Archive through September 03, 2002
TV ClubHouse: Archives: The Shedding Psoriatics:
Archive through September 03, 2002
Halfunit | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 12:31 am     Thanks to a thread started by Gail, I mentioned that I had psoriasis. Since my post, 3 others here have come forward and also mentioned they have the same thing in common with me, and that is the reason for starting the thread! I am hoping to hear from them and others who have it, have a family member with it, have questions about it, or have never heard of it!! I was 16 years old when I had my first flare up of psoriasis (P). There is no good time to get it, but for a 16 year old girl - well, I wanted to die. At that time, I had 70% coverage. I am now at about 45-50%. For those who don't know what exactly psoriasis is, I give you my rehearsed speech: "It's a non-contagious, non-curable hereditary skin disease. A "normal" body reproduces skin cells every 30 days - I do it in 10. The skin has nowhere to go but up and out." My mother has it, and her father had it. My affected areas include my ears, the back of my neck, my forearms, elbows, torso, under the twins , knees, and calves. If you split me verticaly, my spots are almost perfectly semetrical. I also have slight pitting of my fingernails. Recent studies have shown that P is related to the immune system. I know that it takes me a longer amount of time to fight illness, but I always recover. See, my body thinks the plaqued areas are infected and rushes to try to heal them. That's the reason for the inflamed appearance. With the body constantly trying to fight something that can't be healed, it lowers the ability to fight off other things like the common cold. I have a wide variety of ointments, gunks and goos that I am supposed to apply to the affected areas. Well, as I mentioned in a members folder, that just doesn't work well when you apply something that is the consistancy of petroleum jelly all over you. You can't sit, you can't put on clothes, and worst of all - I have 3 long haired cats... talk about tarred and feathered!! I use the prescriptions when need be, if I have to look good for a special occasion. Otherwise, I just try to keep it in check with long baths, sunlight, and regular hand lotions. Winter is my favorite season for two reasons. I love snow, and I can cover up my P. We psoriatics do a VERY good job at hiding our spots!! The best three weapons of defense I have found are: #1 A good doctor. I can't find a dermatologist worth a darn, but I have a super family practitioner who will prescribe me whatever I ask him to. Since I've had this for half of my life, he knows that I know what I need. I belong to the National Psoriasis Foundation, and I keep myself knowledgable about the happenings with P. When a new medicine comes out, I just call him. #2 A great support system. Whether it's my husband, my family, my cats, my co-workers, or the darlings here on the boards, psoriatics need to be with people who can look past the blemishes and get to know the person inside. #3 A terrific sense of humor. See, P can be emotionally crippling. There is a huge loss of self esteem when you look in the mirror and see yourself and there's nothing you can do about it. Most psoriatics suffer from some sort of depression, and some even become recluse. While I have my down moments, I generally use humor and education to get me through these times. One of my favorite lines is that I could never commit a crime because I'd leave my DNA all over the place. Another one is that I like to leave a little bit of me where ever I go... The strangest thing about this disease is that what works for one person doesn't always work for another. I know that for me, alcohol is my worst enemy. Back in my early 20's, my skin was really bad because of this. Other than that, I haven't noticed any food or beverage triggers. Stress is another major trigger point and it's also a catch 22 situation. You feel stressed, you flare up, you stress out over your flare up, your skin rages out of control, etc. So, that's my introduction. My apologies for the length - would you believe I could type more!!?? I look forward to other comments and suggestions. It's nice feeling comfortable enough here to talk about this!!!! |
Gail | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 05:15 am     Halfunit, have you tried anything with emu oil in for relief of itching and breakouts. When I started using some in different things like soaps, chapsticks, etc I saw that it (emu oil) had had very positive results for people with psoriasis. |
