KatT's Journal

[Wooley]

Oh blimey KatT, you poor thing!!!  Sounds like you went through pure hell.  Bet it was well scary for you - I hope that you can see an improvement soon and are able to have a decent night's sleep....

Sending my good vibes from Spain your way..... 

[Fred]

At least you're keeping a sense of humor KatT

Keep fighting we're all behind you.

[KatT]

Well!  I have to try and laugh about it.....it's better than crying   

Prednisone is starting to kick in....still have minor pain, still need to sleep in sitting position.  Tried to cut back on pain med last night (one pill instead of two).....was not a good idea so back to two tonight!

As for trying to catch it earlier, as my rheumatologist said, they can't prescribe prednisone in case as when it happens, they don't know what is causing it.  Could be a heart attack, liver, pancreas, muscular etc

A CT scan is absolutely required which means a trip to the hospital.  But when it starts, I don't necessarily want to go to the hospital as it could be muscular for example....so I wait.....and wait....and endure.....hoping it will go away lol

Soooooo next week when I see my GP, I will try to get an action plan in place for the future

I.e  when I am at level 5 (on 10) pain wise, go see her for a chest Xray first?

My main issue is I have a tendency to endure, even skip pain meds unless my pain is level 10....I need to work on that, stop enduring (to a certain degree).

Thank you all for your support

[D Foster]

I am so sorry that you are having all the problems, I hope that you can get to the bottom of the thing soon. I have missed your early posts as I don't seem to be able to get on as often at the moment.
Take care ,all the best wishes from a rainy East Yorkshire in UK.

[jiml]

Yes KatT you will have to try and as you say anticipate earlier. Its a pain you have to get a ct scan when it flares but I can understand why although its hard for you as when the pain gets bad you just need instant relief
Hopefully your plan to get to get to your doctor earlier when the pain is much less will make sure you don't get to the stage you've just been through again
Good luck 

[KatT]

Thank you all     


Still digesting the fact that I truly have lupus on top of psoriasis and PSA.....since lupus causes joint inflammation also...,has me wondering if that's why the bios I have tried are less effective for PSA....or they have and it's lupus inflammation 

Arrrrg!!!!!  

More questions for my rheumatologist lol  

More research and reading to do for me    

[Fred]

More research and reading to do for me    

If you put Lupus in our Search facility it throws out some threads that may be worth reading. 

This has recently been published in The Journal of Rheumatology

Quote:

---

Objective. To assess the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a psoriatic arthritis (PsA) cohort and to compare it to the general population using the database of a large healthcare provider.

Methods. We analyzed the database of a PsA cohort (2002–2017), matched for age and sex, with randomly selected controls for demographics, clinical and laboratory manifestations, and dispensed medications. Statistical analysis used t test and chi-square test as appropriate. In the PsA group, incidence density sampling was performed matching PsA patients without SLE as controls to each case of PsA with SLE by age and follow-up time. Univariable and multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors affecting SLE development.

Results. The PsA and control groups consisted of 4836 and 24,180 subjects, respectively, with a median age of 56 ± 15 years, and of whom 53.8% were female. Eighteen patients (0.37%) in the PsA group and 36 patients (0.15%) in the control group were diagnosed with SLE (P = 0.001). SLE patients without PsA had higher anti-dsDNA and anticardiolipin antibodies. The usage of drugs with known potential to induce SLE was higher in the PsA than in the control group. Older age at PsA diagnosis, shorter PsA duration, and statin treatment were associated with SLE in PsA patients.

Conclusion. A 2.3-fold increase in the prevalence of SLE in PsA relative to the control group was found. Risk factors for SLE development included older age at PsA diagnosis, shorter PsA duration, and statin treatment. The association between PsA and SLE may affect treatment choices and medication development.

[KatT]

Thanks Fred  

[KatT]

Saw my GP today    

Discussed all the other test results that weren't good and that my rheumatologist didn't look at

Will do more blood tests to check for cholesterol (had fatty infiltration on the liver but could be due to the previous lupus meds which affected my liver), B12, diabetes, etc

Pressure is back to normal 

Plan in place for next time    

Still on prednisone for a few weeks (there is still inflammation but it no longer hurts), plus Champix, plus plus plus    and it's having an impact on my mood so can't wait to finish the prednisone and hopefully Champix

Next step.....visit to the vampires next week

[Wooley]

Hey KatT

Glad you have seen your GP, seems like he was really helpful!

Fingers crossed you are going in the right direction going forward....especially the 'plan in place', that must feel a little bit more reassuring.