Health Boards
Fri-26-09-2014, 14:28 PM
Hi there,
well not long back from the hospital and the consultant was willing to listen. She has recommended one of three drugs: Acitreten, Ciclosporin & Methotrexate. So she explained a bit about them, (which scared the life out of me) and asked me to pick which one I preferred!
I said I needed time to make a decision as these are pretty heavy duty. So I will be seeing her again in a fortnight and in the meantime I have had blood tests done and have to do another for my kidney function.
I know I should be jumping for joy, that they are finally willing to look at this seriously but the side affects seem horrible. She has also said I would only be on Acitreten or Ciclosporin for about 6 months then I would come off and that way if I had a bad flare up I would be able to go back on. So the only one longer term would be Methotrexate.
I really feel I am between a rock and a hard place. I can't carry on the way I have, but I am really worried by the potential side effects of these drugs. I know they don't happen to everyone but it seems quite a risk , when given as she says, when I come off them the psoriasis will return. Is actually worth it for 6 months. She has said other areas of the country keep people on them longer but that isn't the policy here. Spoke to the G.P. Who says he thinks they might be worth a try as my immune system he thinks is in overdrive!
So advice please. Have many of you had any of the serious side effects of these drugs or the not so serious but unpleasant?
Any help would be appreciated.
Sandra
well not long back from the hospital and the consultant was willing to listen. She has recommended one of three drugs: Acitreten, Ciclosporin & Methotrexate. So she explained a bit about them, (which scared the life out of me) and asked me to pick which one I preferred!
I said I needed time to make a decision as these are pretty heavy duty. So I will be seeing her again in a fortnight and in the meantime I have had blood tests done and have to do another for my kidney function.
I know I should be jumping for joy, that they are finally willing to look at this seriously but the side affects seem horrible. She has also said I would only be on Acitreten or Ciclosporin for about 6 months then I would come off and that way if I had a bad flare up I would be able to go back on. So the only one longer term would be Methotrexate.
I really feel I am between a rock and a hard place. I can't carry on the way I have, but I am really worried by the potential side effects of these drugs. I know they don't happen to everyone but it seems quite a risk , when given as she says, when I come off them the psoriasis will return. Is actually worth it for 6 months. She has said other areas of the country keep people on them longer but that isn't the policy here. Spoke to the G.P. Who says he thinks they might be worth a try as my immune system he thinks is in overdrive!
So advice please. Have many of you had any of the serious side effects of these drugs or the not so serious but unpleasant?
Any help would be appreciated.
Sandra
