I'm not sure if I have psoriasis or something else entirely (NHS!!!!)

Posted Wed 29 Mar 2023 17.50 by ExiledDan

Hey everyone, First time here, Just registered for an account 15 minutes ago. So a little about me I'm Dan, 33 and last year I was "diagnosed" with Psoriasis (over the phone, Clever Doctor!) and was prescribed a steroid based tablet and a steroid based cream (I forget the name of the tablet but I was only allowed a 6 week course of it starting with 6 tablets week 1 and decreasing by 1 tablet every week following) and the cream was Eurax or something like that. Anywho started with small-ish patches on the back of my hands and wrists, Then started to notice it was slowly creeping up my arms, then it spread to the back of my neck, Then within 3 or 4 weeks spread to the sides of my chest (exterior sides, so left and right) and then just underneath my chest and lower back at roughly the same time and then onto my upper thighs, This progression has taken since around May 2022 - October 2022. It was at this point I lost all self confidence because my face started to show signs of it as well, Now I was never really a super confident person anyway but it had progressively got better over time, took the occasional dip here and there as I was battling with my subconcious (depression, anxiety, ptsd, ocd, night terrors, night sweats, sleep paralysis & insomnia this coupled with suicidal tendencies and suicidal ideation). I quit my job at the time as well because my job as a Doorman/Bouncer/Security Guard requires you to give off this confident aura/energy/vibe etc. and I turned inward, my anxiety flared up to astronomical amounts, which in turn severly decreased my mood, I stopped going out the house completely, resorting to ordering everything I needed online, paying all my utilities through apps and direct debit, I had no reason to leave. As time passed the anxiety got worse, I Was trying to seek different treatments for this "Psoriasis" (I put in quotes because I've yet to have any tests and only managed to see a GP twice in almost a year!!), My GP said he passed on my details to the dermatologist at the nearby hospital but that was October last year and I've never been contacted by them (even after chasing them up several times), It almost like I've been forgotten by the system and slipped through the cracks, I feel like I'm going insane and blaming the NHS because I just want my life back, I want to be able to feel confident, I want to be able to go back to work, I Want to be able to show future potential partner's my face (I'm single currently, I got out of my last relationship in january 2021 and I did date again after that in early 2022 but that was before my skin became a major sticking point for me), I want to be able to live a normal life, my life has been on hold for so long at a couple of points in my adult life that I almost give up on being an adult all together (difficult to explain in brief but basically had an accident at 15 that resulted in a series of operations that meant I was unable to walk until the age of 24 (this is when the mental health side of things started to surface) and when I evetually wa able to walk again and tried to move on with my life I ended up getting stabbed in a burgalry on my property (where I still live...) this took me roughly 2 years to try and "get over"), Moving onto age 27 I got my first real full time job (I'd worked previously but it was dribs and drabs during recovery periods after operations etc., Think my longest job upto that point was around 4 months) anywho this is only half the story, there's so much more but I'm moving away from the topic at hand which is the skin condition. I have no idea what to try next, trying to get an appointment with my doctor appears to be impossible most days as they never have appointments available, lucky if you can get i into the surgery one time every 8 weeks unless doctor has prebooked an appointment to see you for a specific reason (i.e blood test, airway check etc.) and the 2 appointments I have had related to my skin have been through 111 who always seem to have appoointments available at my doctors even though I've called multiple times before calling 111 to find out there are "no appointments available today" then 10 minutes later calling 111 to find out "ok we booked you an appointments at [insert your GP Surgery here]!!", Feels like I'm just getting palmed off all the time, never resolving anything, I had the same issues with my mental health too so this just reinforced that opinion... Anywho sidetracked again (sorry!) I guess the main reason for posting here is to find out what if any treatments have worked for you fellow users, I've tried (off my own back not through GP's) Dermol500 (immolient cream for shower use mainly), Eurax, Healdsporin (both body wash and scalp shampoo as the "dry skin/psoriasis" is now all over my scalp and forhead), that one steroid tablet (which I forget the name of because the doctor refuses to re-issue it even though it seemed to help more than any cream I've tried) and finally the cream Epimax Isomol Gel, I have also used over the years (because I've had dry skin in the past but never to this level) Aveeno body wash, shower scrub, scalp shampoo and daily moisturiser. Also tried CBD creams which did reduce the itchiness and some of the redness but I simply couldn't keep up with the cost of the treatment due to not working (Most CBD creams are small pots not like these 500ml bottles you get from doctors but 50ml - 100ml tubs and usually cost in the region of £12 - £45 depending on brand and CBD strength). Anyway this post is far too long already, Hope your all doing well with your treatments if you have found one that works for you, Hope to hear from someone soon.

