new to group and Psoritic Arthritis.

[IBSsucksallthetime]

Hi everyone my name is Brandy and I was finally diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis this week. I live in the United States, I am a empty nester with myself and my husband still in the home, Our children have grown up and most have moved away.

I was just diagnosed this week with psoriatic arthritis, but I have no psoriasis symptoms. I just was started on the methotrexate I think it’s called. Today is my first day I will let you guys know how that goes. I started out A while ago with my toenails just hurting and being painful and I asked my primary Doctor if it could be psoriatic arthritis and of course I was told no. After much, much pain in my toes and feet and my toes starting to become deformed I finally seen a foot doctor whov wouldn’t do anything but said I had to get my feet “fixed” (because of the nails and extremely dry cracking skin) before she would operate or do anything. So she sent me too a dermatologist. Dermatology didn’t know if it was psoriatic arthritis or not so they sent me to rheumatology. All of rheumatology‘s test came back negative except the HLA-B 27.

Lots more test then came back negative except finally that MRI of my foot. Got the results back one day and the next day they were putting me on the medicine. It is a relief to know, Because now at least maybe I can get some medicine and get my foot taken care of! My nails are pitted very very thick, raising at the nail bed, brittle, flaky, and just overall painful. Both of my feet are like that, and severe pain in my back and neck for years and years with fibromyalgia.

I also suffer extremely with IBS.

I really wonder if they are all connected. If other people are seeing that connection let me know!

I know most of you guys are across the pond and that healthcare is much different over there.

Wishing everyone the best,

Brandy☺️

[Tugun]

Hi,

Yes, there are definitely connections but not a definite link in that if you have one you will not definitely get the other. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. IBS would definitely weaken your body's ability to remain healthy. I have also found that Omega 3 is helpful to take with my psoriatic arthritis. Udo's oil is a good oil blend to take internally as it has the correct ratio of Omega 3 / 6 and 9. I don't know if it will help or not but I rubbed Flaxseed oil (has Omega 3) on my feet at one stage at night. I felt it helped but be aware that sheets and even the mattress will be forever stained. I even put socks on but it didn't help the staining of the sheets etc - a mattress protector would be good.

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to Tugun]

thank you! Will try the omega 3/6/9 🤞

[Batty1]

In order to have PSA you must have a family history of psoriasis or have psoriasis yourself.

PSA sucks the life out of you Im in a 6 years flare that I see no sign of it stopping… Im on Cosentyx (injections) and Otezla (pill) this combo has been the only relief I have gotten. I also use Australian Dream Cream and Blu Emu cream both have worked well for me.

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to Batty1]

Thanks for your reply. I wish you find some relief very soon. As for sucking the life from me, the constant back and hip pain have done that, which is why I always suspected RA and /or Lupus. Both negative many times. Right now I do not have psoriasis, and as far as I know there is no family history of it. Their is a family history of RA and Lupus though. This gene is not associated with RA at all though. “The HLA-B27 gene is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis. These fall under the umbrella term seronegative spondyloarthropathies. By definition, patients with these diseases do not have circulating rheumatoid factor, hence the term seronegative. “

See emedicine.medscape.com/arti...

It was after this gene was found that they started doing the MRI’s, in which they found strong evidence of PSA. I was originally referred to Rheumatology for suspected PSA from Dermatology, and to see Dermatology, I was referred by the orthopedic for suspected PSA. I seen podiatry because of this horrible pain and fire sensation on my first and second toes, as well as the bending of the 2nd toe digits toward the outside of my feet. The nails are thick, raised, heavy stuff under raising them up, and cracked or splitting. The skin is dry and cracked/split also, as well as heels and toes. (Speaking of My grandma with RA did have this nail problem as well, I just remembered. The only way my nails don’t “hurt”, is to keep them very short, especially the thick ones. I also File and trim them thinner. My fingernails have recently experienced quite a change as well, developing cracks and becoming flat and odd shaped.

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to Batty1]

I have used blu emu creme before for my back, now I use a lidocaine cream or patch, that helps sometimes others not as much. Occasionally I also use a mentholatum cream or a capsaicin creme also. Thank you for the advice 😃! I have read that they have discovered sometimes a person gets PSA before showing symptoms of psoriasis now. Always new info out there lol!

Best wishes!

[Tugun in reply to Batty1]

Hi Batty1

There was no known family members within two generations (my parents / their siblings and cousins and my grandparents) with either psoriasis or asthma. I got both. Asthma as a young child and psoriasis after a strong bacterial infection in my thirties. It was after the skin psoriasis healed that I then developed the psoriatic arthritis.

Having said that one brother (18 years younger than me) developed asthma as a child but grew out of it. My sister had migraines as did my mother. My sister also developed a sudden onset of milk intolerance in her fifties and can no longer handle any dairy. She is also now showing signs of arthritis which I strongly suspect is psoriatic . My youngest brother, my sister and myself strongly resemble my father's side of the family - both he and his sister were fine. My other brother and second sister who resemble my mother's side of the family in looks don't have any of these problems and are quite healthy- other than high blood pressure which was on my mothers' side.

I definitely believe that genetics is a factor but it wasn't expressed in previous generations. Something triggered it in our generation.

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to Tugun]

isn’t that the truth! My daughter became very I’ll with a very rare syndrome, and was told it’s almost always hereditary. Guess what, I knew if she got it hereditary that it was thru my side of the family. I tested positive also, thankfully I don’t have any of the tumors associated with it though.

[willat]

Hi just some advice on Methotrexate I was on it 3 months. On the 3rd blood test my liver blood results were 10x normal I was taken off and waiting to see rheumatologist again. Good luck

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to willat]

thank you I will definately keep that in my mind and make sure they monitor it. Hopefully I won’t be on it too long, as I have an appointment to come up with a plan with Rheumatologist on Friday am. Wishing you wellness!

[Fishing1949]

I can only cooment on my own experiece. Over several years I tried various lotions etc including light treatment all with varying degrees of success. Eventually I was given methotrexate which I was on for 10 years plus. Initially very successful bit suffered severe tiredness for several days after each weekly dose. After some ten years the efficacy reduced and I was also diagnosed with very mild fibrosis which was POSSIBLY attributed to the Methotrexate. I was taken off Methotrexate and instead put on three monthly injections of Skyrizi ( a biologic) and within 6 weeks all trace of psoriasis disappeared and this has continued for 18 months and the fibrosis has reduced (but not completely resolved) but is so small that the consultant regards it as scarring rather than designatig it as fibrosis

I understand that there are opposing views as to the relationship between Methotrexate and Fibrosis but this is an issue you may with to research and consider and perhaps investigate alternatives.

I hope this helps

[IBSsucksallthetime in reply to Fishing1949]

so sorry you have suffered with a side affect that has long term ramifications! I was given a 5 day does, and have an appointment In 2 days now to see them I and discuss treatment options. My Rheuamtologist is already on board with only doing this initial dose due to my other health problems, I can not take too many steroids due to adrenal insufficiency and other auto immune disorders. I appreciate you sharing your story with us. Are all meds for PSA steroidal?thank you