Health Boards
Tue-02-02-2021, 20:07 PM
Hello to all! 
Very happy to find this page since I am new to this diagnosis! Background story: I am a full time RN who just got done battling a rare form of ovarian cancer, diagnosed in 2015. My attention, of course, was on the cancer and subsequent surgeries, not the achy joints and mild itchy, flaky scalp! Fast forward to April 2019, after a final surgery (hysterectomy) and surgically induced menopause, I was finding myself with an extremely itchy scalp. My dermatologist, whom I see yearly for full body checks, believed it was cause by the menopause. Several prescription shampoos later, it not only persisted but became worse when COVID hit us full force in March of 2020! My dermatologist group then looked into my achy joints and sore feet history further, put two and two together and bam! psoriatic arthritis! 
So now I am at the end of week 4 of Otezla and I am feeling like the main side effects (nausea, diarrhea, tiredness/depression and headaches) might be decreasing for the most part. The headaches are terrible some days but I am thinking they may also be related to my daily use of N95, surgical mask and goggles required during my entire 12 hour shift on a cardiac/neuro unit. 
The doctor said I also may experience weight loss (I wish!), I have noticed a weight gain! 
So I am not sure if I am simply experiencing the perfect storm of menopause, work stress and psoriatic arthritis....or are these all side effects of this med? Have any of you tried this med and if so, what side effects did you experience?
*side note* I thankfully no longer have to vacuum my car out daily due to all of the flakes coming off of my scalp! I will take a win wherever I can at this point!
I am thankful for finding this group and am looking forward to some good conversations!
Nancy
Very happy to find this page since I am new to this diagnosis! Background story: I am a full time RN who just got done battling a rare form of ovarian cancer, diagnosed in 2015. My attention, of course, was on the cancer and subsequent surgeries, not the achy joints and mild itchy, flaky scalp! Fast forward to April 2019, after a final surgery (hysterectomy) and surgically induced menopause, I was finding myself with an extremely itchy scalp. My dermatologist, whom I see yearly for full body checks, believed it was cause by the menopause. Several prescription shampoos later, it not only persisted but became worse when COVID hit us full force in March of 2020! My dermatologist group then looked into my achy joints and sore feet history further, put two and two together and bam! psoriatic arthritis! So now I am at the end of week 4 of Otezla and I am feeling like the main side effects (nausea, diarrhea, tiredness/depression and headaches) might be decreasing for the most part. The headaches are terrible some days but I am thinking they may also be related to my daily use of N95, surgical mask and goggles required during my entire 12 hour shift on a cardiac/neuro unit. The doctor said I also may experience weight loss (I wish!), I have noticed a weight gain! So I am not sure if I am simply experiencing the perfect storm of menopause, work stress and psoriatic arthritis....or are these all side effects of this med? Have any of you tried this med and if so, what side effects did you experience? *side note* I thankfully no longer have to vacuum my car out daily due to all of the flakes coming off of my scalp! I will take a win wherever I can at this point!
I am thankful for finding this group and am looking forward to some good conversations!
Nancy