Hello, I'm new

[Starfrost]

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with psoriasis which started on my feet but has now gone to my palms and up my arms. It seems to be developing very quickly. I have had to come off my RA melds ( mtx and abatacept) for shoulder surgery. Hoping to get started again next week.

Just wondering if there are others who have had long standing RA then gone on to get psoriasis, rather than psoriatic arthritis? Is there much difference in disease activity or treatment?

I have to say I am finding this very painful. My feet are cracked and sore and my palms are bleeding.  I have dermovate and have been told to sleep in plastic gloves too. I tried last night but it was so hard!! Any tips for dealing with this would be very welcome.  Can't even bear my heels on the mattress so I've been awake for almost 24 hours now, in spite of my usual knock out melds for the RA.

A little bit about me ... I'm still teaching full time but wondering how/ when to give up.  It's exhausting and stressful but also rewarding.  I'm 55 and need to live a simpler life I think! Before the RA took hold so hard I loved walking and being outdoors.  I've had 3 surgeries in the last 18 months - both forefoot reconstructions and shoulder decompression last week, so still sore from that. I could have done without the joys of psoriasis too!

Looking forward to reading up and finding out some good tips. Appreciate all your views, Starfrost x

[Sandra]

Hi there and Welcome

You will find lots of helpful information on this forum and also lots of very supportive people.

So 1 tip for hands and feet: I use cotton gloves and cotton socks, softer and kinder on sore, cracked bleeding hands and feet.

I also use Epiderm as a moisturiser so I put that on first let it soak in for a bit and then apply the steroid ointment.

Check out some of the threads on psoriasis and arthritis, they will have lots of info from people who have or are experiencing similar difficulties.

Sandra

[jiml]

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with psoriasis which started on my feet but has now gone to my palms and up my arms. It seems to be developing very quickly. I have had to come off my RA melds ( mtx and abatacept) for shoulder surgery. Hoping to get started again next week.

Just wondering if there are others who have had long standing RA then gone on to get psoriasis, rather than psoriatic arthritis? Is there much difference in disease activity or treatment?

I have to say I am finding this very painful. My feet are cracked and sore and my palms are bleeding.  I have dermovate and have been told to sleep in plastic gloves too. I tried last night but it was so hard!! Any tips for dealing with this would be very welcome.  Can't even bear my heels on the mattress so I've been awake for almost 24 hours now, in spite of my usual knock out melds for the RA.

A little bit about me ... I'm still teaching full time but wondering how/ when to give up.  It's exhausting and stressful but also rewarding.  I'm 55 and need to live a simpler life I think! Before the RA took hold so hard I loved walking and being outdoors.  I've had 3 surgeries in the last 18 months - both forefoot reconstructions and shoulder decompression last week, so still sore from that. I could have done without the joys of psoriasis too!

Looking forward to reading up and finding out some good tips. Appreciate all your views, Starfrost x

Hi Starfrost and    to the forum, here you are among friends that understand the pain of psoriasis
Here we share information and offer and recieve support
The site is just a small group of sufferers but unique in the fact that it is funded by the generosity of one man. Who has filled the site with information on all the current treatments for the disease and results of new research.

Your problems I'm afraid I can't really help with apart than suggest that you get referred to a dermatologist, who will probably suggest one of the biological drugs, which may help your arthritis as well as your psoriasis

Have you had a proper diagnosis of RA .. Is it possible it's psoriatic arthritis .

Possibly when you go back on methotrexate the psoriasis may well subside

[mataribot]

Welcome to the forum!

It is not uncommon to have both PsA and RA. While the difference between the two are great, RA tends be symmetrical and typically in the larger joints. There are blood test for RA (not 100% accurate) and different imagine techniques can be used to distinguish between the two.

As far as medication, there differences: there are some biologics for RA that are not available for PsA.

Hope that helps....

[mataribot]

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with psoriasis which started on my feet but has now gone to my palms and up my arms. It seems to be developing very quickly. I have had to come off my RA melds ( mtx and abatacept) for shoulder surgery. Hoping to get started again next week.

Just wondering if there are others who have had long standing RA then gone on to get psoriasis, rather than psoriatic arthritis? Is there much difference in disease activity or treatment?

