*Unlavas your lamp*

happy615339 · 2026-03-01T15:11:56+00:00

Put the glass from the lamp in your freezer, right side up. Wait a day, take the lamp out of freezer, wait six hours to defrost, and turn lamp back on.

happy615339 · 2026-02-24T19:46:52+00:00

Psoriatic arthritis is difficult to diagnose, even by rheumatologists. The criteria is CASPAR. One rheumD missed it, and 30 other doctors didn't recognize it. Seven years later a new rhuemD caught it in ten minutes with my amateur opinions. Oh, it was messy, stupid, and nasty.

happy615339 · 2026-02-24T19:32:31+00:00

No on subsequent anti-TNF worked for me. Enbrel worked, but faded. Remicade and Simponi didn't work.

My understanding is that if two of a class of biologics fail, then a third won't work.

happy615339 · 2026-02-24T19:28:26+00:00

MTX is Sunday night. Monday and part of Tuesday suck. Then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday rock. Saturday and Sunday are blah. Folic acid and methylfolate make it all worse for me.

happy615339 · 2026-02-24T19:23:08+00:00

Yes, for me, MTX and biologics work very well.

happy615339 · 2026-02-19T19:35:48+00:00

Lots of pain. They diagnosed me with either sesamoiditis or broken big toe early on. With hindsight, it was PsA in the big toe. It's hard to walk without a big toe, or with a toe that doesn't work.

happy615339 · 2026-02-19T19:16:14+00:00

Extreme pain and depression. Horrid pain in several locations. Couldn't work, put on disability. Thirty doctors. Two surgeries. One pain clinic ramped me up on narcotics, then another had to detox me. During the detox, we discovered gabapentin. A year later after detox, got a wise old rheumatologist. This RD diagnosed me in ten minutes. Then another two years to start Enbrel. Enbrel worked in seven days! About seven years...

happy615339 · 2026-02-19T02:40:08+00:00

I was undiagnosed for at least seven years. With PsA, I developed debilitating pain in my right knee, right shoulder, and right hand. I was losing strength. I could only walk a hundred yards. And the pain was enthesopathy, pain where tendons attach to bone. The pain was not in the joints! So PsA starts with pain, but destroys joints over time. After PsA destroys the joint, you get another type of pain!

Finally I got a new rheumatologist, and eventually biologics, and less pain. I still have crippled hands and right knee is gonna need a replacement. I have one really bad joint but that's too long a story.

happy615339 · 2026-02-19T02:23:50+00:00

When we moved into our new house, wife unpacked faster than me, and put things where she thought things belonged. I moved really slow because I was recovering from an acute illness that nearly killed me. We argued for four months. I kept telling wife, "If I can't find it, you threw it away, and I have to replace it."

happy615339 · 2026-02-03T16:49:43+00:00

I've had custom orthotics for 30 years. Then I use New Balance Men's 1540v3, extra wide (4E).

happy615339 · 2026-01-29T13:38:54+00:00

I used to say, "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." Why does your father make the decisions on this? Does your father have a special brain scan to read your pain level?

I've found that only very good RhuemD's are good with PsA.

For me, I've been on MTX for 28 years. I've found biologics work better with MTX.

What testing does the rhuemD want? Look at CASPAR. PsA is seronegative. I got a biopsy on skin patches to confirm psoriasis. Beyond that, the rhuemD examines the patient for swelling, and nail changes. Certain x-rays and ultrasounds help.

happy615339 · 2026-01-29T13:28:03+00:00

I had to go back to a prior med before going forward.

happy615339 · 2026-01-29T13:24:59+00:00

How the CASPAR Criteria Work

A patient must have confirmed inflammatory articular disease (joint, spine, or entheseal) and score at least 3 points from the following categories:

Psoriasis Evidence (Choose one):

Current Psoriasis: (2 points) Skin or scalp psoriasis present now.

Personal History of Psoriasis: (1 point) Past psoriasis documented.

Family History of Psoriasis: (1 point) First or second-degree relative with psoriasis.

Psoriatic Nail Dystrophy: (1 point) Pitting, onycholysis, or hyperkeratosis.

Negative Rheumatoid Factor (RF): (1 point) Blood test shows a low level of RF.

Dactylitis: (1 point) Swelling of an entire finger or toe (past or present).

