Tremfya for psoriatic arthritis Fred's journey

[Fred]

That sounds promising fred lets hope it continues to improve and you get the arthritis under control as well as the plaques

Let's hope the annoying itchy bumps disappear as well
Great update 

Thank you Jim. I have found over the years keeping my progress on here has helped me a lot, I have also sometimes pointed my dermatologist to it.

What we think may be nothing is actually important when starting a new treatment. It not only helps us later on but may also help others.

[Kat]

I'm not certain but my understanding in the US is that Tremfya is available, but not yet prescribed for psoriatic arthritis. I could get it from the dermatologist but I don't think the rheumatologist would prescribe it (we discussed it and he said it's not yet approved for psoriatic arthritis... although he didn't say he wouldn't or couldn't prescribe it)

I will be very interested in how it works for you Fred! I'm not crazy about going to TNF inhibitors and if Tremfya helps you with both then it would definitely be something I'd discuss with the doctors.

Good luck!

[Fred]

I'm not certain but my understanding in the US is that Tremfya is available, but not yet prescribed for psoriatic arthritis.  I could get it from the dermatologist but I don't think the rheumatologist would prescribe it (we discussed it and he said it's not yet approved for psoriatic arthritis...  although he didn't say he wouldn't or couldn't prescribe it) 

I will be very interested in how it works for you Fred!  I'm not crazy about going to TNF inhibitors and if Tremfya helps you with both then it would definitely be something I'd discuss with the doctors.

Good luck! 

Thank you Kat. So far it's going well, the psoriasis is definitely getting less flaky and the psoriatic arthritis does seem to be easing a bit but it's only been two weeks so a bit early to say.

I can't take the TNF's as I kept getting reactions to them.

[Fred]

Ok four weeks have passed and I have just taken my next shot.

Shin before starting:



Now:



Right hand before starting:



Now:




Psoriasis score before starting: 8 now 4

Psoriatic arthritis score before starting 14 now 8

I mentioned before starting that I felt like I had a mild cold, that never came to anything.

I also said I had bit of upset stomach, that has stayed much the same and sometimes I'm getting loose stools. It's not diarrhoea and it's not painful (which is listed as a side effect) and as I had it before going on to Tremfya I can't say it's that. With the Covid thing going on I'm not going to bother my doctor with it as it's isn't that bad, but I'm going to keep a note  and also cut down the alcohol intake for a while.

The annoying itchy redness stopped, but I did feel it again yesterday. Not sure if the Trefmya stopped it but it's a little better today. So I'm going to see if I can keep a food diary in case it's something I'm eating.

Apart from that I'm pleased with the way it's going and it definitely is helping with the psoriatic arthritis which is what I want.

Next shot in 8 weeks time, so if I do get Covid there is nothing I can do. But I'm not worried about it.

[D Foster]

That sounds more positive Fred, it definitely looks like progress to me. I feel sure that you are going in the right direction, cutting down on the plonk won't do you any harm at all.

[Fred]

That sounds more positive Fred, it definitely looks like progress to me. I feel sure that you are going in the right direction, cutting down on the plonk won't do you any harm at all.

Thank you Dave. Been drinking a bit to much since the family deaths, but now need to get myself back to weekend drinking.

[D Foster]

That sounds more positive Fred, it definitely looks like progress to me. I feel sure that you are going in the right direction, cutting down on the plonk won't do you any harm at all.

Thank you Dave. Been drinking a bit to much since the family deaths, but now need to get myself back to weekend drinking.

I know what you mean we have been consuming far too much gin and wine since Xmas so we have cut back mind you to be honest I have run out of white wine and only have a couple of reds left and with the lockdown I will not be able to restock. We have a couple of litres of gin left but we have drunk 6 litres since early December so we are leaving that alone for a bit, mind you the tonic is all gone anyway.

[jiml]

Certainly looking a lot better Fred let's hope it's the tremfya getting things better. The skin seems to be responding and your swollen finger doesn't look as sore.

I've cut down a lot on alcohol as well it seems like a sensible thing to do as goodness knows when I'll be able to restock and it's better for my liver not to drink as much .
I agree with keep taking the shots Fred I'm sure it won't affect whether we get the virus or not ...who knows it might even give a degree of protection

[Fred]

Certainly looking a lot better Fred let's hope it's the tremfya getting things better. The skin seems to be responding and your swollen finger doesn't look as sore.

I've cut down a lot on alcohol as well it seems like a sensible thing to do as goodness knows when I'll be able to restock and it's better for my liver not to drink as much .
I agree with keep taking the shots Fred I'm sure it won't affect whether we get the virus or not ...who knows it might even give a degree of protection

Thank you Jim. Yes I think it is working, life is getting a bit easier working in the garden again which is nice.

I didn't hesitate to take my shot due to covid, I have not seen enough evidence that it will make things any worse and my dermatologist hasn't been in touch.

Yes we all know alcohol isn't good for psoriasis and although I class myself as a drinker, I'm not an alcoholic as I never drink on a Monday or before 18:30 but I'm going to go for no alcohol till Friday .................. But I think it may be Thursday first.

As for the finger it has gone down a lot and no longer painful.

[Caroline]

Certainly looking a lot better Fred let's hope it's the tremfya getting things better. The skin seems to be responding and your swollen finger doesn't look as sore.

I've cut down a lot on alcohol as well it seems like a sensible thing to do as goodness knows when I'll be able to restock and it's better for my liver not to drink as much .
I agree with keep taking the shots Fred I'm sure it won't affect whether we get the virus or not ...who knows it might even give a degree of protection

Thank you Jim. Yes I think it is working, life is getting a bit easier working in the garden again which is nice.

I didn't hesitate to take my shot due to covid, I have not seen enough evidence that it will make things any worse and my dermatologist hasn't been in touch.

Yes we all know alcohol isn't good for psoriasis and although I class myself as a drinker, I'm not an alcoholic as I never drink on a Monday or before 18:30 but I'm going to go for no alcohol till Friday .................. But I think it may be Thursday first. 

As for the finger it has gone down a lot and no longer painful.

Looks very good Fred. Certainly good that your finger is doing better. Yes, we know it... as long as the Psoriatic Arthritis is under control that is the main thing. The psoriasis under control is a nice extra bonus.

Most of what I drink is in the psoriasisclub bar. In real life I hardly drink any alcohol, perhaps only twice a week a glass of wine. The advantage is that I constantly feel fit and clear and the disadvantage of drinking a glass is that I totally become sleepy after one glass. I drank much more previously every evening, but I found out that I started to wake up in the middle of the night feeling all warm and inconvenient. That has stopped now.