Confused Newby

Posted Wed 22 May 2019 06.11 by Kentish27

Hi All, I have recently been diagnosed and was pleased to find this association. However, I am struggling to understand how the condition progresses. I first went to see my GP because of two small round patches of dry skin, one by the side of each knee, about the size of a 2 pound coin. Since then I began to experience what I thought were insect bites. Very small red spots would appear, vert itchy. My wife and I even completely stripped all bedding, turned the beds over and cleaned everything thinking it was bed bugs. But these little spots began to grow, now I have about 10 of them, ranging from the size of a 5 pence piece to about a 2 pence piece. All are on my legs except one on my foot. To begin with Doc gave me a tube a Betnovate cream for those first two patches and was told use twice a day for one week only. Can anyone give me any idea what now to expect for the future?I would be most grateful for any advice - I am an elderly male. Thank you all.

Posted Sun 26 May 2019 01.25 by wendyloish

Hi Kentish, I am sure the GP must have told you that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, and that it is chronic. Have a read of the "Psoriasis and Treatments" section of the website, and take some time to scroll through the forum. But, if I were you, I would first look to whether there are other health issues that might be connected. Anything chronic, like arthritis, or even asthma, high blood pressure or heart problems may have a connection. For me the holisitic approach has been helpful. There are threads on the forum regarding diet and symptom control and they may help you. Have a look at blueberries and tumeric as they have been recommended for symptom control by many on the forum. And to answer the question "how does the condition progress?", well that is a hard one to answer because it seems to be as variable as the triggers. Only about 25% of psoriasis sufferers seem to get psoriatic arthritis. or so the research suggests. My family history suggests a link between high blood pressure, gut issues, psoriatic arthritis, heart enlargement and psoriasis. Perhaps looking at your family history may be useful to you too. Asking what to expect in the future may be the wrong question, as it is possible you are already in the future. If so, you are lucky, as many sufferers have been coping with psoriasis since childhood or adolescence. I hope this has been helpful. wendyloish

Posted Sun 26 May 2019 06.24 by Kentish27

Dear wendyloish, Thank you for your reply. Since my posting the Betnovate cream which I have been using for about 5 days now has been showing results,. The red patches of flaky skin have begun to fade. I take on-board your mention of the fact that someone of my age has to be thankful,. To have a skin condition like Psoriasis at an early age has to be very distressful. Which is why organisations that provide a forum such as this can be very helpful. The NHS is wonderful, but there are times when just a few more minutes with a doctor so as to discuss a subject in a little more depth I feel sure would be much appreciated. Thank you again, my best wishes to you. - Kentish

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