Newly diagnosed and a little scared

[MeghanBannister]

Hi, my name is Meghan. I'm 19 years old and I have just been diagnosed with guttate psoriasis. I really had no idea what it was until a day or two ago and thanks to this website I've really learnt a lot.
I noticed that a lot of people feel depression upon learning they have psoriasis however I am keeping a positive outlook to this situation.
My torso is covered in red spots and I have begun to notice smaller bumps on my arms and legs. I really hope this does not get too out of hand.
I was just wondering if anyone else has this kind of psoriasis and if they could give me some tips or any words of advice for how to deal with it.
I've been having trouble looking for answers to this questions:
- Is it really chronic? Once you have psoriasis, does it really never go away?

Like I said, I have just been diagnosed and I just want to confirm that I am not alone.
Thanks.

[MikeK]

Hi Meghan,

Welcome to the Board! :cool: Nice to meet you. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. :( I'm at work right now ( which means that I'm not supposed to be here :rolleyes: ) so I'm going to have to keep this brief. I'll post some additional throughts later on today when I get home. The bad news is that psoriasis is chronic and there currently is no cure. The good news is that treatments are available to hopefully alleviate the symptoms and some people do go into remission.

It sounds like your psoriasis came on rather suddenly. That leads me to suspect that there's something going on. Guttate psoriasis is often triggered by some sort of infection (strep throat is the usual culprit) and more then a few people have posted here that either their psoriasis or their child's psoriasis is the only sign that they have an infection because they are asymptomatic for the infection. (I.E., They have no sore throat or fever in the case of strep throat.) If you haven't already done so, please get tested for strep. Insist on a culture because the so-called "quick test" is often unreliable. (Some people have to get a blood test, called an ASO blood test, in order to confirm that they have strep.) Here's the links to some previous discussions:

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7538&highlight=importance+strep+test;

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3074&highlight=presentation+strep;

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4988&highlight=uti; and

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18602&highlight=aso.

I hope this helps.

Good luck. Feel better. Let us know if you have any other questions and I'll be back at little later on today with some suggestions that will hopefully make your life a little easier.

Mike

Edit: P.S. Here's a link to the NPF's discussion of psoriasis triggers: http://www.psoriasis.org/about/living/triggers/.

[jennmkirby]

Hi Meghan and welcome! Sorry we have to meet like this! Did you have a strep infection recently? That is often the trigger of guttate... when you get the strep cleared up that should help with the P. What kind of treatment did your doctor suggest for you? Often UVB light treatments or tanning can help guttate. It can be extremely frustrating and time consuming to try to put creams and steroid stuff on each individual spot, but if you can do it that works too.

Here is my first post... it was just over a month ago and already I feel like an old hand at having P. (Hard to believe, it seems like years... that probably doesn't make you feel better, sorry.) http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18643 You might want to do a search on "guttate"... lots of stuff will come up, different people's experiences.

Be back later...

Jenn

[jennmkirby]

Hey Meghan... let me clarify a little. My derm said that in her experience, most people with guttate... when they fight off the strep (through antibiotics usually) their immune system goes back to normal and eventually your skin does too, although you might have a few areas that you struggle with here and there. And I took the antibiotics and had the follow-up strep culture to make sure it was negative, and now my skin is mostly back to normal... but I think I have a weird case that has unfortunately become chronic because my immune system for some reason is still not normal. I still have big areas (like my back and chest) that have a lot of spots, and some of the spots have joined together to form big spots. It's like it calms down, then it flares again, then calms down again... very frustrating. But if you read my previous post about my legs being really covered and blistery and painful, they pretty much look fine now (a month later.)

I don't know... I guess my point is, every case is different, but the majority of guttate cases don't become chronic (at least not like you have the spots all over you and you always will... you might have a few spots become chronic.) At least that's how my derm explained it to me.... I think it's something like 2/3 of people with guttate do go on to have a problem with P, but it might only be a mild problem... you are probably not going to go the rest of your life with spots everywhere.

Keep your chin up... we're here for you and will be glad to answer any questions! :)

[Jopperm2]

I'm fairly young(24) and I have some guttate. Most of my P is Plaque though. I too believe that strep was the cause of my P erupting. The guttate that I have is the least troublesome of all of my P. Don't worry yourself and stay positive, we're in this together.

[lulu'smom]

Hi, welcome!

I've had P for 20 years now-since 18. It started with the koebner effect (meaning I had some injuries on my knees, elbows and scalp - car accident). HOwever, whenever I get run down I get guttate P. I think for me it is almost always after a strep infection (I get it a lot).

Yes, psoriasis is a chronic condition. However, many people experience years where it is just a minor inconvenience. This is how I was for about 18 years. The past 2 years I've been quite severe. Each time I flare, it is a guttate flare.

Guttate is difficult because you can't really spend hours dotting creams on all your dots! UV treatment is very helpful. I'm currently on Humira, and experiencing about 50% improvement 5 weeks in.

Good luck! You've come to the right place for info and support.

