can p flare ups cause psa flare ups?

[Sunglow21]

My boyfriend and mother think that the more dry skin I have at a time probably affects how much the arthritis affects me at that given time. I was wondering if anyone has noticed a correlation between the two. Has anyone found that clearing the one automatically clears the other? Thanks for any and all advice.
Ali

[bettypat]

I am not sure if everyone is diffrent with this one, but whenever I have a flare my pa is bad wherever the flare is.
I think that is basically normal.
When my P calms down then the swelling usually goes down also.

[jeffreys]

Ali
In my experience it does. The two seem to attack together. Theres nothing worse than a bad flare up on the skin accompanied with severe body pain. For me when I go after one the other subsides. However, sometimes the arthritis will stay depending on the treatment.
It is all very treatable, a good dermatoligist will help attack both. I am on PUVA and dovonex for the skin and celebrex for the arthritis.

Jeff

[Campagnella]

Ali,

I do notice that my when my skin gets worse my PA follows shortly after with flares. However, I do have PA flares without the P changing. So in my case the P always means PA but occasionally the PA goes on it's own.


I've never had my P clear up the best I've managed is it not getting too much worse. When it "gets better" it goes back to it's standard places (my elbows and scalp) when it's acting up it likes my back, neck and chest. I've also not had the PA under control yet.

Amy

[jessiea]

My experience is quite the opposite. I have had 4 MAJOR flares of P in the last 7 years. The first three took about 1 year to clear. The last, however, is still going strong for 2 years. My PA is under control with predinosote, Celebrex and Arava. The P reflared in Jan but the PA is the better. My Rhem. has told be that P does not necessary affect the PA. I have found that to be true. In my "clear" stage the PA have been so bad that the stress of the pain and the stress of the stress started a new flare.

[mermie]

Hi, I have a lot of health problems. I was recently dx with widespread aggressive osteoarthritis which I do not doubt I have, however I believe the doctors are missing something as they are not paying attention to my flares or symptoms while having them

I experience debilitating fatigue- unrelenting and makes me unable to function I feel so weak and tired (I am an A TYPE personality but A typical in a lot of reactions)

When the fatigue rolls in like this, I also have the following symptoms WITHOUT FAIL
1. I get a blister like sore on my genitals that burns and itches at the same time until it comes out and starts to heal
2. At the same time, until the sore appears, I am so tired, my skin burns and aches all over, I have lumps under the skin in my thighs that burn like bee stings and yet itch at the same time - when I must scratch or rub (hard to stop even with allergy pills) they break through the surface of my skin and then I feel better.
3. Concurrently, the ends of my fingers swell, get dusky red prominently and the tips of my fingers as well as my nails start to ache unbearably
4. At the same time this is going on, I have unbearable pain in my toenails (they are lifting) and my toes swell and ache, burn and this continues up to the middle of the top of my foot. Without fail out of necessity I have lidoderm patches which I cut and use in strips to freeze my toenail and upper portion of foot pain. I was dx with poly neuropathy or eurythymalgia.
5. Concurrently my lumbar spine really hurts. I am not a baby by any means and I am very proactive about trying to help myself. However the spine pain * was dx with severe stenosis in the lumbar spine) always occurs with the other symptoms.
Along with this my wrists, knees, and ankles also get involved as far as pain goes.

The docs keep telling me that I have severe osteoarthritis, but I am starting to think that I MUST have either Psoriatic Arthritis OR Psoriatic Arthritis and pustular psoriasis. It is hard for me to talk about this but I really need advice.

Are there any tests that can diagnose my problem? I also have another autoimmune disease very severely ie Graves Disease (Had thyroid removed due to tumor) and then Graves hit my eyes and I had to have eye surgery last year.

I am just wondering what avenue to take. The Docs do not want to listen to me and nothing is more frustrating than to suffer terribly and not be listened to. I have been to two dermatologists (I have read that sometimes Psoriatic arthritis comes BEFORE Psoriasis proper and I believe in my case this is how it is) Is there a definitive test? I am at my wits end. When the flares come, they put me in bed with terrible pain and disability as well that awful draining fatigue.

