Guttate psoriasis - how long did yours last?!

Posted Wed 14 Jun 2023 14.30 by SJ (edited Wed 14 Jun 2023 14.31 by SJ)

I developed severe guttate psoriasis covering about 95% of my body in early January following a strep throat infection. The teardrops covered my arms, legs, feet, toes, face, neck eyelids - you name it, everywhere. It's the second guttate psoriasis outbreak in a year after developing it last summer from a throat infection - but that time it only appeared on my legs and lasted 3 months. With this second round of guttate psoriasis, I initially tried various steroid topical treatments but nothing worked - until around March when I was prescribed Enstilar foam. This was very good at keeping the rash at bay (as long as I used it daily) until I started phototherapy which has also proven very effective. I'm on session 30 now and about three weeks ago my skin finally started to clear (5.5 months after it first started). However, I had a holiday last week which meant no light therapy sessions and the dreaded teardrops started coming back on my arms, neck and torso very quickly. So I'm feeling very deflated and fully expecting it to come back everywhere once phototherapy stops in two weeks' time. I'm very confused - all the advice online and GPs/dermatologists I speak to suggest guttate psoriasis tends to last weeks to several months. The nurses who deal with me at phototherapy keep telling me I'll have this for life now. Has anyone on here had guttate psoriasis last longer than six months and did it become permanent? I'm on a waitlist to get my tonsils out as I've been struggling with repeat tonsillitis for years so I have a glimmer of hope that this might prevent future outbreaks of guttate psoriasis...although given the state of the NHS I don't expect to get a tonsillectomy for a few years! Has anyone had a tonsillectomy and has this impacted your psoriasis for the better?

Posted Sat 1 Jul 2023 19.25 by Andy

Hey, im sorry to hear that u are still struggling with it, but it seems that my situation is somehow similar to yours. I got an acute attack of guttate psoriasis in beginnig of march covering large parts of my body and started light treatment a few weeks after that. The light treatment worked well for my face, arms and thighs, but never removed the spots on my torso and lower legs. I finished 30 sessions of light therapy 2 weeks ago and as feared it started flaring up again including those areas that fully recovered from light therapy. Right now im hoping that its just a rebound effect after stopping light treatment, but i fear its not. From what ive read if the outbreak ilasts more than 12 months its high risk of becoming permanent, but not sure if anyone confirm that.

Posted Sun 2 Jul 2023 14.54 by OhNo_NotAgain? (edited Tue 4 Jul 2023 11.49 by OhNo_NotAgain?)

SJ, after having plaque psoriasis since 1980 which had largely receded except for elbows and one or two minor patches, I had an outbreak of guttate psoriasis all over my body and scalp a few weeks after a hip replacement operation (2017) I went to my GP and he suggested that guttate psoriasis generally clears in 6 months. I used exorex coal tar on the areas I could reach, and doublebase mosituriser. (I tried many other topical treatments but nothing helped. Six months after appearing, it DID begin to recede and had completely cleared after about 8.5 months. Good luck!

Posted Sun 2 Jul 2023 19.42 by SJ

Hi Andy, thanks for sharing your story and sorry to hear you're going through something very similar. Are you using anything to treat the rebound psoriasis? I was advised to use Enstillar foam (which has worked quite well at keeping the psoriasis under control to an extent) every day on the bits that flare and then gradually ease off. The problem is it tends to be so widespread, I end up just spraying all my limbs, torso etc. Do you have any kind of follow up? Mine's in October, at which point we will chat about possible medications if it's flared seriously again... Hi OhNo, thanks for sharing - that sounds positive at least - I'm just beyond the sixth month mark now and it's definitely eased off in areas that were consistently bad for months prior to the light treatment. My back, chest and stomach are virtually clear now - just my problematic arms and legs that keep flaring. Did you find something similar with yours? I guess I'm worried it'll come back everywhere now I've finished up my light treatment.

Posted Tue 4 Jul 2023 11.51 by OhNo_NotAgain?

Hi again SJ, mine did not flare again. It just faded.

Posted Thu 31 Aug 2023 12.18 by andrea
have had p for too many years

I have been taking Ultra Vitamin D 3000iu super strength and Omega 3 300mg since April. I am on Methotrexate which I have been on for 10 years. It’s been going well but I do have flare ups in the winter. I have a UVB phototherapy unit which I used from February to May. The vitamins seem to have held back the psoriasis since May as it’s only come back in small spots and would usually have returned on my legs by now. . My legs were the worst but I have been able to wear shorts all summer which may have helped. Im keeping up the Vitamin D throughout the winter and if all stays as it is I won’t use the UVB unit.

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