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I-R
Hi
My name is Karen
I am 35 years old and have just been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. i have been in pain for about a year. I went in the hospital to have a synovectomy on my wrist, and ended up having my pisoform bone in my wrist removed. They diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis. It was hard to diagnose being that i only had a small bit of arthritis on my neck and a small amount on my forehead.
The arthritis is in my thumb, right and left wrist, left foot and both of my big toes. I am taking methotrexate and celebrex. I get pretty nauseated with the metho..and the celebrex doesnt seem to work all that much.
This is all so new to me and rather depressing. I would like to hear from anyone who can help me out on the subject and methotrexate as well. They will not give me a time frame on how long I will be on this drug. If any of you have taken metho, how long have you been on it? I also am wondering how long it takes until you begin to feel a difference. I am a school teacher, and the arthrits is beginning to take its toll on me..
Thanks for listening..
Karen
I am 35 years old and have just been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. i have been in pain for about a year. I went in the hospital to have a synovectomy on my wrist, and ended up having my pisoform bone in my wrist removed. They diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis. It was hard to diagnose being that i only had a small bit of arthritis on my neck and a small amount on my forehead.
The arthritis is in my thumb, right and left wrist, left foot and both of my big toes. I am taking methotrexate and celebrex. I get pretty nauseated with the metho..and the celebrex doesnt seem to work all that much.
This is all so new to me and rather depressing. I would like to hear from anyone who can help me out on the subject and methotrexate as well. They will not give me a time frame on how long I will be on this drug. If any of you have taken metho, how long have you been on it? I also am wondering how long it takes until you begin to feel a difference. I am a school teacher, and the arthrits is beginning to take its toll on me..
Thanks for listening..
Karen
My
name is Kelly Gioia and I'm 28 years old. I have had Psoriasis for 23
years and PA for 3 years. I got married April 27, 1997 at the age of 25
and by September of 1997 I couldn't walk up stairs and started to get
stiff. My left big toe had been hurting and swollen and the other digits
on that foot followed suit. My first PCP diagnosed me with gout and I
thought he was crazy and left him. Two years and two PCP's later found
out he was on the right track to diagnosing me properly. I have been to
many doctors including orthopedist who wanted to do surgery because he
thought my knee pain was a tear not arthritis.
To
date my left foot is completely disfigured gone are the days of high heel
and platforms. My two knees are effected my right being worse a this time.
My wrist, one finger, back, neck, and hips all now have arthritis. I do
believe that I would have had a chance to control this with the proper
doctors at the beginning when only my toes were inflamed but, due to misdiagnoses
I am a mess. I do try to keep optimistic that I will find a light at the
end of my tunnel with positive thinking and an open mind. I always try
to remember that I am not dying and this will not kill me. Nor will I
let it consume my life. It's more of a bother and hassle than life threatening.
Kelly
Kelly
LEE
ANN From: Lee Ann Walter
Hello,
I have just recently been diagnosed with Psoriasis and inflammatory Arthritis.
I have had the Psoriasis since I was 12. I am 36 now and it has taken
many years to get the right diagnosis. My Doc. did a skin biopsy to be
sure. My mother has Sjorgrens syndrome which is an auto immune, connective
tissue disease. In the same family as Psoriasis - Arthritis. My skin has
always been affected in mostly the joint areas on my hands, back, legs,
arms, and feet. My joint pain and total body aches and muscle fatigue
is affecting my quality of life much more than the rash areas. My Doc.
is starting me on a new medication. I am also starting the Folic Acid.
I am glad I have found this group. I am looking forward to hearing other
peoples stories and how you have dealt with this condition.
Lee
Ann Walter
LYN
From: Lyn_55@webtv.net
Hello,
thought I would do a quick intro, and then slide back into "lurkdom"!
LOL!!! I will explain...
I
have had rheumatoid arthritis for 17 years, and OA for the last 5, peripheral
neuropathy, SjS etc etc...( and a partridge in a pear tree...:), but
was just dx'd with PA two weeks ago. I found I really didn't know anything
about it, despite the fact that I am a RA support group/mailing list owner/moderator.
