Living with Psoriatic Arthritis

Scott Howard74 said:Man, you're pretty young. Did they have to keep you in the hospital while they ran all those tests?
It hit every single joint for me. Started with stiffness and that finger on my right hand, but now my other hand joints are killing me, and my neck is a mess too...

In my case, it actually started with my hip joints first, and once the inflammation set in, it hit a nerve—sciatica—and I practically couldn't walk. Honestly, the doctors didn't even know what was happening to me; for two whole months, they just kept telling me it was standard sciatica. I was in absolute agony. Then, in the middle of all that, one of my finger joints swelled up, and that's when they finally connected the dots that it was a joint issue. They sent me to the hospital for more testing to get a real diagnosis, and it turned out to be psoriatic arthritis. I'm doing okay now, mostly. Sometimes the hip still bothers me, and that finger joint is swollen, so it doesn't work quite at 100%. My immune system is just... a mess. I exercise every day and eat everything, though. Sometimes I forget I even have this, and then other times, when the pain hits, I just get so overwhelmed knowing I'll probably be dealing with this for the rest of my life. I haven't had kids yet, so I don't really know how that will all play out. But did they actually give you a definitive diagnosis?

I'm basically taking medication meant for rheumatoid arthritis, because apparently, there isn't a specific cure for this one. Rheumatology isn't fully understood yet, I guess. At first, they told me it was hereditary, but I had an antigen test done and it didn't show anything at all.🤷

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Andrew Kelly says: First thing that hit me was my hip joints. It got so inflamed it pinched a nerve—classic sciatica vibes—and I basically couldn't walk. Doctors were clueless, too. They spent two whole months telling me it was just standard sciatica while I was literally dying from the pain. Then, out of nowhere, my finger joint swelled up, and they finally connected the dots that it was a joint issue. Sent me off to the hospital for tests, and boom: psoriatic arthritis. I'm doing okay now, mostly. Sometimes my hip still acts up, and one of my finger joints is swollen and doesn't work quite right. My immune system is a total wreck. I exercise every single day and eat everything in sight. Some days I forget I even have this, then suddenly the pain hits and I get all depressed thinking about how I’m stuck with this for life. I haven't had kids yet, so I have no clue how that's gonna play out. Did you actually get an official diagnosis? I'm basically taking meds meant for rheumatoid arthritis because there isn't a specific cure for this version. Rheumatology is still such a black hole, honestly. At first, they tried telling me it was genetic. I even did an antigen test, but it showed absolutely nothing.🤷>

I've got an appointment at Mayo Clinic in 12 months with Dr. Jajić. Are you seeing them?

My grandmother is also battling psoriatic arthritis, though her case was triggered by post-operative shock. It all started with a bout of pustular psoriasis that manifested exclusively as blisters on her hands and the soles of her feet. The onset was so sudden and aggressive that her doctors initially mistook it for dyshidrosis. Since there’s no history of psoriasis in our family (as far as we know), nobody suspected the true cause until she underwent a skin biopsy. Following that, the joint issues hit hard. The pain became so debilitating that even a quick trip to the corner store or using the restroom felt impossible; poor thing, she wouldn't even ask for help, she would just try to crawl through the pain herself. She eventually had a bone scan which showed "radioactive uptake" around her ankles. She was prescribed Salazopyrin by her specialist, who is wonderful, but the side effects are brutal and she struggles to tolerate it. Because of that, I’ve started getting her turmeric oil capsules along with anti-inflammatory oils like black currant and hemp to take twice a day. I’m really hoping this provides some relief. These "mainstream" medications can be incredibly harsh and loaded with side effects. If the turmeric helps her turn a corner, I’ll definitely post an update here.

feralcanyon97 said:My grandmother is also battling psoriatic arthritis, though her case was triggered by post-operative shock. It all started with a bout of pustular psoriasis that manifested exclusively as blisters on her hands and the soles of her feet. The onset was so sudden and aggressive that her doctors initially mistook it for dyshidrosis. Since there’s no history of psoriasis in our family (as far as we know), nobody suspected the true cause until she underwent a skin biopsy. Following that, the joint issues hit hard. The pain became so debilitating that even a quick trip to the corner store or using the restroom felt impossible; poor thing, she wouldn't even ask for help, she would just try to crawl through the pain herself. She eventually had a bone scan which showed "radioactive uptake" around her ankles. She was prescribed Salazopyrin by her specialist, who is wonderful, but the side effects are brutal and she struggles to tolerate it. Because of that, I’ve started getting her turmeric oil capsules along with anti-inflammatory oils like black currant and hemp to take twice a day. I’m really hoping this provides some relief. These "mainstream" medications can be incredibly harsh and loaded with side effects. If the turmeric helps her turn a corner, I’ll definitely post an update here.

thanks🙂

Scott Howard74 said:thanks🙂

You're very welcome. I truly hope this brings her some relief; it’s honestly heartbreaking to watch her struggle through that pain and limp around like that.
Just so you know, I actually had these turmeric capsules custom-ordered through my doctor, though you could certainly whip up a homemade version yourself if you wanted to.
The physician who formulated them emphasized how vital it is to incorporate anti-inflammatory oils into your regimen to help tackle the underlying inflammation that seems to shadow every case of arthritis. It also seems to go a long way in calming down psoriasis flare-ups.

feralcanyon97 said:You're very welcome. I truly hope this brings her some relief; it’s honestly heartbreaking to watch her struggle through that pain and limp around like that.
Just so you know, I actually had these turmeric capsules custom-ordered through my doctor, though you could certainly whip up a homemade version yourself if you wanted to.
The physician who formulated them emphasized how vital it is to incorporate anti-inflammatory oils into your regimen to help tackle the underlying inflammation that seems to shadow every case of arthritis. It also seems to go a long way in calming down psoriasis flare-ups.

