Psoriatic Arthritis

[MotherCharlotte]

My husband has had psoriasis over parts of his body since he was a kid, and in the past few years, after damaging his fingernails a lot at work (he was a machine builder and often pinched and banged his fingers) he has developed psoriasis under his fingernails as well. He went to the doctor today, just to make sure it wasn't a fungal infection, and got clear confirmation that his fingers are permanently affected now by psoriasis.

Also some of his joints at the ends of his fingers are swollen, and the doctor said that this is psoriatic arthritis--in effect the nail psoriasis has spread to the joints, causing swelling and pain.

I haven't been able to find any information online about this condition, other than what drugs can be taken. The doctor prescribed a steroidal cream for dh's fingernails which I'm not thrilled about. Does anyone have any information about natural treatments for psoriasis, and especially for the arthritis that it causes? My husband is very upset that he may lose the use of his hands in the future because not only is woodworking his passion, but we obviously dream of homesteading in the future.....he NEEDS to have full use of his hands and already this problem is giving him a lot of pain and difficulty when doing manual work--not only because of the pain in his swollen finger joints but because the psoriasis under his nails causes pain when he's holding onto things.

Sorry this is kind of long. If anyone has any experience with this or advice for me, I'm all ears. Thank you.

[MotherCharlotte]

Well it looks like nobody has any experience with this kind of arthritis...that's a good thing! :)

I wonder though, does anyone here have any advice about dealing with arthritis in general? I have seen some information online about avoiding certain foods to control inflammation, or taking herbal products, etc.--so much of that info is contradictory though. I'd rather hear from a person who actually had success controlling their arthritis--if this is even possible.

[Pitdog]

I am all too well versed in PSoriasis and it's arthritis and eczema.
In june my palm/finger psoriasis diagnosis was switched to eczema (no one really knows, and the skin on my hands is so bad my new derm doesn't want to cut off a sample) But I DO have psoriasis on my legs.

1st things first. Get a dermatologist and a good one. My first sucked AZZ with a capitol suck. The new one is down to earth, practical and intelligent.

2nd get a rheumatologist to work with the joints.

The treatments they will prescribe are not appealing, thankfully (in a way) it is psoriasis, because there is more medications to help it than there is eczema.

I soak my hands after a rough day in a foot spa I bought years ago, and I put in a dash of epsom salts and some vinegar. Old school, but effective, and while the water is hot, not TOO hot. I replenish it to try and keep it fairly hot for about a half hour. Remove hands and cover in vaseline and wear nitrile gloves to occlude it and lock the moisture in. Also put on the steroid cream at this time too, and this is good to do in the evenings, especially just before bed or relaxing in front of the bood tube.
NOTE: NO LATEX GLOVES!!!!!
Everytime your hubby washes his hands and fingers, REAPPLY vaseline! at work (home or wherever) wear gloves. Usually two pair of nitrile when working on metal.
Oil and solvents are a NONO!!! I worked in them for years, and that my new derm believes is a major factor in my development of my hands problems, could be his too. The fingernail and hand P can easily get infected! Can be hard to treat as well.
This is traight up horrible shiite. No questions asked, and typing has made mine dry again! LOL. Something you learn to live with and make adjustments in life for.
Natural treatments are out there, some people swear by, nothing has worked for me yet.
Stress is a major factor too, help him be as unstressed as possible, as hard as it is. It has made mine worse for the past 1.5 years, and now that I am 'less' stressed, my hands are about 25% better with no drugs or treatments.
Curcumin, an incredient in curry is supposed to be SUPER helpful in pretty big doses, it is about 20$ for a month's supply. I tried it for a month and no results, but I read about it in a newspaper article about a guy with nail and hand P, and it cleared him up in 6 months of regular use. Slippery Elm bark powder made into tea as well is one I hear a lot about.
I have the arthritis in my elbow and both shoulders, and it hurts like hell, but it comes and goes. I have been told with age it will increase in severity, but in my early 30's it is not so bad now.
Look up Dr John L Pagano for more natural P help, he wrote a book I have somewhere, and I may yet use some of his measures, but I have read mixed reviews about it, but it makes some sense.
Hope some of this helps, if nothing else. you know there is another homesteader that has the same problems.
PM for support, I am willing to help anyway I can.
What Steroid cream did they prescribe for him? Most will do NO good, but a couple will help, I KNOW! LOL

[MotherCharlotte]

Thank you Pitdog for the response.

It's possible that solvents were part of my husband's problem too--he worked for about five years as an industrial painter, his hands were always in solvents and if I remember correctly that was around the time he started having problems with his hands. Before that his psoriasis was only on his elbows and knees.

The steroid cream the doctor prescribed was "betamethasone valerate." I have read in some places that if you use a steroid cream for too long you become dependent on it, is this true?

[Pitdog]

If he already had the P in other places, putting his hands in that crap was asking for trouble. Like I did :)

Betamethasone is week, even in it's highest potency, I have used it with success at first, then it dwindles. Clobetasol is one of the highest potency steroids in ointment form there is, and can calm things down ask for it. The main thing is to keep his hands gloved for everything, and moisturize (even the fingernails) after contact with water. NO dishwashing liquid! Dove or oil of olay white bar moisturizing soap ONLY for his body and especially HANDS! Nothing that says anti-bacterial, or anything.
P is also prone to Koebner's syndrome. You aggravate it a little, and it reacts ALOT. His hands like mine need a break, and that includes ANYTHING that is rough on them. I make my living with my hands too, and it is hard...... real hard. Sometimes the mental aspect is harder than anything. But the pain gets pretty significant too. No scratching or picking.
For joint pain, about all I can say is use some hot water bottles now and again to promote flexibility when they get bad, and I use muscle rub on my elbow a lot, and it helps a little. The rheumy will probably want you to try Humira or Enbrel first.

[MYellowRose]

MotherCharlotte check out the arthritis.org website and see what help they offer. Also, doe he see a rheumatologist or just a general practitioner or internest. A rheumatologist may be able to offer other help as they specialize in such diseases. Many types of arthritis are what is termed auto-immune diseases, I know my rheumatoid arthritis is and I take both methotrexate and Humira for it. I believe the Humira is also prescribed for your husbands type of arthritis. It won't hurt to ask the doctor.

[Pitdog]

How do you like the MTX?

[MYellowRose]

Pitdog if it's me you're asking I take, as of Friday of this week, five 2.5mg. tablets once a week. Saw the rheumatologist and the physician's assistant today and it was lowered from 7 tabs a week to 5. Rheumatologist was surprised that I was on such a high dosage and said he wants to wean me down a little faster than the previous doc.

[Pitdog]

I have heard awful things about it, and had a prescription for it in one hand and a note to get folic acid with it and take it on top of enbrel. I ditched it literally and suffered with what they said was psoriasis and the Derm was REALLY pushing for me to take the MTX on top of it and said it would help my joint pain as well.
Turns out the hands were eczema, and are slowly improving with nothing much more than care. I cringe at the thought of having hit myself with more than was necessary, muchless almost stacking more on top of it. Hope you atleast do well on it, some people have no trouble at all.