psoriatic arthritis

[chellsbells]

Hey guys
Sorry havent replied sooner my hands were too stiff and swollen to type, but after steroid injections into my butt and incresased dose of predenisole and painkillers Im able to move my hands again, Ive come off methotrexate and am now on arava I only have so far missed one week of MTX but I have no nausea and vomiting although my scalp psorisis is terrible, Im now or arava and it makes me dizzy and a bit drowsy for a while after i take it but i just have a rest and feel much better than on MTX Im really hoping this improvement will continue Im back to the Rheumy start of january and in contact all the time but if im still experiencing bad symptoms I will be started on Humira(biologics) Ive most of my shopping done for christmas Ive done it in bits since october so Im planning to take it easy next week and try be as well as possible on christmas day as I see most of my close relatives and ive always kept a brave face on, only my immediate family know how bad I really get. I have infortunateky developed 3 ulcers from tiny wounds breaking down as a result of a depressed immune system and Ive also got a burn on my back from a heat pad so I am having regular dressings done and we are trying to keep the two burns from turning into ulcers too, 2 of the ulcers are superficial and healing well and one is a little deeper but is healing slowly. do ye find the cold affects symptoms?? im getting a lot of pain with the frost over here its really cold the past few days and nights and Im gettin really sharp pains


Ronnie - I hope you are on something to help woth the symptoms now, are you on any PPI's ( medication to protect your tummy) I am and its preventing any major problems but I am on a high dose as I get terrible heart burn if I dont take them. Are you all set for christmas, do you spend it with family??? I hope your son is ok now well I imagine itll be hard to get over thats really a terrible thing to happen. Hows your grandaughter??

Well hope to hear from ye soon, im off to sleep now(I hope) its 6.15am
Bye xxxx

[Ronnied]

Hello Chell!

Lovely to hear from you again! Been bit worried about you. Yes, getting ready for Christmas, like you had large dose of steroids jabbed in my backside to make me feel better for christmas. Joints easing, but stomach still hurting. Doc watching it, giving me omezaporale or something likethat, hasnt done a lot, so bit worried about it. Hands and wrists bad like yours, perhaps its the cold. Fed up with it, so limiting to what you can do. Brain willing body not. My son is fine now thank you, kind of you to ask. Bit scary wasnt it? We had the granddaughter all afternoon yesterday and she was a real tonic. I love her to bits, she is gorgeous.

Know what you mean about putting brave face on for people, someone was shocked the other day that I am registered disabled, he couldnt believe it, said I didnt look ill enough!!!?!!

Christmas will be busy for me, family for three days, and our usual christmas party on 23rd. But love it so much, will probably wear myself out. Still got all following week to get over it.

When you had the steroid jab in backside, did you feel light headed and giddy for days after. I a struggling at moment to concentrate properly, keep typing things wrong, and forgetting things. Supposed to go to work at 11 today and went in at 9! They asked me if I had forgotten (embarrassing). Would like to know how you feel with the steroids.

Hope everyone out there with this horrible disease is coping ok at this tiring time of year.

Love Ronnie

[chellsbells]

well firstly try not to worry too much about your tummy as stress an change the acidity in it and cause more problems easier said than done I know but just be aware that your getting good treatment.




STEROIDS - Well the injection was 70mg I think but it had very little effect otherthan leaving a big bruise, my rheumy was annoyed it didnt help more so we decided to increase my oral steroids and that gradually helped it, I noticed no side effects from the injection but I do from the oral ones as Ive been on them long term (since may) I suffer from innsomnia and its horrible even with sedation and other hypnotics i cant get a good sleep, another effect is my skin Ive gotten lots of stria and any wounds even tiny little ones get infected I now have 5 ulcers and 2 burns which are taking forever to heal and everything leaves a terrible dark scar I use lots of vit e based oil which really helps but my god I wish it would stop Im young with a mass of scars makes me feel ugly and old at times.my hair is also dry and falling out although some of that is down to the MTX and arava. Are you also on oral steroids at the mo??or a lot??

MTX - Imoff it now 2weeks and its great no more being sick all monday night until wednesday, Im now on 20mg of Arava and although shortly after i take it I feel dizzy an get drowsy but that I dont mind Ill build up a tolerance to it soon and I wont notice thats what happens normally with me and meds that cause me drowsiness
I generally feel better since coming offthe MTX and being on the arava, Im resting a lot which is really helping keep the sweling down but I find it very boring. I cant wait for christmas as there will be all my family off work nd school and theyll keep me company even if im resting. I just have to wrap my presents, get my mom to buy me a new pair of jeans if i dont make it to a shoping centre and im ready for christmas and I cant wait but Im still planning to rest up before and during the holidays so Im as well as i can be.

Do you religously celebrate christmas??

Hope to hear from you soon
Nite nite
Chell

[Ronnied]

Hi Chell,

Not really we do not go to church, but I always used to when the children were small, christmas eve, and christingles and carol services, I loved them, but when the children grew up, we stopped going, shame really.

All wrapped and sorted, just got last minute food shopping. Now started on propanolol to help with migraines, but have heard that this can make psoriassis worse, do you know anything about beta blockers? Or does anyone else out there? Now on steroids, beta blockers, dmards, omezaprole. Hope they are all ok to take together!

Well, expect by now your family are home and your little brother is getting very excited for the big day. Do you religously celebrate christmas?

Hope your ulcers and sores get better soon, must be very very painful. Take good care of your self.

Ronnie

[chellsbells]

Hey

Well all my immediate family are home as we live together but other family will be home over the period. My family (most of them) religously celebrate it but myself and my sister dont, we no longer go to mass or have anything to do with our so called religion during the year, we always seem to go to the xmas mass just to please the family members but we do it as a family thing. my little bro is very excited his birthday is on the 28th so hes all excited about his party too.
Dont worry im on all of those meds and tehy dont interact with each other your docs wouldnt put you on them if tehy would, ive been on them all for ages now and theyre fine so try not to worry. sorry to hear about your migranes I used get awful ones but dont get them much now thank god.
Im just back from getting my dressings doen Im now on 2 more antibiotics as some of my ulcers are infected Ive 7 ulcers 3 on my left boob my docs getting onto a dermatologist to see me next week ill see my doc wednesday to check them and see if any new ones develop she thinks theyre vasculitic ulcers(i dunno what they really are) must google it.
We have to do all our grocery shopping still and we will collect the ham and turkey on saturday morning from teh butchers then we are all set Ive 2 more gifts to pick up too but we all nearly organised.
Are you off work at the moment or are you well enough to work??
talk soon chell