R: Hello

[Guest guest]

Dear

Like you I have psoriatic arthritis, and I am in my twenties, and luckily my

PA is not as bad as many others on this list. Hopefully you will get other

replies as well, but I would like to pass on a few pieces of advice that

have worked for me. Your pain is presumably due to inflammation, so

therefore you are probably already taking anti-inflammatory drugs. But it is

worth considering your alternatives here and talking to your doctor(s).

Don't assume that if one drug doesn't work, none of them will. There are

many different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs out there! I take 500mg

of Naprosyn twice a day when my joints flare up, and I have also found the

nimesulides to be very effective (e.g. Aulin). Reducing the pain will help

indirectly to reduce your anxiety and help you to sleep better.

You can also help your body to relax by cutting out all artificial

stimulants. If you haven't already done so, then switch from tea, coffee and

soft drinks to fruit juice and herbal tea. The more you can relax and

maintain a positive outlook, the better you will feel. You already say that

you suffer from stress, partly because of your studies, so certainly

caffeine is not a good idea.

Gentle movement of the affected joints will gradually reduce your pain - if

you have the possibility, talk to a physiotherapist and find out about some

exercises that you can do. If not, book in to a swimming pool and do some

gentle exercise in the pool. This will also reduce your stress and anxiety.

If you have a lot of pain in your extremities - feet and hands - the

judicious use of hot or cold baths can help to restore movement (heat) and

reduce inflammation (cold). If the pain is elsewhere, a hot bath with epsom

salts or Dead Sea mineral salts will help to relieve the pain.

As far as sleep is concerned, I would advise you to drink camomile or

whitethorn tea before going to bed, as it will help you to relax. Avoid

studying in the last hour before going to bed and just listen to some music

or watch TV - an over-active brain will take longer to switch off!

As far as your energy levels are concerned, I have found that diet changes

are the only thing that will make a real difference, and a correct diet will

also help the PA. As you are in the middle of studying you should probably

avoid making dramatic changes, but start by cutting out or reducing foods

like chocolate, that contain lots of refined sugar, white bread (refined

flour etc.) and try to reduce your consumption of red meat and alcohol.

Replace these foods with extra fruit and vegetables, nuts, seafood and

pulses. If you are feeling down in the dumps, St. 's Wort extract is a

natural, mild anti-depressant. When I have been studying, I have found that

it helps my concentration also. It is sold over the counter here (Italy) in

liquid form, produced by a Swiss firm.

The above has helped me to manage my PA quite effectively. It is important

to find a way of 'fighting back'! The worst thing is to let yourself slip

into a depression. But don't forget that there are systemic treatments with

a good track record, so search the archives of this discussion group and you

will find out that many people have had a very positive experience with

methotrexate, for example.

Good luck,