Rissa | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 08:22 am     Halfunit, My brother has psoriasis as well. On him, it mostly affects his legs and arms, don't think his face, trunk have any. He isn't one to talk about anything personal to anyone, but he must not have it too badly or else he is real good at keeping it in check. I never even knew he had it until he brought it up about a year ago.. my mother had asked how he got so tanned and he mentioned the tanning beds and then the psoriasis. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt at the time and once I looked closely, it just looked like his skin was a little dry. He said the hardest part was keeping the "red" at bay (I will ask him what medications he uses because I have never noticed more then a tiny little patch of red on one leg). You mentioned that stress can make it worse? That actually made me laugh because my brother is the opposite of a type A personality. He is so perpetually relaxed and easy-going that it drives the rest of us nuts. LOL Do you know if it's always hereditary? No-one else in our family has it or has in the past as far as I know. We have pretty much EVERY OTHER hereditary illness you can have but not this one. Since you said you were a teenager when you first developed this.... does it get worse as you age (from 20-40), or plateau? I know when we git a certain age (past 40 or so), our skin gets thinner, less elastic.. does that it make it worse or better? Does long baths and loofas make it better in the short term or worse? Sorry to be drilling you, but I am truly interested and my brother just shrugs. LOL |
Sia | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 10:44 am     How is psoriasis different from eczema? The dictionary.com defintions don't make much of a distinction. My cousin's young son has eczema and it is very serious, affecting more than half his body. He is driven to scratch to the point that it keeps him awake some nights and certainly interferes with his participation in class. The boy's dermatologist recommended that my cousin invest in a swimming pool, as the chlorine in the water is said to be helpful to the skin condition he has. Has anyone here heard anything about chlorine helping this problem? I'm sure that having a skin condition would make one self-conscious. I understand feeling self-conscious; I'm extremely self-conscious. |
Draheid | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 11:04 am     Sia: Perhaps this information would be helpful: WebMd's 'What is Eczema' WebMd's 'What is Psoriasis' WebMD.com has lots of useful inormation. Just type in a 'condition' or 'symptom' and the site will provide lots of good information as well as some possible advice on treatment, etc. Hope this helps. |
Cinder | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 12:53 pm     I also have psoriasis. I think mine started around 15 or 16. It gets worse every year. The odd thing is that I can't track it in my family. I know of one cousin who has it (I am going ot email her to come to this site) I cannot think of an area of my body that is not affected. I too cannot find a good derm. My new trick is to go to one once a year to find out about the latest meds (I also get info online) and then get my general practitioner to write a new prescription. I have not taken any oral meds yet because to tell the truth I am scared to since I have not had children yet. Rissa- I have found that long baths with Calgon help because it moisterizes the skin. I ahve also found that tanning beds help- but I am not dedicated enough. FOr awhile I tanned at the derms office with a UVB as opposed to UVA. I saw no difference to the UVA bed but that may be because dermatologists do not encourage you to stay in long enough. Thats enough for now. |
Halfunit | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 01:06 pm     Gail I have never heard of emu oil being used, but I'm open to anything! Aside from synthetic prescriptions, I've used oatmal baths, dead sea salts in bathwater, fish oil capsules, and tea tree oil, all with little or no effect. However, it is well known in the P community that just because one method of treatment works for someone, it might not work for me. I am interested in that emu oil though! Rissa Don't you worry - you can't drill me enough!! I'm not surprised you didn't know your brother has P. We are masters at the art of cover-up!! Actually, keeping the scales down (for me) is the easy part. Without the aid of high potency topical steroids, the red part is another story. That is actually blood under the surface trying to fight what it believes is an infection. My four favorite goops are Desonide, Florone, Dovenex, and Ultravate. While there is a common factor in families having this gene, I can tell you that my sister does not