Smoking
Posted Thu 5 Jul 2018 11.12 by Billybing
Hello everyone,
Thought I would share my story and see what others think. I’m a 51 year old male who started with a small patch on my side and another on my scalp around Christmas. No history in the family, no infections or stress at all. Several visits to the doctor, two visits to a dermatologist and it now covers most of my body. Creams haven’t worked, short term steroid tablets eased the pain slightly but can’t take them long term. Finally got to see a consultant dermatologist 2 weeks ago who again asked about family history, possible stress and infections and couldn’t understand why I had suddenly started with psoriasis that has progressively got worse and worse. Anyway, when he asked if I smoked and I proudly said no, I’d given up a 40 a day habit 12 months ago he said “aaahhhhh that could be it!” Giving up smoking suddenly has probably shocked my body and caused psoriasis. How’s that for luck? Anyway he’s put me on alceretin for 3 months.
Been taking them for two weeks now with no real change. Anybody have any luck with these tablets?
I’m seriously thinking of starting smoking again. The pain is so bad, I struggle standing up. Getting in and out of my car is getting impossible and no pain killer seems to help. So wish I hadn’t give up smoking 😟
Posted Thu 5 Jul 2018 16.10 by OhNo_NotAgain? (edited Thu 5 Jul 2018 18.17 by OhNo_NotAgain?)
The causes/triggers of psoriasis are varied, various and not necessarily well understood.
If you were to start smoking again, there is absolutely NO guarantee that your psoriasis would reduce or disappear as a direct result of that action.
I had my first psoriaisis outbreak aged 23, in January of my final year of university. I had plaques all over my body (and I mean ALL), face and scalp.
Once my exams were over and a 3 week holiday in the sun and swimming in the sea, it started to recede. After 12 months or so it was almost completely gone, although it never left my elbows completely.
19 years later I was having a new bathroom installed, and I stepped on a loose floorboard left by the contractor, and my leg slipped through and I scrapped the front of my shin on the wood - about a 1-inch scrape. As that healed it became a psoriasis plaque that stayed with me for 1 year.
ON 13 December 2017 I had a total hip replacement operation. In Feb 2018 I came out in Guttate psoriasis all over my body and scalp, but not the face. My GP thinks it COULD be triggered (triggered, not CAUSED) by the physical trauma of the hip operation.
However the psoriasis only appeared late in February - a few days after I fell off a step ladder and took a huge impact the one of my elbows - right on the existing small patch of psoriasis. I developed a huge bruise covering 90% of the circumference of my arm, and extending from half-way up the tricep almost to my wrist. I wonder, did that trauma trigger the psoriasis outbreak?
In 2007-2008 I had recurring tonsilitis (8-10 instances) and respiratory infections, and finally a prolonged course of antibiotics (3-4 weeks) changing the antibiotic every 5-7 days, and several nebuliser sessions of antibiotics. No increase in psoriasis.
In 2010 I broke my collarbone in a motorcycle accident, NHS said it would heal itself, but after 4 months I went privately for an operation to re-attach the bones with a titanium rod and bone graft - no increase in psoriasis. In 2016 I broke my ankle and needed an operation to screw it back together with a plate - no increase psoriasis.
Yet some people experience a psoriasis outbreak after a single case of tonsilitis or strep-throat.
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