Psoriasis sufferers...

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Does anyone else get exhausted at the start of a flare? I'm flaring up in a big way at the moment and am struggling through the day. Arthritis side is pretty quiet.

I can't work out whether I'm exhausted because I'm overtired and a bit stressed or whether the flare is making me feel overtired. Does that make sense? (feeling a bit thick and cognitively challenged today!) I am busy and sleep is a bit disturbed cos I'm itchy at night. Don't really have time for a flare atm (but clearly have time for a good whinge!)

DH had a nasty virus which started at the end of Jan. His Psoriasis flared up really badly, he now has it places he's never had it before and doesn't seem to be improving. How long do these flare ups usually last?

DH does, although his skin is under control at the moment and it's the arthritis that's bad. Although I sometimes wonder if it's the meds as well!!

CarGirl - it depends what version of psoriasis it is. If its guttate (loads and loads of little spots) then it can quite often resolve spontaneously (though not always). Chronic plaque may well need some help from doctor or derm.

mankyscotslass. If he is on drugs for the arthritis then I think a lot of them can be tiring. I'm not taking anything at the moment - hooray! but only take anti-inflamms when I do.

I just wonder how common this tiredness is?

My nephew has just had an awful outbreak of something called pustulent psoriasis and I wondered if you knew anything about it. Normally he just has very bad excema, but he became really ill, was hospitalised for a bacterial infection of the excema, failed to respond to anti-bios and was then given this diagnosis. Is back home now but still poorly.

I just wondered what it means in the longer term, will it recur, etc.

Don't be daft threadworm - you are very welcome on this thread

Pustular psoriasis - I don't know much about it as its not a very common form. I do know though that it can be brought on by being on lots of steroids and then just suddenly stopping them. But that as he hasnt a history of psoriasis his parents couldnt possibly have known that if that was his trigger.

I know that generalised pustular psoriasis can make you feel pretty unwell. There are a few kinds - one is just confined to soles of feet and palms. My aunty has that and although not nice it comes and goes with out any systemic effect. Generalised is different and not at all nice.

I've just looked it up for you to find out more.
good link

I hope your nephew fares well.

Thanks v much for this, Badkitten. He is usually on lots of steroids for his eczema, so it could be that these were stopped suddenly. And I notice from the link you gave me tha infection can be a trigger. So perhaps he did have a strep infection and then the psoriasis set in.

I don't like to bother his mum and dad with too many questions right now as they are exhausted with all the worry of it. But he is on the mend at last

I'm sorry you are heading into a bad patch. It is an auto-immune condition is that right?
All those are so demoralising because of their unpredictable flarings and remissions. I have alopecia -- trivial compared with psoriasis but really upsetting with its random malice!

I hope that you start to feel better asap.

Hello, DH has really bad psorasis. He read an article in the paper a few weeks back about it and there was a man from eastenders a few yeara back and he recommended a herbal remedy called oreggan from skin shop on line. Said it was the best thing he had tried and cured him.

DH has ordered some, was about £20 but worth a try.

Is a horrible illness.

Youre welcome
I'm really glad he is on the mend. Long may that continue!

strep/general throat bugs are one of my main triggers. Also stress (doesnt that trigger anything lol!)

It is auto-immune. silly old bodies!! I wouldn't say alopecia is trivial in comparison, not at all. It just different, thats all.

Thanks for the well wishes

Thanks Kathyrn77, I've not heard of that one. I'll look it up in the morning - thanks
As tiredness is also a trigger I'd best get some sleep!

Goodnight!

Since flare ups coincide with episodes of low immunity and/or high stress not surprised your body is telling you to take it easy.

My psoriasis is much better now (live under the sun and pregnant) but appart from topical tretment what worked for me was twice yearly herbal cleanse + scrupulous use of moisturiser (natural body oils) + omegas.

I'm still taking a cocktail of evening primrose/starflower/lineseed/etc.... (called Udo's oils). I started about 5 years ago (recommended by Dr) and never looked back. Don't know to what extent it worked but I've been pretty much psoriasis free since.