have it. My personal belief is that family memebers carry the gene, but P decides who to affect. It lies dormant until a traumatic event triggers the little bugger into action. Again, that is what *I* believe. I've had it for 16 years, and I'd say that the last 7 have probably been the best. Yes, I would say that I've plateaued for the most part. When things at work get a little hectic, I will notice a new spot starting. It ususally has a delayed reaction with me of about 2-4 weeks (this part I haven't figured out yet!). I'm 32 now, so I'm not sure (at least on me) if it's going to be harder to deal with as my skin loses elasticity. A side effect of the topical steroids that I use is thinning of the skin. If people look closely, they can already see the capillaries at the base of my nose. This is a BIG reason why I only use the steroids when I absolutely have to. I keep my face as clear as I can since this is the first part of people that other people see and the part of the body most looked at. As for the rest of me, I usually just let it go. I take showers every morning, but that is limited time in water so they have no effect. I take a 2-3 hour bath once a week. (Thank goodness for the laptop - it sits nicely on the toilet so I can pass time away while soaking!!!) This is the only way I am able to shave my legs! I sit and sit, and after about 2 hours I am able to "rub" the scales off without any pain. Then my skin is smooth enough to shave. It's kinda funny since most people would think a 2 hour soak would be relaxing - for me, I view it as a chore for personal maintenance, lol. Nair just irrates my plaques, and I'm still debating buying a men's Norelco type shaver. It does a good job, but you have to use it more often and it doesn't keep the scaling down. When it comes to P, I do think men have an easier time with body maintenance, but I think for people with perfect skin, men STILL have it easier!!! Sia To me, the main difference between P & E is that you can outgrow E. People with P can go into "remission", but you always have it. E is somehow tied into allergies, and P is tied into an immune system malfunction. I feel bad for your cousin's boy. It is so hard for little ones. The best thing I can recommend is putting socks on his hands at night to prevent him from damage while scratching at night. As for swimming pools - YES, I personally have had success with pools. My dad had a pool where he used to live and I would totally clear up in the summer. The use of ultraviolet rays to help has been established, and I believe the chlorine also aids to "burn off" the scales. Once the scales are gone, the sun can get to the affected areas. You've also got the water helping to loosen everything up, and most people have fun in pools so time passes quickly. For little ones, a private pool is the way to go. Until you grow that thick skin (pun intended) and learn how to deal with a sometimes cruel society, public pools can be harsh. I remember being stared at and being made to feel like I was contaminating the pool at the YMCA where I used to live. For me, it all depends where I'm at and what I'm doing that determines the level of self-consciousness I experience. When I'm at home, I rarely think about it unless I'm doing body maintenance. At work, I hardly ever wear dresses or skirts, and if I do, they are of the broomstick variety that go down to my ankles. When sitting at a table in a restaurant, I catch myself covering an elbow with the other hand, sometimes without realizing I do it. I really try to focus on the things I DO have control over. I absolutely LOVE my hair, and make sure that it looks good. Also, a positive side effect of P is that my fingernails have thickened up and I can grow them long without them breaking. They look really good when painted and most people think they are fake. The good news about P is that they are really starting to pump funds into research. Great strides have really been made in the last 5 years, and there are very promising new drugs in the final stages of FDA approval that should be available by next spring. My opinion is that since they found a connection between P and the immune system, if researchers can control or cure P, that is the next step for finding a cure for AIDS. Baby steps. Draheid Thanks for putting up the links for E & P. I love WebMD! The best site out there for more information on P is www.psoriasis.org. That is the National Psoriasis Foundation's page. They also have an extensive area just for kids, teens, and parents. I have to say that on a selfish note, I was tickled pink to see four replies in this thread. I told hubby that I figured it would tank to the bottom of the list quickly, lol. I