Newbie in despair

Hello Bevvy, just a big hug from me, living with this condition when it's bad is hellish. I'm up at silly o clock again for the fourth week running because of a flare up, I can't control my itching either. Personal question, but have you started the menopause yet? Hormonal changes have an affect on psoriasis, when I was pregnant mine was acute and I was in agony with my nails as well as full body plaques. It didn't itch, it just hurt. The doctor even joked that my stomach looked like a map of the world - I didn't laugh! If it's not that, can you identify the trigger? I'm 59 and got it when my parents divorced when I was 20. I'm afraid it is a daily greasy grind, it's a lot of maintenance. All I can suggest is drink lots of water, moisturise morning and night and in between if you can, and cream your hands all day. Do your feet as often as you can, I know it's hard if you are at work. I'm taking a tab of Cetrizine morning and evening - the pharmacist said dermatologists say it's OK - it's non drowsy. Not working. I've got another allergy tab from Boots but it did make me feel drowsy and I was scared to drive to work - will have to give it another go at the weekend when I'm off. What creams were you trying? They take weeks to work for me - Betnovate in the morning, all over Cetraban. Dovenex in the evening, all over Cetraban. My patches eventually reduce to red marks if I'm consistent but sometimes I don't have time. With this awful itchy flare up I've just bought Eurax, which hasn't touched it, and was prescribed a coal tar lotion, which also hasn't touched it. I've also tried E45 anti itch cream, Calendula, Aveno and Alo Vera gel cream. None of them stop the itching for me, might one of them might work for you? I'm going to buy some calamine tomorrow, perhaps that might help me. I expect you are already wearing cotton clothing, and using a non-bio washing powder. I hoover my mattress weekly and all of the floors. I'm on Slimming World so haven't had sugar for nine months except in fruit - no difference to my skin. I stopped smoking over a year ago and am using an e cig - as there hasn't been any research some friends think it's that, but it's not, I've got a huge amount of stress in my life that I can't control at the moment, I know it's that. I've only had UVA for about six weeks twenty years ago and it didn't help me either - perhaps ask your consultant for a reassessment if you aren't seeing any improvements? Although it's bad having it right at this moment it will get better. Your skin will heal with the right combination of cream/sun/diet and you will learn how to manage it so you are comfortable. It's a horrible journey but lots of other people will come on here and share with you tomorrow - lucky them, they are sleeping! Have a good week and let us know how you are getting on.

Hello. I've been taking methotrexate for 6 years. Not 1 side effect. However it doesn't always clear your P 100 procent. The following will WILL help you. Moogoo products. amazing creams, shampoos, conditioners ect. Bev you need to get on a good healthy living diet. The body Coach on facebook will help you there. I know your sore. To ease your relief get coconut oil and use that as a moistureiser (sorry I'm Swedish my spelling can be poor) I always use coconut oil. You can buy it in majority of supermarkets. Get it onto your scalp, works wonders. Use it for frying food instead of the other oil. You also get P on the inside of your body. Think clothes. Wool on bare skin. no go. I use running t - shirts under my shirts or jumpers. make sure its dry plus. Will stop the wetness and rubbing when hot or sweaty. That t-shirts saved my back big time. No more perfume products. tar soap and shampoo is good and cheap. Or the moogoo products. check them out on facebook. they deliver worldwide. Get natural sea salt or dead sea sea salt in your bath. Herbs are your friend. Get them in tea. Vitamins K, E, C, D get them. Make your own moistureiser. mogoo will help you there. skip the sun beds. no comfort eating because P is getting to your head. I know it's hard, but stop worrying. it will go. get moogoo. nails - ouch. I used to get there too. calcium tablets shifted it. seriously works. Love yourself Bev. Dosen't matter if you're 50. Get on the body coach. skip the 90 day waste of money stuff. Use his recipes and his youtube HIIT sessions. Moogoo Bev. question me and keep in touch with me if you want. I will help you as much as I can.

Thanks both for your care and advice - much appreciated. I've bought some calcium tablets and am doing the greasy grind of Centraben, Doublebase and Dermal 500. On my third week of no sugar. The light treatment doesn't seem to be doing much but the nurses say you can't really tell until 15 sessions or so, so am just going to continue and hope for the best. Have spent a fortune on things people recommend online but two in particular seem to be helping me - O'Keeffes Working Foot Cream is wonderful for the cracks on your soles and heels and coconut oil applied directly to my scalp has got rid of the horrid raised bits. Thanks again for the advice. I have no idea what triggered this; am 8 years past the menopause so think that unlikely. But last year was a stressful one so I reckon it could be the most likely reason.

Hello Bevvy - I want to share my experience with a natural product I tried, a non-steroid product called Soratinex and used it for almost 9 weeks where almost all my psoriasis cleared. I have been clear now for almost 8 months. It is a bit pricey but definitely recommended. The site where I bought it is www.soratinex-buyonline.com. I totally empathize with you and I hope this can help. SIncerely Mark

Me too I am 53 and since the menopause aged 41 I have awful psoriasis I f you feel tired all the time you should see a rheumatologist as psoriatic arthritis diagnosis is quite common I am just starting on the drug methotrexate Didn't want to but skin much improved Hope this helps I met a patient at the Royal Berkshire Hospital who told me about this website Very grateful to her xx