my experiences

[Guest guest]

Hi Pat, I see we have a lot in common, I have spots too, I had joint pain

and swelling for a year and a half, I had one spot on my forehead during

this time which was diagnosed as dermatitis, and then one formed on the base

of my spine, again dermatitis, then april 2, 1999 i had the worst sore

throat in my life, the doc didn't do a culture, but soon after this episode,

I broke out in a rash of several spots on my stomach, finally they formed

and I had well over 50 scaly red spots, then on my sides, my back side and

back and in my hair, a few on my arm as well, i went to a dermatologist

which is new to the area and he did two punch biopsies, and he said this was

exzema, and gave me three ointments, he ignored or didn't even read my

history of joint pain. I went to another dermatologist and he saw the spots

right off and said PA!!!! I said what about the swelling and pain in my

joints, he sent me to a Arthritis doc that didn't even look at the rash, but

looked at my joints, and then agreed with the dermatologist, oh forgot the

dermatologist injected me the first time he saw me with methotrexate, i was

70 miles from home too, the closest dermatologist near me and he was going

to do the metho for me, he did no tests in the three or four weeks that i

saw him. i read where tests should be done before and after, my family dr.

said he'd like to apologize for him doing this and not explaining the

effects it could have, but yet he is also encouraging me to take the metho.

So I am no longer on it, but need all the information I can get.

So you live in Austrailia? I have a friend there working for Birtley

Engineering, her husband is I should say, she is in mona vale. She has been

there almost two years and coming home next month, i know she is anxious to

see home again.

Well Pat, write me again, enjoyed hearing from you!

Sheryl

[ ] My experiences

> From: " Terry or Pat Osborne " <terryandpat@...>

>

> I am new to this group and would like to introduce myself and tell you

about

> my experiences with PA. I have suffered from psoriasis for 34 years which

> started 2 weeks after arriving in Australia (where I still live) from

> England. My psoriasis has always been severe but it was 14 years before I

> got PA. In 1970 I worked for a doctor as a receptionist and he asked me

> whether I would mind him having a go at treating my psoriasis (I had been

to

> many specialists but they all said there was nothing else they could do

for

> me). I was more than happy to get free medical treatment so told him to

go

> ahead. I again went through all the creams and ointments at the chemist

but

> again none worked and he suggested I try methotrexate. I was on

> methotrexate for 8 years starting in 1973 and after my 9th liver biopsy

> (they did them every year in those days) it was found my liver cells had

> started to change so I was taken off of it. Approximately 3 months later

I

> went to bed feeling fine although very spotty (psoriasis) and woke up the

> next morning riddled with arthritis. I went to my doctor and all he said

> was that you have arthritis and gave me a prescription for some pills.

> Within a couple of weeks I could hardly walk and had pain in both hands

(all

> fingers affected) both wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and feet. I went for

> my 3 month check-up at the hospital I was going to at that time for my

> psoriasis and the next day I was in hospital - after many tests it was

> suggested I go on Gold Injections although they were worried because one

of

> the side effects is a skin rash. They sent me home with letters for my

> local doctor about administering these and also special equipment to turn

> taps on, peel potatoes, squeeze tubs etc. etc. (I was unable to do these

> things) and for the next 15 years had gold injections starting weekly and

> then going to fortnightly and then monthly and as long as I was careful

what

> I did it kept my PA under pretty good control and luckily I could tolerate

> them and had no side effects. For those 15 years I tried many things to

> control my psoriasis which just kept getting worse and worse and as a last

> resort was put on cyclosporine 3 years ago. This drug also helps my PA so

> after 3 months of both gold injections and cyclosporine went off of gold

> injections and my PA is still being controlled reasonably well and overall

I

> do not suffer too much. I was originally told I would only be on

> cyclosporine for a short while but on many occasions they have tried to

> decrease the dose but my just skin erupts. It appears to me that the

> methotrexate kept my PA under wraps until I went off it when it came out

in

> full force. Hope you have found this interesting and not too long winded.

>

> Regards Pat

>

> > Please visit our new web page at:

> http://www.wpunj.edu/icip/pa

>

[Guest guest]

Terry/Pat

reading your story my heart goes out to you but hang in there and you sound

positive my psorasis got worse when i went to live in france although the

only thing that helped me was the sun and i would have thought that aus

would be better than eng although with the slip slap slob mentality perhaps

it is not too advisable to fry in the sun by the way i have relatives in

tasmania and melbourne.

i have ret to the uk benndivorced and my ex wife returninfg to france with

our 18 month daughter, yes my psosaris has flared, i am on the max mtx that

my body can take but the p will not go away, some days i just think what the

hell, live with it and sofd what other people think about the p but as i

gave up my job to join my ex wife in france and lost my job in france due to

p(i was working in retail/food and i was told it would put people off) i

think that i want to get better.

anyhow i am trying a new combo therapy, mtx and another drug to see if this

works but i am concerned about the side effects of all these drugs perhaps

things will get better when i am happy

take care

have a four n twenty on me

david

>From: " Terry or Pat Osborne " <terryandpat@...>

>Reply- onelist

>< onelist>

>Subject: [ ] My experiences

>Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 09:52:07 +1000

>

>From: " Terry or Pat Osborne " <terryandpat@...>

>

>I am new to this group and would like to introduce myself and tell you

>about

>my experiences with PA. I have suffered from psoriasis for 34 years which

>started 2 weeks after arriving in Australia (where I still live) from

>England. My psoriasis has always been severe but it was 14 years before I

>got PA. In 1970 I worked for a doctor as a receptionist and he asked me

>whether I would mind him having a go at treating my psoriasis (I had been

>to

>many specialists but they all said there was nothing else they could do for

>me). I was more than happy to get free medical treatment so told him to go

>ahead. I again went through all the creams and ointments at the chemist

>but

>again none worked and he suggested I try methotrexate. I was on

>methotrexate for 8 years starting in 1973 and after my 9th liver biopsy

>(they did them every year in those days) it was found my liver cells had

>started to change so I was taken off of it. Approximately 3 months later

>I

>went to bed feeling fine although very spotty (psoriasis) and woke up the

>next morning riddled with arthritis. I went to my doctor and all he said

>was that you have arthritis and gave me a prescription for some pills.