don't want to come across as all knowing or preachy. Two weeks ago, I stopped in our local bicycle shop to pick up my bike that had to have a $6 dollar repair. There were 3 adult men working in the store. I was asked the normal, "You got poison ivy?". I said, "No, I have psoriasis." When they asked what that was, I hung around for another half hour telling them what I could and answering their questions. I thought that if they wanted to listen, I'd tell them what I knew. Since P is a part of me, and this website is a part of me (lol), I thought I'd bring it up here and see what happened. Thanks for letting me discuss it!!! Ed Hya Cinder!! You must have been typing while I composed my book!! I'm glad you posted !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Sia | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 02:41 pm     Thanks, Draheid. I have used webmd before, but didn't do it today before posting! There should be a thread where people could put things they'd like other ppl to research things for them--if anyone has time to do that! I have two young children and a hubby who is very unhappy if I spend a minute on-line. I am looking for "Barbie" pierced earrings (post earrings with enamel painted Barbie-faces, is what she's describing to me; I've never seen them before)for my daughter's birthday. Any ideas where I could buy some? Thanks! Back to skin issues: the nurse practicioner I saw yesterday said I have "dry skin" on my upper arms. My sister, brother, and Dad and nephews have the exact same thing. The np told me to simply use hand lotion; an m.d. told me once that Retin-A would take away the bumps, but I was pregnant at the time and couldn't use the product. What does this sound like? Just plain old hand lotion has never really changed these patches or made them go away entirely. |
Neko | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 05:08 pm     I don't have P very badly, though I probably will when I get older...since I am only 16. I've had it on my knees, elbows, bottoms of my feet, my breast(The worst spot in my mind), and on one...yes..just one fingernail. Salt water is my love..If I swim in the sea long enough, my P seems to go away..in "remission". But since this is passed down to me, I don't feel I'll ever get rid of it. I actually feel really lucky that I don't have it badly at all..except for when I look at myself in the mirror after a shower...that's the killer |
Urgrace | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 05:22 pm     Halfunit, I've tried all the things you mentioned above and a few more: like, turtle oil, vitamin E, horse balm, mg-217, baby oil and the worst one cortizone shots. The cortizone shots given by the last dermatologist I saw (one of many) were administered just under the top layer of skin in practically every pore on the back of my left hand. Then I was told not to move my hand for 24 hours. (Yeah right!) After four expensive months with not a bit of change I gave it up. My b i l had it over 90% of his body and his swimming pool and UV standing light treatment reduced the coverage immensely. (My sis told me that she had to change the sheets on the bed every day because they were covered in scales overnight.) A lot of misinformed people think that if you have P that you are a basket case, stressed out all the time and that the stress causes the P. Not true. But stress can inflame areas and make them worse. Not sure where I read this or even if it is true, but it said that 3 out of 5 people have P. We never could pinpoint who had it in my family before I broke out with it, either. One dermatologist that I saw gave me wet compresses to soak in over a period of two weeks, and it vanished for several years. Sadly the doc had vanished too, when I flared up again. Please keep us informed of any new technology you might hear of. |
Sia | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 07:51 pm     Urgrace, have you been unable to track down the doctor who told you to use the compresses? Were these by prescription, samples that he had, or something he told you to make up at home? I wonder what was in them that was so effective. That sounds like a very effective treatment. Halfunit, you mentioned depressed/suppressed immune system being connected with psoriasis and allergies being connected with eczema. My cousin's son is about 6 1/2 and he does have terrible allergies, as well. He's severely allergic to cats for sure and I think he's allergic to dust mites as well. The same child also has a moderate case of autism--although that's not a Dx that his family seems willing to admit/accept/discuss. He's been in special classes for children with communication deficits since preschool. My opinion? He does have trouble or an unwillingness to talk with people, but I don't think he has ADD/ADHD; I think his skin itches to the point that he is totally distracted from learning. The learning becomes secondary when he is suffering from a bad outbreak of his eczema. Recent news articles have stated that there may be a link between combinations of childhood immunizations and some forms of autism. Has anyone else heard/read this in the news? I was scared to death to get my children immunized and was relieved that the polio vaccine was changed from a live virus to a killed virus. Any experiences with bad reactions to immunizations? |
