fun times with psoriasis

[bigfarma]

A couple months ago I woke up one day with a few little flesh colored bumps on one of my hands. It progressed into a little patch of psoriasis and after applying some coal tar solution it went away.

A couple times since then I've gotten these little flare-ups, which after applying the coal tar for a week so, disappear. Except it gets a little worse each time it happens. And the itching! Oh my gosh, it's never itched before, but this time it is insane. I had a few bumps before I went to bed last night and I was scratching it all night (I know that was a bad idea, but I was sort of half asleep when I did it) and when I woke up this morning, it's now covering about half of each hand.

Anyway, given the fact that this is basically excessive cell division, and assuming I have some glitch in my immune system making it unable to control it, the idea of continually slathering my hands in a carcinogen (the coal tar solution) makes me a little wary.

I've looked into all the natural remedies and am planning on going to a local natural foods type store to stock up on some stuff- vitamin E, fish oil, and some others.

I was just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this, or knows someone who does, and has anything that's worked for them.

Bye, and thanks in advance.

 

[gettingfitmom]

my son has a few patches on his head which gives him embarrassing flakes. he is using MG217 medicated tar shampoo, and it has worked wonders. It also comes in a cream, not sure if it is the same thing you are trying...

 

[UnstrungHarp]

I'm so sorry that I don't have any encouraging advice...I also have psoriasis that was finally classified as severe a few years after my first flare up in my early twenties. I wanted to do the natural remedy thing too, especially since I didn't have the best insurance coverage on prescriptions at that time. But I tried so many things and it just continued to get worse. It was never a problem on my hands...primarily my legs and scalp, and it had started to become a problem on my face and arms around the time I got better insurance through my employer.

Unfortunately, the only thing that ever worked for me and continues to work almost two years later is a prescription pill called Soriatane (generic: acitretin). I have heard that very few people want to take Soriatane, which is a "first cousin" to the acne drug Accutane, my dermatologist says. It has potentially dangerous side effects and you deal with the hassle of monthly blood tests. It's also extremely expensive at retail cost (around $900 for a month's supply), which means you either must be rich or have it covered by your insurance, as I do. The monthly blood tests check for pregnancy (an absolute NO-NO on this medicine), cholesterol levels and a variety of other things that must be closely monitored while you take Soriatane. The side effects I've noticed are dry, peeling lips as well as, oddly enough, the soles of my feet. Other things that have happened over the past two years are unclear to me if they can be contributed to the Soriatane or were going to happen anyway.

I don't discourage any natural remedies at all - they do work for some people, just like avoiding certain foods seems to work for some people. There are tons of prescription creams and ointments that may knock yours out completely, since it's just a small area of your body. My dermatologist tells all of his patients, whether they have psoriasis or not, to not use soap because it dries your skin. Instead, use Foamy shaving cream for sensitive skin, and only use Dove soap for sensitive skin on....sweatier areas. He also says use Cetaphil moisturizing lotion to replace both face soap and moisturizer. He does recommend tar shampoo, but I no longer use it, as it never seemed to help my scalp at all.

And then, there's always exposure to UV rays. I used to go to the tanning bed regularly since it seemed to help so much. Shame on me, but I also started to like the way lightly tanned skin looked on me. But eventually, I just got tired of going all the time especially after the Soriatane was working without the tanning bed's help. So maybe if it's sunny in your area, you could try to go outside and get some sun on your hands?

I hope some of this is helpful to you, and I especially hope you're able to find a treatment that consistently works without a great deal of time and expense. I know how miserable life can be with psoriasis - it's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Then of course, the stress of dealing with the disease just makes it worse. If you haven't already seen this website: www.psoriasis.org, they discuss lots of treatments from natural remedies to the most expensive prescriptions out there.

Good luck, and let us know if you do find something that works for you!

 

[kaylasmom321]

I have psoriasis and eczema; it runs in the family. Everyone has different triggers. I find stress to be a huge one. Yoga, meditation, and plenty of sleep lessen or reduce the outbreaks for me. Alcohol and sugar are triggers as well, but I love my wine and chocolate, so I have to be careful!!! I do take supplements like fish oil, pro-biotics, etc., and drink tons of water. I think it helps. I don't use the prescription steroid creams that doctors recommend, just unscented moisturizer and Dove soap. A doctor once told me to slather my hands with petroleum jelly and put on loose fitting cotton gloves before bed, in order not to scratch. Not very comfortable, but it helped when my hands were really itchy at night. I hope this helps!!! ~~Nancy J.~~

 

[Jane A]

SUN

I don't have it, but my boyfriend has been struggling with it for the 15 years we've been together. The thing that works best for him is sunlight. After that, try salt baths -- epsom is pretty good, but salt from the dead sea is better -- I think the brand he uses is Ahava. He's done the coal tar baths, but they're nasty. Also, it seems that you have to mix up your remedies -- kind of like strength training -- the tissue gets used to it and adapts, so you have to shock it with something new. Emotional or physical stress definitely contributes to flare-ups, at least in his case. Good luck with it.

 

[Hermia]

My fiance has it, mostly on his scalp. It flakes a lot and it itches, but it's not that big of a deal to him. I've never heard him mention anything that has helped it, and he doesn't seem particularly interested in exploring treatment. We did try a gluten free diet for a while for him though, and we eat mostly gluten free in our household anyway. A gluten allergy can cause/aggravate a variety of things, including psoriasis.

 

[Fidget Queen]

I've had psoriasis my whole life. Diet affects it greatly. Eating more (good) fats help a lot. Anything you're allergic to or sensitive to will trigger a flare up. Use only very gentle soaps on your skin! I use an all natural homemade olive oil soap my doctor gave me. A couple of months ago, she also put me on mega doses of fish oil and it has all but disappeared (for the first time in 28 years), so that certainly works.

It is an immune system thing, but everything we do affects our immune system. Anything you can do that is healthy for your body (and YOUR body, not everybody else's) will make it better.

 

[bigfarma]

Thank you guys for all of your help!

Unstrung Harp you're without a doubt a very strong character. Mine is in the mild category still, so I'll continue to use whatever OTC topical treatments I can find. I hate taking medication, but we'll just have to see how things go. If it progressed to being severe I obviously wouldn't hesitate.

I'll definitely try out some fish oil supplements. Fidget Queen, if you don't mind me asking, what do you consider a mega dose? I've never taken it before, so I have no idea what a normal dose even is.

My mom has one of those light boxes for S.A.D. Since it's summer I could probably borrow it. Do any of you have experience with that? Would it work like a tanning bed or being outdoors?

Again, thank you guys. I'm trying to keep a positive perspective, you know, not stress out about being stressed out about this stress-induced/inducing disease... And listening to you guys really helped.

All the best!