Debi

[DebiP]

Hello! I am 55 years old. Mother of 4. Grandmother of 3. Married for 30 years to TT he same wonderful man. I was diagnosed a little over 5 year ago with psoriatic arthritis. But I am one of those rare cases of people who do not have psoriasis. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with RA also and OA had begun to set in. I would love to be able to visit with others like me.

[Hidden]

Hello and welcome! I have OA in my thumb joints alongside PsA., there is a difference in the pain sensation for the different types. I have heard of others not having Ps but getting PsA, do you have family members with Ps as the others who've spoken found they discovered this.

[DebiP in reply to Hidden]

Not on my father's side, but my mother was adopted so my rheumatologist said that probably a grandparent on that side had just Ps and it presented in me with the PsA only. She also said that my grandchildren could get one or the other or both. With the RA diagnosis also, this has been a heck of a journey!

[Hidden]

Hello DebiP, I'll put the kettle on. Tea or coffee?

I don't think it is that rare to have PsA without psoriasis. And sometimes I think we have the best form of psoriasis i.e. tiny and / or barely visible patches we may not even be aware of. Did you have 'funny' fingernails or toenails? That was what clinched my PsA diagnosis because I didn't have any obvious skin psoriasis at the time.

I have some OA too. Some of it came on within a matter of months in joints that were very swollen and immobilised by PsA so the verdict is that it is secondary OA, caused by PsA. Different things can happen when PsA or RA gets to work on a joint, erosions are one possibility but OA can occur too. I think I may also have some OA that has arisen all on its own as well.

Glad you've joined us!

[DebiP in reply to Hidden]

Coffee please!! My Dr. gave me a pretty good look over but like you, I'm sure that I may have a small patch somewhere and and just now aware of it! Have both PsA and RA has been an experience. What meds do you take if you don't mind sharing and when were you diagnosed? Thank you so much for messaging me. Sometimes I can feel very misunderstood.

[Hidden in reply to DebiP]

I should imagine that having both RA and PsA is an experience! How do rheumys deal with that, are your appointments divided up into the RA bit and the PsA bit? I'm sure it's not that rigid in reality but it must be confusing.

I suppose the 'best' thing about having both conditions (not that there is a best thing) is that they are treated with pretty much the same meds. I was diagnosed in 2012, went through 3 DMARDs with some success but not enough and then started taking Humira in 2014. I also take 10mg of Mtx & the Folic Acid that goes with that.

What treatment are you on?

[Hidden]

Hello Debi

Welcome to the site, I just arrived yesterday and have both psoriasis of skin ans joints.

Have an appointment tomorrow for trigger fingers on both hands, my fingers lock

Had this problem now for over thirty years, now sixty five I feel that I have suffered for long enough now.

Hope we get more people on here

BOB

[DebiP in reply to Hidden]

I agree, it's time for you to get some relief! Please let me know how the appointment with you Dr. goes. I hope all goes well. Looking forward to chatting with you again soon!

[Dairie]

I was diagnosed with RA 20 years ago. It was severe at first and then went into remission. My rheumatologist changed his diagnosis to Psoriatic arthritis. Other than general achiness the only places that are very sore are the right side of my neck (like a pulled muscle that goes down towards my shoulder blade) and my right ankle. Again , it feels like a pulled muscle or tendon from my right ankle and begins to go up towards my calf. It's not too bad some days and really sore others. When its bad I take naproxen and that helps. Stairs are often not fun - especially going down. Is this normal? I really don't know a lot about psoriatic arthritis. Just beginning to research.

[Hidden in reply to Dairie]

I think problems with stairs are very normal! I'd say my mobility is pretty good, I can walk for miles for example, but I still have to crawl up our rather steep stairs some nights. And yes, on steep stairs I almost always have to place both feet on each step on the way down, it really annoys me. But I try to focus more on the fact that most forms of movement are easy peasy these days.