Cinder | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 08:44 pm     I have heard about the link between autism and vaccinations, but not sure what I think about it. I think it is just a horrible disorder that we need to learn more about and find a cure for. If we can't find a cure at least know more so we can educate parents and teachers so all of these children can lead better lives. I am sure there are some children and adults with autism that did have good interventsions, but I bet there are many that did not. If he has autism this is probably contributing to the unwillingness to talk to people as opposed to ADD/ADHD. You are also probably right about the itching. |
Halfunit | Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 11:03 pm     Neko Wow... take this is a great compliment, but I never realized the degree of your youth!! I also have the breast problem... (I am also a 38-D, so it's a BIG problem, lol.) I have inverse P underneath the twins, and a few spots on top. The salt water is very helpful. You can also buy dead sea salts to soak in your tub.. not as good as the real thing, but hey. Also, since this is an area that typicaly won't see natural sunlight, you'll either have to use a tanning bed or topical ointments/lotions if you want to keep it in check. Keep an upbeat attitude above all, and don't let others make you feel any less that what you are!! I've noticed the older I get, the less people notice or question you about it. Urgrace LOL, there isn't anything we won't try, eh? My mother-in-law went so far as to concoct some homemade gunk made of petroleum jelly and herbs. She SWORE it would work... <sigh> lol. It is my belief that 1 in 100 people are affected with P. Would you believe many years ago people with P were made to wear bells around their neck and were labeled with leprosy? At least the stigma isn't as bad these days! I have never had shots or taken anything internally (other than milk thistle which someone recommended and it didn't do anything). The side effects outweigh the benefits to me at this point in my life. As far as new drugs, I believe there are about 3 very promising ones right around the corner. From what I read, there was an 80% success rate in clearing and not coming back, which is phenominal! I will keep my "I'll believe it when I see it", attitude, but my fingers are crossed. I'll keep you all posted! Sia I hate to admit it, but I really don't know a whole lot about E. Not having children of my own, I am also lacking in knowledge of the reported connection between autism and immunizations. Have the shots really changed that much since we were kids? I have a habit of blaming chemicals in our food and in the air for the increases in illnesses, but what do I know?  |
Pcakes2 | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 06:30 am     Well, add me to this list. I know the heatbreak, and most of the stories above could be my own. Hands, elbows, knees(although I've almost got those cleared up) and sides of feet. I have tried every cream, gel, glop, and goop. I even participated in a study at P Research Institue at Stanford. I too, have gotten the steroid/cortizone injections (the butt shot). That is the only thing that has ever completly cleared up my skin. Unfortunately my Dermatologist will only allow me 2 shots per year becuase of the possibility of internal damage. Halhunit: excellent description of the disease. My reproduction rate is now at 1-3 days. Sometimes it amazes me. Emu oil is rumored to help as well as Blackseed oil. Valerian supplements are supposed to help reduce stressful outbreaks. Caffeine is a major contributor also. Dead Sea salts can help, but if you use them, use fragrance free. My daily rituals now include a OTC topical goop with salcylic acid, dead sea mud...the green muddy stinky (smells like sulphur) imported from the dead sea, and a body butter that I created for moisturizing. Again, what works for one, wil not necessarily work for another. I have had my share of embarrassing times. The "OMG, do you have poison Ivy"", the "Eeeewwww, what's on your hands", etc. I must say though, now I have learned to live with my condition, and I don't try to hide it...it takes way to much effort. I wear shorts and short sleeve shirts frequently. I meet more and more people everyday with this disease. |
