Psoriatic Arthritis

I suffer quite badly from Psoriatic Arthritis. I have no signs of Psoriasis, but my joints are inflammed and very painful. I'm 33, female. I'm taking 25mg of Methotrexate weekly, other anit-inflammatroy drugs. I'm interested in hearing from others who suffer from this and what they are going through, as I've never met anyone who suffers from this.

[jellylegs]

Hello, I'm jellylegs and from ireland, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis last march after a long battle with leg weakness, pain and exhaustion that was being diagnosed as CFS but I knew ther was a lot more going on and pursued a diagnosis privatly.Am on sulphasalazine and in the last few weeks have added methotrexate but finding the side effects difficult to deal with so cant increase it yet. I am like you(bit older) in that I dont know anyone that has this condition either.and its a lonely plac e to be sometimes.

[jane1138152]

Hi you two!
Sorry to hear you have it too. I don't suffer yet...expecting that piece of inherited ugliness to come my way before too long, as mum's given me every disease she's ever had through the gift of genetics!! My mum has been battling psoriatic arthritis for many years. Started in her big toe, and it now involves feet, knees, hips, and vertebrae in neck. She very nearly needed knee replacements on both sides, and was an big opioid user. Nothing controlled her pain, despite sulfasalazine, methotrexate, plaquenil, and heavy doses of oxycontin for pain, and a lot of illegal (bad for the liver...methotrexate is bad enough on the poor organ) tylenol. A few years ago, mum went to see a different rheumatologist and now she's saved!! She takes Enbrel now and it literally saved her life. Her arthritis is so much better now...not to say it won't worsen over time, but she's really doing much better, living a good life. The risks of the biologic modifiers are high, but when you look at it from a quality of life perspective, it's been well worth it for my mum!