Psoriasis

Gael23

NEDDURC wrote: »

Thanks for the update ryanf1 - I try to avoid using steriods or coal tar as much as possible. So end up using them when things start getting bad.

I suppose that's why I've been exploring all sorts of other options. Simple answer is there is no simple answer and most likely everyone is different so just need to find what works best for you.

Steroids really do provide relief- its short term but it stops flare ups. One key thing Ive learned and I said it here many times but the aim for effective management is to stop things from getting bad, for that you need Dovobet or coal tar.. Im off the steroid at the minute but struggling, but willing to do it as its been advised by a top dermatologist and then i'll be having PUVA therapy in the new year hopefully.

Call Me Jimmy

Already this is defining my christmas ****in horrible mental state it puts me in

Mountainsandh

how about a quick visit to the GP Monday or Tuesday ? They might come up with something ?
I had a course of oral steroids in June, I felt very arthritic, and it did not clear the skin psoriasis, but it did help with bringing down inflammation and arthritis...

Tell the doc you need a shock treatment, just to help lift that mood for the holidays ! There could be things we don't know about that could help for a week or two.

I hate at family gatherings when people you don't see very often offer all sorts of "heard before" advice of healers, sudden diet miracles, allergic reactions, friends who were completely cured with a "cream" such GP in such place gave them, and they'll try and get you the name of the cream...

I propose that we should all come on here to vent when the inevitable stories take us over the edge.

Gael23

I'll second a GP visit.
They can prescribe something like an oral steroid or even an antibiotic to calm it down in the short term. This time of year though I think you should use your Dovobet for a little while

Mountainsandh

Also, when my face gets inflamed (the skin is extremely sensitive so even if it's not psoriasis, I get a lot of redness and stinging especially in cold weather), and it gets to me, I like to treat myself to a good moisturizing cream... Although I'm female, I rarely ever use cosmetics like that, only ointments and creams targeted at psoriasis.

Some of the commercial moisturizing/wrinkle creams are actually excellent. Although I wouldn't use them in the long term for cost reasons, and they do have a level of alcohol, in the short term, they can bring brilliant relief and comfort.

You'd be talking 30 euros for a normal moisturizing cream pot (and it can go up too), but they feel good, and help somehow, for a bit.

I got myself Nuxe Creme Merveillance super dry skin once, it's 38.30 at Sam McCauleys, feels nice and rich, but not fierce heavy either.
http://www.sammccauley.com/Product/nuxe-merveillance-very-dry-skin-cream-50ml/11132/2224.1.3

Call Me Jimmy

Thanks guys. I may do that, but I have antibiotics I think from a month or two ago when I got a bad case of folliculitis so I could use those

The reason why it got me so bad is it hasn't been too bad ye know when ye try something and ye think maybe it's cracking it, only to be disappointed. Also the psychological aspect of having to see loads of people doesn't help it in that I worry about it, try to time things like bathing etc. so it'll look its best. But it's all a bit mad, it has such an impact on a life. It's not my only problem but it's the usually the one that puts me over the edge.

Gael23

Yes I think your going to need a short antibiotic by what your describing. It won't fix it entirely but what it will do is get you out of the hole you find yourself in. I got an uncontrollable flare up a few years back and my then GP put me on an antibiotic but he wouldn't give it to me long term because he thought that would have no benefit, and he was right but it did help me for the week I was on it.

Oh by the way I got a start date for my puva for January. Been feeling a little down about something the last few days so my skin isn't doing so well as a result.

Call Me Jimmy

Holy crap guys. After the incredibly bad bout over christmas where my skin was the worst it has probably ever been here's what happened:

Used betnovate hydrocortisone for two days mixed with eucerin urea moisturiser (this was just because it was at crisis point). Then I started using aveeno moisturiser with colloidal oatmeal. Was doing that for about a week and it pretty much got me back to having normal skin.

But I was researching the colloidal oatmeal and it seemed like such a good thing for dry itchy skin, I was like 'what IS it?'.

