92 yr old taking acitretin

[jtoal]

Hello, 
My father is 92 years old and has had psoriasis for at least 65 years. That's my age and he had it before I was born. Obviously he has had many of the treatments I have read on your site.  He was on Cosentryx with some good results but lately it flaired back up again. He's been going to the VA for his treatments because the cost of the drugs are less expensive. They put him on Acitretin again but it causes the all sorts of problems with lips and hands and other side effects including anxiety and not sleeping well. He's just tired all the time. 

On top of his psoriasis he has skin cancers because of the light treatments he's had over the years. He now has a hard time knowing whether his spots are skin cancer or psoriasis. Lots of sore spots all over.

Any words of wisdom.

[jiml]

Hi and Welcome to the club ... it's a difficult problem you have there with your dad, it's a shame cosentyx stopped working for him, but it certainly seems a backward step going to acetretin after a biological.... however it's done and from what you have written it seems as if the acitretin side effects are quite bad. I would have thought a call to the VA to tell them that it's having bad side effects and ask for a change to another systemic drug or another biological
Good luck

[JohnB]

Acitretin can be very good if the side effects are tolerable. I was on it for 12 months until the Dermatologists took me off it when I started with repeated headaches. Like Jim I would strongly recommend going back to the VA and see what else they have in their toolbox. There comes a point when the ' cure ' (and I use that term very loosely) is worse than the disease and I think your Father has passed that point. Oh and a warm welcome to the club 
JohnB

[Fred]

Hello jtoel to Psoriasis Club.

I'm sorry but I don't know what a VA is, but I assume your father is seeing a dermatologist to be prescribed Cosentyx. I'm with Jim it does sound like s tap backwards to me, has he tried any of the other Bio treatments? It may be worth asking about trying another one rather than going back to Acitretin.

Regards.

Fred.

[Grizzly Bear]

VA is, I'm pretty sure, the Americans veterans hospital.

If I'm wrong, Glenda will hit me with her handbag

by the way

[jiml]

VA is, I'm pretty sure, the Americans veterans hospital.

If I'm wrong, Glenda will hit me with her handbag  

 by the way  

You're right Grizzly it's the Veterans health Administration ....supposed to look after their Veterans

[Kat]

Welcome!

Yes VA stands for Veteran's Administration. It can be very helpful, especially with costs, but my understanding is that it can also be very difficult to get appointments (jtoal, correct me if I'm wrong) I'd call them and explain that he is having problems with side effects and see if they can't offer him something else. I have no idea what the protocol is for VA, did he get the Cosentyx from the VA when he was on it before?

Acitretin worked well for me, but it isn't for everyone. I hope you are able to get something that will help your dad be more comfortable.

[D Foster]

Hi Jtoal welcome to the club.
Acitretin does cause all sort of side effects especially dryness , I had nail problems when I was on it but it does not knock your resistance down like MTX/bio's as far as I am aware and with your dad having skin cancer I suppose the last thing you want is to knock the resistance down with that type of treatment. I use Enstilar with quite good results it may be worth a try for him, get loads of coconut oil as a moisturizer which should help. He is between a rock and a hard place really but I hope that he finds something that works for him without it affecting him in other ways.
All the best and welcome Dave

[jtoal]

Thanks for all you advice. Turns out that the veterans admin did not send him dosage of cosentxy. We visited the VA and they took him off of the aciterin. He will receive oy tomorrow in the mail. Thanks for your advice, hope things will get better! As my father always says..... Psoriasis won't kill.

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