Posted Wed 29 Mar 2023 19.30 by Tracyjane

Hi firstly have you tried registering with a different doctor. Your doctor should be chasing up your dermatologist. If you get into the dermatologist & they agree that this is affecting your life to an unacceptable degree which I think it is, they should be able to offer something stronger than steroids . I’ve heard that charlottes web cbd oil is supposed to be very good but as you said expensive. Keep calling your doctor every day don’t give up x

Posted Wed 29 Mar 2023 20.17 by ExiledDan

Thanks for your reply, At present I have gone through 4 different Doctor's Surgeries (not just for the Psoriasis but for the Mental health stuff as well, including 8 or 9 different orginisations/therapists/councillors for the mental stuff). Pre-Covid my doctor's used to be amazing, almost always available, plenty of appointment's, granted it could still take 2 or 3 days to get one but it's vastly better than what it currently is now. As for the other doctor's I chose the one I'm at now because of their poor management of my health previously at the other doctor's so it was kind of a better the devil you know situation I guess, but yes your right my GP "should" be chasing up the dermatologist but I' the one doing the legwork alas to no avail but at least I;m trying. I'll look into the CW CBD and see what people are saying about it, Finances permitting (even though I'm currently entitled to free prescriptions you cannot get CBD on prescription, Hopefully the NHS changes this soon because it helped me with so much other stuff in it's various forms) x

Posted Wed 29 Mar 2023 21.08 by Tracyjane

Keep badgering them, calling or messages. If it’s like my doctors it gets picked up by a different one every time. My son who is only 15 got to see the dermatologist & he is now on methrotrexate, quite a strong drug but he really need something as it too was on his face & he wouldn’t go to school. When you do get to see one make sure you tell them exactly how it’s affecting your life. Good luck x

Posted Thu 30 Mar 2023 10.12 by psoriasis association (admin)Mod

Hi ExiledDan, I'm so sorry to hear your struggles with psoriasis as well as your mental health. We do offer a confidential helpline here where our friendly advisers are able to give some more information and support. However, we are not medically trained. Please feel free to get in touch by phone on 01604 251 620, email at mail@psoriasis-association.org.uk or WhatsApp on 07387 716 439. Best wishes, Georgia, Psoriasis Association

Posted Mon 10 Apr 2023 18.07 by Eatmorechocolate

Really sorry to hear of your misery. Have you tried an online enquiry to your GP? I find that it is great way to list my concerns and what I wanted them to do for each one. I had usually found they respond by either ordering tests or making a phone appointment, but of course skin conditions need to be seen. We are all different and diagnosis can be difficult. My patches itch a lot and I was told it was excema and the psoriasis (and back again) and finally, that in didn’t matter as ‘the treatment was the same for both’! For me, what I eat makes a difference and although I have never got free completely I have certainly found that cleaning up my diet has helped a lot.

Posted Wed 12 Apr 2023 16.18 by Peter S
I have psoriasis on about 1/3 of my body...have had it for over 10 years and its getting worse.

Dovobet progresses in odd ways. Mine started with just a few little itchy spots on one finger....must have been 15 years or more ago. Then it progressed to my scalp and innner thighs. These days about 20% of my body has it. Some areas have it all the time, whilst in other areas it comes and goes.

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