NEED HELP WITH PSA

[NETIE]

I AM A NEW MEMBER AND AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME.
I AM FEMALE AND 64 YRS OLD & HAVE JUST BEEN DIAG.W/ PSA. DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS ACQUIRED IT AT SUCH AN OLD AGE. SOME OF YOU ARE OLDER BUT HAVE HAD IT FOR 40 YRS..

THIS IS MY STORY:
WHEN I WAS IN MY LATE 20'S I GOT BIT BY A SPIDER. (DON'T KNOW IF THIS COULD BE SIGNIFICANT TO MY PROBLEMS). MY FOOT TURNED BLACK & BLUE, MY HUSBAND WAS OUT OF TOWN AND I COULD NOT GET TO A DR.. IT STAYED THAT WAY UNTIL HE CAME HOME 3 OR 4 DAYS LATER AND TOOK ME. DR. SAID IT WAS A SPIDER BITE.

SEVERAL YRS LATER THAT SAME FOOT SWELLED AGAIN AND I ASSUMED THAT I HAD BEEN BITTEN AGAIN.

SEVERAL YRS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IM LIKE WHOA SOMETHING IS GOING ON BESIDES SPIDER BITES.

LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM DRS. THOUGHT I HAD BLOOD CLOTS, BUT AFTER MANY DOPPLER TESTS THEY ALL PROVED TO BE NEGATIVE.

OVER THE YRS THIS HAS OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY, & I HAVE HAD MANY DOPPLER TEST. NEGATIVE FOR BLOOD CLOTS & TAKEN A TON OF STEROIDS.

SUDDENLY FROM MARCH 2001 TO MARCH 2002 IT ALL WENT AWAY, & I STOPPED TAKING STEROIDS FOR A YR. IN MARCH THIS YR., IT CAME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE, NOT ONLY W/ THE SWELLING BUT IN THE FORM OF PSORIASIS ON MY FEET & PALMS OF MY HANDS.

FOR THE PS I WENT TO A DERM & WAS TREATED FOR PS FOR 5 MO. W/ NO RESULTS. HE COULD NOT CURE IT. THEN AFTER THE 5 MO & SEEING MY FINGERS ARE CRIPPLED UP AND SWOLLEN HE DETERMINED IT WAS PSORIAC ARTHRITIS. HE SENT ME TO RHEUMATOLIGIST WHO AGREED W/ HIS DIAG.. I WAITED 3 MO. TO SEE HER. (I LIVE IN HOUST MED CNTR AREA) & ALL DOCS THAT TREAT THIS HAVE 3 MO BACK LOGS, SO I AM PRETTY MUCH ON MY OWN.

I WAS PUT ON SULFASALIZINE, I CAN'T TAKE IT, MAKES ME NEROUS AND BREAK OUT WORSE, TAKES SWELLING DOWN BUT SKIN ON FEET LOOKES DECAYED, VERY PAINFUL,. I GOT OFF IT, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES HAVE WORSE SIDE EFFECTS.

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS A SIMILAR STORY THAT COOULD GIVE ME SOME POINTERS ON HOW TO STOP THE ITCHING AND PAIN ON MY FEET?

IVE HAD ALL THE FANCY PRESCRIPT. CREAMS & THE ONLY THING THAT GIVES ME RELIEF IS LUKE WARM SOAK W/BETIDINE TO KEEP DOWN INFECTION, & NEOSPORIN PLUS PAIN AN (OTC). BUT IT JUST KEEPS ME MORE COMFORTABLE & HAS NO EFFECT ON HEALING.

THANKS FOR LISTENING.

I WOULDS ALSO LIKE AN OPINION ON WEATHER THE SPIDER BITE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

[eyzatia.]

hi Netie: after you have read this, please contact me at eyzatia@msn.com

I do not know about the spider bite. try not to worry your head about the spider, he is gone to spider heaven. you very likely have palmar plantar pustolosis,a rare form of Pustular Psoriasis, that affects less than five percent of the psoriasis community. And possibly the steroids you were using, going off them, maybe triggered it. Who knows. I got afflicted during my orderl of recovering from injuries from an auto accident. In 1997.
You see, I am very familar with this Pustular psoriasis I was diagnosed with in '98: I know the misery well. However, In the spring of 2001 in the midst of another out-break, my daughter, who is Type 1 diabetic, has incredible results from an amazing balanced nutritional support system that I began using then in the midst of this out-break, brought on my fumigants in newly purchased clothing from my daughters shopping spree.

Since the spring of 2001, I have had 0 inflammatory response & 0 outbreak. I have tons of energy, can eat foods I could not even think of before, and LOVE my life. Please contact me at the above address, and be sure to leave your address. 3 months of hell waiting for a doctor, is a very very long time. You said you are 64, and have PA. I have it too, there is an amazing Joint support so many people use, for arthritis in this nutritional support system. And I use it but now that I have been doing this system for a year now, I actually have not had the Joint Support for about 6 weeks. Just the Nutritional alone, is so powerful, so relaxing, so energizing. I LOVE the way I feel now. The Best IN Health....Eyzatia

[gloria]

HI NETI,
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I TOO DEVELOPED PSORIASIS AT AN OLDER AGE (68). I HAD A GROWTH REMOVED FROM MY ARM AND THE WOUND WOULD NOT HEAL. IT TOOK NUMEROUS MEDICATION AND FINALLY HEALED WITH ULTRAVATE 9 MOS LATER. I DON'T HAVE PALMS AND FEET P. I HAVE LESIONS ON HAND ARMS LEGS BACK.
I DO FEEL THE TRAUMA TO MY SKIN CAUSED P.
BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PREDISPOSITION TO ACQUIRE IT. THE MOST VALUABLE INFO COMES FROM THIS MESSAGE BOARD.
READ IT ALL AND GOOD LUCK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EMAIL YOU CAN REACH ME AT sandgwarren@comcast.net. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
P.S. MY FATHER DEVELOPED P AT AGE 93.

