introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi, my name is Kathy.

Surfing, I found your list-it is good to know that I'm not alone. I had

never met or known anyone with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis until 3

years ago. I know this sounds crazy but I think I know how I got it. I

had been under a lot of stress for several years which meant that my

immune system was not up to par - I was also sleep deprived for a long

period. A person who worked at the same place I do had the first case

of psoriasis I had seen. It was pretty bad over much of the body,

especially the arms. I took her seat at the lunch table when she left

and proceeded to accidentally hit my elbow on the table very hard.

About a week later, what looked like a pimple grew on my elbow. It

continued to grow and hurt until an area about two inches square became

encrusted, fissured, and bled. I tried everything I knew but without

any improvement. Don't remember too much about how I felt except that

other joints started to ache. When I finally went to a doctor she said

it probably was psoriasis but it was complicated by a bacterial

infection. Got the infection under control but managed to spread the

psoriasis to other areas. All I seemed to have to do to spread it is to

self inoculate - if I touched my crusted and fissured elbow then

scratched an area I would soon get a lesion in that area. Before I

realized this I have spread it to my earlobes (I have pierced ears),

back of knee and left eye. Later other lesions began to crop up on

their own. According to pictures I have seen I have three of the five

types of lesions. Have been the doctor route. Got up to 2400mg IBU per

day without relief; tried methotrexate until I got mouth sores and

decided to quit after 3 months because the side effects were getting

worse without any relief from symptoms. Lost track of how long I was on

prednisone didn't help a whole lot. I have an outside job - the sun

doesn't help either. Went off all drugs about a week and a half ago and

have decided to start all over. It was hell-I didn't think I would make

it. But today I actually hurt less. Have had some luck with an over

the counter skin cream called Skin Cap. Taking glucosamine/condroitin

for joints. High potency vitamin for general health and milk thistle to

help my liver heal after all I put it through. Will let you know how

this works out. As a child I had an unexplained outbreak of a skin

condition which was completely cured when my mother took me to soak in

the ocean. Would be interested to know if any of you that have

psoriasis have tried soaking, for as long as you can stand it, in the

ocean and what results you had. I read in a natural health book that it

is recommended for psoriasis. Unfortunately I live in the mid-west now

with no ocean available.

I hope I haven't bored everyone with my experiences. Reading your

histories, it sounds like we are all still searching for an answer and

by comparing notes and experiences maybe we can help the doctors to find

one.

Bless us all.

Kathy