Psoriasis [PLEASE READ FIRST POST!]

silentheron25 said:I was back at the clinic again this morning. It’s a relief to finally have some clarity, though I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that I’ve been dealing with psoriatic arthritis since my twenties.

Yeah, that's a tough diagnosis to swallow. I was actually reading through an arthritis support group thread about disability benefits and early retirement provisions. My husband deals with the exact same thing, so I looked into whether he qualified for any special labor protections, and apparently, he did. He was able to secure those benefits based on his diagnosis from late 2015. I’m not sure if you’re currently working, but if you are, it would be a mistake not to look into your options while you're eligible. You should also check if you qualify for those annual wellness retreats or medical spa stays—some plans allow for about three weeks of coverage every year.

Hi everyone

Here’s what I tried:
Since none of the various creams I've used lately were doing anything, and my psoriasis was spreading all over my body, I decided to try Betnovate ointment.
The Betnovate lotion actually worked wonders for me—it clears up the scaling on my scalp in about two days, though they eventually come back after a while. It never crossed my mind to try the ointment version, though. I figured the lotion formula might have some ointment properties and would work similarly on my skin. Obviously, it wasn't as potent as it was on my head, but it still had a positive effect. I stayed patient, assuming the results were just slower because of how much surface area this thing has covered. I was happy at first because the scales fell off, the sores started closing up, and everything looked significantly less ugly than before. The problem is that by the end of the third week, progress slowed down so much that I feel like it stopped working. Maybe that's because the medication is only recommended for up to three weeks of use. So, I need to stop soon or scale back to once a day (I was applying it twice daily). I'm stuck on what to do next and how to fix my skin tone; the skin where the scales used to be is darker now, and even in spots where it looks healed, the skin is slightly raised. How do I get rid of that? I could use some advice. Personally, I think sunlight might help, but I still have a month and a half until my vacation, and I don't want a flare-up right before then. If anyone has ideas or experience with this, please let me know. I feel like I'm finally getting closest to a temporary cure for the first time in a year.
Some people suggested Hydrocyclone because it's helped them clear up various skin issues, but I doubt they were dealing with psoriasis since its effectiveness doesn't mention it specifically. I'm not looking to just smear random stuff on myself, which is why I'm asking you guys.
Also, if someone could tell me more about Place and where to find it, since I'm currently in North Mexico. When I first read about it, I thought it was an ointment, but online it looks like capsules that cost about $28. Is a specific diet required with it?

Thanks in advance

So, I finally picked up some "Place" products and those three jars of "Life Med"... I'm looking at a month-long therapy cycle here, but honestly? I'm ready to commit to at least two full months (fingers crossed!) to really dive into this treatment and stick to the diet plan... and if I start seeing real results, I'll definitely go even longer.

It just doesn't make any sense anymore to keep wrecking my skin with all that harsh pharmacy chemical stuff just to chase some quick fix that lasts maybe seven days tops...
Sending good vibes to everyone!

Alexander Rodriguez69 said:I picked up some "Place" and "Life Med" (3 jars) today. It’s supposed to be a month-long therapy, but I'm ready to commit at least two months (fingers crossed) to this treatment and my diet. If I see results, I'll go even longer.
Hey everyone.

Wait, can you actually only buy that stuff in Boise???? It's nowhere else, literally nowhere!
That's kind of tragic...

Kate Williams41 said:Wait, is that stuff only available in Seattle???? Seriously, nowhere else at all!!!!
That's honestly a little sad...

tel./fax:+1 206 555 0123
cell: +1 206 555 7890 Herbal Wellness Co.
Try giving them a call, they might have stock somewhere else...
otherwise, "psorex" is 19 miles and basically "life itself" 12 miles

Hey everyone!🙂.I thought I might share my own journey with psoriasis, if anyone finds it useful. I’ve been battling this condition for 47 years now—it actually started when I was just seven years old, following a skull fracture that left me with plaque psoriasis on my elbows, knees, and scalp. Later, after an appendectomy, things took a turn for the worse as it shifted into atrophic pustular psoriasis vulgaris, which is quite a nightmare; my fever spikes to 104, I feel completely paralyzed from head to toe, and it’s accompanied by painful pustules and such severe stiffness that movement becomes nearly impossible. By the time I hit twenty, the disease began attacking my nails and joints—psoriatic arthritis. My nails would literally fall off, and the cramping in my hands and feet became so debilitating that I am now considered 80% disabled. Even during times of high stress, like during the war, the skin on my heels cracks open and never truly heals. Throughout this whole ordeal, I have cycled through every hospital imaginable, from clinics in California to major centers in Washington, D.C., and even some specialized facilities in Chicago. I have tried everything: creams, pills, and those heavy-duty corticosteroid injections. I’ve sought out every herbalist and alternative healer I could find, and while there was usually a brief period of relief, the symptoms always came roaring back. Living by the coast helps, and I spend a lot of time swimming and treating my skin with St. John's Wort and olive oil, but as soon as the winter chill sets in, the flare-ups return. About four months ago, I was referred to a specialist in Washington, D.C. because they were introducing a new, albeit expensive, biologic therapy, which was necessary since I’ve developed an allergy to corticosteroids. I was prescribed a three-month course of methotrexate at 7.5 mg weekly, eventually moving up to 15 mg per week. To my absolute surprise, the psoriasis has completely cleared without any relapse, my arthritis has stabilized, and I am finally living without pain. I have a follow-up in nine months, at which point Dr. Smith will decide whether to continue this regimen or transition me onto a biologic. So, that is my situation for now. Given how much I have endured with this disease, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Best regards.

