Coal tar treatment

[Tallyloulah]

Hello all, my name is stacey and I'm looking for some advice on being able to purchase coal tar paste like they use in hospitals, I was diagnosed from the age of 5yrs old and have suffered on and off since (I'm now 30) the only treatments that work for me is UVB treatment and coal tar paste, I used to as a child be taken into hospital for up to 5 weeks at a time and be slathered daily in the coal tar paste and had bandages put on over the cream, I'd also have UVB treatment 3times per week, I'm now a single mother of 4 and I'm unable to do so anymore, I'm struggling being able to get hold of coal tar paste from my local pharmacy can any one help with any links that I can purchase this miracle cream please xxxxxxxx I'm suffering at the moment with gut taste psoriasis but I also have the plaques my official diagnosis is chronic psoriasis xxx[/size][/b][/font]

[jiml]

Hi Stacey and a big to the club. Sorry I wasn't here last night to answer you I'm usually on at that time .On here you will find a great bunch of people ready to offer support and advice. We do let our hair down occasionally and venture into the off topic section, where there is some light hearted banter , a good place to meet . And talk off topic..........
I'm afraid I can't be much help with finding your coal tar paste, although looking it up I see amazon have a couple of sellers of coal tar preparations.
I have not used coal tar for many years, but have had great success with my current treatment Fumaderm which is available in the uk on the NHS. There are many other treatments discussed on here, and I am sure you will find one that works for you, and give you your life back
If I were you I would get to see my dermatologist and ask about the different treatments you can read about on this site, they may well suggest methotrexate, personally I would try to avoid that . I took it for over a year and it worked fine but made my life a misery. In as much as I felt sick after taking them and felt unwell for a couple of days after....... Go well armed with information and whilst coal tar may be treating the skin, as you know the effect only lasts a short while .

Times and treatments are changing,

I wish you good luck in your search but as I said I would look for a long term solution, not cure, it makes you feel so much better. Oh and try to stay positive and stress free, not easy with 4 children I know but try to get some "me time to relax"
And I hope to see you again on the forum

[jiml]

One thing I didn't mention is. I would post a thread in introductions as you are more likely to get noticed as a new member

[Tallyloulah]

Hia and thanks for your reply, I went to doctors this morning and got 1% coal tar and aqueous cream she also gave me a course of antibiotics as I believe my flare up is due to me having a bad throat! I usually only suffer with large patches which is easier to treat with creams but at the moment I'm totally covered from my. Scalp face hands feet and whole body, it's really getting me down :(, I've never heard of your current treatment and I'm going to google it now, the doctor shuddered herself this morning when I showed her just my leg and aid if the antibiotics don't help they would refer me once again to the dermatologist but I know that can take months and months, thanks for your advice xxxxx

[jiml]

Hia and thanks for your reply, I went to doctors this morning and got 1% coal tar and aqueous cream she also gave me a course of antibiotics as I believe my flare up is due to me having a bad throat! I usually only suffer with large patches which is easier to treat with creams but at the moment I'm totally covered from my. Scalp face hands feet and whole body, it's really getting me down :(, I've never heard of your current treatment and I'm going to google it now, the doctor shuddered herself this morning when I showed her just my leg and aid if the antibiotics don't help they would refer me once again to the dermatologist but I know that can take months and months, thanks for your advice xxxxx

I would go back and demand to see a dermatologist it's your body. I used to get flare ups of psoriasis when I had a throat infection but since being on my current treatment, I get no more real flare ups.
And the only side effects from my treatment is minor stomach cramps occasionally and an odd hot flush.
Let us know how things progress and come back soon
This is just my opinion as there are many more treatments you could try but I think topical treatments is not treating the condition.
There is one out there that will suit you without the messy tar on the outside. It's just a matter of finding it

[Caroline]

Hello Stacey,

At first welcome to the club!

Secondly, I am standing behind the suggestions of Jim.
Second-one: it's your body, and thus it has the right to be treated well.
Second-two: reading of what's happening to you it seems to me that creams and so will not help at this moment, currently you have passed that point.
And I think you need something systemic. Probably you have already read that psoriasis is an immune disease. Treating the skin has basically no use, unless patches are small.

Personally I think that starting with a DMF treatment is a good way to go. It is quite harmless and that is a 70% chance that it will work.
The flushes will be a surprise for you, but they are harmless.
Unlike Jim I don't have stomach cramps! due to a different type of DMF, but my intestines sometimes are somewhat unstable.

Be careful if they offer you MTX, again it's your body.

Good luck, hope to speak to you more times.
Caroline

[Tallyloulah]

Thanks for your reply, gosh I'm confused.... Thought I was a pro at knowing about psoriasis and treatments, so glad I've joined this forum tbh I wasn't aware that there was tablets to help, I've got an appointment with another doctor on the 10th of April by then I will have finished my course of antibiotics so I will be demanding that I see a specialist up the hospital and asking about these tablets that are available, I hope they listen to me( I'm quite quiet prob due to the low self esteem that. Ones with having psoriasis from a young age, sad I know but I can still hear the taunting from the kids when I was younger lol) I'm going to research h all theses treatment s that you have told me about and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help xxxxxx

[jiml]

Glad you came back, I hope your doctor will listen, it is important to you to get your doctor to understand that it is getting you down, as many doctors just see the skin and don't consider the mental anguish we sufferers go through every day. Do push that fact and ask for a referral to a dermatologist. Then you may be understood but if they feel they can palm you off with a cheap option for example creams and lotions, they will. Tell them you have been talking to people taking various tablets and some on injections (Stelara) and ask if you could move to one of these. As I am on Fumaderm I would recommend it for a try. It may not suit you but as Caroline has said it works for 70% of people ( I think that's good odds) and is a relatively harmless treatment

be strong and stay positive
Jim

[Tallyloulah]

Thanks Jim , I am going to although unfortunately the doctor I'm seeing is a bit of a tit (lol) although it is his field (dermatology) he is very unsympathetic or have been in the past, I was just talking to my mum and they did at one point offer some form of medication but my mum refused it as I was not allowed to get pregnant for a long time after having the treatment so I'm going to push for that and yes 70% success sounds good to me aswell thanks again for your advice and support xxx

[jiml]

Thanks Jim , I am going to although unfortunately the doctor I'm seeing is a bit of a tit (lol) although it is his field (dermatology) he is very unsympathetic or have been in the past, I was just talking to my mum and they did at one point offer some form of medication but my mum refused it as I was not allowed to get pregnant for a long time after having the treatment so I'm going to push for that and yes 70% success sounds good to me aswell thanks again for your advice and support xxx

You are more than welcome (nice pic by the way) I wish you luck and hope to meet you in the off topic section sometime, as I said I'm usually not far from my iPad and soon respond unless I'm asleep I don't think there's a problem with pregnancy and fumeric acid esters as they are naturally occurring. In our bodies anyway, I'm sure Caroline will correct me on that if I am wrong. (Watch this space)
Don't you just hate unsympathetic dermatologists. Just play the sympathy card and tell him you are at the end of your tether. Lay it on, it may just work.
come into the off topic section sometime if you need a chuckle or a chat
Jim


P.S just looked up fumeric acid esters (Fumaderm )and they advise ceasing treatment whilst pregnant