Seventeen years old. Graduating High School. The world at me feet....and an irritated, itchy, red, I'm gonna-tear-my-head-off scalp. Ugh.
I thought maybe I had dandruff. I went to a drug store and bought Head and Shoulders shampoo. Certainly that would clear up the problem. Not so much. I tried Selsun Blue. Ok. I guess I will try something else. The 80's dandruff solutions were pretty slim pick ins and the itching had become ridiculous, so I made an appointment with my doctor.
Psoriasis. What the heck is Psoriasis? How did I get it?
My doctor suggested this skin condition may be genetic and that I had too much stress in my life. My scalp had become so itchy as I began college, so I figured it must be stress. After all, I had just experienced an infamous right of passage and it was an exciting time. Maybe "good" stress could make this happen. My quest began.
In the past 29 years I have tried many things to relieve stress. Acupuncture, deep breathing, exercise, yoga and so many things in between. The Psoriasis continued its quest to irritate and annoy me. The treatments for Psoriasis have been stinky, messy, cumbersome and oh, yes...ineffective. Coal Tar shampoo was pretty gross... but my "favorite" was the super expensive peanut oil/medicine mixture I was to coat my scalp with BEFORE I shampooed with the Coal Tar. Enough is enough. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to the summer of 2013. Now my right foot hurts and I am not sure why. The right heel/ankle to be specific. I spend the next year blaming the pain on my weight. I had gained and I had hit 45 years old so maybe this was what came with the territory. I went to my family doctor. We discussed shoe inserts, he gave me topical anti-inflammatory drugs and I hoped the pain would subside enough for me to move enough to loose weight. Made sense. Here's where the Double Whammy comes in...
After tests and time, my Rhuematologist (yes, I have one of those now) informed me on May 15, 2014 that I have Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). This blog was inspired by the challenges I have experienced after a lifetime with Psoriasis, but more importantly the journey I am about to take with this new diagnosis. I have already struggled with some decisions in treatment. I know I am not alone.
I expect this place will become a resource and a real life story with ideas, thoughts and feelings about living with and coping with this double edged sword. I hope it will be a safe place for all of us to come and share.
I welcome your questions and thoughts.
Ellie
I thought maybe I had dandruff. I went to a drug store and bought Head and Shoulders shampoo. Certainly that would clear up the problem. Not so much. I tried Selsun Blue. Ok. I guess I will try something else. The 80's dandruff solutions were pretty slim pick ins and the itching had become ridiculous, so I made an appointment with my doctor.
Psoriasis. What the heck is Psoriasis? How did I get it?
My doctor suggested this skin condition may be genetic and that I had too much stress in my life. My scalp had become so itchy as I began college, so I figured it must be stress. After all, I had just experienced an infamous right of passage and it was an exciting time. Maybe "good" stress could make this happen. My quest began.
In the past 29 years I have tried many things to relieve stress. Acupuncture, deep breathing, exercise, yoga and so many things in between. The Psoriasis continued its quest to irritate and annoy me. The treatments for Psoriasis have been stinky, messy, cumbersome and oh, yes...ineffective. Coal Tar shampoo was pretty gross... but my "favorite" was the super expensive peanut oil/medicine mixture I was to coat my scalp with BEFORE I shampooed with the Coal Tar. Enough is enough. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to the summer of 2013. Now my right foot hurts and I am not sure why. The right heel/ankle to be specific. I spend the next year blaming the pain on my weight. I had gained and I had hit 45 years old so maybe this was what came with the territory. I went to my family doctor. We discussed shoe inserts, he gave me topical anti-inflammatory drugs and I hoped the pain would subside enough for me to move enough to loose weight. Made sense. Here's where the Double Whammy comes in...
After tests and time, my Rhuematologist (yes, I have one of those now) informed me on May 15, 2014 that I have Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). This blog was inspired by the challenges I have experienced after a lifetime with Psoriasis, but more importantly the journey I am about to take with this new diagnosis. I have already struggled with some decisions in treatment. I know I am not alone.
I expect this place will become a resource and a real life story with ideas, thoughts and feelings about living with and coping with this double edged sword. I hope it will be a safe place for all of us to come and share.
I welcome your questions and thoughts.
Ellie
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