Thread: Flakers awake! - Psoriasis

I've had psoriasis for 20 years or so. About 7 years ago I had a major flare. I'd been working hard rebuilding the back of the house, kneeling a lot. I had to go get a cortisone shot in my foot because it was getting sore. Just as the building was finished, my father in law passed away. It was a very stressful time for my wife and I.
I woke one morning with stiff puffy knees. Within a week I was on a walking stick. I could barely move, let alone walk. I saw a dermatologist straight away. He was a friend of a friend of my wife, who is a nurse. It's not what you know... My GP wasn't keen on my demand for a referal. Country docs sometimes think they can handle everything.
Anyway, it turned out I had Psoriatic Arthritis. With the help of some serious meds, it took a few months to get things under control, and I've been popping pills ever since. I take methotrexate once a week. Been on it for 8 years now. I also got good relief from celebrex, but had to stop after 3 years because they were messing up my blood pressure meds. I swapped them for sulphasalizine, which seems to help.
As for the P. I've used heaps of topical steroids in the past. I don't think they do a great deal really, and eventually, they can thin your skin. That seems to have happened to me anyway. If you do use cortisone cream or ointment, I found the best is "fatty ointment". Your doc will know it and can order it in bulk packs. That way you get half a dozen tubes for a standard scrip payment at the chemist (in Australia anyway).
I've also used Daivonex a fair bit. It worked quite well at first, but the it doesn't and the P comes back. Dermie told me this works better if you get the ointment and mix it with fatty ointment. You can also get Daivobet, which is daivonex with betamethasone (cortisone) mixed in, but the dermie says best to mix your own.
I've found the best is still the Ruddick's (sp?) Cattle Ointment. Buy it at any Vet's. They'll know why you want it LOL. About $30 for a few years supply. It won't cure anything, but it will loosen flakey skin. Have a bath about 12 hours after you apply it and you can gain much satisfaction gently removing heaps of dead skin. Then you'll only have red patches.
Paul.

Originally Posted by flightyswine

It worked quite well at first, but the it doesn't and the P comes back.

Doesnt it always......

I've found the best is still the Ruddick's (sp?) Cattle Ointment. Buy it at any Vet's. They'll know why you want it LOL. About $30 for a few years supply. It won't cure anything, but it will loosen flakey skin. Have a bath about 12 hours after you apply it and you can gain much satisfaction gently removing heaps of dead skin. Then you'll only have red patches.
Paul.

I use Vitamin E cream for the same purpose.

I went to a naturpoath a few weeks ago, she did the usual, no dairy, no wheat, lots of supplements and the most disgusting herbal mixture. Anyway, it seems to be slowly clearing. Lets see in six months.......

In a vast majority of people psoriasis is caused by stress, my family doctor told me this .....I have tried all available lotions, some of them even spread it and made it worse .....however, there are two successful and helpful remedies to try .....go for a swim in chlorinated pool...and most effective was wearing sports supports ....you know those stretchy knee supports, and elbow things ....well they keep in the heat, make ya sweat a little, and virtually slowly "rub off" the dead skin ....and here is something I noticed ...in winter time this psoriasis slows down almost to a halt, but as soon as summer comes .....its back again ...I have been trouble free now for two yrs , I got rid of it by the afore mentioned proccess and changed my attitude .....tomorrow is another day .....stressing yourself out has to stop .....its unhealthy .....and nothing is more important than your health ......stay calm .....pidgeon hole the problem and come back to it with a fresh mind ......its that simple