Psoriasis

Shpongler · 15-01-2013 11:41am

darkmaster2 wrote: »

I cured mine with a cream I got from ebay. Nothing else worked, it always came back. I have no idea what was in it, but it worked and the psoriasis has not returned. Has anyone else here tried the stuff? It is called 'magicream'

A google will bring up a site that sells it. Seriously worth a go. I aint shilling btw

It worked for me too.
This is why

"The IMB wishes to advise the general public and healthcare professionals that samples of the product known as Magicream have been found to be adulterated with two medicines. The samples, when tested by an independent laboratory, contained the medicines clobetasol propionate, which is a steroid, and ketoconazole, which is used to treat fungal infections. Products containing these substances require an Irish Medicines Board or European Medicines Agency Product Authorisation, in order to be legally sold on the Irish market.
"

http://www.imb.ie/EN/Safety--Quality/Advisory-Warning--Recall-Notices/Human-Medicines/Warning-Statement-Magicream-Cream.aspx

Call Me Jimmy · 15-01-2013 4:56pm

So it worked for you two? I understand it is illegal for not displaying the ingredients, is it worth the risk to order it?

Also, surely there is a cream with those two active ingredients that will have the same effect?

rubadub · 15-01-2013 5:17pm

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Also, surely there is a cream with those two active ingredients that will have the same effect?

Many people, myself included, do not want to go near steroids. It might work short term but then you are stuck dependent on them, and it can comeback worse when you stop using it (not saying this is a definite occurrence but why some advise against them).

There is no telling the percentages of it either. THis is similar enough to buying some sort of "herbal party pill" in a head shop which is really containing prescription only amphetamines, in god knows what doses & quality.

From magicreams own site!
http://www.magicream123.com/ourstory.html

After several months it was decided to try using Hydrocortisone cream. ( using steroids which can thin the child’s skin) But still with no real improvement

My mum is a doctor and she told me the product is formulated from 100% naturally herbal ingredients, free from alcohol and fragrance and safe to babies.

Also the steroid is a very powerful one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clobetasol_propionate

Clobetasol belongs to US Class I (Europe: class IV) of the corticosteroids, making it one of the most potent available.

I have used this as a child, under the name dermovate. It cured my contact dermatitis on my feet, very quickly. The doctor gave strong warnings about washing my hands afterwards, and never to put it anywhere near my face. In my early days of psoriasis I did use it a little on my scalp, after reading all the warnings I stopped. It is meant to weaken the skin a lot, esp. on the face, and I think it

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/medicines/dermovate-cream-and-ointment.html

Clobetasol propionate is classed as a very potent corticosteroid. It is prescribed to treat severe inflammatory skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis that have not responded to weaker corticosteroids.

If this medicine is used on the face, wherever possible it should not be used for longer than five days.

I still get dermatitis on my feet the odd time, and use my UVB light to treat them, with good success.

Call Me Jimmy · 15-01-2013 5:26pm

Yea I understand the steroid aversion, I generally stick to it myself. Might try aalgo bath stuff, but again it's probably just as hit and miss as anything. Hard to trust testimonials even when they are embedded in forums but anyone here use AALGO (Seaweed based)? How'd you get on?

Mountainsandh · 15-01-2013 8:15pm

ewww I tried one seaweed based bath thing once, the guy himself sold it to me on a French market (in Ireland), said he had psoriasis too, etc... etc... Bought one tub to try, used it once, and it promptly ended up in the bin.

It smells horrible, and messes up the place something awful, more than likely to clog pipes in the process if you use it as prescribed (gooey clayish substance).

Now I'm all for finding something that works, and I tolerate the tar smells etc... but this was really just too much for me. I think the frequency they recommended the treatment, and how they advised to lay it on thick on the skin, can't remember exactly, but possibly several applications, that was a non runner for me.

At the moment I take Vitamin D supplements, along with a hefty daily dose of cod liver oil, some vitamins, and magnesium.
I had been sticking to this very well until Halloween, when I went away and didn't take them for 2/3 weeks. The psoriasis flared pretty badly up after the break.
Now I don't know, maybe the return of cold winds etc... worsened it (my hands/ears are covered and react a lot to dry/humid/cold/hot), but I think the Vit D + cod liver oil combination really does help keep it less inflamed and less conspicuous, even possibly helping to reduce the plaques a bit.