Halfunit | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 08:08 am     Hya Pcakes! Doncha wish you had a dollar for everytime you were asked about poison ivy? I could retire!! |
Cinder | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 08:40 am     Oddly enough I was never asked the poison ivy question until a few weeks ago. I was also once asked if they were mosquito bites- which I thought was odd since I live in NM and have yet to see a mosquito in this state. Usually people jsut ask me what it is. I was thrilles when on day someone asked if I had psoriasis. That meant they were eduacated about it and not freaked out. Where do you buy dead sea salts. I ahve heard of them but never actively looked. I am excited to hear about the ocean. We plan to move to Florida when my hubby retires from the military (although that is at least 10 years away) I have read about the resorts in teh Dead Sea- but who can afford that. |
Halfunit | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 09:47 am     LOL, Art Garfunkel can! He has P and is known to fly over to the Dead Sea... Sometimes you can find the salts at stores like GNC or Bath and BodyWorks, but I think they are less expensive here: http://www.privatebodyspa.com/products.html You can also do a search on dead sea salts to find something that is more suited for you! |
Pcakes2 | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 01:07 pm     I wish I could join Art! Alas, I have to settle for smearing stinking mud on my body and waiting patiently for it to dry. Spas charge a fortune for this service. Maybe we can form a female dead sea mud wrestling team! Some other random thoughts: -Black Seed Oil is also supposed to be great for fibro -Occlusion at night helps (in other words...lube up and put on cotton gloves before going to bed) -any trauma brings outbreaks (for example: a cut anywhere on the body, a broken bone, etc.) -I have heard of people using urine to treat breakouts (from what I've learned, you need to use your first pee of the day.) Basically, pee in a jar or cup and soak hands/feet in it or apply to knees/elbows with a cotton ball -to reduce scaling, do not use a salt scrub, it pulls to much moisture form the skin. Use a sugar scrub, or apricot scrub. |
Aunt_Bob | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 01:32 pm     First and most important: I want to thank you, Halfunit, for caring enough to start this thread. Not only is it therapeutic for you, but also an extremely selfless gesture towards the members of this club. *High Five - * How interesting it is . . . today I peeped into the BB board again to see if any NEW threads had been started that I might find the least bit of interest in in reading and maybe even posting to. I FOUND NONE!!! AGAIN!!! It just seems like the same ole same ole . . . just with a different 'cast of characters' . . . and I am tired of and down right bored with the same ole same ole. So, I decided to check out the 'General Discussion' board and see if MAYBE, just maybe there might be a topic of interest to me, because I still LOVE to come here (TVCH) at least a few minutes a few times a day, and I had never peeked into General Discussions before. Topic: "The Shedding Psoriatics" My initial reaction: "WTF"; trans. 'what the fuzzy?' My following thought: . . . that sounds like it might have something to do with Psoriasis, the thing I suffer from, but why would someone at TVCH start a thread on THAT??? and what could it possibly be? . . . hmmmm . . . let me check it out. Well . . . I'll be . . . Okay, here goes. First, I want to mention that I have Never Ever Never talked about this before with anyone other than my immediate family who listens and sympathizes, but can not 'empathize', because they do not suffer from it. I'm not trying to hide it (anymore), it's just that I do not know anyone else that has it.(or maybe I do and they're hiding it) I won't cover details of my whole life story; I don't have to, because I see in everyone's posts that you know EXACTLY what it is like to suffer, the key word here being 'suffer', from this thing. But, I will share some experiences. 1 - I suffered with it for years before I received medicine that finally worked. 