Cosentyx for psoriatic arthritis Fred's journey

[Fred]

This will be my new thread about my journey on Cosentyx.

As some may know I've been on Stelara for just over six years now and it's time to move on to something else as it's not working as well as it used to for me. You can read my journey on Stelara in these two threads if you're interested:
[thread=96]
[thread=851]

But this about Cosentyx.

My main concern is keeping the psoriatic arthritis under control as this is the thing that causes me the most problems, so I'm going to be monitoring how well Cosentyx can help me for that.  



It comes in injections of 150mg, and one dose is two shots = 300mg

The starting dose is 300mg for 5 weeks and then a maintenance dose of 300mg and I shall be starting on the 1st October 2016 (this Saturday) Don't ask me why, but they gave me 4 doses today and I have to phone for #5

#1 1st Oct two shots of 150mg = 300mg.
#2 8th Oct two shots of 150mg = 300mg.
#3 15th Oct two shots of 150mg = 300mg.
#4 22nd Oct two shots of 150mg = 300mg.
#5 29th Oct two shots of 150mg = 300mg
From there I will be taking two shots of 150mg = 300mg every 4 weeks.

It comes in two types of shot. A pre filled Syringe and an Auto injector (Pen). I prefer using the syringes as seen in this image.



Like I said the psoriatic arthritis is more important to me and I shall be using the score systems on Psoriasis Club to keep track of my progress.
https://psoriasisclub.org/psoriasisscore.php
https://psoriasisclub.org/psoriaticarthritisscore.php

I do currently have a little bit of psoriasis on the front of my leg that has popped up so I'll put an image here. This is usually at the end of my 12 weeks run on Stelara and it's been 13 now.


Now to check my scores:

Psoriasis: 3

Psoriatic arthritis: 5

The biggest test will be when the weather changes, at the moment we are still having good weather so the psoriatic arthritis isn't too bad.

Now I just wait till Saturday and will report back when I've taken the first two shots.

*You are welcome to post in this thread, but please try to keep it On Topic.

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If you want to read my experience without other posts I have a locked copy for easy reading in Members Journals, but you need to have made 10 posts to read it.

[thread=4517]

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Since starting this thread I have now finished with Cosentyx. It stopped working for the psoriatic arthritis, you can skip to my post here to find out more: [post=180911]

[jiml]

Great news Fred I wish you luck with it and hope it does the trick

[Fred]

Great news Fred I wish you luck with it and hope it does the trick  

Thank you Jim. If it's as good as the reports I've been reading I'll be pleased.

I was just thinking. Do we have any other members using it that has psoriatic arthritis? I am following everyone else's threads no matter what they take, but I don't recall one with psoriatic arthritis on Cosentyx.

[Caroline]

Good luck Fred

I am very curious for the results on your psoriatic arthritis.

[Fred]

Good luck Fred  

I am very curious for the results on your psoriatic arthritis.

Thank you Caroline.

It would be nice to get a better run through the winter. ....................................... No not that sort of run.

[mataribot]

Hopefully you have no problems with PsA. Seems to work well for back.

[Fred]

Hopefully you have no problems with PsA. Seems to work well for back.

Thank you Matari. I'm ok in the back, it's mostly shoulders, arms, feet and hands so hopefully it will help.

[Bill]

Well done, Fred. I look forward to reading of your success in the near future.

Cheers,

Bill

[Fred]

Well done, Fred. I look forward to reading of your success in the near future.

Cheers,

Bill

Thank you Bill. After 6 years of Stelara I'm hoping things have moved on and the good reports I'm reading about Cosentyx are true.

I'm still not ready for my white coat like you, so I'll stick to a drive to the pharmacie.  

[Fred]

First Week

Ok here goes. I've just taken my first two shots of Cosentyx. No big surprises as I'm used to doing the injections and although I thought 150mg doses would seem a lot bigger than 90mg it didn't seem any different, apart from doing two shots instead of one.

Now I don't know if it is coincidence or because of being two weeks past my date when I should have had my next Stelara shot, but I've noticed a few things going on and decided to make some notes here for future reference.

*Excuse the photos I'm not a photographer but it gives an idea.

I'v noticed my nails are showing more lines, and if you zoom in on the thumb nail you can just about make out a patch in the middle of the nail where it looks like it is lifting away.



Next this patch has appeared on the right hand side of my torso just under the arm. There has been a small read patch there for a while and it used to show more at around week ten after my Stelara shot, but now at week 14 it's looking bigger and slightly flaky.



Also the shins (these have always been my worst parts) are looking a bit worse than they were a week ago.





I'm feeling a bit worse with the psoriatic arthritis too, which in some ways is a good thing as it will help me monitor it. And there are a couple of small red patches on the armpits and between my toes.

So I'll do my scores again.

Psoriasis: Has gone up from 3 to 6

Psoriatic arthritis: Has gone up from 5 to 10

Nothing else to say really as like I said, I'm used to the injections and everything went along just as I expected it to.