Nancy

[RichJ]

hi maghen,
sorry i can't help much but welcome to the p family. you have met some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you,

have a good night all

richard

[cereal]

Hi and welcome to the boards. Glad you found us! Mike has given you some great links and info, he is the link-master and I'm sure he will post more this evening. Besides the possibility of strep have you taken any new meds in the past month. Some meds can be a trigger for P. P is chronic.... but everyone is different... some people go into remission for long periods of time, some once they broke out they have never been 100% clear again, p has a mind of it's own and you never really know what to expect, one day your almost clear and the next day your flaring. The best thing you can do is to learn everything you can about P. Are you seeing a derm? Light treatments may help but they can be a pitb, cause you have to go 3 times a week to the derms office, they start you out at so many seconds then every couple of visits they up the time. If the light helps you may be able to get a home unit. It could takes months for you to see an improvement. If you can get some sun, it may help, just remember not to get sunburned, start out with like 10 minutes then the next day do 15. Once you've had p, even if you are clear you should always include it in your medical history, as again some meds are known triggers. Know that your not alone!! Hang in there, don't be a stranger!!

pat

[Jillian1507]

Hi Meghan.....I'm so glad that you found us!!!! I have been recently diagnosed with Scalp p and I do have some 'dots' on my arms, back, and torso....not a ton, but I notice them.....I guess it may be the guttate stuff...anyways, I am in my early 20's as well, and some days it just purely SUCKS, especially as a female. I can say that a couple of weeks ago, I got a UVB light for my scalp (a comb actually) and I have seen much improvement! I am going to start the tanning beds probably next week! (hey, everyone likes a good tan, right!!!) Anyway, this is a great place to ask questions and get info....EVERYBODY is just so nice and they really do care! This has been a life saver for me, just knowing that I'm not alone! Well, good luck and I look forward to getting to know you!

Jill

[MikeK]

Hi Meghan,

I'm back! Now I can give you a few tips concerning your treatment options and some other tips that will hopefully make living with psoriasis a little easier.

First, as I mentioned in my previous post, please get that all important strep test. If you do have strep (or another underlying infection) the psoriasis won't respond to treament until the infection is taken care of.

Second, guttate psoriasis generally responds very well to UVB light treatments. Light treatments can be a pain because you have to go three time a weeks (for several months) for treatment. Some people have been burned by them and not everyone responds well to them, but they can be a safe and effective treatment in the war against guttate psoriasis. You may run into insurance issues (the NPF has an insurance advocacy service that goes to bat for people who are having insurance issues.) Home units are available and are often covered by insurance. (The NPF will try to help with any insurance issues that may arise if you decide to get a home unit.) As I mentioned, not everyone responds to light treatments so most doctors and insurance companies generally insist that patients undergo their initial light treatments at a doctor's office. Some people go to tanning salons, but UVB treatments at a doctors office are more effective because you're in a more controlled environment. I'm not sure where you live, but if you live in a warm weather climate you can also try getting some sun. Most people (myself included) find that their psoriasis gets better when exposed to sunlight. Just be careful not to burn (the same advice applies if you go to a tanning salon) because there is NOTHING worse then a sunburn on top of psoriasis in my experience. Here's a link to the NPF's discussion of light treatments: http://www.psoriasis.org/treatment/psoriasis/phototherapy/.

Third, it's important to keep things moist. So in the words of my dermatologist, you need to "moisturize, moisturize, moisturize". It really does help. I put on moisturizer several times a day. (I have mostly plaque psoriasis, btw.) Which moisturizer you use is a matter of trial and error and personal preference. I find that it helps to rotate brands and to use only those moisturizers that are labled "fragrance free", "non-irritating" and/or "for sensitive skin".

Fourth, I find that the kind of soap and laundry products that I use makes all the difference in the world. Anti-bacterial and deoderant soaps, for example, tend to irritate my psoriasis and make it drier and itchier then it already is. I've had similar problems with the dyes and fragrances in detergent, dryer sheets, etc. I haven't had any laundry related problems since I switched to "free and clear" laundry products. And, here's a link to some previous discussions about psoriasis and soap: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13629.

Fifth, here's a couple of quick suggestions (in no particular order) that will help you deal with the unrelenting itch that often accompanies psoriasis: Taking a bath with a product like Aveeno Oatmeal soak (http://www.aveeno.com/detailAction.do?id=3689) (cheaper store brands are also available) can also help relieve the soften the scales and relieve the itch. Taking a cool shower; Putting on some moisturizer; Corn starch; Anti-itch powders, creams and lotions such as Gold Bond. (I usually buy the cheaper store brands.) My current favorite is Eucerin Itch-Relief Moisturizing Spray. I like it because it helps control the itch and it's easy to apply because it's a spray. Here's a link to some additional information: http://www.eucerinus.com/medicalsite/products/handandbodycare/anti-itch/anti-itch.html. Some friends of mine swear by Neutrogena Anti-Itch Moisturizer (http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails_36.asp). It has lidocaine in it. Ice packs; Benadryl; Atarax (http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/rxdrugprofiles/drugs/ata1035.shtml). You'll need a prescription. It makes me VERY sleepy so I can only take it right before I go to bed.

I hope this helps.

Good luck. Keep us posted. Let us know if you have any other questions and please don't be a stranger.

Mike

[Mourningdove]

Hi!

I was recently diagnosed too. I have very bad psoriasis on the soles of my feet and I also have a rash over my entire body that is still up for diagnosis... this is not fun, but I know there are a lot worse things, so I am facing this the best I can. Know that there are many of us here who understand what you are going through. I get depressed everytime I have a flare... there are good days and bad. Keep us informed of your progress and let us know how it goes. We can all learn from each other! Also, check and see if you have a local support group. Hope and peace...

[bratsareus]

Welcome to the boards Meghan!