So today I made it myself (basically just oats, blended into powder and then mixed with water). My skin, although getting better, I could tell it needed to be cleaned so I took the plunge. My hair was greasy too. I mixed the blended oatmeal powder with water and applied it on face and hair for 10 mins. Holy crap, everything is completely calm. My skin looks almost great. My hairline and scalp feel like a normal persons (same for face). I strongly recommend you try this if you haven't!

brevity

Good stuff

I've read of people putting oats into a sock and using it for massaging the skin in the shower or bath.

I've ordered a load of that Salcura stuff, should be here next week and I'll be trying it out over the next month or so.

rubadub

I got some castor oil to use as a moisturiser. I had the boots nappy rash cream which is castor oil and zinc oxide. But zinc oxide acts as a sunscreen and so would block any benefits from sunlight and have to be fully removed before UVB treatment, also it is quite visible on your skin being so white.

It is really thick, more like a syrup than an oil. I got 500ml for about €13.50. Feels good going on.

Searching castor oil it seems lots of people use it for hair growth, either speeding it up or a preventing baldness, I have heard of hair loss due to scalp psoriasis so some might want to give it a go.

Gael23

I don't want to try any of those things until after I have the PUVA.
Question for the guys: Is there any method of shaving that is better with psoriasis? I keep forgetting to ask my GP.

rubadub

I get a small spot or psoriasis on my chin the odd time. I use a wahl professional "balding razor" to do my face. I have always had sensitive skin from shaving. The wahl is good and does not bother the psoriasis much. I still use sudocrem or nappy rash cream afterwards, as I have done for years.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wahl-Europe-8110-017-Balding-Clipper/dp/B000ICLLMQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1420333777&sr=1-1&keywords=wahl+balding+clipper

I find any new type of shaving takes getting used to. I had bad rashes from the wahl at first. I have from other decent branded ones too, intended for face shaving.

There is a review on amazon with a lad who cut his face badly with the wahl, it is potentially dangerous as it shaves very close, so if you handly it wrongly you will cut yourself.

Gael23

So dry all the time? I did switch to dry for a while but I couldn't find a good razor that wouldn't break after a few months. I also find that wt shaving helps to moisturise the skin, but maybe I'm imagining that

mighty magpie

Hi Guys

On Alcohol affecting psoriasis, does anyone have any tips on what to avoid?

I had 2 days/nights on the beer on christmas day and boxing day and my psoriasis was as red as it has ever been. Over new years, i stayed clear off the beer and just drank jack and coke. My skin didn't seem to be affected as much.

Was bought a face moisturiser from lush called comestic lad as a christmas present. seems very natural and doesn't inflame my psoriasis when rubbed in. I have some problems with my skin/psoriasis on my neck becoming very dry after clean shaving so hopefully this can help. Trying to stay away from dovobet.

rubadub

ryanf1 wrote: »

So dry all the time?

Yeah, I have only had a few wet shaves in the last 20 years! I used to do it with a regular wahl hair clippers, it is really quick too. The regular ones do not shave as close of course so its like a day or 2's growth. The wahl balding one is like a 5 o clock shadow.

Some peoples job might demand to be clean shaven, I reckon the wahl balding would be close enough, but the standard clippers are safer to use.

But the big help I found with any was the sudocrem immediately afterwards, huge help, for this reason I shave before bed so I am not going around with a sudocrem beard!

Any beard trimmers I used were crap in comparison.

mighty magpie wrote: »

Over new years, i stayed clear off the beer and just drank jack and coke. My skin didn't seem to be affected as much.