>Within a couple of weeks I could hardly walk and had pain in both hands

>(all

>fingers affected) both wrists, elbows, knees, ankles and feet. I went for

>my 3 month check-up at the hospital I was going to at that time for my

>psoriasis and the next day I was in hospital - after many tests it was

>suggested I go on Gold Injections although they were worried because one of

>the side effects is a skin rash. They sent me home with letters for my

>local doctor about administering these and also special equipment to turn

>taps on, peel potatoes, squeeze tubs etc. etc. (I was unable to do these

>things) and for the next 15 years had gold injections starting weekly and

>then going to fortnightly and then monthly and as long as I was careful

>what

>I did it kept my PA under pretty good control and luckily I could tolerate

>them and had no side effects. For those 15 years I tried many things to

>control my psoriasis which just kept getting worse and worse and as a last

>resort was put on cyclosporine 3 years ago. This drug also helps my PA so

>after 3 months of both gold injections and cyclosporine went off of gold

>injections and my PA is still being controlled reasonably well and overall

>I

>do not suffer too much. I was originally told I would only be on

>cyclosporine for a short while but on many occasions they have tried to

>decrease the dose but my just skin erupts. It appears to me that the

>methotrexate kept my PA under wraps until I went off it when it came out in

>full force. Hope you have found this interesting and not too long winded.

>

>Regards Pat

>

>>Please visit our new web page at:

>http://www.wpunj.edu/icip/pa

>

[Guest guest]

I everyone,

It has been a long time since I posted. I thought I would let you know what has

been going on. Starting in March, I started to have a problem with a bad cough

(at that time I was on MTX, planquenil, Zoloft, Folic Acid, Allegra &

Hydrocodone as needed). Between March and April I was at the doctors office 4

different times, each time I was given a new medication for the cough. I was

given antibotics, inhalers, predisone and another antiobotic. Nothing made a

difference. My doctor wanted me to come in again, but before I did that, I

contacted my rheumatoligist and asked if any of my current meds could be the

culprit. The doctor told me to stop taking the mtx and see if that made a

difference. Sure enough, that was the problem. I had been on the MTX for about

7 months before the cough started. It had been helping, however I had planned

on asking about uping the dose. That option was now out. I was only on

planquenil for 6 weeks. I called my dr. again because I was in a lot of pain.

The pain meds help, but I don't like to take them unless I have to.

I was given the option of either another oral medication or injection. I chose

the injection since I have always had problems with the oral meds. I am now on

Humaria. I have had two doses so far. He also put me on predisone again.

However I had to stop that because it was really causing some problems with my

depression. The humaria must be starting to work because I am not taking as

many pain meds as I was. My doctor told me that this one has the fewest side

effects. I am hoping it will work for me. I am fortunate that my insurance

covers most of the cost.

P

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4096322

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

Roxie is doing just great! She and her housemates are getting along just

fine. They are at a baseball game tonight (minor league team located here

called the FM Redhawks) She will be graduating from high school this next

year.

P

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4096322

[Guest guest]

That¹s great . It¹s hard to believe she is graduating high school

already. Where does the time go? I¹m glad she is doing so well.

a

> Hi a,

> Roxie is doing just great! She and her housemates are getting along just

> fine. They are at a baseball game tonight (minor league team located here

> called the FM Redhawks) She will be graduating from high school this next

> year.

>

> P

> http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4096322

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry that the physicians you consulted before you contacted your

rheumatologist didn't even consider the possibility that the MTX was the

source of the problem with your lungs, .

I hope that Humira makes a big difference for you!

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] my experiences

> I everyone,

> It has been a long time since I posted. I thought I would let you

know what has been going on. Starting in March, I started to have a

problem with a bad cough (at that time I was on MTX, planquenil, Zoloft,

Folic Acid, Allegra & Hydrocodone as needed). Between March and April I

was at the doctors office 4 different times, each time I was given a new

medication for the cough. I was given antibotics, inhalers, predisone

and another antiobotic. Nothing made a difference. My doctor wanted me

to come in again, but before I did that, I contacted my rheumatoligist

and asked if any of my current meds could be the culprit. The doctor

told me to stop taking the mtx and see if that made a difference. Sure

enough, that was the problem. I had been on the MTX for about 7 months

before the cough started. It had been helping, however I had planned on

asking about uping the dose. That option was now out. I was only on

planquenil for 6 weeks. I called my dr. again because I was in a lot of

pain. The pain meds help, but I don't like to take them unless I have

to.

>

> I was given the option of either another oral medication or injection.

I chose the injection since I have always had problems with the oral

meds. I am now on Humaria. I have had two doses so far. He also put

me on predisone again. However I had to stop that because it was really

causing some problems with my depression. The humaria must be starting

to work because I am not taking as many pain meds as I was. My doctor

told me that this one has the fewest side effects. I am hoping it will

work for me. I am fortunate that my insurance covers most of the cost.

>

> P