I did the puvatherapy twice (that is, 2x 2months approx treatment at some years interval), but it's a 2 hour return trip to the hospital for me, and I just can't be taking that much time off work 3 times a week for God knows how long.

missingtime · 15-01-2013 8:22pm

I'm dropping antihistamines everyday to try and combat the itching, will have to go off the sugar again

Its the only thing that helps the itching. That and the coal tar ointment.

I've started taking pharmaton capsules to see if they might help.

rubadub · 15-01-2013 11:09pm

Mountainsandh wrote: »

Now I don't know, maybe the return of cold winds etc...

And the lack of sunlight means less UVB, and so less vitamin D. So if you are going to supplement vitamin D then winter is probably the most beneficial time.

Gael23 · 16-01-2013 12:05am

Do Any of you use dovonex cream along with dovobet? My GP gave me dovonex to try because he didn't want me using the steroid so much. I just find when I'm good enough that I don't need the dovobet I tend to just use nothing.

missingtime · 16-01-2013 1:15am

ryanf1 wrote: »

Do Any of you use dovonex cream along with dovobet? My GP gave me dovonex to try because he didn't want me using the steroid so much. I just find when I'm good enough that I don't need the dovobet I tend to just use nothing.

Ya thats what seems to be commonly prescribed. I always get the names mixed up so I just call them blue cap and red cap.

Never had much time for the blue cap, I think its betnovate with some vitamin d, never really did anything for me.

Red cap is the only one that really cleared patches up for me, but its a fairly heavy steroid cream.

Gael23 · 16-01-2013 11:19pm

missingtime wrote: »

Ya thats what seems to be commonly prescribed. I always get the names mixed up so I just call them blue cap and red cap.

Never had much time for the blue cap, I think its betnovate with some vitamin d, never really did anything for me.

Red cap is the only one that really cleared patches up for me, but its a fairly heavy steroid cream.

My dovonex has a green cap! But that's the whole thing, the dovobet is all that works for me. I don't live on it, only use it a few times a week. It's really hard not to use something that actually gives relief

Mountainsandh · 16-01-2013 11:40pm

I stopped all this. Daivonex used to leave me raw, for very little improvement. I prefer my plaques less painful, if they're not gonna go anywhere. Also, mine is so extensive, it takes a very long time and a lot of ointment to cover every plaque and drop... Again, for little benefit.

I don't know, might just try something on the hands at least at some stage. Dreading the raw feeling though (the top of my hands affected, where skin is normally very thin, not the palm side).

Last thing I tried was great, was it a premixed version of the two or something ? It was really expensive though. Got a sample off the doctor, then bought a tube, but I think it was something like 70 euros for a tiny tube.

Gael23 · 16-01-2013 11:47pm

Mountainsandh wrote: »

I stopped all this. Daivonex used to leave me raw, for very little improvement. I prefer my plaques less painful, if they're not gonna go anywhere. Also, mine is so extensive, it takes a very long time and a lot of ointment to cover every plaque and drop... Again, for little benefit.

I don't know, might just try something on the hands at least at some stage. Dreading the raw feeling though (the top of my hands affected, where skin is normally very thin, not the palm side).

Last thing I tried was great, was it a premixed version of the two or something ? It was really expensive though. Got a sample off the doctor, then bought a tube, but I think it was something like 70 euros for a tiny tube.

Did you ever give ordinary moisturiser like e45 or something? Might help soothe the skin a bit.

Mountainsandh · 17-01-2013 12:04am

Yeah, that's what I use all the time. Well, not E45 specifically : Mogoo, argan oil/ointment, all sorts of oily herbal mixtures, and a friend of mine has her own range of preservative free ointments and creams so I use that most of the time.

The mogoo is pretty good, and I found the argan oil ointment was really really good, but it was a really pure version I used to get shipped from France (where they got it directly from Morrocco), and it was really smelly. My job is a bit... public, so the really strong smell meant I could only use it in the evenings.

