Psoriasis! Help!

[FlorenceDaphne]

I have quite bad psoriasis all over ( legs, arms, back, stomach, scalp etc). I have always had a good deal of it coming down my forehead from my hairline as well, approaching my cheeks from my ears (God, I sound attractive) but most of the middle of my face has been clear.

Luckily, although it's bad, the psorisis has always been quite stable, so isn't inclined to fluctuate madly like I know happens with some people.

However, since last Monday there has been a horrid rash in the middle of my forehead and around my eyebrows. I think it's new psoriasis. Arrgh! Why has this happened?

I already use: Cocois, Polytar, Dovobet and Dovonex as well as intensive moisturiser. I've had light treatment in the past but stopped because I was concerned about skin cancer ( I have really olive skin and had to spend ages in the light machine).

I went to a pharmacy for advice and saw a twelve year old on work experience who told me not to get too stressed about it. For God's sake.

Honestly, most of the time it really doesn't bother me, but the thought of it appearing all over my face more than it is already is the final straw.

Please help me. I suppose the GP is the ost obviouys port of call, but apart from more light treatment, what else can he do?

My mum suffers from psoriasis and takes lots of medication but saw the best results following a trip to a chinese herbalist. I'm not entirely sure what it was she had, but it cleared up nearly all of her psoriasis (apart from a few bits on her knees, elbows and back)

Might be worth a go ?

There are other creams that you could try - ask your GP. I use Epaderm, which has a consistency like Vaseline, but does the job. I put it on my face, and especially around my eyes, but tend to only really use it at night time as it makes me look a bit greasy!!

My dd has had a little bit on her eyelids (as well as other areas) and the dermatologist prescribed bydrocortisone ointment for that - with some success but nothing drastic. Weirdly (and thankfully) after about 18 months her psoiasis seems to have gone into some sort of remission and really receded. I have NO idea why - certainly not the creams (dovebet, cocois, dithrocream etc) as we'd just about given up using them - dd1 found it very annoying and tended to get upset so I just pushed it if any area was bad.

I believe methotrexate can be used (think it's that) but that is nasty, nasty stuff - not to be taken if there's even a tiny chance of you getting pregnant and it can lower your immune system I think. You would need to see a dermatologist for that - maybe you should ask your GP to (re?) refer you?

I suffer from Psoriasis and last year I got an 'extra' rash on my stomach, back, arms and legs. Dr said it was guttate psoriasis which can be caused by a respiritory infection (I had a cough/flu style illness over Xmas). Anyway the only thing that cleared it was 2 months of light therapy (very time consuming at 3 times per week).

Currently,my psoriasis has got worse and does not seem to be responding to Dovobet. So I have stopped using it and I'm using a sunbed twice a week. I'll go back to ointment in a couple of months. What really bothers me is the thought of putting a bikini on in the summer - I think i'll scare people.I even find it difficult to wear short sleeves at the moment and actually find the whole situation quite depressing. How do you cope?

I'm covered too and don't give a toss if people stare. A new outbreak has landed on my face and I've stopped putting any type of cream on.
I had some success with acupuncure and Chinese topical cream (steroid free) a while back so might try that again soon.
Exposure to sunlight does help.

That's interesting about the acupuncture - I think I might try that for dd if/when it gets bad. The creams just haven't touched it and it flared badly last August when she had tonsillitis - now after several months good health it's backed right off.

Thabkyou so much everyone who's answered.

NorthernLurker: Someone mentioned methawotsit but it sounded terrifying. However, this rash on my face is disproportionately upsetting me, so I might ask the GP what he thinks.

How do I cope? I've had it since I was three years old and when I was little, it was so bad that complete strangers would stop my mum in the street to ask what was wrong with me. I'm generally fine about it. Well actually, I have hideously low self esteem so maybe it's all wrapped up in a general blend of self-loathing and ugly perception. Maybe I'm not fine. I don't know. I wear a bikini in the summer but worry more about my flabby arms.

Actually, I'm not fine with it at all. It's really bad- think great scabby, crusty areas cracking and bleeding and shedding huge scales everywhere. Honestly, at times it looks like I've got leprosy. I've only ever seen anyone with psoriasis worse than mine.

But it kind of makes an excuse for my ugliness. Like, if I didn't have it, I would have to face up to my unattractveness. Whereas at the moment, I can just blame it on the psoriasis.

Sorry that took so long. It was actaully theraputic to type all that out.

Sorry, that should read: I've only ever ONCE seen someone with psoriasis worse than mine.

Florence. Hope you find something to help it.

Florence - have you tried Western Herbal medicine ? You ought to be able to find a registered practitioner in your area. They will look at your health from a holistic view.
It might be worth a try.

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, I too have suffered with psoriasis all my life and ove the past few months it has got worse.

I've been referred for light therapy and I'm just wondering what it entails, what happens, how long it takes and are you completely naked etc

Dovonex can cause that sort of reaction if you get it on the face (as I've sadly learnt to my cost)

Lovemyshoes - light therapy involves going into a stand up sun tanning 'cabin'. You are naked and it is UVB rays. They start at a very short time, about 1 minute and build it up, this depends on your skin type though. After 3 times a week for 8 weeks I was up to about 9 minutes. It does eventually flatten the psoriasis but the darker pigmentation takes longer to go. The 'good' side affect is that I ended up with an all over sun tan.

i have read this thread with a great interest y dh has had psorisis for many many years now. His is quite bad and covers his body/scalp completely nearly.

i would love them to find a cure for this as im sure others would.

He can not go for the light treatment to improve his as his boss will not allow him to start late 3/4 times a week for 10 weeks.

He relies heavily on the creams. However he now has arthritis wich he has been told is caused by the psorisis getting into his joints and pitted nails etc.