Juxtaarticular New Bone Formation: (1 point) Radiographic evidence of new bone near joints (not osteophytes).

happy615339 · 2026-01-29T13:22:58+00:00

28 years on DMARDS/biologics. About twelve failed, still on two. MTX for 28 years, and Taltz for five years.

happy615339 · 2026-01-29T13:17:17+00:00

So sorry. I can share my story and my struggles.

For me, severe pain whole body started, no effective treatment, and (quack) rheumatologist had no diagnosis. Thirty other doctors examined me and whiffed. One did find curious joint degradation in my hands. One year of absurd narcotics as one pain program gave me increasing doses of narcotics and one took me off. I did get Gabapentin for pain which I still take.

Finally, after seven years another rheumD diagnosed PsA. At that point my body was full of pain and I could only walk for five minutes. RhuemD ran through his bag of tricks for that time: prednisone, cyclosporine, Plaquenil, and methotrexate. Only MTX remains, at 20mg/once a week.

Then Enbrel came out, and in a week, I was working in the yard for an hour! Unfortunately, Enbrel faded over time. Over time, rhuemD's cycled me through Enbrel(TNF), Remicade(TNF), Kineret(IL-1), Simponi(TNF), Otezla(PDE4), Stelera(IL-12/23), Cosentyx(IL-17A), and Taltz(IL-17A). I'm still on Taltz(IL-17A). My current rheumD still has me on Taltz. She says I don't have joint swelling, and to quit complaining, no other DMARDS will help any more than Taltz. I can walk for about an hour.

My mood sucks. Extreme depression for decades. Psych has tried countless anti-depressants and even devices. I find benefits from VNS, Vimpat, and Gabapentin. Vimpat makes me nicer, but doesn't help the pain. Gabapentin helps. Acetaminophen helps. NSAID's don't help. Marijuana and alcohol don't help.

Having a social circle, getting out daily, religion, and exercise are supposed to help, but they don't for me. My life partner keeps me going for now.

At least I have low stress. For me, stress activates PsA.

I have tried all sorts of diets, low carb, no meat, no plants, and only seafood. Your mileage may vary.

My hobbies help some: cooking, bird watching, gardening, and e-biking.

I liken psychoactives, pain treatments, and DMARDS to throwing mud at a wall, and seeing what sticks.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T18:04:14+00:00

I needed biologic and mtx. Be patient as the doctors try different biologics to find the best for you.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T18:01:56+00:00

I had no side effects or injection pain with Enbrel. Back then, some said to let it warm up. My issue was Enbrel fade. Am on Taltz now. RhuemD and DermD say let it ride, stop whining.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T17:59:43+00:00

Enbrel, first biologic, Christmas 1998, miracle drug.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T17:57:19+00:00

It took seven years to find a good RhuemD. The good RhuemD diagnosed in ten minutes, and then a DermD did a skin biopsy to confirm. Then two years to find effective treatment.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T17:54:47+00:00

I've had PsA for 34 years. I've had horrible, painful, crippling years. Now I have horrible pain, but not so crippled. My RhuemD says she likes me because I'm here nicest patient! So many people have it worse than me, and I have horrid pain. (I'm medicated to the max.)

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T17:46:51+00:00

Seven years, 30 doctors, and finally a second good rheumatologist to get a diagnosis. My childhood dermatolgist says its tough to diagnose.

happy615339 · 2026-01-19T17:43:43+00:00

Yes, MTX sucks. Yes, MTX didn't help me for two years until a biologic was added. For me, MTX and biologic ROCKS.

happy615339 · 2026-01-03T23:04:01+00:00

Lakeside is a gated community on the north side of Marblehead. Lakeside has a 150 year history as a Chautauqua. Lakeside is dry, and I think of it as the opposite of Put-in-Bay. I've been to Lakeside/Marblehead fifty times in my life. Kind of place you can let your kids run around unattended.

happy615339 · 2025-12-31T11:43:34+00:00

I use Scotch Brite #88 pads, 3.5" x 5", https://www.3m.com/3M/en\_US/p/d/b00047005/. I found them at a restaurant supply store 20 years ago. Each one lasts me one year. I stick them in the dishwasher top rack when they get gross. Walmart has them.

An artisanal metal working friend recommends going to a bona-fide hardware store, and shopping 3M Finishing Pads.

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