Betty Allen15 said:Hey everyone!🙂 I wanted to share my own journey with psoriasis. I've been dealing with this for 47 years now. It started when I was just 7 years old after a skull fracture left me with plaque psoriasis on my elbows, knees, and scalp. Later, after an appendectomy, it shifted into atrophic pustular psoriasis vulgaris. That means my fever spikes to 104, I break out from head to toe with pustules, and the pain and loss of mobility are intense. By the time I hit 20, it attacked my nails and joints—psoriatic arthritis. My nails used to fall off, and the cramping in my hands and feet was so severe that I'm now 80% disabled. During times of stress, my heels crack open and they never fully heal. Since I started treatment, I've been through every hospital imaginable, from places in California to major centers in Washington, D.C., and even some specialists in Chicago before the war. I've tried every ointment, pill, and corticosteroid injection out there. I’ve visited every herbalist I could find; things usually look okay at first, but then the flare-ups always come back. I live by the coast, so I swim and use St. John's Wort and olive oil, but as soon as winter hits, the psoriasis flares right up again. Four months ago, I was sent to Washington, D.C. to get a new, expensive biologic because I developed an allergy to corticosteroids. I had to complete a three-month course of methotrexate at 7.5 mg weekly, then bumped up to 15 mg weekly. My psoriasis has completely cleared up without any relapse, the arthritis has stopped progressing, and I'm pain-free. I have a follow-up in nine months where Dr. Smith will decide if I stay on this or move to biologics. So, that's my update. Since I've been through the ringer with this, feel free to reach out if you have questions. Best wishes.

Hi, Rose!! Welcome!
Man, I don't even know what to say... such a heartbreaking story, but sadly true.
A life full of struggle and pain... just like what I see in front of me.😢
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us...
One question though... how much did that therapy end up costing you? You mentioned it's expensive? Hmm...
So... after all that hardship, you've finally reached a point where this disease isn't the only thing on your mind! Yes... but... things are finally looking up! That's wonderful!

Best regards

Alexander Rodriguez69 said:tel./fax:+1 212 555 0198
cell: +1 212 555 0142 herbal remedies from Whole Foods
give them a call, they might have some stock left somewhere
otherwise, "psorex" is 19 miles and basically "the elixir of life" 12 miles

Thanks so much!!!!!
Best!👍

Kate Williams41 said:Greetings to Ms. Rose!! A warm welcome to you!
Good grief, I honestly don't even know how to respond... it’s such a deeply tragic story, and unfortunately, it's the absolute truth.
Life seems to be nothing but an endless cycle of hardship and suffering... which is precisely what I see unfolding before my very eyes.😢
I appreciate you reaching out to us and sharing your journey....
One question remains.... how much did that therapy actually run you? You mentioned it was expensive? Hmm....
So... after recounting your sorrowful tale... it seems your time has finally come where it isn't just that wretched illness occupying your mind! Yes, it still is... but... things are finally looking up! That is truly wonderful.

Best regards,

My primary care physician sent me over with a referral and travel authorization, and I spent fifteen days inpatient at the hospital for testing, all of which was fully covered by my insurance. If I am eventually cleared for biologic medication, that too is covered by insurance, though those drugs are reserved strictly for severe cases, and I had to endure every conceivable form of treatment before they would even consider approving it. Currently, I am on methotrexate, and I'm nine months into waiting for a new medication that costs about $15,000 a year; because it's so pricey, it's only authorized for extreme cases, and there are currently only a handful of people in the entire US receiving it. Don't let the future intimidate you—psoriasis doesn't manifest the same way for everyone, and despite everything I have endured, I remain a staunch optimist and find life to be quite beautiful.