All these are better than the steroids and medicated creams imo. I always felt these were 1 step forward 2 steps back. That's just for me anyway, because as I said mine is pretty extensive. I would totally recommend them for someone with just a few plaques on the elbows, but I feel I'm past that.

edit : I've had psoriasis for more than 20 years.

missingtime · 17-01-2013 12:25am

The aveeno skin relief with shea butter is very good. Had to lather myself in it when I came home from work. Its so fecking depressing; the dust and and itching and the bleeding would drive you demented.

I'm getting my VHI sorted soon and I'm off to the doctor to give me something other than creams and ointments.

Gael23 · 17-01-2013 2:51pm

I never used any of those before but I have used various shampoos and body washes all of which I found useless.
I just find the steroid works so I use it, yes it is limited in effectiveness but it works. I use the e45 for my face as you can't use the dovobet there

huskerdu · 19-01-2013 10:24am

missingtime wrote: »

I'm getting my VHI sorted soon and I'm off to the doctor to give me something other than creams and ointments.

If you intend joining VHI in order to get private treatment for psoriasis, you should investigate this properly first. It might not be worth it.

VHI do not cover preexisting conditions for a number of years, but I don't know if this covers consultant visits also.

Some VHI plans don't give you any money back on consultant visits and some only pay a maximum of 60 per visit, so you will still have to pay the rest of the €150 fee to see the consultant.

If the consultant recommends light treatment, as far as I know,there is no private clinic that provides it. If there is, you cant guarantee that the VHI will cover it.

My advice to you is to ask your GP for a referral to a dermatologist in the public system. Even if there is a long waiting list for an initial visit, psoriasis is a life long condition, so you will be seen publically eventually.

Go to see a private dermatologist. Pay the €150 and see what they prescribe / recommend. Only then, can you decide if joining the VHI is worth it.

rubadub · 05-02-2013 2:25pm

Was reading the "National Psoriasis Foundation" pdf on about light therapy. http://www.psoriasis.org/document.doc?id=152

Some studies suggest that mineral oil and
petroleum jelly are as effective as coal tar or
anthralin when used in conjunction with UVB.
Applied in a thin layer before treatment, mineral
oil or petroleum jelly can improve the ability of
light to penetrate the skin. Talk to your doctor
before trying this method.
Any other topical application left on the skin
may block some or all of the UVB light and
reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
This is especially true of coal tar, salicylic
acid and thick, white moisturizers. To receive
the maximum benefit from light therapy, it
is important to talk to your doctor about all
moisturizers and topical medications you are
using.

Many see improvements in the summer months due to better light, and many see worsening in winter, many put this down to drier air but I am convinced the lack of light is a bigger factor.

Most recommend getting sun and not using sunscreen, so if you can only get in the sun for say 10mins a day at its brightest (e.g. on your lunch break), then it might be an idea to apply oil. I had been applying coal tar in conjunction with UVB, but its nasty smelly stuff. Mineral oil=baby oil, this also might be why anecdotally you hear of people getting sunburnt more putting on baby oil in place of suncream.

EDIT: reading more studies on google scholar some are saying it reduces effects!

Call Me Jimmy · 19-02-2013 1:26pm

Just an update for anyone who has gotten as desperate as me. I started using cucumber and fingers crossed it seems to be doing the job, I just rub slices and the juices from them all over my face, leave it dry for 20 mins and rinse off. This time last week I was having an awful time and now it's almost like having normal skin again.

I also use a bit of honey, again leaving it on for 15-20 mins and rinsing off with water.

missingtime · 19-02-2013 1:29pm

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Just an update for anyone who has gotten as desperate as me. I started using cucumber and fingers crossed it seems to be doing the job, I just rub slices and the juices from them all over my face, leave it dry for 20 mins and rinse off. This time last week I was having an awful time and now it's almost like having normal skin again.

I also use a bit of honey, again leaving it on for 15-20 mins and rinsing off with water.

I have heard of honey but not cucumber. Might have to try that.

"missingtime, why are you going into the bathroom with that cucumber"?

Call Me Jimmy · 19-02-2013 7:14pm

missingtime wrote: »

I have heard of honey but not cucumber. Might have to try that.

"missingtime, why are you going into the bathroom with that cucumber"?

Hah, well it does look pretty dodge but I keep it in the fridge, so ye get the added cooling effect, slice up a couple and it is working like nothing has worked before in my life. It's less traumatic in the evening having to worry 'will/won't this new thing work'.

