Psoriatic Arthritis Question!

[JustJenna01]

Hi everyone!

I have been looking a lot into psoriatic arthritis lately, and I think I have it but I'm not really sure. I get daily pain in a few of my joints, but I don't know if it's from something else. The most common one is my right knee. Almost every night, it will just start aching and nothing I do, except taking Ibuprofen, helps. The knuckles in my thumbs also hurt often as well as my wrists.

If you have psoriatic arthritis, could you tell me what your experience is like because I'd really like to determine what is behind the aching. 

Thanks so much!
Jenna

[jiml]

I've recently been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, I feel it mainly in my finger joints and a bit in my feet. I do only have it mildly ....but a couple of my finger joints are slightly swollen and sore ....but for you to get a proper diagnosis you will need to see a Rheumatologist
. They will probably do an ultrasound or your hands and feet to determine if your joints are swollen and if there's any deterioration in the joints....they will need to do that before they start prescribing anything, then there are many treatments they can offer, but get a diagnosis before you worry about treatment

I hope it's  not arthritis and it turns out to be something easy to fix  

[Caroline]

Hi everyone!

I have been looking a lot into psoriatic arthritis lately, and I think I have it but I'm not really sure. I get daily pain in a few of my joints, but I don't know if it's from something else. The most common one is my right knee. Almost every night, it will just start aching and nothing I do, except taking Ibuprofen, helps. The knuckles in my thumbs also hurt often as well as my wrists.

If you have psoriatic arthritis, could you tell me what your experience is like because I'd really like to determine what is behind the aching. 

Thanks so much!
Jenna

Hi Jenna,

I have it also.
It is basically limited (with me) to my fingers and feet, the little joints. This is also the place where it normally pops up. But certainly it can pop up indeed anywhere, so your wrists and knee could also be touched.

Psoriatic arthritis is very difficult to diagnose, as there are no signals in your blood or anywhere that can prove it. But as you have psoriasis, there is a 5% chance that you will also get psoriatic arthritis.
Jim can (and will)  also tell you more about it.

Psoriatic arthritis is normally the inflammation of the little joints. It can be disabling when the inflammation get the chance to damage your joints. In my case my right foot is damaged, so the long distance running i liked to do is now over, and I had to change to cycling.

Treatment is mostly done by a rheumatologist, but also the dermatologist can do it.
Main problem of the rheumatologist is that they will try to start you on methotrexate (MTX). In my opinion you should refuse that. You are far to young for that, MTX is a medication developed against cancer and is highly toxic, it is also sometimes used to initiate an abortion. If you wanna have kids..... don't use it, there are many far better medications.
On the forum we have descriptions and experiences of all kind of medications.
They fall apart in the systemics (acetretin, Dimethylfumarate, cyclosporine, last is not too good) and the whole range of biologicals, like Enbrel, Remicade, Humira, Stelara and Cosentyx of which this last appears to be very effective.

Latest medical strategies, at least in the rheuma world is to try to give the disease a hard kick with a strong medication hoping that it will go to rest for a long time with perhaps a minimal dose. But I don't know how far they are on your side of the ocean.

I'm very sorry for you if it appears to be psoriatic arthritis, it is a nasty disease, but you can live with it.

Be positive !
Caroline

P.s. Oh, and the difference between systemics and biologicals is that the first are relatively cheap and the last are expensive.

[Bill]

Hi Jenna,

Sadly I agree with Caroline that it sounds like psa. The good thing is that you are being treated early, and the treatments today are excellent. Psa is a tougher nut to crack, but it is manageable.

Cheers,

Bill

[Kat]

I don't have psoriatic arthritis but even the systemics (taken by mouth) aren't super cheap, it just all depends on your insurance. After insurance for instance, I paid around $300 per month when I was on Acitretin. I think if I should have to go back on medication for psoriasis, I'll see what the doctor is willing to offer and check with my insurance to see what they pay on choices (if I have any) and of course check here to see what people like and don't like about treatments before making my decision.

You are a bit young for osteoarthritis but it can happen. I was fairly young when diagnosed. Only a doctor will be able to diagnose what's going on with you though.

Good luck!

[Bill]

< I paid around $300 per month when I was on Acitretin>

Ouch, Kat. I pay less than a dollar a month unsubsidised, and at a bulk shipment cost it would only be a few cents. I realise that my approach is unconventional, but I take exactly the same stuff as rrms patients are paying $20k a year for, I've had an almost complete and sustained clearance, and I am still alive and kicking.

Cheers,

Bill

[Turnedlight]

I would say you're quite young, you shouldn't be getting aches and pains on a regular basis so it seems it might be psa but ask your derm about it, my derm diagnosed me and I haven't yet seen a rheumatologist at all.

My experience is not the small joints. It's aches and pains to do with ligaments. Currently my left hip feels like I did the splits too far. I've had carpal tunnel, Achilles' tendon problems, plantar fasciitis, and aches and pains in my elbows and shoulders which wake me up.

As an addition to what Caroline listed in systemics, acitretin may not be an option as you are not able to try for a baby for three years after using it!

[Caroline]

I would say you're quite young, you shouldn't be getting aches and pains on a regular basis so it seems it might be psa but ask your derm about it, my derm diagnosed me and I haven't yet seen a rheumatologist at all.

My experience is not the small joints. It's aches and pains to do with ligaments. Currently my left hip feels like I did the splits too far. I've had carpal tunnel, Achilles' tendon problems, plantar fasciitis, and aches and pains in my elbows and shoulders which wake me up.

As an addition to what Caroline listed in systemics, acitretin may not be an option as you are not able to try for a baby for three years after using it!

O, I did not know that of Acetretin TL! Thanks for adding.
And indeed pain in your ligaments is a signal of an approaching arthritis.

It seems that from the systemics only DMF keeps the possibility of pregnancy reasonably open. You should not get pregnant when using it, although it has not been researched if it would be bad, but it is just plain secure to do not and wait for three months after stopping it.

[Fred]

It does sound like it could be psoriatic arthritis but your dermatologist should be able to diagnose it.

As you're going on Humira soon you may notice a change as Humira can help psoriatic arthritis.

If indeed it is psoriatic arthritis you have my sympathy at your young age, I first got diagnosed at 30. It was mild at first and progressively got worse with age and by the time I reached my 50s it was getting very bad up to the point of not being able to dress my self or cut up my own dinner.  

However the Bio's got me sorted out and like I say Humira may keep it in check for you. Should it not work you can try Coesntyx , I've just gone on to it and it's the best thing I've ever had for psoriatic arthritis.

At least your getting it treated early which will help, some people only get mild symptoms and stay that way.

[mataribot]

PsA is hard to diagnose. The anti TNFs are a good starting point.  I would recommend getting the ball rolling for a rheumatologist- may take awhile to get in.