Info on psoriasis

[MELSMICE]

DH has psoriasis. Has had it for a while. The topical medication that the dermatologist gave him just doesn't seem to be working well. The only time it seems to get better is when we are in Florida (must be the magical Disney water! )

Does anyone have any suggestions on dealing with this? Whether it's an OTC product, homeopathic, or some kind of vitamin. I did start having him take Omega 3 but this doesn't seem to make a difference either.

 

[Cool-Beans]

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/search/show-documents.asp?mediaID=5&topicId=504&sortId=2

Hope that helps!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

The reason Florida helps is the sun and the chlorine. Summer is definitely best for psoriasis sufferers. Have your DH ask about lightbox treatments. My DSD did these in the winter when it was really bad. Its really a medical tanning booth but its for a much shorter period of time. I think she started with something like 10 or 15 seconds and then worked up to about 60. I could be wrong on the numbers because its been at least 6 years. It was definitely short stints. We would go 3 or 4 times a week. I just called ahead to tell them when we were coming. They had the file out and waiting in the room. We would go right in, she would strip to her underwear, dr would come in between patients, look at the skin real fast and then put her in, set the timer and leave. I just had to report back if the skin got red (too much time in booth). Longest time we were in there was 15 minutes. Putting the clothes on and off definitely took the most time!

Also, ask the dermatologist to try different meds. Our dr. tried different ones until there was one that worked best. And after numerous years it needed to be switched up again. Good luck with it and feel free to PM with any questions.

 

[hopemax]

I've been dealing with psoriasis since 2nd grade. At first it was a few minor spots, but starting in college I got really bad flare ups. No medication seemed to work. Then I started UVB light treatments. It worked, but taking an hour and a half to get to the place to stand in a machine for 2 minutes seemed so much work for something that I consider primarily cosmetic. I understand for a lot of people it's painful, stressful and more than cosmetic, but on my own personal cost/benefit analysis it seemed like overkill. So against the advice of everyone in my family except my DH, I stopped.

I did a lot of internet reading and a few things that I tried that seemed to make a difference.

Sunlight - The UVB treatments work for a reason. Obviously, too much sunlight is bad, but I try to sit outside in 30 minute intervals a couple of times a week. This is probably why your husband sees improvement when he in Florida.

B-12 & Folic Acid: I take 1000mcg of B-12 and 800 mcg of folic acid. I get mine in tablet form from Trader Joe's (it also has 2mg B-6). One little tablet that disolves under the tongue. I found out about this from the psoriasis usenet group.

Diet: Wheat sets my psoriasis off into a tizzy. It really sucks because Triscuits and Frosted Mini Wheats were my favorite snacks, but I noticed that a few days after eating them, the itching would drive me crazy. If I eat a lot of bread, same thing. Reading online, other people said that vegetables from the "night shade" family set them off.

Tumeric - Yes, the spice used in curry The active ingredient curcumin, has natural antiseptic properties. I think mostly it helps keep infection at bay, which decreases redness and the itchiness. You can get it as a vitamin. Or start eating a lot of Indian food.

 

[kctwinmommy]

It sounds like others have said it toobut my dad who suffers goes to the tanning salon a few days a week. Living in Chicago, we don't get the opportunity to sit in the sun. So, he does it in moderation, and yes there are obvious other side affects, but it really helps him. Good luck!

 

[Serena]

What kind of drug, creams is he on now?

I use ultravate and methotrexate. It has helped a lot. I've got eczema or a form of it. Right now it's just a few blisters on my feet.

 

[MELSMICE]

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to do a little on-line research & also check out some of things you all have told me.

I also think he needs to go back to the dermatologist & possibly get some different medication.

Thanks again.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Don't forget stress! I think allergies and stress are triggers for us that suffer with bad skin.

I will share something because actually this is unbelieveable.

I have suffered from excema forever...you know the painful cracked bleeding hands. You tried everything for 20+yrs type thing. I got to the point of "burning my hands" under hot water in the sink sometimes just to get relief from itching...I know I am not the only one who does this...or am I?

I got a job in the school cafeteria. I thought I was going to be a goner with my hands. Doing dishes for 4 hours at a time on some days.

My hands have never looked better. So what is it? Why?
Is it the soap they use and the santizer for the dishes? I have long believed that there is an "infectious" element to our skin issues.
I am pretty convinced it is mostly fungal in nature.

Anyway, my hands look great...the best they have looked in 20+yrs....after doing dishes in a school cafeteria.
Something is there...

 

[RNMOM]

I started having psoriasis a couple years ago and now have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.