Take care

Hi I've just been to the doctors and been prescribed some cream; I usually try to control with a lotion I found at our Farmer's Market, but I really couldn't stand this any longer.

The lotion stopped the worst of breakout on my hands but my feet are in shreds.

I always forget how ill it makes me, my arthritis is awful, my sore feet keep me awake at night, i've got flu-like symptoms constantly.

I've been vile to DP, impatient with aged mother, no support to DD with poorly DGC, have got to work til Saturday, with visitors tomorrow evening....but at least I know I'm not suffering alone

Goodnight all, let's keep in touch
EM

Oh poor you!

During the last bad flare up, I was prescribed a Vitamine D cream.
It worked much much better and quicker that the usual steroids.
That was in the Netherlands, I don't know what the protocol is in the UK anymore.

Have you tried?

slim22
'Since flare ups coincide with episodes of low immunity and/or high stress not surprised your body is telling you to take it easy.'

As soon as I read that I thought 'doh - silly me, thats so obvious, shes right'

I do a similar cocktail, incl sometimes cod liver oil' but then I worry that I might be contributing to the cod shortage.

I alternate between widespread weak steroids when its guttate psoriasis and too covering to use things like dovonex along with sunlight and tar baths to using dovonex on chronic patches and scalp.

I might go and see the doctor as I ended up with steroid induced cataracts which were removed last year. I've been self-managing psoriasis over this winter but I'm not sure how to treat the flare this time round. Last time when it was a guttate attack I started antibiotics within a week and within a couple of weeks it had completely cleared. It was a minor miracle

Earthmama you def arent alone! What cream were you prescribed? I'm lucky in that my hands and feet don't get too bad. poor you, it sounds like its being really mean at the moment.

One thing I do do when I'm in the throes of a bad attack is make sure I have one day where I'm not covering myself ointments and tar baths and what not and actually use a shampoo, bath oils that smell nice and make me feel like I'm not just a medical case but I'm someone who is still worth treating nicely too. Maybe something similar but take a bit of the sting out of what you are going through?

I am new to Mumsnet and its good to know that I am not alone in the battle against psoriasis. I currently have guttate psoriasis which is making me feel very depressed, my whole body is covered in millions of tiny spots that are so itchy I want to scream. I am trying some Vitamin A cream after a course of steroids did nothing at all. I read that Vernon Kay's wife - Tess had it on her hands, she stopped all dairy products and it cleared up. Has anyone else tried this?

Brievan905 - welcome

I've not tried that but as I've had it since a kid I'm a bit sceptical about these things. Saying that - if stress and viruses trigger it in some, whos to say that others stressors like diet don't affect others?

Have you been offered any antihistamines - my derm gave me atarax - which is rather heavy duty and sleepy making. It was too much for me so I agreed that piriton would be better. However, if its so bad its making you sleep deprived its an option to talk over with your doctor.

For guttate I've found being gentle works best. My formula atm is antibiotics (my gp amazed me in being so knowledgeable about this last visit), coal tar baths, the steroids which didnt help you, and sunbathing. Derm had me out when it was really cold and horrid. I had to apolgise to startled neighbours but hey ho! And lots and lots of moisturiser.

Anyway - don't get down, I know its horrid, but it doesnt last forever - just keep telling yourself that your skin is feeling a little over excited atm.

I've come a cropper with dovonex this week - been using the scalp solution for a few days and last night I came up in an irritated rash on my face. I must have been absent mindedly scratching my scalp and transferring it. its a bit annoying. But even though I whinge, it too will go.

Thankyou OhYouBadBadKitten you have made me feel better and its good to see others have good quality skin like mine!! Goodluck with the dovonex!

Thanks But lol - we might not have quality skin but we can certainly produce quantity

Did read in Telegraph magazine from yesterday that bee stings have been shown to therapeutic! Apparently they've tried stinging near a lesion and in a few days its greatly improved. I really can't say I fancy that one!