My intro by beachbum

[Caroline]

I've had plaque psoriasis since 1983. In the past year, a rheumatoligist came to believe I have psoriatic arthritis, based on chronic  stiff joint symptoms and xrays showing mild joint space shrinkage. Blood tests to support this were all negative. She also suggested I try Rinvoq and provided a 30 day free trial. I've not taken this drug. Frankly, I'm not sure the pain is bad enough and the side effects for someone my age (over 65) are a bit alarming. I'm curious of what others may have experienced in combating my issues. The score I get on this website is 13 and the psoriasis plaquing bothers me much less than the joint pain.

Hello Beachbum,

At first… Welcome to psoriasisclub. 

That’s already a long time for your psoriasis, since 1983.

Stiff joint problem at your age, can of course also be related to that age, at that age I think that the Cartilage slowly is reducing.
But.. certainly it could be Psoriatic Arthritis also.
The sentence “Blood test to support this were all negative.”  Is a very difficult to interpret message.
1. You can test what you want, but there are no tests yet that can prove that you  have Psoriatic Arthritis. The diagnose of that is completely based on observations.
2. If ‘negative’ means that there is no outcome and that therefore you have PsA, thus might be a valid conclusion.

Signals you have PsA are:
- inflammation of little joints (thickened painful fingers or toes)
- damaged nails (all pits and bumps)
- inflammation of tendons.

Rinvoq is a JAK-inhibitor, see over here Rinvoq
There are two kinds of JAK inhibitors, the overall one, like this one and the type that only targets the TYK2-pathway…
It is said that the latter one is better. It’s name is sotyktu.

Other members will join in soon with a reaction to your first post.

Cheers,
Caroline.