Today had a phone call from the hospital I think it's good news, I have an appointment with Rheumatology for the 21st of this month to assess if I have psoriatic arthritis.... I say I think it's good news....but you know sometimes things are getting on nicely but you have niggling pains that you can happily live with....... Well that's about where I am, yes I wake in the night with pains in my shoulders,and if I step out of bed my feet are painfull to put flat....
This I can live with it doesn't affect me and a little pain at night is acceptable

My worry is my skin is great and has been for over 4 years now. I don't want a rheumatologist to stop my Fumaderm in favour of something else ..... I just don't want the psoriasis back  

I may well be wrong and I hope he will look and say you are getting old you must expect these pains...

The hormone injections I have to have them for another year and then hopefully life will get back to normal without the swings of emotion that I'm experiencing

My liver and kidney function is good and my lymphocytes are up again to 1.45 which is in the middle of normal (normal between1-3)
So I think I'm happy .......I will know for sure after my rheumatology appointment

It sounds like it is related to the psoriasis, Jim. I had painful arthritis in both shoulders and back. It eventually becomes impossible to sleep comfortably, but that only happened to me by not having treatment for many years. DMF is helping greatly, and I think that doxycycline has helped as well, but not nearly as much.

If it is psoriatic arthritis Jim Rheumatology will probably say Methotrexate. They love doing that.  

I can understand you wanting to stay on Fumaderm as it has been good to you, but if you are getting the onset of psoriatic arthritis it may have been holding it back but can no longer do so.

You also say you don't want to get psoriasis back. I can fully understand that too as being clear is one hell of a boost to ones well being, but believe me when psoriatic arthritis comes after you hard I would rather be covered in flakes any day.

But Jim stop and think for a moment. If they do put you on something else it will also help the psoriasis so it's unlikely to come back is it?

At the end of the day it's your body and your choice. You have to ask yourself what you are willing to take and how long you can live with the inconvenience and pain of psoriatic arthritis if indeed that is what it is.

I would say weigh up your options before you go and arm yourself with the various treatments available for psoriatic arthritis. That way you will have something to put on the table at the meeting if they do decide it is psoriatic arthritis.

Good Luck.

Thanks for your thoughts Fred, the one thing I will do is go armed with a lot of information gathered here
And I will way up the options when I get a diagnosis, I'm hopeful it's just age related wear and tear, but I'm ever the optimist

As for methotrexate for me it's a Nono    I've been there and won't do it again unless life gets intolerable  

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:08 PM)jiml Wrote: Thanks for your thoughts Fred, the one thing I will do is go armed with a lot of information gathered here
And I will way up the options when I get a diagnosis, I'm hopeful it's just age related wear and tear, but I'm ever the optimist

As for methotrexate for me it's a Nono    I've been there and won't do it again unless life gets intolerable  

Just a thought Jim is it possible to increase your Fumaderm. Would an extra little boost help?

Stay optimistic Jim, I think it's much better to think that way. You'll deal with whatever comes your way as well... you'll have no choice.

As you say you will go into your appointment with tons of info. Good luck friend!!!

@Fred yes there's room to increase to six a day and my bloods are good enough to up the dose ... That is my main thinking at the meeting and will be pushing that if it is PsA

@ Kat thanks for your good wishes. I'm always optimistic it's the way I'm wired

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:33 PM)jiml Wrote: @Fred yes there's room to increase to six a day and my bloods are good enough to up the dose ... That is my main thinking at the meeting and will be pushing that if it is PsA

Makes sense to me, if you can go up then it's got to be worth a go. Better the devil you know and all that, and you can always look later at something else if needed.

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:39 PM)Fred Wrote:

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:33 PM)jiml Wrote: @Fred yes there's room to increase to six a day and my bloods are good enough to up the dose ... That is my main thinking at the meeting and will be pushing that if it is PsA

Makes sense to me, if you can go up then it's got to be worth a go. Better the devil you know and all that, and you can always look later at something else if needed.

Thanks

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:52 PM)jiml Wrote:

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:39 PM)Fred Wrote:

(Sat-09-01-2016, 16:33 PM)jiml Wrote: @Fred yes there's room to increase to six a day and my bloods are good enough to up the dose ... That is my main thinking at the meeting and will be pushing that if it is PsA

Makes sense to me, if you can go up then it's got to be worth a go. Better the devil you know and all that, and you can always look later at something else if needed.

Thanks

Me too think that upping the dose is the way to go. From personal experience I know that dmf works fine for psa. So don't let yourself be put on something else without a heavy fight