Hello!

[Fred]

Well.... the dermatologist says I don't have psoriasis, just some scattered eczema and dry skin.....she couldn't explain the fingernail issues but wrote me prescriptions for a bunch of creams that I am not going to get filled.... and charged me $187

I'm not doubting your dermatologist, but eczema can often be mistaken for psoriasis and vice versa. I'm questioning it because she couldn't explain the nail problem.

So.... back to the drawing board.... my family doesn't understand, they all say that anybody would be happy to be told that they don't have psoriasis.... but I have something that is destroying my life, so to me this means starting all over with the search to figure out what I have wrong with me and then finding the strength to fight it.....

I'm with you on that, not knowing what it is, is worse than knowing. Once you know, you can at least get on with it.

I really appreciate all of the support you all have given me here....

I will keep you posted as to what the Rheumatologist says tomorrow

You're very welcome and please do.

Oh.... and I forgot to share with you those words I have really come to hate.... as she was walking out the door she says, "you look great.... you look to good to be sick"..... I just burst into tears.....I am so so tired of hearing this and feeling do darn bad.....

As you have been honoured and received a hug from Caroilne ( a rare occurrence) have one from me too.

[jiml]

And me

[Rosie]

You guys are awesome....
Well... the Rheumatologist did some more tests today and she has over-ruled and said that to her it looks like psoriasis.

I have found out more about the Dermatologist I went to and several people have told me that she specializes in more cosmetic type services....so maybe that explains it.

She used a little measuring thing on my fingers and she said that my finger measurements were greater than 10% on the chart that it is indicative of dactylitis, which goes along with Psoriatic Arthritis....

Also when I saw her the 1st time I didn't know that my grandfather had severe psoriasis, she said even if I did not have any skin involvement, the symptoms all fit. The family history, the stiffness, exhaustion, sausage fingers, if not the skin rash, then definitely the fingernails, and the tendon/foot pain 1st thing in the morning...etc...

She said that she didn't see any reason not to check for Lyme's just to be on the safe side so she did some more labwork....
She did another test and if that one also shows PsA, then she plans to start me on Humira.....

So please share any treatment info and advice you have, I love information!!!

Hmmmm....Guess I am officially part of the club now???

[jiml]

Hi again.
You must have some strange dermatologists in Wonderland.
if a rhumatologist recognises your condition as Psoriasis and yet a dermatologist thinks its eczma. From your description I would go with the Rhumatologists diagnosis, but I would try to find a proper dermatologist and get some treatment
Jim

[Rosie]

Hi again.
You must have some strange dermatologists in Wonderland.
if a rhumatologist recognises your condition as Psoriasis and yet a dermatologist thinks its eczma. From your description I would go with the Rhumatologists diagnosis, but I would try to find a proper dermatologist and get some treatment
Jim

This has been my journey
My 1st specialist was a Neurologist, what an experience!!! But..... I do believe in Karma....

[mataribot]

What topologicals did the dermatologist subscribe? Some of the eczema creams work well for psoriasis. I haven't found many creams that work well for nail psoriasis. Only treatment that worked well for that was Stelara. Not sure where you live, but in states you need a psoriasis score of 10 to get most dermatologist to budge on systemics .

[Fred]

You guys are awesome....
Hmmmm....Guess I am officially part of the club now???

I had good results with Humira for a while but then had a reaction to it and turned into a lobster, which put me in hospital for a week. Well you did ask for info

This thread has more info on Humira and the other Bio treatments: Biological Treatments For Psoriasis

Rosie please feel free to start your own thread in Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis Topics now you are officially one of us and share with others.

EDIT: I had to change Sophie to Rosie. Don't ask!

[Caroline]

Hmmmm....Guess I am officially part of the club now???

Hello Rosie, (it's Rosie right, not Sophie, Fred must have made a slight mistake, well he's not the youngest anymore so we'll forgive him. )
Of course you are officially part of the club. As soon as you are here and you communicate, then you are a real member, at least ... if you behave yourself according to the rules , but even they do not mention everything, which you will find out later.

You'll find that opinions over here differ, for instance I seldomly agree with Fred, we all have our own preferences.
E.g. I think you ought to be with a rheumatologist because your PsA is internal AND psoriasis is an auto immune disease not a skin disease, so it basically does not belong with a dermatologist. They are only involved because the insurance companies are not smart enough to see the point.
In the mean time there are a lot of medications. But as the indication is PsA you are a bit limited.
Fred has very good effects with Stelara, Jim is on Fumaderm, Krissie is on MTX, I am on dimethylfumarates, and we have our own opinions about the others and about our own medication.
I hate MTX, have been on it, but it was hell, but Krissie has good results and no problems. Still recent research has found that MTX has no significant effect on PsA.
I love my dimethylfumarates, see my thread on it, it works very fine, few problems, history shows that 80% of people with psoriasis and PsA react fine at it. After a bad time, with pain, swollen fingers etc, I found it, and since then I live a very normal and sportive life.
For me it is good to read that Jim has good results with Fumaderm as these are also dimethylfumarates, mine is another form.

And if everything fails, there is one, a bit experimental fine approach. I am myself hesitating if I will go that direction.

Anyway lots of things to read.

Also this forum provides in some Off Topic stuff, take a look at that when you feeling relative ok, as it is a weird place.

Cheers,
Caroline

[Fred]

Hello Rosie, (it's Rosie right, not Sophie, Fred must have made a slight mistake, well he's not the youngest anymore so we'll forgive him. )

Oops I've been to the city today and it's hurt my head, edit made.

If you behave yourself according to the rules , but even they do not mention everything, which you will find out later.

Like chicken hunting.

I seldomly agree with Fred.

I think we did once.

Also this forum provides in some Off Topic stuff, take a look at that when you feeling relative ok, as it is a weird place.

Ooh I like Weird.

[Rosie]

Thanks for all of the great info....I had to be at work at 5:30 this morning and just got home so it has been a looong day..... spent time talking with the insurance company about covering Humira.... the last conversation was about how they would not cover my new blood pressure meds... so I finally told them it would probably be easier and cheaper for them to pay for the stroke they were about to cause me to have.... they finally agreed to cover the meds.... yeeeek!

The people I talked to through Humira were great so hopefully all of this will work out....