2 - When I first got it, on the back of my knees, my lower legs and my feet (mainly the sides and a small amount on the bottom) I was scared to death, I didn't know what it was. Thoughts of the big 'C' of the skin crossed my mind. 3 - I spent many a night in tears and sleeplessness from the ceaseless itching and scratching and subsequent pain. 4 - I spent 10 years seeing MANY different General Practitioners AND Dermatologists who in their infinite wisdom told me: it's just dry skin, use lotion and it's just eczema, use strong moisturizers and OTC cortizone creams. 5 - It had gotten so bad, that it looked like I was growing extra feet and lower legs because this 'crap' was so thick, layer upon layer upon layer. The more it itched, the more I scratched, the more I irritated it, the more it grew, the more it itched, and so on . . . it was a vicious cycle. So, I went to a doctor in tears, he looked and said 'eww...that looks bad', maybe I should prescribe something for you to clear that up. FINALLY! The only problem was . . . he thought he knew & I thought he knew . . . but, he didn't know . . . the medicine was 'right on', but his directions on how to use it were So Wrong, I thought I might have to have my feet amputated. I'll skip the gruesome details and just say they had turned BLACK & GREEN! Yuch! Oh, the memories! I'd like so much to forget! 6 - That is when I had had ENOUGH and decided to get a brain and start researching and figure this thing out on my own. 7 - Well, I'll be darned! I found out, it was not a bad case of dry skin, it was not a severe case of Eczema and it was not Leprosy! It was something called Psoriasis and it was something that MANY people suffered from. It was not a mystery disease that only 1 in 100,000 suffer from. So, WHAT THE HECK WAS THESE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS PROBLEM!!!??? **I was a woman of COLOR. 8 - Obviously symptoms manifest themselves 'visually' in certain ways amongst caucasions and these were the 'references' they were going by. My skin does not turn red or pink or whatever, heck, it doesn't change to any other color. So, I guess to them it just looked like a rash, A BAD RASH, but still a rash. 9 - I made a decision to search for and not stop until I found a doctor who would listen and be willing to say, "hey, maybe you know your own body and I will try to help you find relief" . . . "because that is MY JOB". So, I walked into this new doctor's office ready to tell him to "sit down and listen", and in the immortal words of Emiril, 'BAMMM!' . . . before I could say anything, he took one look and said, "man, that is a really nasty case of Psoriasis!!!" He was a young doctor and said he understood what I had went through and told me to try and understand that the medical profession has come a long way since the 'old guys' went to school. He said I will give you something that should clear that up, but it will probably take months because it has gotten so bad. I was SO relieved, I just starting crying right on the spot. 10 - My legs and feet and knees and elbows are cleared up now. Of course, I have paper thin skin (& no hair) in those areas. When I get flare ups every now & then, which has strangely moved to my lower arms right below my elbows, the back of my neck & my left index finger, I just run for the 'topical steroid' cream and put a very very thin coat on for a few days and it works very well. One MAJOR drawback/side effect, it results in a dark discoloration of the skin where the medicine has been applied (everywhere except my hand which of course is very light); this condition clears up after a few months though, and it also seems to 'kill' the skin cells along with the P. *I also suffer non-stop with P of the scalp. I use T-Gel shampoo and prescription 'anti-itch' stuff. Anyone else have that problem? **I didn't get P until after I had my 2nd child. For years my friends would ask why I never wore shorts or short sleeve shirts, Especially in the Summer! I just gave some lame excuse. Well, since last year, I wear SHORTS in the summer and short sleeve shirts all year round. Gosh, I feel like saying, "I am a survivor". ***I feel the biggest problem with the doctor situation was that we had an HMO insurance plan - that sucked big time, but as soon as we switched to a PPO insurance plan, we got to finally make requests for proper treatment and doctors either listened or we went elsewhere. *** Aren't you glad I DIDN'T tell details of my Whole Life Story!!!! Sorry, I didn't realize I would divulge so much. But, I am through now. But, I would like to add the message I tried to convey is Never Give Up ... there is help, just keep looking until you find what's BEST for YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ & SHARE ***
Halfunit, I laughed about the cats and the tar & feathering - - I sooooo can relate to that, except with my doggie! I have never heard the term 'Psoriatics' before.