I find spirits better too, very important to stay very hydrated too, get a glass or pint of water along with the jack & coke. I drink baking soda mixed with water before bed, and if I remember of if convenient I would drink it in between drinks too, or pop some antacids. I feel its a combination of dehydration and an irritated stomach/digestive system that causes flare ups. And possibly yeast in cloudy beers. Also to stop stomach acid buildup I try and eat before bed, something bland and full of water like rice. I would also apply mosituriser before going to bed.

phater phagan

I once had a conversation with a bartender in Limerick about psoriasis which was on RTE news at the time.
She said that her friend , who has psoriasis told her that her conditioned abated when she switched from beer to gin and tonic.
I don't have any personal experience of that as I don't drink hard liquor, but it appears from some of the posts here that there may be something to it.

bucketybuck

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

So today I made it myself (basically just oats, blended into powder and then mixed with water). My skin, although getting better, I could tell it needed to be cleaned so I took the plunge. My hair was greasy too. I mixed the blended oatmeal powder with water and applied it on face and hair for 10 mins. Holy crap, everything is completely calm. My skin looks almost great. My hairline and scalp feel like a normal persons (same for face). I strongly recommend you try this if you haven't!

Gave this a try in a bath yesterday, how long before you started seeing an effect?

And what do you mean applied to face?

Call Me Jimmy

Well my skin felt and looked clean without being dry. I didn't do it in the bath however. I just made the watery colloidal oatmeal and just applied it with hands to face and hair (after wetting both), left it on for ~10 mins maybe less and rinsed off.

I applied aveeno moisturiser (with colloidal oatmeal ) after. But I just needed something to clean with that wouldnt aggravate skin, and it cleans quite well imo. Especially hair, it's better than shampoo.

mighty magpie

I think the cloudy beer could be right. There are a few pale ales that are big in oz which are much heavier than normal lagers. January is usually a quiet one for me but I think I'll stay clear of any beers for a while and stick to spirits.

rubadub

I had read that alcohol does not affect women with psoriasis as much, some saying not at all. Beer will have hops and some of the fancy craft beers will tend to have more hops than the mainstream ones.

The hops are meant to have an effect on estrogen levels, there are hopped based breast enhancement hop pills for women, and I read anecdotes of young girls prematurely going through puberty or developing breasts who were working in fields collecting hops. It is also thought to be a factor in mean developing "moobs".

The cloudy beers have yeast and are more likely to be "well hopped". I had thought it was down to the yeast but am now wondering if its the hops.

Doing a quick search for estrogen & psoriasis there does seem to be some relation.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2013/571912/

The severity of psoriasis may fluctuate or be influenced by each phase and this relationship can be seen as disease frequency seems to peak during puberty, postpartum, and menopause when hormone levels fall, while symptoms improve during pregnancy, a state when hormone levels are increased.

Also this study was about drink types and light beer did effect women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20713772

There were 1150 cases of incident psoriasis, 1069 of which were used for analysis. Compared with women who did not drink alcohol, the multivariate relative risk (RR) of psoriasis was 1.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.57) for an alcohol consumption of 2.3 drinks/wk or more. When examined by type of alcoholic beverage, there was an association between psoriasis and nonlight beer intake (multivariate RR for ≥ 5 drinks/wk, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.15-2.69); light beer, red wine, white wine, and liquor were not significantly associated with psoriasis risk. The association with nonlight beer intake became stronger in a subset of confirmed psoriasis cases (multivariate RR for ≥ 5 drinks/wk, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.36-3.85).

CONCLUSIONS:
Nonlight beer intake is associated with an increased risk of developing psoriasis among women. Other alcoholic beverages did not increase the risk of psoriasis in this study

There is also gluten in the beers, which I saw discussed in relation to that study, but that could be just people jumping on the gluten bandwagon and not even considering the hops. I had been drinking cider a while back and did notice less effect. Might switch again and see.

Gael23

Im starting PUVA on Monday.
I cant help feel a little anxious about it which is partly down to having tried and failed at so many things, I'm nervous too about coming off the Dovobet as it hasn't been going so well for the past 2 months, in my head I know it works so I just need to be shown that something else will too. Im also mindful as to what happens in a few months or maybe a year when it comes back and I'm back where I started again but thats a question for my Dermatologist I guess.

brevity

ryanf1 wrote: »

Im starting PUVA on Monday.
I cant help feel a little anxious about it which is partly down to having tried and failed at so many things, I'm nervous too about coming off the Dovobet as it hasn't been going so well for the past 2 months, in my head I know it works so I just need to be shown that something else will too. Im also mindful as to what happens in a few months or maybe a year when it comes back and I'm back where I started again but thats a question for my Dermatologist I guess.

