Hi from a new member

[Guest guest]

I joined this group a short while ago,had a welcome but computer

needed formatting,etc..but here I am now. Thanks for the welcome. I

really like the idea of sharing with a fellow sufferer!! A litle

about me,etc,blah blah blah..I and my partner live here in the Metro

Atlanta Georgia area. I am 48,soon to be 49. I work for General

Motors here and have worked with G.M. for 15 years. I developed

Psoriasis about 12 years ago. It was small at first looking like dry

area on my elboes. It was this way for a while then it went crazy. I

had it everywhere..arms head,torso. It was really

bad..painful,bleeding,flaking. I had some releif from it with some

lotion that I ordered from somewhere in Texas. It helped but burned

like fire when applied. I went through this for a couple of years

then it seemed like over nite it disapeared. I was so thankful and

releived. I was this way for a year or so and one day at work a co-

worker asked me what was wrong with my knuckles. I hadn't noticed

them but they were fire engine red and hot to the touch but didn't

hurt. I went to medical and they applied cold pacs, etc. and made an

appointment with the plant dr. the next day. I went and he said it

looked like I needed to see a rumetlogist (sp). so We made an

appontment with one. I went and she said I had Psoriatic arthritis. I

guess with just saying it I reacted because shortly there after The

pain and disfigurement started and it has beem down hill fot about 6

years now. My fingers have become disfigured. Kids ask me when they

look at my right thumb if I broke it and I've gotten tired of trying

to explain it so I just say Yea. I go to a Dr. named Lawrence

here,one of the best in the country..at least by here speaking

engagements you'd know this! Currently I am on 500mg. Indocine

3xday,500mg.Azulfidine 3xday.30mg.Oxycontin 2xday and Metotrexate

2.5mgx9 a week. Some of the newer drugs out aren't for Psoriatic

Arthritis and therefor Blue Cross/Blue Sheild have denied me starting

any.. Anyways Thats it..for now..Nice group and I hope to maybe learn

something from everyone elses experiances