It Took Me Years to Find the Right Psoriatic Arthritis Medication

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

Meet The Author

LB Herbert lives in Texas and shares her experience with psoriatic arthritis nationally. She’s a volunteer with the National Psoriasis Foundation, where she helps other people with the condition connect with resources and support.

My pain began in 2009. It started in my back but eventually reached my shoulders, hips, and back. The karate and bootcamp classes I often attended became difficult to join as I often woke up stiff with limited mobility.

I tried physical therapy and applying ice and heat, but that provided little to no relief. My doctor sent me for a mammogram, ultrasound, and cancer screenings, which all showed no reason for my pain. Finally, I had an X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that confirmed I have arthritis. Unfortunately, this diagnosis was only part of the puzzle. It would be years of treatment trial and error before I received my psoriatic arthritis diagnosis.

Read on to learn about my journey in receiving a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis and medication that works for me.

When Treatments Just Aren’t Working, Perhaps the Diagnosis Is Wrong (Or Incomplete)

The next few years were a whirlwind as I went to different providers trying to find treatments and medications that worked for me. I saw:

• Two back doctors

• A knee doctor

• Two rheumatologists

• A neurologist

I started carrying a thick binder to appointments with notes and tests from previous doctors. I had to advocate for myself.

I’m an educated patient. I have a doctorate and two children who have navigated serious health conditions, including cancer. I had my suspicions about what was causing my pain, but I knew that doctors wouldn’t take me seriously if I just came out and told them my self-diagnosis. Instead, I learned to ask them guided questions. My questions would spark them to consider other conditions—including those I thought might be at play.

I faced some very difficult appointments. One doctor suggested that my pain was all in my head and put me on an antidepressant. I was frustrated and desperate, so I tried taking the antidepressant. It didn’t do anything for my pain.

A Sign of Hope: A Medication Actually Helped

Before I got any clear answers, I developed uveitis (a rare type of inflammatory eye disease) in my eye. I felt a stabbing pain in my eyeball, and the entire area around it felt like I had been punched. I went to an ophthalmologist, who suggested I try a biologic. Soon after that I started Humira, and the medication changed my life.

I noticed the results almost immediately. I wasn’t as stiff in the morning. I regained my range of motion and did karate with little pain. I was still tired, but as a working mom with two young kids, that was to be expected.

I was on Humira for four years, and I became a spokesperson for the patient experience on the medication. Unfortunately, I eventually had to go off the Humira because I was having recurrent thrush infections. Medications like Humira weaken the immune system to stop it from attacking the points; unfortunately, that can leave patients vulnerable to fungal infections and viruses. I felt better most of the time while on Humira, but I got sick more often.

Paying Attention to Ignored Symptoms

During a 2016 appointment, my primary care doctor noticed skin issues. I didn’t have the plaques that are typical of psoriasis, but I had patches of dry, itchy skin and dandruff, and some pimple-like bubbles on my skin. I was so focused on the pain in my joints that I never paid much attention to my skin symptoms. And yet, they’d be the key to finding a treatment that worked.

This updated diagnosis from my doctor, partnered with the need to switch off of Humira, prompted me to start on Stelara, a medication for psoriatic arthritis and other conditions. So far, it’s been great. I teach karate, keep up with work and home life, and enjoy traveling with my family.

Even though I now have a diagnosis and targeted treatment, I still rely on lifestyle changes and home remedies to feel my best. The most important is movement. I try to run two miles every day. They’re slow and steady, with my dog stopping to sniff every few feet, but they keep me feeling less stiff. I also swear by turmeric supplements (I keep a jar on my desk), as well as muscle relaxers to help when I have enthesitis (inflammation of the tendons or ligaments) or muscle pain. I get enough sleep and try to manage stress.

Paving the Path for a Life With a Chronic Illness

I know this disease is progressive. I take medication to slow it down, but I can’t stop it entirely. Most recently, I’ve noticed pain in my hands. My husband has started silently stepping in to open jars for me, so I don’t have to feel embarrassed asking him for help. I see a pain psychologist who has rheumatic arthritis. She’s helped me accept and process living with this chronic disease.

As told to by Kelly Burch

Read the original article on Verywell Health.