Hey... look, I’ve been using Belosalic for ages. It worked okay at first, but after a while, it did absolutely nothing—at least for me. Now and then I try switching back to it, but it's useless. The only thing that actually helps is the Belosalic lotion, which works wonders for my scalp. Before that, I used some cosmetic products made in Italy that completely cleared my psoriasis from my head. Sadly, they didn't do anything for the rest of my body. If anyone's interested, the brand is called "ROUGJ." They have several types of scalp drops, body creams, and collagen supplements. It’s pricey, sure, but it actually clears your scalp, and honestly, that’s a massive win in my book. Peace

Betty Allen15 said:Hey Hay crew!🙂.I wanted to share my own experience with psoriasis. I've been dealing with this for 47 years—basically since I was 7, after a skull fracture led to plaque psoriasis (elbows, knees, scalp). After an appendectomy, it transitioned into pustular psoriasis (which means my temperature spikes to 104, I get hit from head to toe with pustules, intense pain, and terrible mobility). In my 20s, it started attacking my nails and joints (psoriatic arthritis). My nails would fall off and my joints would cramp so badly that I’m now considered 80% disabled. During the war, the skin on my heels would crack open and just never fully heal. Throughout my treatment, I've been in every hospital imaginable—from places like Miami and Chicago to major centers in Washington, D.C. and even some clinics in Mexico before the war. I've tried everything—creams, pills, steroid injections. For every herbalist I ever heard about, I'd go see them; at first, things seemed fine, but then it would all just come rushing back. I live by the coast, so I swim and use calendula and olive oil, but as soon as winter hits, the psoriasis flares right up again. Four months ago, I was sent to Washington, D.C. to get a new, expensive biologic because I developed an allergy to corticosteroids. I needed a three-month course of methotrexate at 7.5 mg weekly, then bumped up to 15 mg. The psoriasis has completely cleared without any relapse, my arthritis has stabilized, and I'm pain-free. I have a follow-up in nine months where Dr. Smith will decide whether to stick with this or switch me to biologics. So, that's my story for now. Since I've been through so much with this, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Best regards.

First of all, a huge, huge hello and so much respect for your persistence and optimism 🙏 😁 👍
What can I say? It's been years of fighting, but finally, there's success. I am so incredibly glad the methotrexate is working for you, and I really hope your next check-up goes well. Even though those biologics can be a lifesaver in severe cases, they definitely have side effects too—I assume they warned you, especially since they're running all those tests.
I'm curious, how are your joints doing currently? And how is it that you're 80% disabled (that sounds awful)—that's actually my biggest fear. Was there nothing they could have done regarding that?
Were the biologics recommended specifically for the arthritis or the psoriasis—I mean, which one is your primary diagnosis?
By the way, Dr. Smith is wonderful 🙂

Maybe this sounds silly, or if it's too much, you can just message me privately, but since you've lived with psoriasis and arthritis for so long, I was wondering if you have children? How did pregnancy affect the condition, or vice versa?

It seems like every flare-up for me has been triggered by stress or a weakened immune system—pretty typical, I guess. I often deal with pustulosis when I have a fever, and those pus-filled bumps are so frustrating because nothing you apply seems to calm them down. How have you managed those?

Sorry for all the questions—I'm just really curious, hehehe, because I'm also dealing with a pretty tough case myself.
Hey 😍

Honestly, I’m slathering on my Cicalfat cream every single night without fail—if I didn't have it, my skin would be such a disaster, I swear 😢

Are you a rock fan too?

Just wanted to say hello to everyone👍 Betty Allen15, welcome! 🙂

For anyone dealing with scalp issues, I just wanted to mention that Dr. Temt’s black shampoo is the only one on the market containing coal tar, which really helps soothe irritation.
You can find it at any local CVS, $23 and honestly, it’s the only thing that actually worked for me... 👍

Robin Robinson8 said:First off, I want to send a massive hello and offer nothing but respect for your sheer persistence and that relentless optimism of yours. 🙏 😁 👍
I am honestly at a loss for words; after years of fighting this, you’ve finally found some success. It truly warms my heart to hear that methotrexate is actually doing the trick for you, and I have high hopes that your labs will look much better at the next check-up. While those biologics can be a total lifesaver when things get dire, they certainly aren't without their own baggage of side effects, though I assume your doctors gave you the full rundown—they surely would if they're running all those tests on you.
I find myself wondering about the current state of your joints and how you ended up with an 80% disability rating—which, frankly, sounds devastating—because that is precisely what keeps me up at night. Was there really nothing more that could have been done to prevent that level of damage?
Were the biologics suggested primarily to tackle the arthritis, or was it for the psoriasis, or perhaps both? What is the primary diagnosis here?
By the way, Dr. Smith is absolutely wonderful. 🙂

This might come across as intrusive, or perhaps you'd prefer to skip answering and just send a private message, but since you've lived for years with both psoriasis and arthritis, I'm curious: do you have children, and how did pregnancy affect your condition—or vice versa?