Thanks so much, Mermie

[mermie]

Hi, I have a lot of health problems. I was recently dx with widespread aggressive osteoarthritis which I do not doubt I have, however I believe the doctors are missing something as they are not paying attention to my flares or symptoms while having them

I experience debilitating fatigue- unrelenting and makes me unable to function I feel so weak and tired (I am an A TYPE personality but A typical in a lot of reactions)

When the fatigue rolls in like this, I also have the following symptoms WITHOUT FAIL
1. I get a blister like sore on my genitals that burns and itches at the same time until it comes out and starts to heal
2. At the same time, until the sore appears, I am so tired, my skin burns and aches all over, I have lumps under the skin in my thighs that burn like bee stings and yet itch at the same time - when I must scratch or rub (hard to stop even with allergy pills) they break through the surface of my skin and then I feel better.
3. Concurrently, the ends of my fingers swell, get dusky red prominently and the tips of my fingers as well as my nails start to ache unbearably
4. At the same time this is going on, I have unbearable pain in my toenails (they are lifting) and my toes swell and ache, burn and this continues up to the middle of the top of my foot. Without fail out of necessity I have lidoderm patches which I cut and use in strips to freeze my toenail and upper portion of foot pain. I was dx with poly neuropathy or eurythymalgia.
5. Concurrently my lumbar spine really hurts. I am not a baby by any means and I am very proactive about trying to help myself. However the spine pain * was dx with severe stenosis in the lumbar spine) always occurs with the other symptoms.
Along with this my wrists, knees, and ankles also get involved as far as pain goes.

The docs keep telling me that I have severe osteoarthritis, but I am starting to think that I MUST have either Psoriatic Arthritis OR Psoriatic Arthritis and pustular psoriasis. It is hard for me to talk about this but I really need advice.

Are there any tests that can diagnose my problem? I also have another autoimmune disease very severely ie Graves Disease (Had thyroid removed due to tumor) and then Graves hit my eyes and I had to have eye surgery last year.

I am just wondering what avenue to take. The Docs do not want to listen to me and nothing is more frustrating than to suffer terribly and not be listened to. I have been to two dermatologists (I have read that sometimes Psoriatic arthritis comes BEFORE Psoriasis proper and I believe in my case this is how it is) Is there a definitive test? I am at my wits end. When the flares come, they put me in bed with terrible pain and disability as well that awful draining fatigue.

Thanks so much, Mermie

[JesseLou]

Hi Mermie - You are describing classic psoriatic arthritis, and if it is all over, you need to see a rheumatologist yesterday. You have to get treatment asap in order to slow the progression of the disease.

You also need to see a dermatologist, if you haven't already. A diagnosis of pustular psoriasis with a referral to a rheumatologist by a dermatologist should make a PA diagnosis automatic.

I know it's nearly impossible not to scratch those blisters open, but if you can refrain from doing so, the pustular flare will go away a little faster - or at least not spread so much. It's called the Koebner effect - further injury to the skin causes a larger flare-up.

It is okay to tell your doctors they are wrong, and it is okay to tell them what you believe is the right diagnosis. If they're good docs, they'll listen. If they aren't, they can't help you.

Good luck, and let us know how you do!

[RichJ]

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

try and have a good day all

richard

[nyoki]

@ Sunglow21
In my case there is very little correlation between my PPP and PsA. I haven't had a Ps flare in 2 years, yet the PsA keeps at me. I had to move my remicade infusion from last Friday to this Friday and I am definitely feeling it in my joints, especially my fingers.

@mermie
Hi and welcome. You'll get a lot info, advice and understanding on these boards. Feel free to ask any question, and I do mean any question, and there will always be someone around to help out.

You need to have a serious talk w/ both your derm and your rheumy and tell them what you think. If they don't listen, get a 2nd opinion. If it is PsA rather than, or in conjunction w/, osteoarthritis, you need to start treatment as quickly as possible. PsA is a progressive and degenerative arthritis and some of the damage is irreversible. Good luck and keep us posted.

[MeganH]

Sunglow - my P and PsA don't seem to flare together - or at least so that I've noticed.

Hello Mermie - nice to meet you - ditto Nyoki. Keep in mind that many doctors do not read their own Xrays. In my case, the radiologist diagnosed Osteo. Arthritis. My Rheum insisted that I bring my Xrays and pointed out to me that it was not Osteo - but PsA. The erosion is different and people dealing with PsA will catch it - just a thought. But you need help from someone who knows and sadly not all Drs. are created equally in dealing with this disease.