Thread: Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis diagnosis

Im 33 and was just told I have both of these autoimmune rheumatic disorders.
It's nice to finally have an explanation for my stiff neck,ankles,sternum and SI joints. I make my living selling orthopaedic joint replacements, so I'm well aware of the degeneration that can happen with this incurable diseases. Happy to have caught it early as all my xrays look normal and no stenosis in my lumbar or cervical spots. I've had the pain for over a year and originally thought it could be lymes.

I have had moderate plaque psoriasis for ten years that has recently gone into remission. My rheumy prescribed 20mg of methotrexate. Im 6 weeks into the treatment and it really hasn't relieved the pain. I'm taking 2400 mg nsaid daily- to keep the inflammation/pain in check. I'm going to give it two more weeks and then I'm going to request enbrel. There is no cure for these disorders just disease modifying drugs. I am sick of the chronic pain and not being able to drink alcohol AT ALL sucks balls. Especially because I am single and just moved to a new city.

Any other mags out there dealing with these problems? I checked a few other
forums specific to both of these diseases, but there is so much self loathing and bitching that I can't handle it. I'm just looking for some mag advice and not some fat assed 50 year old woman with gout telling me to try some homeopathic gluten free treatment.

My brother has psoriatic arthritis, but it's under control. He gets a shot once a month I think, it's ridiculously expensive, like five grand a shot, he can't quit his job because of it (not too many other bardtending jobs out there with full bennies). If you're interested I'll find out what the medicine is - he told me but I don't remember the name.

He may have the spondylitis too for all I know, I'll ask him. He was in a pretty bad way before he started getting treatment, he just toughed it out but he was hurting. Seems fine now, for an old guy.

Good luck with it, like you said, at least you know what it is now.

Thanks Ice. You're an alright guy. I'd appreciate any info from your brothers experience with PA. There are a few systemic and biologic drugs on the market right now that reduce or send symptoms into remission. My dermo told me enbrel is 1,200-1,500 month for weekly injections. At this point I don't give a shit what the costs will be because spending the first hour of my day impersonating the tin man is for the birds.