Cosentyx - Kat's journey

[Kat]

Still about the same for skin.  Ankles still some stiffness but a definite improvement this past month!

Today is:

Week 4, Shot 5 and last loading dose.  Giving tummy a rest and did back of arms (daughter helped)  Not too bad, still more comfortable doing the injections in the stomach area though.

I'll now be going to injecting every 4 weeks.

I won't bore you with pictures until time for my next injection UNLESS I have a noticeable improvement.

[Caroline]

I think it is wonderful that your stiffness is getting better.

[Kat]

I think it is wonderful that your stiffness is getting better.  

Thanks Caroline!

[JohnB]

Its a shame your skin isn't improving as fast as you would like but at least your ankles are improving.  

How is your dizziness doing? Any improvement?

[Kat]

Its a shame your skin isn't improving as fast as you would like but at least your ankles are improving.  

How is your dizziness doing? Any improvement?

I was REALLY hoping the skin would improve and hopefully it will still get there! Just perhaps slower than I'd like.

The dizziness has improved, all tests have been normal and I'm doing the "resetting the crystals" exercises. Mr. Kat and myself both had never heard of ear "crystals" before so live and learn I suppose. Thanks for asking!

[Fred]

Shame it's not doing more for the psoriasis Kat. It did for me at first, but now it's struggling and I find I am needing more help with Diprosone.

But the pain relief is worth it for me.

I hope it kicks in for the psoriasis for you soon.

[jiml]

Kat, I had hoped for you to see a difference by now, it's good it's helping the arthritis but I see little change in your skin
I hope it starts to shift it soon, I look forward to the next installment and hope by then you are noticing a difference yourself

[Raxyl]

Hopefully, you will experience a dramatic change over the coming weeks, Kat.  It's good the arthritis is improving though.

[Kat]

Thanks!

Yes I had really hoped to see a bit more skin improvement. But my scalp has been very stubborn! Maybe it will just take longer or maybe it's just the best it will get.... But I'm not giving up hope, it's only the first month so maybe in time there will be some improvement. I'll keep you all informed.

[Kat]

Sooo, over the weekend, this happens:




I really wanted to do nothing but Cosentyx so when I return to the dermatologist next month they can see how it is working.  But I also didn't want to start going backwards and it was getting very itchy and annoying.  So I relented and applied Taclonex.  ONE application and I could feel the results the next day.  Today, it looks like this:





When I had my flare in Dec 2017, I was on Taclonex while waiting to get approved for Stelara.  Things improved quite a bit before I ever started Stelara so I was never totally certain how well Stelara was working.  I didn't get worse however.  So I really did not want to use the Taclonex but I guess if it works out that I need to use it on occasion and use the Cosentyx to help keep psoriatic arthritis at bay as well as perhaps keeping the skin stable (since I can't use Taclonex all the time as it is a steroid ointment) then I'll do what I have to do.  I just feel that it doesn't help out here in showing how just Cosentyx is working for me.    

But wanted to update.  We'll see how it continues to go.

Edited to add:  The first picture was taken Saturday, May 4th.  It started getting itchy that Thursday or Friday.  My last loading dose was Wednesday of last week.  I applied the Taclonex the day the picture was taken (May 4th)  Just adding some details since I hadn't put them in the post.