Health Boards
Sun-26-03-2017, 00:39 AM
Haven't updated for a while and I'm in a reflective mood so have been reading through this post from the start (actually, from the end and backwards) to remind myself of how I've progressed since starting this thread.
It's been a long work week, 76 hours in total and although I'm a bit tired both physically and mentally it's been productive and my skin has not suffered as a result, which is extremely pleasing.
Reading back, it struck me that I could clarify my personal timeline for the disease, I have mentioned dates and durations but in a bit of a disjointed fashion, so the purpose of this post is to give an overview to date.
My Psoriasis Timeline
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... oops, wrong forum
.
Summer 2015 - In the Beginning
======================
It started with a small rash on my right palm about the size of a 10p piece. This was summer 2015. Itching, sore, blistering, peeling, healing, rinse and repeat. I tried swapping soaps and shampoos, various topical creams such as E40, coconut oil, iodine, tea-tree oil etc. etc. some of which helped a little but the damned rash was slowly but surely increasing in size. The itching was becoming unbearable and a massive distraction both at work and at home.
After a couple of months I decided to see my GP for advice, by this time the rash had spread all over my right palm and I'd noticed a couple of fingers were becoming sore as well. She diagnosed contact dermatitis and prescribed a steroid cream to be used twice a day for two weeks. I began using it and after a week noticed a huge improvement and wondered why she had prescribed 2 tubes of cream as I'd only used less than half of one tube and it had nearly cleared, but put it down to her being cautious and not wanting me to run out - anyway, having a spare tube knocking around the house could come in handy in the future I thought. Now into a second week of using it my hand is nearly clear - fantastic. Third week and I'm working away, I forgot to pack the cream but thought nothing more of it because my hand was so much better. If anything I thought that the last little bit would probably disappear of it's own accord. Over the week I noticed the rash returning slowly but surely and kicked myself for forgetting the cream. Friday night I got back home and first thing I did was to rub good dollop of cream over my hand and don a pair of gloves so that it soaked in properly as advised by the GP. Over the next few days I generously applied it and soon started on the second tube determined to make up for the missing 5 days of treatment. Again, I was away for the next week and made I packed my steroid cream this time. Religiously using it twice a day fairly liberally and at the end of the week was back to where I'd been 2 weeks prior, but there was still that stubborn patch where it originally started.
Back to the GP and a stronger steroid was duly prescribed. I began using it and very soon noticed that my skin was peeling continually and the rash was still present. More visits to the GP over the next few weeks and even stronger steroid cream and antihistamines as the itching was becoming worse, fairly unbearable and a big distraction at work. The diagnosis at this point had changed from contact dermatitis to eczema.
New Year 2016 - Off Work
=================
I lasted at work until just after Christmas, and in the second week of January realised as I was about to walk out the front door that I just couldn't do what was required of me that day - my hands were in a mess and physically I couldn't use them as I needed to that day. The rash had spread to my left hand at this point and my right hand was affected all over.
Phoned in sick and made an appointment to see the GP, who referred me to a Dermatologist.
I saw the dermatologist a few months later and she diagnosed palmar plantar pustulosis, I hadn't noticed that my feet and scalp were affected (just thought I had a bit of athletes foot and my normal flaky scalp).
Yet more steroid cream - stronger and two different types to be used alternately. This was to be done for a period of 4 weeks and then back to see her.
Again, like before, initially using the new steroids saw an initial improvement followed by a slow decline - having to use more and more to stay in the same place symptomwise.
After about six weeks my hands and feet were in a poor state - very thin skin, red and raw and blue after applying the steroids in the morning and evening. Also, I was getting regular outbreaks even with the cream.
This was when I started reading psoriasis forums and researching the condition - the drugs weren't working. Also, my follow-up appointment was repeatedly delayed with the consultant.
June 2016 - A Change of Plan
===================
At this point I decided on my current course of action. As documented from the start of this thread. After a month I saw a big improvement in my condition. So much so that I was able to return to work in the second half of July.
8 months of medical recommendation to use various prescription steroids/antihistamines/moisturisers and the condition was at its worst and getting worse.
7 weeks using diet and the condition had improved to the point where I was able to return to work.
March 2017 - The End?
===============
From last August until now is 8 months and I have seen a gradual and steady improvement over the period. Now I'm at the point where I consider myself back to where I was before I first noticed the problem.
In total this has lasted 21 months from first symptoms to being finally clear (or at least asymptomatic.)
