Wed-06-05-2020, 17:18 PM
(Wed-06-05-2020, 16:22 PM)Caroline Wrote:(Wed-06-05-2020, 16:07 PM)D Foster Wrote: It's a very strange medication, when I mentioned it to my dermatologist a few years ago I got the impression that he wasn't too keen on it.
That is because he has no knowledge of it. I see that often over here.
Recently spoke with a rheumatologist, specialised in Psoriatic Arthritis, and asked him why they didn't use the fumarates.
His answer was that he had "heard" that it dit not work for Psoriatic Arthritis, well to my idea that is the most strange answer he could give. Normally they are about scientific research. But about fumarates they know nothing and go for rumours.
While there are thousands of patients that do very well on it......
It is everywhere the same in the whole of Europe and the States even worse.
We have a saying: "If a farmer doesn't know it, then he will not eat it." in other words, a giant lack of knowledge.
I'm not sure I'd agree with the "no knowledge" part. I know that it works VERY well for members here!! In the US it's used to treat multiple sclerosis at a higher dosage I believe and the main concern seems to be liver damage. I know there are a LOT of meds that have to be monitored so I don't know if that is something that has held it back in some places or not. Also some people can't seem to handle the side effects (as I've seen a few post here throughout my time that they had some problems there) so that could be an issue as well. Just guessing here as to possible reasons why it didn't catch on quite so much everywhere since it does seem to be a good treatment!
Sorry Jim, don't want to take your thread off topic but I admit I've been very curious about DMF with you and Caroline being such huge fans and having success with it so I do wonder why it's not prescribed more often or offered in the US as a treatment for psoriasis. It could well be lack of knowledge or it could just be that the money is in biologics. Either way I'm glad your dosage increase has helped!!