I will continue to read this post for any new remedies which he may not have tried.

Dh has severe psoriasis. He is on methotrexate and Humira injections for psoriatic arthritis. Currently he is sleeping on the sofa because his knees are so bad he can't get up the stairs to bed.

for all fellow psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis sufferers. i have suffered with psoriasis since i was a little girl and have it very very badly. i was recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, not long after the premature birth of ds2 (5 months old now). I have been told i will need to start methotrexate once i stop breastfeeding but have since been diagnosed with osteopeania (a precursor to osteoporosis which runs in my family) and i believe methotrexate thins the bones. And my immune system is rubbish at the best of times so god help me on an immuno-supressant!
comeoveneer it sounds like the methotrexate isn't really keeping your dh's arthritis at bay?
florence how rubbish you feel about yourself. If it's any consolation, you are not alone. Good luck in finding something to help...i shall be watching with interest...

Thanks everyone!

Today I feel a bit embarrassed about my outpouring. Mostly, I honestly don't mind it, it's just this new rash on my face. Maybe the methotrexate is the way forwards.

Anyway, thanks once again.

My dad suffered from psoriasis most of his adult life, the only time it cleared up was when he went back to cyprus and got plenty of sun and swam in the sea. Came back when he got back to uk.

I know this will sound odd but I get bouts of this and there are 2 things which definitely help. One is regular exposure to sun, 15mins a day at least (even on shady days). The second, oddly enough, is adding Turmeric to everything savoury I eat...I kid you not
I don't know why/how it works but you could try it. It's actually quite nice. I literally add it to all my meals until it goes.

Thank you for the info on light therapy LMOTS.

KENTMUMTJ that horrid about work not letting him go, I am VERY VERY lucky, my boss knows how the psoriasis affects me and is all for me trying new treatments and is very supportive, I think it helps that her husband has it quite bad so she will understand to some extent what it's like.

I've got psoriasis too. Horrible isn't it. I've never found any cream that isn't worse than the damn crusty skin, I just grin and bear it tbh.

I use sunbeds now and then too, and tan deeply once a year on holiday. This keeps it away until the weather gets really cold again.

Sunshine is the only failsafe for me.

i agree what a selfish boss but you know what some people are like nowdays all they think about is their workers earning them as much money as possible we are trying to see if a local hospital to the area he is currently working in would take him as then he would only miss about half an hour in the morning. he starts work at 7 thats the problem

I also suffer from psoriasis but it has got particularly bad over the last few months since DS was born. I've had it for about the last 15 years but it was only on my scalp and my elbows. Now my ass looks like a map of the world with huge plaques, my nose is likes rudolph's cos I've been trying to exfoliate the flakes off so that I can attempt to cover it with make up and my nails are just disgusting. Seriously though, it is driving me insane and it is embarrassing because it is now hard to hide from the rest of the world which I have almost managed to do since it started.

Treatment wise I have tried every cream known to man over the years and though they initially work after time its back. I haven't tried light treatment as it is not available in my local hospital and I would have to travel a long way to get it. I have found that sunshine and sea water help but the great british weather doesn't allow for this very often.

Anyway, I have been trawling the internet for a while now looking for a cure or at least something new to try. So I have been reading a lot and I have come across some interesting information. Yoga has been recommended on a few sites due to its ability to help you destress so yesterday I ordered a dvd to help me learn more about it and hopefully relax more. Diet wise I read a lot about the negative reaction that a lot of foods can cause and although most were obvious like chocolate etc I did find out that tomatoes are particularly bad for sufferers which could explain why my condition has worsened as since I moved into my own house we have been cooking a lot of food based around tomatoes (curry, chilli, spag bol etc). In fact I would say I have been eating them in some form everyday which I never used to do.

Lastly, I also found a book which I have been considering buying as it is getting very good write ups from sufferers but I'm not sure I will be able to stick to its strict regime so I think I'll give the yoga and no tomatoes a go first and see if it helps.

I've had psoriasis since I was 15 (I'll be 45 this year) so I can completely empathise with you. Like many of the posters here I tried every cream/lotion/potion going and found that they did not help. I haven't used anything medical for the past 12 years and the psoriasis flares up and dies down just the same. (I use loads of moisturisers, body butters, vaseline). The prescription creams made no difference at all. I find that it gets worse after a throat infection or bad cold. Had one a few weeks ago and my hands are a complete mess now. The only thing that really helps is a combination of sunshine and saltwater or other mineral source, such as geothermal mud baths (tried this in NZ - big help). I have had the PUVA treatment. Great tan, but no long term effect - it just creeps back (in fact it never went completely away), and where I live now it wouldn't be an option. I spent 3 weeks in hospital being treated with heavy duty coal tars when I was 19. Wouldn't do that again. I've also tried a lot of the dietary suggestions such as no dairy but to no effect. Also no result for homeopathic remedies. The conclusion I have come to is to expose myself to sunshine, swim in the sea when I get a chance (freezing here even in August, so really only an option when abroad)and to accept that this is it. There is no cure, most doctors aren't interested. It can be hideous and make you feel very unattractive but you have to find a way of living with it. There are no miracle cures. I suppose I am lucky in that I have never had it on my face and that makes it easier. I really feel for you. However, I have always had it my hands and used to get some terrible comments - eg "have you been in a fire" - which were difficult to deal with when I was younger. People seem to be more aware of it now. I get a few stares but haven't had any horrible comments for quite some time. I'm sorry I can't offer you any miracle cures. The Dead Sea Resort is supposed to be good (relief for up to a year) but you need to go for something like 6 weeks which isn't an option for most people. I don't think your doctor will be able to offer much more than the usual creams.

DH did the dead ses treatment for 3 weeks and it helped a lot. But as you say it is time comsumming and expensive.