I've done it and tbh its the only thing that's properly cleared it up. Its great seeing in disappear! Wore shorts during the summer and everything

My psoriasis did come back, though it depends from person to person. I need to get back to the dermatologist soon to see what is the next course of action. I'm on various different OTC moisturisers at the moment.

Best of luck with it! Are ya taking any meds while doing ot? I was on neotigesen when doing mine.

Gael23

brevity wrote: »

I've done it and tbh its the only thing that's properly cleared it up. Its great seeing in disappear! Wore shorts during the summer and everything

My psoriasis did come back, though it depends from person to person. I need to get back to the dermatologist soon to see what is the next course of action. I'm on various different OTC moisturisers at the moment.

Best of luck with it! Are ya taking any meds while doing ot? I was on neotigesen when doing mine.

Im just using topicals on my face and genital region but will be using those long after PUVA finishes.

Im guessing he will see me after 6 months to see how I'm getting on or at least instruct me to follow up with my GP.
How long was your course of it? I'm hoping for just 6 weeks.

brevity

3 days a week for I'd say 2 or 3 months. They start off with a test to see how sensitive your skin is to the light, based on that they will determine how long to expose you in the first few sessions.

I was in for about 5 seconds the first few times. Towards the end I was about a minute.

Edit: And don't used the protopic when getting the light treatment! I got a bollocking from dermatologist for doing that.

Gael23

5 seconds? Thought it would be longer. I'm having the test on Monday and Ibthink they review results at second treatment. It's 2 a week for me but that's all I can commit to tbh.
I'll have to ask about Protopic because my face will go crazy if I don't use it for 2-3 months and undo the last 18 months

huskerdu

ryanf1 wrote: »

5 seconds? Thought it would be longer. I'm having the test on Monday and Ibthink they review results at second treatment. It's 2 a week for me but that's all I can commit to tbh.
I'll have to ask about Protopic because my face will go crazy if I don't use it for 2-3 months and undo the last 18 months

They always start with 5-10 seconds. Its a bit bizarre to do all the prep and its over in 10 seconds. If your skin can take it and doesn't get burnt, they increase the time fairly rapidly. I got a savage burning at 60 seconds and they reduced it again, and started to increase again much more slowly.

mighty magpie

ryanf1 wrote: »

Im just using topicals on my face and genital region but will be using those long after PUVA finishes.

Im guessing he will see me after 6 months to see how I'm getting on or at least instruct me to follow up with my GP.
How long was your course of it? I'm hoping for just 6 weeks.

I done 6 weeks, 3 times a week.

It helped most of my psoriasis apart from 2 stubborn bits on each shin.

I itched a lot at night during this period. Loads of cold showers and chilled nivea moisturiser helped take the edge of.

bucketybuck

brevity wrote: »

I was in for about 5 seconds the first few times. Towards the end I was about a minute.

ryanf1 wrote: »

5 seconds? Thought it would be longer.

I can't remember how long my first session was, but it wasn't 10 seconds. By the end I was in for nearly 15 minutes as far as I can recall.

Gael23

bucketybuck wrote: »

I can't remember how long my first session was, but it wasn't 10 seconds. By the end I was in for nearly 15 minutes as far as I can recall.

I was sort of thinking it would be a few minutes rather than a few seconds

Call Me Jimmy

I can't get rid of residual redness. I can get it to not be flaking and not look infected but it just won't go anywhere near normal skin tone. I don't get it. Surely even by chance some of the time during the skins regenerative cycle it should synthesise the right stuff just so i can have normal skin for a day.

****ing had it up to here.