Guest guest Posted November 29, 1998 Report Share Posted November 29, 1998 Hi Everyone, That greeting seems a little awkward, but I copied it from the listmaster , so I guess it's ok. First the basics:male, age 54,married,two kids,eighteen and thirteen.Psoriasis symptoms started about age thirty or so, mostly confined to the scalp which is the most annoying.I also have a small amount on the knees and elbows.I have been using Dovonex ointment and Nizoral shampoo for the scalp with so-so success.My usual routine is to apply the Dovonex to the scalp for 2 or 3 days then do nothing for a few days untill the itching and flaking start the process all over again. I realize that my symptoms are extremely mild compared to most people afflicted with this disease or condition. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------- The first time I really started to notice PA symptoms was about a year ago,but I think it probably began in my forties.I used to do a bit of running, no ironman stuff, just keeping in shape. I began to get persistant pain in my achilles tendons,knees,back,etc.I fooled around with different treatments for awhile but finally had to give up running.Since then,I've confined my physical activities to pedalling a stationary bike,lifting weights,moderately, a bit of tennis and the usual yard work, walking the dog, etc.I've always had a bit of joint stiffness and moderate levels of discomfort in one place or the other,usually, one or two Aleve tablets would take care of the symptoms.About a year ago I started to get an allergic reaction to the Aleve,my face and chest would break out in a severe rash,I tried other over the counter meds with no luck.That's when the real PA symptoms kicked into high gear,from reading other web sites I belive I have symmetrical polyarthritis.The pain and stiffness usually occur in both shoulders,knees,feet,etc.,I knew I was in trouble when the back of my knees started to hurt,that's something I never felt before!The symptoms quickly increased in severity and I was having trouble buttoning my shirts because of the stiffness and weakness in my fingers and thumbs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------- I finally got an appointment with a rheumy and he diagnosed the PA,x-rays showed no joint damage or inflammation.He prescribed 2000 mgs of Disalcid per day,after a week or so I began to feel fine, however the rash started to come back and I was forced to stop taking the drug after two weeks. My PA symptoms stayed at a very mild level for a few months,but started creeping back about six weeks ago,at that time I tried taking 500mgs of the Disalcid per day to see if there would be any reactions.There weren't any, so I upped the dose to 1000mgs..At the present time this seems to be the right balance between meds and PA symptoms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------- As I've stated before,I realize my symptoms are almost non-existent compared to other members on the list,but from checking other websites,newsgroups,etc I've come to the conclusion that PA is not static, chances are that the intensity of my symptoms will increase at some point.I feel that I need PA mailing lists and newsgroups,not just for support but to be on the cutting edge for info about new meds, treatments, etc.I hope that by providing a sympathetic ear or eye? to other members I'll be of some value. Dennis Newman newman@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 1998 Report Share Posted November 30, 1998 Dennis-- While it's true that PA is not static, it doesn't necessisarily go from bad to worse. PA can go into a remissive state. I was lucky enough to have a seven month remission a few years ago. It may not sound like much, but it gave me a new perspective on life. I was Feeling great and doing " normal " things again. The PA came back, but the time without constant pain gave me great hope for the future. I wish I knew what triggered the remission, my doctors said it was common to see it happen in PA. Maybe research will find what causes PA and find out how we can all go into a permanent remission. Emma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 1998 Report Share Posted November 30, 1998 On Mon, 30 Nov 1998 13:10:35 EST, Emaline2@... wrote: >From: Emaline2@... > >Dennis-- > >While it's true that PA is not static, it doesn't necessisarily go from bad to >worse. PA can go into a remissive state. I was lucky enough to have a seven >month remission a few years ago. It may not sound like much, but it gave me a >new perspective on life. I was Feeling great and doing " normal " things again. >The PA came back, but the time without constant pain gave me great hope for >the future. I wish I knew what triggered the remission, my doctors said it >was common to see it happen in PA. Maybe research will find what causes PA >and find out how we can all go into a permanent remission. > >Emma I used to go *years* between flare ups. Unfortunately this time it just keeps going and going.... Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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