Long time psoriasis sufferer

[jiml]

Hi again SnarkyTexan I answered your other post before this one and said my bit about methotrexate there
Why your doctor is reluctant to give you anything else in my opinion is because it's so cheap pennies /cents each tablet as other meds cost more
But if it gets you down do tell them and get on to the next level which might be another oral tablet or maybe a biological

[Caroline]

Hi again SnarkyTexan I answered your other post before this one and said my bit about methotrexate there
Why your doctor is reluctant to give you anything else in my opinion is because it's so cheap pennies /cents each tablet as other meds cost more
But if it gets you down do tell them and get on to the next level which might be another oral tablet or maybe a biological

Jim, SnarkyTexan is in the US, so a little limit in options.
Systemics only MTX, acetretin and perhaps cyclosporine. DMF is not available there or if only very expensive.
For my idea, with her kind of Psoriasis a biological like stelara or Cosentyx is on its place.

[SnarkyTexan]

Hi again SnarkyTexan I answered your other post before this one and said my bit about methotrexate there
Why your doctor is reluctant to give you anything else in my opinion is because it's so cheap pennies /cents each tablet as other meds cost more
But if it gets you down do tell them and get on to the next level which might be another oral tablet or maybe a biological

Precisely. She told me the insurance company won't let me go straight to biologics. I have to start from the bottom and work my way up. She had previously taken MTX for RA herself. So, I assume she knows the symptoms from personal experience. But we don't all react the same. 

I see the biologics commercials on TV every single day and it's maddening. My fiancee always says "and why can't they just put you on that?" The answer: INSURANCE.

[jiml]

Hi again SnarkyTexan I answered your other post before this one and said my bit about methotrexate there
Why your doctor is reluctant to give you anything else in my opinion is because it's so cheap pennies /cents each tablet as other meds cost more
But if it gets you down do tell them and get on to the next level which might be another oral tablet or maybe a biological

Precisely. She told me the insurance company won't let me go straight to biologics. I have to start from the bottom and work my way up. She had previously taken MTX for RA herself. So, I assume she knows the symptoms from personal experience. But we don't all react the same. 

I see the biologics commercials on TV every single day and it's maddening. My fiancee always says "and why can't they just put you on that?" The answer: INSURANCE.

We don't have insurance here its a national health service where the government pays with our taxes
But we still have to jump through the same hoops as you unfortunately and my treatment has kept me clear for 7 years so haven't progressed to a biological yet
But as Caroline says my treatment isn't available to you in the USA

[Caroline]

Hi again SnarkyTexan I answered your other post before this one and said my bit about methotrexate there
Why your doctor is reluctant to give you anything else in my opinion is because it's so cheap pennies /cents each tablet as other meds cost more
But if it gets you down do tell them and get on to the next level which might be another oral tablet or maybe a biological

Precisely. She told me the insurance company won't let me go straight to biologics. I have to start from the bottom and work my way up. She had previously taken MTX for RA herself. So, I assume she knows the symptoms from personal experience. But we don't all react the same. 

I see the biologics commercials on TV every single day and it's maddening. My fiancee always says "and why can't they just put you on that?" The answer: INSURANCE.

Yes, Indeed peoples lives and quality of life do not matter to an insurance company.
But there are very short sighted. In fact they are shooting in their own foot and making things worse. All these treatments are not good for a patient. MTX is a dangerous medicine. In fact it is kind of a chemo therapy, it strongly influences the immune system.
It is very well possible that people become very sick and require much more treatment than when they would be treated with an adequate medication. Sick people cost a lot of money for insurance and society. People with good medication function completely normal again in society and are productive.
In fact also government should see this, but the strong lack of long term vision of a government withholds them from taking action on this issue.

But thinking in solutions, did you ever look at a life style change? There are serious indications that avoiding certain foods can help your Psoriasis. We have some threads about that.
Not that I do that, for now I consider it fat too heavy, but as far as I can see it works. Recently I spoke to an acquaintance who had heavy Psoriasis since her youth, has taken years of medication, as a last straw she changed her lifestyle and her Psoriasis is gone and as a bonus also her overweight has gone.
Just a thought.

[Raxyl]

Hello SnarkyTexan, welcome from Australia.  There isn't much I can add to the discussion that hasn't already been said, but there is a wealth of knowledge and experience here and many that have been on MTX, myself included and we are all ready to listen and support, its a very good group in that respect.  Good luck, I hope you and your dermatologist find something that works for you soon.

Craig

[Kat]

Welcome!

It's possible to skip over methotrexate with insurance (in the US), although it all depends on the doctors, insurance companies, etc.  I know my rheumatologist told me that he would check with my insurance company but to be prepared to give Methotrexate a try first as they usually require it.  However, my dermatologist is the one who has handled my medications and they've never mentioned Methotrexate.  They said first creams, then oral and then biologics which is what they followed with me.  (My order of meds was topicals, Acitretin, Stelara and now Cosentyx)

Anyway, if Methotrexate isn't working well for you as far as side effects or not helping your symptoms then the good news is you should be able to move on to something else although you may have to keep bugging your doctor if she insists on waiting until July.     I'm sure they want to give it a fair chance but if you aren't tolerating it well then I'd insist to move forward.

I liked being on Stelara, the injections were once every three months.  Sadly it didn't work out for me as I plateaued on it.  I would look around here and get info on what you'd like to ask your doctor about as there are so many options available.  Everyone here is quite friendly and willing to answer questions and I personally find that I am so much more informed when I go to the doctor's office now thanks to this forum.

Glad you found us here and again   !

[Bill]

Welcome to PC, Snarky. You wont find miracle cures here, but you can certainly gain a very good insight into the disease and its management via the shared experience of the members.

I can appreciate your desire to access modern therapies, but don't forget that Goeckerman therapy, despite the mess and hassle, still holds its own against them for plaque psoriasis.

Cheers

[Turnedlight]

Don’t be too disheartened about going through the different drugs, something might work for you and biologicals aren’t necessarily the magic bullet either - I’ve tried 4 so far and only one has worked..

[D Foster]

Hi ST and welcome to the club, I have already put a quick answer in to your MTX thread but to the club. We all have the same problems so you are among friends who know all the problems and there are no con merchants on here trying sell you rubbish that doesn't work, we all stick together so any question just ask because someone will be able to help I am sure.