Finally some answers!

I’ve been so achy lately it’s been ridiculous. It’s a constant, every day thing, and by the end of the day most days my body is just throbbing. I had a test done a while back to test for the rheumatoid factor in my blood, and that came up negative (which means I don’t have rheumatoid arthritis). After that I got on WebMD and read up on the different conditions it could be. Psoriatic arthritis caught my eye, but WebMD didn’t have a whole lot of info on the subject. So as it’s been getting increasingly worse, I decided to try a different route, and found the National Psoriasis Foundation’s website.

I finally have some answers. Now not only am I almost 100% sure that I do in fact have psoriatic arthritis, but I also know the exact type of psoriasis that I have (I used to get a few spots here and there as a kid on my tummy or wrists, but since I was a teenager I only get a few spots here and there on certain spots on my scalp…nothing big, and unless I’ve told you I have it you would never know) and what triggers it. Surprise surprise, one of the things that can trigger a flare up is the use of beta-blockers. Which is exactly what I take to treat my heart condition. I would bet money that this is the reason I have had a constant flare up for oh I’d say a few years now…exactly the amount of time I’ve been on this medicine. In highschool and for a few years after, I’d get a flare up every now and then. Usually from stress or environmental factors etc. but nothing constant like this. So, now that I have some answers (finally!) the next step would be going to the dr. and getting this sorted out. Unfortunately, given our current financial situation, I can’t afford to find a rheumatologist and go about getting treatment. :o( So, I’m not sure what to do next. I’ll be looking into home treatments until I got something figured out. This is actually a very positive thing…I’m so glad to finally have some answers!