So although I did do some preliminary research, I find the best way to
learn about a condition is to listen to those who have it...so that is
what I am going to do..listen to you!
I
really do not have the time to participate in another group (but, I probably
will anyway) as I also edit and publish a newsletter for FM. I also try
to have a life somehere off the net. I am the mother of two, Gramma of
4. I ljust recently moved to Phoenix AZ, but my family is back in Wis.and
I miss my grandkids terribly. I am going through a nasty divorce, so I
tend to be stressed out most of the time, and flaring. Been on every DMARD
except Remcade to no avail, and will be going into a clinical trial program
in Dec. Currently I am on MTX in order to qualify for the program . I
have been simply called , drug tolerant......:-/ .I use a canadian crutch
always due to a tendency for my legs to suddenly paralyze from the PN
and I go down. Often I need the wheelchair though, expecially during weather
changes.
So...that's
me...I will be listening intently to learn about this....
Lyn
Here's
my background, it will probably sound famliiar to many...
First
off, I've had mild psoriasis (mostly of the scalp, but some finger/hand
spots)since around 1980...scalp is controlled OK w/Topicort & tgel/tar
stuff so far.
Back
in 1987, just out of college, moved to DC for a new job...about 7 months
later I thought I had somehow fractured my index finger; xrays were negative;
so I saw an RD who ran some tests and found out the usual, Negative Rh,
Positive HLA-B27, sed rate a little high, slightly pitted nails and proclaimed
PA. For the next 10 years I tried just about every NSAID there is and
all lost efficacy within 6 months to a year. Over the first 4 years my
PA seemed to move around from joint to joint (always extremities), but
after a few years appeared in multiple joints at once, assymetrically,
and finally in most all extremities, ALL the time (especially my feet),
and eventually spread to include my hips and base of my neck. Also, I've
tried most DMARDs available over that time but never for periods >
year because, frankly, they did nothing for me..no effect at ALL. Oh,
and I've also even tried alternative treatments like accupuncture, homeopathy
and biofeedback and soaking in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.....all a bust.
I
should add that, in all this time, the joints themselves have showed little
if any damage or erosion...It is the tendon sheaths that are inflammed
and painful and it's all the fluid in there that makes it painful and
hard to bend the joints (fingers and feet mostly, some hip stiffness).
In this sense, I am better off than many on this list, but perhaps there
are others like me.
In
1997 I stopped all perscription meds out of frustration and just went
on high doses of Ibuprofen for a while, but as the PA seemed to be advancing,
I finally went to see a new RD again in January 1999 and started Arava
in february, along w/Indocin. Got xrays again, and showed NO significant
damage or joint erosion visible. Good news, for sure, but still frustrating
that nothing is really helping stop the inflammation process. So far the
Indocin is helping control the symptoms, but the Arava did NOTHING (stopped
it after 23 weeks..no bad side effects, really, just ineffective). Also
tried Celebrex recently, and it helps a little, but is not particularly
potent for me (1/2 as good as indocin, for me). I may go back to it eventually.
though, for long term GI considerations, since it's (supposedly) easier
on the stomach/GI..
As
of October 1999 I have a new spot of inflammation..my left knee.. swelled
up like a baseball behind the knee (RD called it a baker's cyst) and I
had to get it drained plus a shot of cortisone...fun fun. I am more than
a little upset about this new spot, as it appears the PA continues to
spread
I
am about to start Antibiotic therapy (minocycline)and wondering if anyone
else here has tried that with similar background as mine? I've always
been intrigued by the "negative diagnosis" of PA... no positive test for
it.... it seems to leave the door wide open for other possible causes
and physicians in the dark about treating it...trial and error, basically.
I'm sure it's a frustration we all feel.
RANDI
Randi has been kind enough to send us a picture of her left hand.
Randi has been kind enough to send us a picture of her left hand.