Mountainsandh · 19-02-2013 8:06pm

rubadub wrote: »

putting on baby oil in place of suncream.

I have stopped using medicated creams a long time ago, so I'm always using Aveeno, baby oil, other oils, and white moisturising creams, anything moisturising and calming I can get my hands on basically.

For my last puvatherapy, the nurses recommended the white aqueous cream, I suppose because you can get it in a big tub for cheap.
I don't like that one to be honest, but I went along with it.
I think the point was more to have moisturised skin as you went into the cabin, rather than enhancing or blocking the effect of the rays.
I had this notion in my head that maybe the white flakes would indeed block some of the rays, I don't know...

I'm very lucky that a friend of mine makes a whole range of creams that have no preservatives, and she designed 2 creams especially for me, one with argan oil (I had told her how beneficial I found the argan oil, but the ointment I was getting was very smelly), and one with rose and sage. She came up with that one, sage must have some properties good for our condition.

The cucumber sounds very tempting, might try it on my hands this week, I am very inflamed since yesterday for some reason.

Call Me Jimmy · 19-02-2013 8:18pm

Let us know how ye get on if you do try it. Face is the only real problem area of mine so I have been using honey for a year or two on and off. I found the honey alone never solved it completely, but with the cucumber it is looking real good.

Cucumber is also the least messy treatment I've used in my life, takes a min or two to dry.

I did leave it on my face for a whole day which may increase redness because it may overdry the skin. What I'm doing now is putting the honey on (just to help my skin repair, it was in an awful state), let it dry for 15-20 then I get the cucumber and rub that all over the unwashed-off honey on my face, let THAT dry and then rinse it all off.

Also, I use no moisturiser's/creams.

LegacyUser · 07-04-2013 7:25pm

Hey guys I suffer rather mildly compared to most people here .... but ive found for me fasting is great for clearing it up ... ill eat just veg and it goes completly... just a tip for the holidays , good luck

Shoneen · 29-04-2013 4:52pm

I've had psoriasis for quite a few years now, mainly on the scalp but patches elsewhere (ankles, elbows, nails). Towards the end of last year I was finding that my legs were getting progressively worse to the point where the whole of the lower legs were covered and were becoming quite oozy and painful. The dandruff being generated from my scalp had also become unmanageable.

I saw a well regarded consultant dermatologist in January and her view regarding the management of psoriasis is that we should avoid taking showers/washing hair as much as possible abd only spot wash our sweathy bits each day with Silcocks Base or Cetaphil. She's also quite a big proponent of the Moo Goo products and exposing the psoriasis to sunlight as frequently as possible.

Now I was very much at least a shower a day person so this didn't sound like the most pleasent regime but I've adapted it and now my scalp psoriasis is effectively gone and I'm not having to apply any treatments to my scalp. The leg situation hasn't been as successful; they have improved in that its less red and scaly and the psoriasis is no longer expanding but it has not fully gone away yet. I went to see her again last week and she says that the legs do tend to take longer to fully heal but also picked up that I had not been doing the sunlight thing (difficult in Dublin) and I had not really been moisturising frequently enough. Now I've added to my regime that I'm mosituring with Moo Goo every time my legs are itchy. Its helping and I'm hopeful this will more or less get me back to normal in the next few weeks.

I should note that she didn't consider me to be a particularly bad case and she said had she been unable to resolve it this way she would have considered prescribing a relatively new oral vitamin D treatment which is apparently quite succesful but given that this had other side effects she would only prescribe it if she had to. From what i recall she was also against the use of UV lights because of the skin cancer risks that go with them.

rubadub · 29-04-2013 5:15pm

Shoneen wrote: »

we should avoid taking showers/washing hair as much as possible abd only spot wash our sweathy bits each day with Silcocks Base or Cetaphil.

Was it that she against the use of soap? rather than water? I have a shaved head so would not bother using shampoo or soap anyway. But always figured the water would aid moisturising.

Shoneen wrote: »

She's also quite a big proponent of the Moo Goo products and exposing the psoriasis to sunlight as frequently as possible...

From what i recall she was also against the use of UV lights because of the skin cancer risks that go with them.

