Re: New here, want to intro myself

June 30, 2006

you have had a tough road . A lot of us here can identify with you. Im glad

to hear that you are doing a bit better and will hopfully continue to do so .

best to you and hope you continue to progress. welcome

cathy from ma

June 30, 2006

Hi Courttneey,

I was reading your post this morning, and it could

have been my introductory post in Dec when I found

this group. I also was self diagnosed before my docs

figured it out, and I also felt a great sense of

relief in having a concrete diagnosis from the docs.

Welcome to our group.... you will find a lot of

information here, lots of encouragement and even

laughter (Betsy's posts will bring humor to your

world.)

You also answered a question of mine that I posted a

while ago. I recently began taking Enbrel (4 shots so

far). I take 50 mg once a week, but my prescription

says TWICE a week!! Because at the beginning I had to

go in the office to perform the duty, the visits were

scheduled a week apart. I see the doc next week,

because I really think he wants me doing TWICE a week

for the first 3 months... does this sound familiar? I

am only on Enbrel and it has made a huge change in my

quality of life. I am a teacher and I thought

everyone was as " tired " as I was March-June... I was

counting the hours for months until I could " rest "

this summer. My weekends included doing laundry and

nothing else... I cringed for making other plans

because of the fatigue. My first shot was the week

before the last week of school, and suddenly it was

like a burst of energy for me as well. The other

teachers were dragging at the end and all the sudden I

had more energy and felt better than I have felt in my

entire life!!!!

I have had psoriasis since I was 4, and my PA symptoms

go back 20 years... the last 3 years in full force, a

continual flare. I am 35 now.

Welcome to the group,

Jody in SoCal

--- courttneey <courttneey@...> wrote:

> Hi there! While I have been a lurker for quite some

> time, I thought

> that it was time to tell my story. I have had

> psoriasis and psoriatic

> arthritis for several years, but was just officially

> diagnosed about 8

> months ago after I spent many hours surfing the net

__________________________________________________

June 30, 2006

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your story.

Jeanette

[ ] New here, want to intro myself

Hi there! While I have been a lurker for quite some time, I thought

that it was time to tell my story. I have had psoriasis and psoriatic

arthritis for several years, but was just officially diagnosed about 8

months ago after I spent many hours surfing the net and figured out

myself what was wrong with me. It is sad that you have to diagnose

yourself because physicians don't spend the time with you to do a full

work up and figure it out.

I have a family history or severe osteoarthritis and also my sister

has Lupus and my neice was recently diagnosed with IBS, possibly

Crohns. I started out several years ago with pain in my knees and

feet, so my doc just assumed it was OA. I also have 5 herniated discs

with nerve involvement in my neck which no surgeon wants to surgically

touch

because of the bone spurs, nerve involvement etc. So my doc atarted me

on Oxycontin and different antinflammatories and said good luck,

arthritis sucks! (not in thoses exact words, but basically that was

what he said). Then I started getting these horrible pus filled bumps

on my hands that itched like you can not believe. My hands were raw

all the way down to muscle tissue on my fingers. They tried all kinds

on creams, etc. until finally he gave up (after 2 years) and sent me

to a dermatologist. (My insurance requires referrals). The

dermatologist immediately diagnosed the psoriasis and stated me on

PUVA treatments, which worked wonders. After two years and much pain

and suffering, my hands finally cleared. But I still didn't think it

was right that at 46 years old I should have to actually crawl up the

stairs to go to bed because of pain in my joints. The only time I

felt fairly good was when I was

on high doses of prednisone and we all know that is not the answer.

So I started surfing the net trying to figure out why I hurt so bad,

even after 160 mg of Oxycontin 3 times a day. I came across some info

on PA and knew I had struck gold!! I immediately called my physician

and asked for a referrel to a Rhuematologist. He did tons of x-rays

and lab work and confirmed the diagnosis. I was thrilled to finally

have a reason for my pain!! The only problem was that he would not

started me on MTX until I stopped the PUVA. Once my hands cleared he

started me on MTX and gave me Cortisone injections in my knees. The

injections were a wonderful thing but ask you all know, they are

quite stingy with them. He has told me that both my knees and hips

need to be replaced, so I was like, why be so stingy with them! hehe

After 4 months of MTX, my hands flared terribly and I restarted the

PUVA. The MTX didn't seem to do anything for my joints, so he

prescribed Enbrel

50mg 2x a week. I have had 6 doses and I feel a great improvement! I

hope it is not just wishful thinking, but I can actually move before

noon every day. Now if someone had the cure for the fatigue, I would

be estatic!! Hopefully I will continue to improve and get my life

back. I had gotten so depressed that I truly was beginning to think

my life was over.

I would really be interested in hearing other peoples experience with

this disease. Hopefully they will continue to have new and improved

treatments for this, but for now, I look forward to that shot twice a

week!!

June 30, 2006

Jeanette,

I had psoriasis 20 years before I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis.

Looking back over the years. I remember being stiff. My legs have always hurt

when the weather changed since I was a young girl. I'm 43 now. My diagnosis

was Nov. 2004. I had two separate flares on two different fingers that swelled

and looked like sausage digits. Now my middle finger on my left hand is bent

and will not straighten out flat. Both pinkys on each hand are flaring too.

Each day is a new day, new symptom, new pain, etc with this painful disease. I

am taking Ultram ER 3 times a day for pain. I'm currently waiting to be

approved to start Remicade Infusions. I couldn't take Methotrexate since I was

so nauseated night and day on the lowest dosage. Does anyone know how the

doctors decide what Biologics to put their patients on. For instance Humira and

Enbrel vs Remicade? Which one of the three has more side effects? Does the

Rhuematolgist go by each patient's individual lab readings to prescribe Humira,

Enbrel or Remicade?

I'm in so much pain. My whole body hurts. Both shoulders hurt when I move

around too quickly. I often wake up in the middle of the night with my hips

hurting when I roll over. My left elbow locks up too. The elbow thing started

2 weeks ago.

Please tell me if anyone has their elbows lock up on them. I have learned so

much from this group. It's my support. I look forward to reading the posts

each day.