It seems to me that every flare-up of the psoriasis was triggered by a drop in immunity or a spike in stress, which feels almost textbook. Personally, whenever I run a fever, I tend to break out in pustular flares, and those little pus-filled bumps are incredibly aggravating because no matter what topical you slap on them, they just refuse to settle down. How have you managed to deal with those?

Please forgive the barrage of questions; I suppose I'm just being inquisitive, haha, mostly because I'm dealing with a rather difficult case of my own.
Best, 😍

Hay! That disability rating came about because I was stuck with the wrong specialist—a physical therapist who kept me on Atrocam for twenty years simply because we didn't have any other options in our area. As for my joints right now, they are relatively quiet; there's no active inflammation, and despite the cramping in my fingers and toes, I remain mobile and active. I haven't started biologics yet, and I'm well aware that every medication carries its own price, including the biological ones; in my experience, the most significant damage was actually caused by the cortisone. My official diagnosis is psoriasis vulgaris pustulosa and psoriatic arthritis. The biologics have been recommended to address both the skin and the joint issues. I have two daughters and a grandchild. During my first pregnancy, there were fewer relapses because I hadn't developed the pustular type yet, but during my second, the doctors in my hometown refused to take me on, so I had to travel to Chicago. When I was five months along, they put me on Tigason—I was supposedly the first pregnant woman in the entire country to undergo that treatment. I still had flares, but everything turned out fine and I gave birth to a healthy baby. For the pustules, I used Eucerin and Elecre, which would clear things up after a few days before the cycle started again, and I also found relief using baby shampoo in the bath. Just stay persistent, and only apply what actually works for your skin.

I have a son who is about to turn seven years old in just a few months. About two or three years back, I started noticing these strange little pits and ridges forming on his fingernails. At first, I was convinced he was simply doing his usual thing—shoving his hands in his mouth constantly—and causing the damage himself, but since the condition has clearly progressed, I brought it to his pediatrician's attention. Her response? She dismissed it as nothing more than a simple vitamin deficiency. So, naturally, I’ve been practically force-feeding him supplements ever since, yet there hasn't been any improvement whatsoever. Interestingly, a manicurist I spoke with mentioned she’s seen this exact pattern in patients dealing with psoriasis, noting it looks like "pitting" or a "ring" effect. Should I be genuinely concerned here, and does anyone else out there have experience dealing with something similar?

Chris Morgan67 said:Just wanted to drop in and say hello to everyone👍 Betty Allen15 is happy to be here! 🙂

For those of you out there dealing with scalp issues, I feel somewhat obligated to mention that if you’re looking for relief, Dr. Temt’s black shampoo is pretty much the only thing on the market worth a damn; it actually contains coal tar, which is what really settles everything down.
You can pick it up at any local CVS, $23 and frankly, it’s the only thing that has ever provided me with any real, tangible relief. 👍

Thanks for the warm welcome!🙂

Mark Nguyen8 said:Should I be worried about this? Has anyone else gone through something similar?

😲 It’s been about 2 or 3 years now.
I'm following my doctor's orders and heading to a dermatologist!

Huge props to Ms. Rose! 🙏 🙏 🙏
I really hope things start looking up for you from here on out... 🙂

I’ve been dealing with this since I was 19, and honestly, my patience is wearing thin lately. It feels like everything is getting worse, and suddenly every single shower gel seems to irritate me. I used to rely on Palmolive ultra-moisturizing with olive oil, but ever since I briefly swapped it for Nivea, my skin has been itching like crazy right where the psoriasis flares up. I never had symptoms this intense before, no matter how much area was affected. Why is this happening, and what should I be using in the shower instead??? 😢 😢 😢

Linda Chase81 said:Kudos to Ms. Rose🙏 🙏 🙏
I sincerely hope your quality of life improves significantly from here on out.🙂

I’ve been dealing with this since I was nineteen, and honestly, my patience is wearing thin lately; I have this nagging sensation that things are steadily declining and that even the most basic shower gels are starting to feel like irritants. I had been using Palmolive ultra-moisturizing with olive oil, but ever since I briefly swapped it out for something from Nivea, my skin has been itching terribly at the sites where the psoriasis flares up. I never experienced symptoms quite this aggressive before, regardless of how much area was affected. Why on earth does this happen, and what on earth am I supposed to wash with??? 😢 😢 😢

CHEERS! Personally, I stick strictly to Johnson's Baby chamomile shampoo for my showers because it's gentle enough that it doesn't irritate my skin. After bathing, I take some products from Aphrodite—specifically their almond milk, aloe vera lotion, and that chamomile and green tea milk—mix them all together into one concoction, and apply that to my body. It's packed with vitamins and helps maintain skin elasticity, though obviously, it isn't a cure; you can even stir your regular medicated cream into the mixture. It works for me, whereas Nivea doesn't suit my skin at all. For my face, I use Eucerin Omega cream, as the cortisone treatments have left my facial skin pretty damaged with broken capillaries.