how much like RA is this in

Arthritis Foundation Forum

Home

Welcome Guest ( Login | Register )

Rate Topic

Display Mode

Topic Options

Author

Message

susaninthegarden

Posted Saturday, May 05, 2007 9:32 PM

Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Thursday, July 31, 2008 1:14 PM
Posts: 60, Visits: 0

Is it much like RA in symptoms and treatments?
I am getting confused on the steroids. Is PA treated with steroids or is that dangerous?
Is the prognosis different?
That link you gave ladymac was really interesting and informative. Still be interested in personal experience on these questions though.

susan

Post #4083904

Top

Keli in Florida

Posted Sunday, May 06, 2007 3:06 AM

Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, February 22, 2010 8:07 AM
Posts: 490, Visits: 242

PA can be a lot like RA that's the problem with getting Diagnosed, it can mimic all the other diseases. Atleast until the skin conditon shows itself or unless you have a family history of it. Dependent on which variation of it you get and how severe it is it all depends on which meds they use to treat it. I know currently I'm on Enbrel, Mobic and sulfasalizine. I've had 3 cortisone injections in my shoulders (2 in one and 1 in the other over the last 7 years or so. I've had to use the steroidal ointments and creams for my skin. It can be quite frustrating to be quite honest with you. Many of us get sick a lot, I went thru that already this year had to stop my Enbrel from January until April I just got back on it again. I have been on Prednisone and hate that stuff. I do not have too much pain in my back at this point. Sometimes it hurts but nothing like I know it could and like I know others go thru. My PA started when I was about 15 yrs old and my Psoriasis begain at about 12.

It surprises me seeing so many people signing in to the PA board lately. Well hope some of this is helpful.

Post #4102302

Top

LadyeMac

Posted Wednesday, May 09, 2007 3:36 PM

Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, December 14, 2009 4:39 PM
Posts: 570, Visits: 63

Like Keli said, it's pretty variable. Some people with PA don't really have that many problems. I wasn't that bad when I was first suspected of having PA.

Just like RA, PA is an autoimmune disease. PA is treated with the same medications as RA. Prednisone, DMARDs, Biologics, etc. In our case, the defect in our immune system also affects our skin (and the skin involvement varies greatly from person to person. I barely have any skin involvement, but others have severe skin involvement). In psoriasis, the immune system makes the skin regenerate faster than it should, resulting in scaly patches (or some other forms of P, but scaly patches are most common). PA is also much more likely to run in families than RA.

PA comes in several forms that involve different joints and severities. Sometimes PA mimics RA. Sometimes it mimics Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Sometimes it looks like Lupus.

There are no specific diagnostic tests that can identify PA. The majority of things considered for diagnosis are based on observation and patient history.

I hope that helps outline the differences. If you have any other questions, or anything more specific, let us know.

------------------------------------------------------------------
DX: Psoriatic Arthritis
PsA Meds: Remicade, MTX, Celebrex, Prednisone Unsure

, Folic Acid

"Well behaved women rarely make history."
--Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

"When we go down into ourselves, we find that we possess exactly what we desire."
--Simone Weil

Post #4102303

Top

« Prev Topic | Next Topic »

All times are GMT -5:00, Time now is 12:57am

Execution: 1.045. 47 queries. Compression Disabled.