I'm new here

[Charlotte M]

I may be new to this forum, but my psoriasis is very old and familiar!
It mainly affects my hands, feet, elbows and knees. Have tried hundreds of things over the years. Treatments seem to work at first then after a few weeks I have a flare up again.
I also have psoriatic arthritis now. I'm only 34 years old. My joints have hurt (mainly my knees) for the last 10 years but I only had a diagnosis a few years ago.

The only thing that has worked for me (for both my skin and joints) has been Methotrexate. But have reluctantly stopped taking it now...

Anyway that's my situation at the moment. I look forward to finding out how everyone else copes with this horrible, horrible, incurable condition! Bah!!!
Charlotte

[jiml]

I may be new to this forum, but my psoriasis is very old and familiar!
It mainly affects my hands, feet, elbows and knees. Have tried hundreds of things over the years. Treatments seem to work at first then after a few weeks I have a flare up again.
I also have psoriatic arthritis now. I'm only 34 years old. My joints have hurt (mainly my knees) for the last 10 years but I only had a diagnosis a few years ago.

The only thing that has worked for me (for both my skin and joints) has been Methotrexate. But have reluctantly stopped taking it now...

Anyway that's my situation at the moment. I look forward to finding out how everyone else copes with this horrible, horrible, incurable condition! Bah!!!
Charlotte

Hi and a big    to the club I'm working at the moment and am working from my phone I will reply. Properly in a short while in the meantime enjoy the club there is loads to read and digest other people's experiences and lots on treatments that will probably be better for you than methotrexate
I will write a bit more later
Welcome from
Jim

[Fred]

Hello Charlotte   to Psoriasis Club.

I was around 30 when I got psoriatic arthritis so can relate to how you feel, but things have moved on a lot since then. Good decision to stop Methotrexate it's poison and has been proven not to be much help with psoriatic arthritis, you will find a good mix of people on here always willing to share.

You will soon hear about Fumaderm from other members, but I would point you to the Biological Treatments For Psoriasis as they gave me my life back. For now have have a good read through Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis Topics and see what others are saying, and don't hesitate to jump on in.

You will find us a friendly bunch and we look forward to your input as it could help others, if you venture into the Off Topic board you will find I'm the only sensible one.

Regards.

Fred.

[mataribot]

MTX doesn't prevent bone damage, but might point your hands in feet in correct direction. Wasn't worth the Saturday spent kneeling in front of the toilet for me.

BTW welcome to the forum!

[Grizzly Bear]

Charlotte

Welcome to the mad house.

I'm the loony on here



GB

[Caroline]

Hello Charlotte,

I wish you a warm welcome to Psoriasis Club. I think you may find with us what you are looking for.
In every way I am glad that you are stopping with methotrexate, I agree with Fred (and I don't do that often, but you will find that later) on the fact that MTX is no medication to give to people who suffer on Psoriasis. Even worse, there is research available that shows that MTX is about as helpful as M&M's for PsA.

Again, as Fred already stated, there are two ways to go from the place where you are now.
Those are the direction of the Biologicals, mostly based on monoclonal antibodies which switch off the part of your immune system that causes the psoriasis, or the other way is the road of the dimethylfumarates. Next to this there is also Cyclosporine (don't go this way, its as worse as MTX) and Acetreticin (still can't pronounce it) which seems to have good results.
Fred is a Biologicals child.
Jim and I are DMF kids.
We all three have good results. (I have PsA also, but hardly any problems anymore).

There is more to tell about them, but first do look around in the threads that Fred pointed you at. If you have any questions, come back and we will answer them.

Have fun on the forum (that is equally important).
Caroline

[Charlotte M]

Thank you for all your replies.

If this is the 'madhouse' then I've come to the right place.

Charlotte

[Caroline]

Thank you for all your replies.

If this is the 'madhouse' then I've come to the right place.

Charlotte

You seem to adapt fast

Don't worry, there is also serious talk on the forum. You will gradually find out who are the sensible ones....

[jiml]

Hi again Charlotte sorry for the short intro earlier but I was out working and my big fingers always hit the wrong keys and the messages come out wrong .....I'm back in my office now so I shouldnt make so many mistakes....
I see you will now have met some of our members Fred has pointed you at some good threads that may well help you when discussing the way forward with your dermatologist or rheumatologist, I think being in the UK they are not likely to start you on my treatment although you may be lucky.. Although it is effective against PSA im sure it's only used in this country for plaque psoriasis. So I would expect you to be offered one of the biologicals Fred mentioned.... You should mention Fumaderm to your dermatologist though as it is very effective although not a quick fix. It is very effective and after the initial unpleasant side effects which subside after around three months. As your body learns to accept the drug.
I have been on it three years and get hot flushes a few times a week apart from that I'm fairly side effect free and scale free
Enjoy your time here we are all very approachable
Jim

[Caroline]

Additional to Jim.

DMF (Fumaderm or Psorinovo) is "very" effective against PsA.
But unfortunately over the whole of Europe we are fighting against dermatologists who have wrong ideas about this medication and who are very slow in changing their minds on it.

Jim mentions the side effects, they are true but indeed you will adapt to it, and the most important is that the product is virtually harmless and relatively cheap.
Perhaps I should point you to my own thread about it Dimethylfumarates and Psoriasis.

Caroline