I have found Aveeno shower gel to be helpful for the itching. I was using Dove but have begun to itch from it too.

I also use ultravate. I can't take many oral meds due to my labs. I have discovered using Neutrogena Norwegian formula hand cream rubbed into my worst spots is very helpful and lets me reduce the amount of ultravate I have to use. I like to avoid steroids as much as possible.

Psoriasis seems to be a very individual thing. What works for some people doesn't for others.

I think I will try the vitamin and the tumeric idea...can't hurt to try.

 

[DawnCt1]

The thing with psoriasis meds is that they all work....for a while and then you have o switch to something different. I had good results with Dovonex. It works well for a while then I switch to Tazorac. I also use ultravate for the flair ups. Mine is very localized, on the sides of my feet. I used to go for PUVA treatments, psoralin and ultraviolate light but then I bought my own light box on the internet and while it doesn't work as well, I don't have to commute 90 minutes for treatment. Summer time, ocean water, etc works great. Sun in the northern states isn't strong enough until summer.

 

[powellrj]

dh and ds both have it. The dr. has ds go to the tanning bed and use pine tar based products and that really seems to help him.

dh really doesn't do anything with his and just has disgusting looking arms all the time. He has tried different things over the years, but he never really stuck with them. It really doesn't bother him like it does ds, so he just walks around with really gross looking arms.

 

[gris gris]

I've had it for 13 years but now only have it on my hands & wrists (although it appears to be coming back under my armpits!). In the winter on my hands it is so bad that I end up with what looks like slashes on my hands, like someone cut them with a knife. The skin splits open and I have a big cut and it hurts like crazy.

I've tried all the prescriptions and now only use an OTC hand cream. It's in the first aid aisle and it's called Nexcare Advanced Skin Cream by 3M. As long as I put it on all the time, my hands are great. Also I try to avoid scented creams/soaps and never use anything like Purell.

In the summer it pretty much disappears. Good luck!

 

[Serena]

I tried that Norwegian formula hand cream and I love it. I get the new kind that soaks in all the way for at work or when I'm doing stuff and the regular kind for my feet. It does help a lot for dryness.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I've had it since I was a little girl. I never get it in the same place twice and stress definitely triggers it.

Right now, I have a patch behind my right ear that's about two years old and another new one, about the size of a quarter, on my left calf.

It almost feels so good to itch it, that I hate to get rid of it!

Seriously, I use Psorcon cream and it does work, but I agree that you need to switch it around every so often.

All I can say, is it beats the heck out of what I used to have to do when I was little. My mother would put some sort of ointment on my knees and elbows (my first patches) and wrap them in saran wrap before bedtime.

 

[bgirldeb]

All I can say, is it beats the heck out of what I used to have to do when I was little. My mother would put some sort of ointment on my knees and elbows (my first patches) and wrap them in saran wrap before bedtime.

I had to do that too when I was about 9-10! Treatments have come a long way,thankfully

I'm on Enbrel for Psoriatic/Rheumatoid Arthritis and it helps keep the ps more managable.

 

[coolbeans]

DH just started Enbrel for the Arthritis too, he uses Clobetasol for the spots. He was on Methotrexate but it had a funny effect on his blood and the doc took him off of it and started Enbrel. It seems to help, he is much less sore than he had been. And the sun is great for the spots.

 

[luv2nascar]

DH uses Neutragena shampoo with coal tar in it. That works well.

 

[mark&sue]

I saw this thread a couple of days ago and although my dad has suffered from Psoriasis for ever I just ignored it. I took my DD13 to the doctor today as she had an unsightly lumpy thing on her elbow and the doctor said she thought it was psoriasis.

She suggested she put on E45 cream. Would this work? I didn't think this was used for psoriasis?

Many thanks


Susan

 

[luvwinnie]

I started having psoriasis a couple years ago and now have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.

I have found Aveeno shower gel to be helpful for the itching. I was using Dove but have begun to itch from it too.

I also use ultravate. I can't take many oral meds due to my labs. I have discovered using Neutrogena Norwegian formula hand cream rubbed into my worst spots is very helpful and lets me reduce the amount of ultravate I have to use. I like to avoid steroids as much as possible.

Psoriasis seems to be a very individual thing. What works for some people doesn't for others.

I think I will try the vitamin and the tumeric idea...can't hurt to try.

I have PA also! I'm on methotrexate and Enbrel...the mtx worked for the P, but not the PA, so ENbrel was next.
A great place for a psoriasis forum is www.psoriasis.org.

 

[luvwinnie]

Just a bump so everyone can see the Website I posted.