Hello there, and a question about Taltz

[spottysocks]

Hi everyone, 

I wanted to introduce myself. I've had psoriasis for about 30 years, started as guttate and progressed into plaque. It's pretty much everywhere - scalp, arms, legs, front, back, ears, and even little bits on the palms of my hands. I'd been taking MTX, 10mg a week for about a year, and that had damped it down a bit. Still having flareups while on it, including a recent one which has been the mother of them all. The itching and burning is driving me mad, and it's having quite a serious affect on my mental wellbeing. 

I have my regular appointment at the hospital with the derm tomorrow (in the UK), and I'm really keen to try Taltz after what I've read about it. I wondered if anyone else is in the UK here, and managed to get it? I'm worried my request is going to get turned down. 

Any help would be very welcome.

[Fred]

Hello spottysocks to Psoriasis Club.

We do have some members on Taltz, but I'm not sure about in the UK.

There are more on Cosntyx which is a similar treatment. I'm on it myself in France and it's very good.

I would explain to your dermatologist that it is causing you problems with your wellbeing and ask if you can be moved onto one of the Bio's as you have tried methotrexate and now failed. They may not want to put you on Tatlz first, but they may put you on one of the other bio's.

You can read more about all the Bio's here: Biological Treatments For Psoriasis

Regards.

Fred.

[jiml]

Hi everyone, 

I wanted to introduce myself. I've had psoriasis for about 30 years, started as guttate and progressed into plaque. It's pretty much everywhere - scalp, arms, legs, front, back, ears, and even little bits on the palms of my hands. I'd been taking MTX, 10mg a week for about a year, and that had damped it down a bit. Still having flareups while on it, including a recent one which has been the mother of them all. The itching and burning is driving me mad, and it's having quite a serious affect on my mental wellbeing. 

I have my regular appointment at the hospital with the derm tomorrow (in the UK), and I'm really keen to try Taltz after what I've read about it. I wondered if anyone else is in the UK here, and managed to get it? I'm worried my request is going to get turned down. 

Any help would be very welcome.

hi and   spottysocks I'm glad you have found us, we are a very friendly forum sharing our problems and successes
It sounds to me as if your dermatologist hasn't done his best by you if you have struggled along on 10mg a week ...when I was on it I took up to 25mg a week and it cleared me
Having said that I don't think you have any chance of getting Taltz as a first biological drug

Be prepared to try any of them they offer possibly humira first
There is a possibility they might just up your dose ....now if you don't want that you must tell them that of the side effects you might be having like nausea
Just an idea
I wish you good luck ....do come back and tell us the outcome of the visit

[spottysocks]

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for the help. Perhaps I do need to seriously up the MTX dose, it's just so slow as well. Luckily i haven't experienced any nausea - and they know that, so I can't claim that as a reason. 

I can definitely ask about the biologics. That seems a better way forward. 

I'm in a really bad way at the moment, do you think there's much chance of them letting me have some interim UVB treatment just to tame it a little? I'm meant to be going to a friend's wedding in May, and on holiday in June, and I am feeling absolutely petrified about both and thinking of cancelling. 

Thanks again for such speedy helpful answers.

[Turnedlight]

Hi there, nice to meet you!
With mtx, yes they are likely to put the dose up but if you're anything like me, once it stopped working it still wouldn't work even on a high dose.
Have you tried acitretin or ciclopsporin, as they are likely to get you to try one of those first. My (now retired) derm put me on Humira straight from methotrexate but it sadly didn't work for me, then I got a new derm and she said I shouldn't have been given it at all before proving I can't get along with another systemic. I tried ciclo for a short time (last autumn) but I had noticable side effects and moved on to biologics fairly quickly.
Good luck with your appointment

[Fred]

First off don't cancel you holiday or your friends wedding. That is letting psoriasis win, and you don't want to do that.

Yes it's not easy but the more you can be open about it the better it is for you. Also there maybe some tips here that could help: Skin Camouflage But don't let it stop you enjoying your holiday or your friends wedding.

If I was you I would push hard for one of th Bio's. Or ask about Fumaderm, it may not be available but if it is it's better than Methotrexate.

[Kat]

Welcome! Being in the US I don't have any helpful info as to what may/may not be available to you but I wanted to say hello. There's lots of good information to be found here

[jiml]

Fred mentioned above that you might ask for Fumaderm if they want you on another systemic drug. It's the drug that I am on and have had 5 clear years on it.
It is available on the NHS but can only be prescribed by your dermatologist, it's been in use in Germany for over 30 years with a great safety record ( as long as it's monitored )
So if they refuse a biological one ask about Fumaderm after reading about it here Fumaderm

And if you put Fumaderm in the search facility here Search it will throw up lots of threads about it

Good luck

[Caroline]

Hi Spottysocks,

Welcome to psoriasisclub.
Thought for a moment to abbreviate your name to "Spotty", but that is the same name as the tweety bird of my late Aunt, so I'd better not do that.

I agree with Fred Oi, that is amazing...
and with Jim

At first, go to the wedding. Your friend is expecting you, don't let him or her down.

Second, indeed go for Fumaderm or Acetretin, if they won't give you biologicals yet. I think Fumaderm is the best way to go, you have a 70% chance that it will do something. The 10 mg MTX probably do not have destroyed to much to let Fumaderm work.

Third, have fun over here at psoriasisclub.
We have (ir)regular drinking events in the bar in case you need to chat about something different than Psoriasis.

Caroline

[Bill]

Hi spottysocks,

Like Jim and Caroline, I have had great results with DMF. In my case I have been taking it for over four years. I had about a ninety percent reduction in my disease within a few months and thenceforth have gradually reduced to about nothing today. The medication continues to work very well and shows no sign of losing effect. I cannot compare it with other systemics as it is the only systemic treatment I have had, but I am very happy with it.

Cheers,

Bill