I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis a year after my youngest child was born,25 years ago. I had never heard of the condition, never had psoriasis before. I had been sent to a skin specialist because I had a really itch, flaky scalp. He asked me if I had any sore joints and I told him that my shoulder had been sore for several years but I just put that down to the fact that I coached gymnastics and was from supporting children doing their activities. Anyway, after that, everything just flared up skin and joints, I was admitted to hospital and was being treated with tar all over my body and also being experimented with loads of different drugs.
Psoriatic arthritis has totally ruined my life, I am now 54 can't drive anymore as I can hardly turn my head, can't run my business any more which was making pottery, can hardly see as the psoriasis has gone into my eyes. Have constant pain in all my joints and am now being experimented on with the newest drug to come out which is an anti TNF drug called ustekinumab injected in 3 monthly intervals, have had two so far but no improvement yet, I know that I have moaned a lot in this but I am really hoping that this works. I would love to be able to pick up and cuddle my grand children or just take them for a walk, I don't think that is too much to ask for.
Submitted by a 54 year old female living in Scotland
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