Draheid, I want to convey my thanks for always being there for posters. You are a very considerate person to 'want to help out' with volunteering info that you think might be 'useful', here and in other threads I have seen you. |
Neko | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 03:23 pm     I did Aunt_Bob!! I used to have it on my head to! I forgot about that. I would sratch it so badly that it would bleed. It was painful and I hated not being able to wear black shirts then. It's gone away for now from there, so I'm very happy. Halfunit - LOL Thanks! Not many people realize my age until I tell them. |
Halfunit | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 04:01 pm     Aunt Bob - Oh my... I just ran the biggest range of emotions reading your post!! First, you made me feel good that I started this thread. There are others to thank (Cinder) also... I don't know about the selfless part, but you're right, it is great therepy! Then I laughed even harder at your "what the fuzzy". I don't know why, but everytime I see WTF in a post I laugh.. It must be because me and the girls at work say it so much. Then as I started reading through your experiences, I got very sad over all of those good for nothing doctors you had to see. Then I got happy again that you found a good doctor. Then I was proud becuase you are wearing shorts!! Then I laughed again becuase you said you wouldn't get into your life story and I think your post was about as long as my first one, LMAO !!!! Isn't if funny how you start typing and it all comes out!! I used to have P on my scalp, but I don't anymore. I remember in high school, a friend picking out a piece from my hair and asking me if I had eaten oatmeal for breakfast... purely innocent on her part, but I was devastated!! I am so glad to see us flakers coming out of the closet! I knew of a few after I had posted in another thread, but I'm amazed at how the list is growing. It's always nice to know you're not alone!!!!! And Pcakes - your idea of a womens dead sea mud wrestling team is hilarious! Think any of the guys here would be willing to pay to watch??? Heh heh... |
Cinder | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 04:10 pm     I have had success with 2 medicines for the scalp. The first was Dermasmooth. The problem though is that it is an oil and it is best to sleep with it on (warning you need to put a towel on your pillow unless you want to ruin it because those darn shower caps don't always stay on) Then to wash it out you have to have a clarifying shampoo- or you will never get it out of your hair. But it works. The 2nd is a better option. Olux foam. I had my head completely clear- but I got lazy. It is also much more convenient to apply. |
Aunt_Bob | Monday, September 02, 2002 - 08:19 pm     Well thank you very much, Halfunit and Cinder and all . . . all of the 'remedies' mentioned here, I have never heard of before . . . except of course, "the urine". . . nope, that just ain't gonna' happen!!! Where would you suggest I look for some of these if I wanted to try them out? I often shop online @drugstore.com. GNC and other 'health supply' stores around here are so expensive. And I am so all for the Dead Sea Mud Wrestling Team idea. We should start a 'TVCH-team' here and come up with a name for it and maybe replace the name of the thread with it instead of "The Shedding Psoriatics" 'cause I gotta tell ya' Halfunit, I'm not really crazy about that title! ...
& TJ |
Sia | Tuesday, September 03, 2002 - 01:00 am     Now you all have me thinking about an odd patch of dry skin that recurs on my three-year-old's scalp. It just looks like dry skin and is flaky, but if I get the slightest bit aggressive in trying to remove it, a thick layer peels off and it will actually bleed. The way I've found to get rid of it is to soak a Q-tip end in a liquid called "Hair-Septic" and then to rub the affected area of the scalp (about the size of a nickel) until all the dryness is gone. The flakes go away for at least two months at a time. Could this be psoriasis? My daughter has had this recurrent problem for over a year--that I know of. I don't over-wash her hair; she gets a shampoo about every two or three days. Any advice about diagnosing and/or treating this? Thanks so much. And if we're diagnosing skin problems here, I'd love you all to see the horrible "hives" she has had twice. This year I found what I thought was a spider-bite on the back of her neck when she broke out. The doctor who examined her thought it was "contact dermatitis." The only thing I thought she might have come into contact with that would have caused this reaction was fiberglas from my Dad's golf cart. Any ideas? |
Cinder | Tuesday, September 03, 2002 - 06:13 am     It could be psoriasis on the scalp. A dermatologist is the best one to diagnose. They could tell you more about the contact dermatitis also. If that hair-septic works- great. Two months is a long time- especially if it is psoriasis. |
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