My Fingernails...... is there anything I can do?

[SuzanneT]

My fingernails were so totally weakened by Soriatane that they are paper thin and peeling off. I used to have really healthy, strong nails :( I'm afraid that they might even fall off, and they're really sore! :eek: They're so soft that I couldn't even push the buttons on a touchscreen today!!

I'm sure it's going to be a long haul before they are healthy again, but I'm open to any suggestions as to what I can do to help the process. I've cut the down to nothing and right now I've got 3 coats of nailpolish on them just to try and hold them together. :eek:

[raydon14yp]

Are you still on Soriatane? If not, ask you MD about mtx. I had horrible nails for years & about 4 weeks on mtx, the nails showed great improvement. Now, I have to trim my normal nails about every 2 weeks. I take 15mg mtx/week.

[SuzanneT]

Nope, I stopped the Soriatane - after 1/3 of my hair fell out!!! It's been over a month and the hair loss is FINALLY stopping, but my nails are a mess! I've heard that MTX causes hair and nail growth, but not sure I can take it because of intestinal issues?

[Geffy]

I wish mtx fixed my nails, but I had a very low dose. It was prescribed for the PA and not for the P. If it helped on that too great. I have heard before that mtx helps with nail P. Personally, I wouldn't take it just to help your nails from thinning. It doesn't look like fugis right? Also, you can not take mtx if you have stomach ulcers.

Maybe they just need alot of time to grow out better? I'm pretty sure that when one has nail fungus even, it takes a year of treatment for them to be back to normal. If they hurt I would ask the doc about it.

I can't think of anything except to keep them very short and to use the pad of your fingers to things. I know, if you are used to long nails, that you aren't going to like it, but it's better than keeping em long and damaging the nail bed. They have grown out funny on me after doing that.

My nails look like they have fungis, but it is P, unfortunately. So I feel your pain. I am self conscious wearing sandals because my toes are ugly. It has spread to 2 fingernails. Sigh ....... I didn't mind the pitting so much, but ....

I'm sorry they are so thin. I really hope it's just a time issue, much the same as your hair. Oh my and one's nail hurting? OUCH! I know!

((hug))

Holly

[wildflowerAnn]

Knox gelatin helps build strong healthy nails. That and zinc.

[Geffy]

I thought of some other things to add to Wildflowers post.

I remembered seeing something about formaldehyde so I just copy pasted this

"Apply a nail hardener, but avoid products containing toluene sulfonamide or formaldehyde. These chemicals can cause redness or irritate the skin.
Don't use nail polish remover more than twice a month. Instead, touch up the polish. When you do need a remover, avoid those that use acetone, which dries nails."

I also read one time that putting moisterizer before bed and cotton gloves on may help too.

Holly

[SuzanneT]

No, I don't have a nail fungus, and I don't have nail psoriasis. My nails are just really weak and soft, which is a side effect from taking Soriatane. They used to be very strong, and I'm sure it's just a matter of time until they grow out that way again.

I think I'll try the Knox gelatin, maybe that will give them a little boost :)

Holly, did the low dose MTX bother your stomach? I now feel extra sorry for anyone with nail P, it must really hurt :(

[lpagano]

I had the same problem from Soriatane, I asked my derm and he told me to take bioten, it took about a month, but my nails went back to normal. I am on Soriatane again, I have been taking the bioten and my nails have not had a problem this time.

[SuzanneT]

Lillian, what's bioten? I'll get some :) Glad to hear that your nails went back to normal!!! I actually didn't notice this until I'd been on the Soriatane for about 6 months.

[lpagano]

Sorry, I am the worlds worst speller! It is "Biotin" See below:

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7 and C10H16N2O3S (Biotin; Coenzyme R, Biopeiderm), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido (tetrahydroimidizalone) ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. A valeric acid substituent is attached to one of the carbon atoms of the tetrahydrothiophene ring. Biotin is important in the catalysis of essential metabolic reactions to synthesize fatty acids, in gluconeogenesis, and to metabolize leucine.

It is hard to find at local drug stores like CVS or Osco, your best bet is like a GNC or place that sells vitamins and health food, or natural food stores.

[SuzanneT]

Oh, okay, I know what it is! A while back there was something floating around about a correlation between biotin and PPPP, here's a link http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~hpps/english/english.html. Anyway, I'm going to WHole Foods today, I'll pick some up. Did you derm say what the dosage should be?

[Geffy]

No, I don't have a nail fungus, and I don't have nail psoriasis. My nails are just really weak and soft, which is a side effect from taking Soriatane. They used to be very strong, and I'm sure it's just a matter of time until they grow out that way again.

I think I'll try the Knox gelatin, maybe that will give them a little boost :)

Holly, did the low dose MTX bother your stomach? I now feel extra sorry for anyone with nail P, it must really hurt :(

I was taking 2.5 mg tablets 3x a week, with 1 Mobic tablet of 15mg and 1 folic acid tab of 1 mg. The last 2 once a day. I always took these with food. I take everything with food unless told otherwise. They never upset my stomach. I had been on NSAID's similar to mobic that didn't make me sick to my stomach per say, but just an annoying tiny quesy "Doesn't feel right" feeling. Damned annoying.

Even as ugly as my nails are, I don't want to get a higher dose of mtx even if it might fix em. There is a potential that the mtx can ruin ones liver. My nails haven't destroyed my quality of life enough to warrent possibly trading my liver for my nails.

That being said, no, the P in my nails does not hurt per se. I do get red spots under a good fingernail and if pressure is applied to it, it hurts like hell for the time. Banging a bad nail hurts like hell, just the same as a good one, except it doesn't give, it cracks. However, because often times the nail isn't connected to the nail bed well, it will flip up and rip the rest of the part that is clean off. THAT HURTS!! They also split vertically deeply and start bleeding. Also, if one doesn't or can't keep the thickness filed down, shoes are a nightmare.

I hope I didn't scare you. From your discription, it doesn't sound like that. I haven't seen any real promising treatment for nail P except getting a shot under the nail that I hear hurts to get. :eek: Every once in awhile I do experiments, but being nails take so long to grow, I haven't done it long enough to report here as saying something might help.

At least you can try the Biotin and I certianly hope it works for as it did for Lillian. I would like to know a dosage too, so I can ask my doctor about it. It's not that I don't think it is safe, but that I ask him before changing most things. I can add Biotin as an option to my list of things to try for my nails.

Nails are so aggravating and on one's hands hard to hide.

I hope it works for you,

Holly