Now I can eat and drink whatever I like again. That's a really nice place to be once more.
I hope that gives a good general overview of my experience with this nasty disease.
It's been a long work week, 76 hours in total and although I'm a bit tired both physically and mentally it's been productive and my skin has not suffered as a result, which is extremely pleasing.
Reading back, it struck me that I could clarify my personal timeline for the disease, I have mentioned dates and durations but in a bit of a disjointed fashion, so the purpose of this post is to give an overview to date.
My Psoriasis Timeline
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... oops, wrong forum
.Summer 2015 - In the Beginning
======================
It started with a small rash on my right palm about the size of a 10p piece. This was summer 2015. Itching, sore, blistering, peeling, healing, rinse and repeat. I tried swapping soaps and shampoos, various topical creams such as E40, coconut oil, iodine, tea-tree oil etc. etc. some of which helped a little but the damned rash was slowly but surely increasing in size. The itching was becoming unbearable and a massive distraction both at work and at home.
After a couple of months I decided to see my GP for advice, by this time the rash had spread all over my right palm and I'd noticed a couple of fingers were becoming sore as well. She diagnosed contact dermatitis and prescribed a steroid cream to be used twice a day for two weeks. I began using it and after a week noticed a huge improvement and wondered why she had prescribed 2 tubes of cream as I'd only used less than half of one tube and it had nearly cleared, but put it down to her being cautious and not wanting me to run out - anyway, having a spare tube knocking around the house could come in handy in the future I thought. Now into a second week of using it my hand is nearly clear - fantastic. Third week and I'm working away, I forgot to pack the cream but thought nothing more of it because my hand was so much better. If anything I thought that the last little bit would probably disappear of it's own accord. Over the week I noticed the rash returning slowly but surely and kicked myself for forgetting the cream. Friday night I got back home and first thing I did was to rub good dollop of cream over my hand and don a pair of gloves so that it soaked in properly as advised by the GP. Over the next few days I generously applied it and soon started on the second tube determined to make up for the missing 5 days of treatment. Again, I was away for the next week and made I packed my steroid cream this time. Religiously using it twice a day fairly liberally and at the end of the week was back to where I'd been 2 weeks prior, but there was still that stubborn patch where it originally started.
Back to the GP and a stronger steroid was duly prescribed. I began using it and very soon noticed that my skin was peeling continually and the rash was still present. More visits to the GP over the next few weeks and even stronger steroid cream and antihistamines as the itching was becoming worse, fairly unbearable and a big distraction at work. The diagnosis at this point had changed from contact dermatitis to eczema.
New Year 2016 - Off Work
=================
I lasted at work until just after Christmas, and in the second week of January realised as I was about to walk out the front door that I just couldn't do what was required of me that day - my hands were in a mess and physically I couldn't use them as I needed to that day. The rash had spread to my left hand at this point and my right hand was affected all over.
Phoned in sick and made an appointment to see the GP, who referred me to a Dermatologist.
I saw the dermatologist a few months later and she diagnosed palmar plantar pustulosis, I hadn't noticed that my feet and scalp were affected (just thought I had a bit of athletes foot and my normal flaky scalp).
Yet more steroid cream - stronger and two different types to be used alternately. This was to be done for a period of 4 weeks and then back to see her.
Again, like before, initially using the new steroids saw an initial improvement followed by a slow decline - having to use more and more to stay in the same place symptomwise.
After about six weeks my hands and feet were in a poor state - very thin skin, red and raw and blue after applying the steroids in the morning and evening. Also, I was getting regular outbreaks even with the cream.
This was when I started reading psoriasis forums and researching the condition - the drugs weren't working. Also, my follow-up appointment was repeatedly delayed with the consultant.
June 2016 - A Change of Plan
===================
At this point I decided on my current course of action. As documented from the start of this thread. After a month I saw a big improvement in my condition. So much so that I was able to return to work in the second half of July.
8 months of medical recommendation to use various prescription steroids/antihistamines/moisturisers and the condition was at its worst and getting worse.
7 weeks using diet and the condition had improved to the point where I was able to return to work.
March 2017 - The End?
===============
From last August until now is 8 months and I have seen a gradual and steady improvement over the period. Now I'm at the point where I consider myself back to where I was before I first noticed the problem.
In total this has lasted 21 months from first symptoms to being finally clear (or at least asymptomatic.)
Now I can eat and drink whatever I like again. That's a really nice place to be once more.
I hope that gives a good general overview of my experience with this nasty disease.
.
