Starting MTX

[pingu]

OK so this weeks update is a little late as I have been travelling.

Took my 8 x 2.5mg last night without food as I was travelling! Difficult getting something on a night flight.

No ill effects today but I have been tired the last week which I am putting down to travelling and starting to train again. Have to see how I go on the next few weeks. Certainly no nausea etc.

Following my week in the sun my skin is still almost 100% clear. Just a few very very tiny patches on my butt that don't get any sun but these are almost like dry skin rather than psoriasis so I can certainly live with that. They don't scale they just feel rough and I am not about to get a mirror and start inspecting my butt. That's a whole new circle of Hell that I don't want to look at.

The areas where the psoriasis was never moving such as knees and elbows are clear. The skin is a paler colour than the rest of what has been healthy skin but in time these skin tones will merge to the same.

Where my psoriasis was has is slightly bald so I have a little less hair on my shins and forearms but that has grown back in the past. Again its not noticeable simply an observation. Pretty sure when I have had patches clear in the past that hair has grown back. As I have thinning hair on my head it's not even noticeable and I was fortunate that I only had small patches in my scalp. It's mainly the hair on my shins and forearms that I have noticed. It may be from the years of steroid treatment or the psoriasis itself.

[jiml]

Hi Pingu
Great news your psoriasis is practically gone leaving slightly lighter new skin, as you say it should all fade together over the coming weeks, although I have several little whiter spots in my legs that don't tan like the rest of my skin but it's virtually unnoticeable.
Just keep an eye on the tiredness it may be the travelling ...I hope so... But it may be the methotrexate making you tired

Can't say I've noticed any body hair loss unfortunately I'm rather rich in the body hair and would welcome a reduction .

Anyway great news long may the clearance last  

[pingu]

Apologies for not being around but I have absolutely zero time at the moment but felt it was remiss of me not to keep you posted.

So I took my last dose of MTX as it happened about three weeks ago. I had one dose left but forgot it and was going to take it on the Thursday night but had what was the start of a cyst. Had one before same area.

I went to my GP and he advised antibiotics and not to take the MTX for that week as it lowers my immune system. So far so good it made sense. He also advised that I am entitled to a flu jab. Note that in all of visits to GP blood and consultant nobody explicitly said if you get an infection STOP TAKING MTX. Even though it makes sense.

I am also supposed to be hooking up with a nurse.

No no not like that, just a monthly review of bloods meds etc. Which also makes sense.

Anyway no harm done.

I have had a chest xray and since nobody has called I assume I am all ok but not currently taking MTX.

I called my consultant and explained that my NHS consultant appointment is 12th November and she said to stay off MTX and see how I respond. So far so good. A little bit on my face but that always responded well to Dovobet so splash a little of that on and its gone real quick.

So I can also have a beer now but after 3 months not drinking religiously and wanting one now I have a choice I can't be bothered. I did have two pints and felt drunk so I am now a real cheap date. Used to be three pints before I felt happy.

My next episode will be the 12th November providing work don't find some mysterious way of screwing that up.

All in all three weeks off MTX and a huge amount of stress I can see some real faint patches but nothing to worry about or get down about. Happy to see how I go until the 12th and maybe get something to jump straight back on MTX when the need arises hopefully after a long period without. But the NHS probably wont let me do that and I will have to arrange an appointment when psoriasis returns which with work will mean possibly a major flare up at some point in the future and a long wait for an appointment.

I do feel that the NHS has performed well below what could be reasonably expected continuing to prescribe cheap ineffective medications for 30 years when alternatives were available.

I now recommend anyone with chronic illnesses to seek a consultation as your GP is just the guardian to that facility and will provide the lowest cost treatment they can get away with. I appreciate the sharp end of the health care system is stretched but you need to ask would my life have eben different if I hadn't had psoriasis all my life. Well yes I believe it would have.

[Fred]

Apologies for not being around but I have absolutely zero time at the moment but felt it was remiss of me not to keep you posted.

No need to apologise, you have come back and updated as and when you can and we appreciate it.

He also advised that I am entitled to a flu jab.

Yes most on the oral or injections can get the flu jab, though I never have it myself.

I am also supposed to be hooking up with a nurse.

Fred reads on .......................... Oh it wasn't what I was thinking.

A little bit on my face but that always responded well to Dovobet so splash a little of that on and its gone real quick.

Careful with Dovobet on the face, it's not a good idea.  

I now recommend anyone with chronic illnesses to seek a consultation as your GP is just the guardian to that facility and will provide the lowest cost treatment they can get away with. I appreciate the sharp end of the health care system is stretched but you need to ask would my life have eben different if I hadn't had psoriasis all my life. Well yes I believe it would have.

Wise words.  

[D Foster]

Very wise words indeed.

[jiml]

I agree with all Fred has said
And I'm glad you have had a good response to mtx . Don't let the psoriasis get to bad before getting in touch with your dermatologist.

I have to agree life for me as well would probably have taken a different route if I didn't have psoriasis.
We will never know

[pingu]

I want to thank everyone for their support and I will return periodically.

Keep up the good work and I hope I can spend a little more time here in the future.

When I said would my life have been different I am not thinking better just different.

[jiml]

I want to thank everyone for their support and I will return periodically.

Keep up the good work and I hope I can spend a little more time here in the future.

When I said would my life have been different I am not thinking better just different.

Thanks for keep returning pingu
When I said mine would have been different ... It would have been worse ... I was going off the rails when I got psoriasis ... And it stopped me in my tracks

Hope to see more of you as time permits

[Kat]

Thanks for updating Pingu and good to see you!

[pingu]

Well it has been a few weeks now that I have been off MTX and it is starting to show. I think it is about six weeks since my last dose and it has started to return inexorably.

I am having to use Dovobet to keep it at bay on my face and butt and I have some very tiny patches coming on my arms and legs.

I can still go swimming it hasn't come back bad yet but is patchy on my face and I can have a beer now but really I don't want to go back where I was.

I have my NHS consultants appointment on the 12th November and I only hope they don't look at me and decide I do not have it bad enough for them to not prescribe it.

Knowing that it will take about 4 weeks to be effective puts me getting towards Christmas for it to have receded again if it does.