[RDean]

First I would like to comment on your using upper case letters. E-mail ediquette says not to do that except for special emphasis.

Regarding the spider bite and possible relationship with psoriasis . . . I would like to quote a msg sent to NPF a number of years ago that is somewhat related:

"FLEA BITES MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO PSORIASIS SUFFERERS: I have had psoriasis for the past 40 years. Recently I had an outbreak of pustules, some as large as two inches across. I thought my psoriasis was changing from plaque to pustular. The first question my dermatologist asked was whether or not I had pets. (I do have two large dogs that go for long walks but spend most of their time in the house.) A quick check revealed that there were indeed a large number of fleas in the house. The flea problem is gone now and most of the resulting sores are healed. However, I did observe a surprising improvement in my psoriasis condition. Some areas, such as my waist and buttocks are completely cleared. The normal heavy plaque condition on my legs has been reduced to only a few small areas. Although the reaction to flea bites wasn't pleasant, I have to be pleasantly surprised with the remarkable improvement in my psoriasis condition. Is it possible that there is a connection?"

I believe that the NPF reply to this query was that they had no knowledge of any relationship of flea bites to psoriasis. I expect they would reply the same way to your situation.

My apology to members for a long msg.

[cereal]

Hi Netie and welcome to the board. I can only give you a little insight to some of the things you wrote in your post. I have plaque psoriasis, I have had it for 6 years,(I'm 44 now) the doctors tell me they know what caused mine. I was given Inderal (a beta blocker) to treat high blood pressure, they said I carry the gene and the inderal woke the gene up. After doing a lot of digging I found out that my great grandmother had some kind of skin problem, I'm assuming it was psoriasis.
Over the years were you ever on any medications that could have caused the swelling in your feet? The reason I ask is last year my husband was put on depakote and his feet were so swollen he couldn't walk.
As far as the derm doctor trying things for 5 months and couldn't cure the psoriasis is true. There is currently no cure that I know of for psoriasis. There are medications available to help with the symptoms, but to get rid of it completely, maybe someday. Also be very care of anyone who tells you they have stumbled across a miracle cure, some of us go into remission only to be disapointed when that first tiny spot reappears.
As far as the itching goes, my doctor prescribes doxipin for me. I believe it is supposed to be an anti-depressant but it does help with the itching. I have also found that cold water works great for the itching. Many a night I have crawled out of bed to go stand in an cold shower just to get some relief.
I have also found great relief in soaking in a tub with dead sea salt. You'll find posts on this board about "floaters" there are psoriasis clinics, where people go to float in the Dead Sea. The one and only time I went into complete remission was when my doctor had given up and he sent me to Florida, the gulf side, I spent a week playing in the sun and water, within a month I was completely clear. 2 months later I started breaking out again, but that was the best month of my life. What I would give to be able to take off and go to Florida again. (I have a sick husband, lots of finacial problems and our first grandchild on the way so Florida is just a dream for me)
I would suggest that you get on the internet and do as much research as possible. Learn about the T cells, the immune system, post some more questions on this board, I have read the posts about the new drug they are using for PA. So far I've been lucky and I don't have the arthritis...yet.
I hope someome can give you some better answers, if one doctor gives up try another. I also don't know what the requirements are for getting social security disability where you live. I'm in Ohio and am currently going through thr system to get disability. I do know that the booklet I read listed psoriasis involving the hands and or feet makes you eligible to recieve benifits.
Take it day by day, and know that you are not alone. Keep us posted on how your doing. take care pat

[NETIE]

HI PAT,

IT WAS SO SWEET, AND THOUGHTFUL OF YOU TO WRITE. I HAVE HAD SOME VERY THOUGHTFUL, KIND, NOTES & GOOD TIPS FROM LADIES SUCH AS YOURSELF, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF "EMILY POST". LOL

I CANCELLED MY "PITY PARTY" TODAY TO THINK OF SOMEONE AS YOUNG AS YOURSELF, WITH ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, TAKING TIME TO WRITE TO AN OLD GAL LIKE ME.

I WILL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED AS I INTEND TO HAVE MORE TIME SOON FOR R & D, AND R & R, AS I AM STILL WORKING, AND PLAN TO RETIRE AROUND AUG. THIS YR., GOD WILLING.

I DO FEEL BETTER RIGHT NOW JUST KNOWING THAT THERE ARE THOSE OUT THERE WHO CARE.

GOD BLESS,
NETIE

[PJ Leary]

Hi Netie,

I've had psoriasis for 26 years, and began to have trouble with the PA in my mid twenties. When the psoriasis is flaring on my hands and feet, the PA is worse.

In the past, I have had some good response to " hand and foot " UVA phototherapy using psoralen " paint ". That in turn, has helped the PA.

Good luck, and do keep reading. Perhaps you should ask your Dr about Enbrel?

PJ