Re: psoratic arthritis

[Guest guest]

I did see a rheumy and she diagnosed Fibro. She did tell me that it was a

diagnosis of exclusion, meaning she couldn't find anything else. I don't think

she tested me for psoratic arthritis though. I don't know, reading through the

posts here of people with fibro...they seem to have a lot of pain. I have pain

but not the kind that most people here seem to have, the kind where you can

hardly get out of bed. I feel like she gave me the fibro diagnosis because she

didn't know what else to call it. Its just all so confusing...

> >

> > just wondering if anyone has this condition. I haven't been formally

diagnosed but i have all the symptoms...including the psoriasis. Does anyone

know much about it or is dealing with it? How was it diagnosed?Its quite

painful.

> > D

> >

>

[Guest guest]

A lot of the people on this group who can barely rise from bed have CFS instead

of or in addition to FMS. Though may symptoms overlap, there are differences

and in many cases the differences between the degree of pain and fatigue are

large.

I too have FMS, but lead a rather active life, even though it is not as active

as I wish or as it used to be.

In addition to the information here, you may be aware that there are many

websites with information about both disorders. I think about.com has good

reliable basic information.

Barbara S. \

>

> I did see a rheumy and she diagnosed Fibro. She did tell me that it was a

diagnosis of exclusion, meaning she couldn't find anything else. I don't think

she tested me for psoratic arthritis though. I don't know, reading through the

posts here of people with fibro...they seem to have a lot of pain. I have pain

but not the kind that most people here seem to have, the kind where you can

hardly get out of bed. I feel like she gave me the fibro diagnosis because she

didn't know what else to call it. Its just all so confusing...

>

[Guest guest]

In the past I had Reiter's Syndrome, which is another form of Reactive

Arthritis. My husband was unaware when we got engaged that he had Chlamydia, so

I unfortunately got it. I had to go through a lot of hell to get it diagnosed,

ultimately- this was back when I lived in Illinois- I had to go to the

University of Chicago Medical Center and they pretty much diagnosed it though my

ANA test did not come back positive. I know I had it because after a time, that

major pain did dissipate. It has left me with some damage to my joints and

eyes, but it isn't as bad as back when it was apparently active. I do also have

psoriasis.

As I understand it these days, it is simpler to diagnose based on a genetic test

based on a susceptibility to it. All several docs back then told me was, " Women

don't get Reiter's, " as it is less common in women. Less common. Not unheard

of. I also happened to get it first in joints different than most people get

it, which I attribute to the weirdness of CFS. But the last I checked into all

this, if you are get psoriasis, you can get Reactive Arthritis (which is

actually what the name of all the types of arthritis in reaction to some other

" thing " are now called). So I'd check into getting the genetic test if you

think you might have psoriatic. There are different treatments for it. If your

Rheumy isn't being helpful enough, and you can afford it/get a referral so

insurance doesn't reject it, I would personally check out a big research or

university hospital. They usually have doctors who are up on the latest things,

and the genetic test for susceptibility, while not

proving you have Psoriatic Arthritis, plus a confirmed diagnosis of Psoriasis,

should be enough for them.

Best of luck.