i see this is your first post and i wanted to welcome you to the forum and offer you support. we are also here to answer any questions we can. i am not familiar with your type of arthritis but i am sure it is painful and debilitating. you have alot to handle! please make use of the forum when you need to, we are always here to listen! Jenny

I like Jenny am not familiar with PA but I atleast wanted to welcome you here. I am sorry that you have seemed to suffer so over the last few years but I am glad that you found the forum because there are so many wonderful members that give amazing support...wishing you all the best....Miki

I am not familiar with PA either, but I guess it would be similiar to other auto-immune arthritis with the addition of the psoriasis. For my arthritis I take MTX, prednisone, tramadol for pain, and now celebrex. The MTX doesn't bother me a lot. I take it once a week. I have taken the celebrex before, but not for a while. It helps my hands and feet, but not as much as the prednisone. What kind of foot problems do you have?

What is your nutritionist reccommending? And how do your diet changes affect your PA? I know it is very hard to stick to a restricted diet. I have food allergies, but I'm not very faithful to my allergy diet. No will power.

There were some other posters on the old board with RA, too. But just come here as often as you need someone to talk to. I usually check at least once a day. Welcome and have a good week end, Marti

He has psoriasis for about 20years now. I know that he will eventually have the arthritis also. He has some arthritis in his elbows but has been sort of lucky so far. Is it the same in the UK that people look at you like you have the plague or something when you have the psoriasis on your hands, elbows, knees, face? Have you ever tried the enbrel injections? That methotrexate is very nasty with very nasty side effects. My husband took the shots about 16 years ago and said never again. I am so sorry to hear that you have suffered with this since 15. It must have been very difficult as a teenager. Where are your problem areas? Are they easy to cover with clothing? My husband gets it real bad on his hands, elbows, knees and scalp. I hate it for him when we are in public and somebody does a double take like he has leprosy or something.

I have this also plus other arthtris iam 52 it all started when i was 26 and pregant.I went to my rumy i had to quit going husband was forced to go on ssd he has ceberal palsy .So we lost insurance but i got new insurance threw the sate so i went back to rumy and he said i tried to help you once and i explained to him i ran out insurance but he said well if you want pain management iam not that he wants to start me on remicade i was wanting to get some of it cleared up cause daughter is getting married.I was on mtx the first time i did well with it but my hair started falling out.But i took the tb and skin test 3 weeks ago to start the remicade and doctor office was to call back but haven't yet.I worked in a convience store 29 years and the pain just got to bad ,but i know what it's like people look at you like you are a monster or something .Iam the only one that has it and there our 7 kids.I just hope my kids and grand kids don't get it .We'll it's nice to meet you and keep in touch and i will let you know if rumy calls back and what treatment but i truly think he thought i was after drugs but i do go to pain doctor monthly.Take care and keep in touch .Deb

Hi Mel, what a coincidence that you should post this on the same day that my GP diagnosed my mild upper body rash as psoriasis, as I already have cervical arthritis.
I'd not heard of it either. He said that they can be linked and lead to weakening of joints.
Might also explain my achilles heel tendinitis, and sore ribs occasionally.
Luckily mine is mild. I have developed it for the last 3 years at the start of winter, and it clears up after a few months. Grts very itchy.
GP said to get sunshine for Vit D, and take fish oil.

Hi Mel, Deb and Peter,
I just was visiting with a fellow who works at the local grocery where I always shop. And he was telling me that he has both psoriasis and RA. I knew he had RA, but didn't know about the psoriasis. We take exactly the same meds: MTX, prednisone, folic acid, Celebrex, and tramadol for pain. But he also mentioned an oitment he used for the psoriasis that you put on and then get in the sun. He said this has really done wonders for his skin. Of course, i wasn't thinking enough to get the name of that. Have any of you ever heard of this topical treatment? I will find out the name the next time I see him.

Also, Peter, your mosaics are gorgeous! I love the tiger, horses and the little clown fish. The tiger is my favorite, I think. What talent! Thank you so much for sharing those.
Marti

Marti, There are tons of ointmennts out there for the itching and scaling of psoriasis. the problem is that even if you can find one to work for you, you will build a tolerance to it very quickly and it will quit working. My husband has dealt with this for about 30 years. It was very thoughtful of you and it may help if you ask the name. Maybe it will be something new that some of us have not tried.

Mel, I had psoriasis since I was 17 (I'm now 58) and then about 19 years ago I got the arthritis to go along with it. I now have deformity in my fingers and toes for years. Just when I was thinking about getting the surgery to correct my hand deformity, I found out I need cervical spine surgery because of the arthritis. I have been on 25 mgs. of Enbrel 2 X a week for years and the psoriasis wasn't budging (I have it on my hands, legs, arms, elbowa) so it just got approved to raise it to 2 50 mgs. per week. The higher dosage is only approved by the insurance company for the psoriasis and not for the arthritis. I was on remacade but I didn't care for going to the dr. office. My husband gives me the shots. I'm also on 3 mgs. of prednisone per day and an anti-inflamatory. Try Tylenol for Arthritis. It does help! I use an over-the-counter ointment for excessive dry skin called Aquafor and it keeps the skin moist, which is helpful. The psoriasis foundation has a fantastic web site for support. Diet does have something to do with it, but I haven't had much luck that route. I can really sympathize with you. I always was told that psoriatic arthritis was a disease that only looked bad, but am now realizing the long-term effects it sometimes can have.

Mel, I had psoriasis since I was 17 (I'm now 58) and then about 19 years ago I got the arthritis to go along with it. I now have deformity in my fingers and toes for years. Just when I was thinking about getting the surgery to correct my hand deformity, I found out I need cervical spine surgery because of the arthritis. I have been on 25 mgs. of Enbrel 2 X a week for years and the psoriasis wasn't budging (I have it on my hands, legs, arms, elbowa) so it just got approved to raise it to 2 50 mgs. per week. The higher dosage is only approved by the insurance company for the psoriasis and not for the arthritis. I was on remacade but I didn't care for going to the dr. office. My husband gives me the shots. I'm also on 3 mgs. of prednisone per day and an anti-inflamatory. Try Tylenol for Arthritis. It does help! I use an over-the-counter ointment for excessive dry skin called Aquafor and it keeps the skin moist, which is helpful. The psoriasis foundation has a fantastic web site for support. Diet does have something to do with it, but I haven't had much luck that route. I can really sympathize with you. I always was told that psoriatic arthritis was a disease that only looked bad, but am now realizing the long-term effects it sometimes can have.

There are forms of crude coal tar, as well as a drug called psoralen, that are used along with UV light (sun exposure is the cheap form) that can improve the skin aspects of psoriasis; this is called PUVA or Goeckerman treatment. Crude coal tar stains everything, psoralens can cause eye problems, and both treatments lead to an increase risk of skin cancer so the benefits have to be weighed with the risks under the care of a dermatologist.