As for the psoriasis, mine went straight for the joints, my left elbow, and my nails. It was a mess.
And don't even get me started on the arthritis, n
I know the feeling all too well. There are mornings where the pain is so intense I can barely even make it to the bathroom without feeling like I've been run over by a truck.

Andrew Kelly said:I have it too. I take Salazopyrin and some Voltaren when things get bad—I was officially diagnosed earlier this year. It first showed up in my index finger on my right hand, and it's actually warped it quite a bit; I can't even move it properly anymore. It's also hitting my sacroiliac joints in my hips. Luckily, I'm in a bit of a good phase right now... though I am only in my twenties.

Well, I finally got my official Psoriatic Arthritis diagnosis too. Honestly, you can't really see it from the outside, but man, it's wrecking me from the inside. Just got back from a trip out to Napa to see Dr. Jajić—spent 14 days straight doing all sorts of tests. Now I'm just stuck on Salazopyrin and Voltaren, waiting for my six-month follow-up.

Ugh, okay, so my fingers are totally locking up on me in the morning. Like, seriously, I can barely even move them without feeling like they're stuck in cement. It’s such a drag. Anyone else dealing with this crap? Please tell me I'm not the only one. How are you guys actually handling this?????????

I heard hemp oil is amazing for easing symptoms and giving your immune system a boost.

http://www.superfood-wellness.com/health...skin-issues

bluecobra7 said:I heard hemp oil is amazing for easing symptoms and giving your immune system a boost.

http://www.superfood-wellness.com/health...skin-issues

Wait, so can you actually find that stuff in stores?

Yeah, they actually have an online shop on this site that ships right to your door.

bluecobra7 said:Yeah, they actually have an online shop on this site that ships right to your door.

thanks, you ever actually tried ordering from them?

Just bumping this thread because I finally had my follow-up with the rheumatologist. Still stuck on the Salazopyrin twice a day, and even after trying those thermal springs in Colorado, absolutely nothing has changed. Honestly, it’s a joke. To top it all off, I just noticed some weird skin changes starting up on my right thumb too.

Hi everyone.
I’m 42 years old, and I’ve been dealing with psoriasis since I was 33—something I actually managed to get under control through orthomolecular medicine. Since I was 35, I’ve also been living with Sjogrenov syndrome, and over the last few months, psoriatic arthritis has started to really take a toll on me. I’m feeling it in my hand joints, fingers, knees, and heels; it tends to be asymmetrical, which I understand is what distinguishes it from rheumatoid arthritis, where you typically see symmetrical joint involvement.
I was prescribed some NSAIDs, but I’ve decided to stop taking them for now because the side effects were just too much for me to handle.
From what I’ve gathered while researching PA lately, the most effective natural approaches seem to involve turmeric and ginger, alongside fish oil (omega-3s), vitamin C, and zinc, as well as doing a heavy metal detox and maintaining a regular exercise routine.
If anyone here has gone down this path with natural remedies, I would love to hear your thoughts—do they actually make a meaningful difference?

quietviper26 said:Hi everyone.
I’m 42 years old, and I’ve been dealing with psoriasis since I was 33—something I actually managed to get under control through orthomolecular medicine. Since I was 35, I’ve also been living with Sjogrenov syndrome, and over the last few months, psoriatic arthritis has started to really take a toll on me. I’m feeling it in my hand joints, fingers, knees, and heels; it tends to be asymmetrical, which I understand is what distinguishes it from rheumatoid arthritis, where you typically see symmetrical joint involvement.
I was prescribed some NSAIDs, but I’ve decided to stop taking them for now because the side effects were just too much for me to handle.
From what I’ve gathered while researching PA lately, the most effective natural approaches seem to involve turmeric and ginger, alongside fish oil (omega-3s), vitamin C, and zinc, as well as doing a heavy metal detox and maintaining a regular exercise routine.
If anyone here has gone down this path with natural remedies, I would love to hear your thoughts—do they actually make a meaningful difference?

Look, exercise always helps, but I haven't messed with any herbal remedies yet. As for the skin issues, I've heard angelica root cream is supposedly good.🤷

Just gonna throw this out there: I finally got the green light for those 14 days at the medical spa,

They said they’d give me a call by the end of November, otherwise I’m stuck back on the salazopyrin twice a day and popping Indomethacin just to deal with the pain. My left arm is basically useless right now, 😢

So here I am again, stuck on this Medrol and Salazopyrin routine. My right arm is absolutely killing me—mostly the hand and elbow area, just constant tingling all over. >I went in to get some bloodwork done today, so hopefully the results from the lab will be ready in about a week.
If anyone else out there is dealing with similar issues, hit me up and let me know.🙄