I have to say I am finding this very painful. My feet are cracked and sore and my palms are bleeding.  I have dermovate and have been told to sleep in plastic gloves too. I tried last night but it was so hard!! Any tips for dealing with this would be very welcome.  Can't even bear my heels on the mattress so I've been awake for almost 24 hours now, in spite of my usual knock out melds for the RA.

A little bit about me ... I'm still teaching full time but wondering how/ when to give up.  It's exhausting and stressful but also rewarding.  I'm 55 and need to live a simpler life I think! Before the RA took hold so hard I loved walking and being outdoors.  I've had 3 surgeries in the last 18 months - both forefoot reconstructions and shoulder decompression last week, so still sore from that. I could have done without the joys of psoriasis too!

Looking forward to reading up and finding out some good tips. Appreciate all your views, Starfrost x

Hi Starfrost and    to the forum, here you are among friends that understand the pain of psoriasis
Here we share information and offer and recieve support
The site is just a small group of sufferers but unique in the fact that it is funded by the generosity of one man. Who has filled the site with information on all the current treatments for the disease and results of new research.

Your problems I'm afraid I can't really help with apart than suggest that you get referred to a dermatologist, who will probably suggest one of the biological drugs, which may help your arthritis as well as your psoriasis

Have you had a proper diagnosis of RA .. Is it possible it's psoriatic arthritis .

Possibly when you go back on methotrexate the psoriasis may well subside

Jim, she is one of the better Biologics, abatacept. Works for PsA, but not as well as the TNFs. Also, it does not work for the back.

[Starfrost]

Thank you, really helpful to know about the socks and gloves.  I was diagnosed with RA 6 years ago and have had mtx and several biologics ( (embrel, humira, rituximab etanercept and now on abatacept (orencia))

I have a definite RA diagnosis, just wondering if anyone else had established disease with RA before starting with psoriasis?

[jiml]

Jim, she is one of the better Biologics, abatacept. Works for PsA, but not as well as the TNFs. Also, it does not work for the back.

Thanks Mataribot I'm not up on the biological drugs

[Kat]

Welcome Starfrost!

I don't have RA, so can't help with that question. Shoulder surgery can be quite painful, hope you are recovering well from that. It sounds like you have a lot going on and adding psoriasis to the mix is no fun at all. There is a lot of information here along with members who are more than willing to share what has and hasn't worked for them. Glad you found your way here!

[Caroline]

Hi Starfrost,

Welcome to psoriasisclub.

If you read on through all posts you will finally conclude that there are a number of triggers that can lead to psoriasis. Among them there are stress, maltreatment of the skin, operation scars, etc.
In my vision, as you already have a diagnosed RA, so already something is wrong with your immune system, it is not strange that you unfortunately also developed psoriasis.

Mataribot already said a number of sensible things. Allthough the difference between PsA and RA are large, they both have a source that is in your immune system. So basically the treatment you already get might also work for psoriasis, but apparently isn't. It may however well be that another treatment works for both.

Fred will welcome you very soon, when he is out of his bed, he had a late night in the bar yesterday , and he will tell you something on a good working moisturiser.

I also think more members will come with ideas.

Have a good time over here with us.
Caroline

[Fred]

Hello Starfrost   to Psoriasis Club.

I can't add much more than what Matari or the others have said. I have psoriatic arthritis but all I know is that is different to rheumatoid arthritis, and as I don't have rheumatoid arthritis I'm not much help.

But in regards to your other questions. I can highly recommend a good quality Coconut Oil (that was what Caroline was hinting at, and yes I am out of my bed now) Another thing I can recommend is to use Bamboo Socks instead of cotton, I get mine from Sock Shop online. Again buy good quality ones you will be amazed at how soft they are. I'm not sure if they do Bamboo gloves too, but I would have thought a fabric glove would be better than plastic ones.

As for retirement and going for the simple life, I can highly recommend that too. I sold up at the age of 48 and now live in the middle of nowhere in France, it has been the best thing for my health I have ever done. Yes we missed all the money a bit at first but you soon learn to adapt and it's surprising how cheap you can live, and now life is slow relaxing and the weather is good.    

Regards.

Fred.