That seems odd, I would have thought if you got a dose of UVB from say 30mins sunbathing, that the equivalent artificial UVB light dose would be less likely to give you cancer (narrowband UVB anyway), or that it would at worst be equal. With normal sunlight you are getting a full blast of radiation which is not of any benefit to psoriasis. It would be like if people found nicotine good for psoriasis and a doctor saying to take up smoking, but avoid nicotine pills.

http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/forum/psoriasis-discussion-board-the-laboratory/uvb-vs-sunlight/5/?wap2
2 posts in a forum, can't say if its correct

maryw:
It is better to use doctor approved narrow band UVB than sunlight for three reasons.
(i). Narrow UVB only has the rays you want, 100% of the time.
(ii) You are less likely to burn if you follow the instructions, use timers etc.
(iii) The UVA in sunlight is the number one suspect for lethal malignant melanoma. (Public health departments around the world refuse to tell us this because it voids their erroneous, over simplistic safe sun message). The UVB that will hopefully treat your psoriasis will increase the chance twenty fold of giving you basal cell or squamous cell cancers, but hardly any one ever dies from this. The UVA light coming through your window whilst you're reading this is more likely to kill you than narrow band UVB lamps, (even in winter). Also UVB skin damage (tanning) may actually reduce the risk of malignant melanoma as long as you avoid burning, (though this is obviously a contentious theory).

But regardless of whether you choose sunlight or UVB, here is the stat to remember: Twenty times the number of Australians get basal cell or squamous cell cancer than Norwegians, but only twice as many Australians than Norwegians get malignant melanoma. For someone suffering from psoriasis, those are brilliant odds if you want to use UVB, natural or otherwise.

Buratino:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or LoginThanks for the info guys! I was just trying to figure out if trying to spend more time in the sun would be any safer than using UVB or whether it would carry the same risks anyway, it just always seemed more natural and healthy to go out in the sun in my head :P

--- End quote ---

As far as I recall hospital brochures and medical website say that the risk is the same as from the sun.
In general sun tanning is not considered healthy any more.
UVB usually takes 3-4 months to clear the skin. Unless you live in a sunny country you will not have chance to spend 3-4 months in the sun.

I have just finished 11 weeks UVB and got almost 100% clear. I do not count scalp as UVB cannot treat it.
Hospital nurses said that there is a limited number of UVB treatment hours that one can have during lifetime to minimise risk of cancer.

I have not had UVB before but I lived in hot country so got burnt almost every summer since I was 4 or 5.

It is my second remission over the past 15 years and I really feel different when I have clean skin.

We all die one day from some health problems so I prefer to have a better quality of life with clear skin than worry about getting cancer in 20 years time.

missingtime · 29-04-2013 5:22pm

Shoneen wrote: »

I saw a well regarded consultant dermatologist in January and her view regarding the management of psoriasis is that we should avoid taking showers/washing hair as much as possible abd only spot wash our sweathy bits each day with Silcocks Base or Cetaphil. She's also quite a big proponent of the Moo Goo products and exposing the psoriasis to sunlight as frequently as possible.

I did something similar and cut back on the showering as my skin was stinging from the water. I use Sanex zero which is very mild so it couldn't have been that.

Anomic · 30-04-2013 9:22pm

Hey, just wondering if anyone here has psoriatic arthritis? recently diagnosed and have never come across anyone else who has it..

Gael23 · 03-05-2013 12:20pm

I was at my GP today for the first time in a while and he wasn't happy with the amount of steroid based treatments im using so now he is sending me onto a dermatologist

huskerdu · 03-05-2013 5:20pm

Anomic wrote: »

Hey, just wondering if anyone here has psoriatic arthritis? recently diagnosed and have never come across anyone else who has it..

I have psoriatic arthritis. I am not too bad, Most of the symptoms are in my toes but I get some swelling in the hands and a bit of discomfort. I really hope my hands don't get worse as I get older.

I am on methotrexate and simponi. Have you ben prescribed anything ?

Feel free to ask anything.

Anomic · 03-05-2013 10:34pm

hey,thanks for that. Only just diagnosed, meeting Rheumotolgist next week to go through treatment options. Have it all over both legs, feet ,hands & around my spine. Pain is a mother f**ker, can barely function with it. Still glad to get a diagnosis. Any side effects from methotrexate ? Do you find that you catch a lot of viruses and bugs or does it make that much of a difference?

Psoriasis

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