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Hi everyone!  I happened to stumble upon your message boards tonight while I was researching my "future meds."  About a month ago I was diagnosed with psoriatic Arthritis after what seems like many years of pain and misdiagnosis.  I am 35 years old, have been married for 13 years to my high school sweetheart, and I have the most beautiful and smart 8 year old daughter ever!  ;) 
I have always had aches and pains....but of course I (and my doctors) have chalked it up to me being a hypochondriac - one of my legs is 1 1/2" longer than the other so everyone just figured that that leg just works harder than the other - so of course it will be achy and hurt a little.     
About 2 years ago, my knee would swell up 3 times the size of normal...I figured it was due to my job; I worked as a gas station attendee and I had to stand for 8-9 hours at a time and I figured that it was my extra 30 lbs putting pressure on it.  It hurt, but I didn't do anything about it. 
This year when my knee started flaring up again,  I was a little concerned, I am at a "desk job" now - so it shouldn't be this bad...I went to my normal family practice doc and she figured it was gout....I do like my wine and red meat....tests came back negative...got pain pills and went home.  My knee flared up about 5 more times in a month and a half time....I saw 2 urgent care docs (after hours - no choice when you start a new job! :( ) and an orthopedic surgeon....he was a total jerk!!!  Looong story and as you can tell I am already long winded!  LOL
Now I will skip to the good part!  I have finally found a SUPER great doctor who actually listened to ALL of my ailments and figured out that I have PA...I have psoriasis on my scalp (pretty bad, YIKES!!!) and he treated my knee with cortisone and drained it!  YAY!  Next step is to see a dermatologist on March 2nd.  Then we will decide what meds are right....I am scared of Methotrexate b/c of the side effects...and Enbrel is so expensive....So I am not sure what to do.  Of course I have to listen to the doc! 
Sticks and stones....
Hi and welcome Butterfly.  I'm one of the small percentage of individuals who was diagnosed with PsA but I don't have skin plaques.  I started off with MXT and then went on to Enbrel and have since climbed the medicine ladder because I have RA also.  The best advice I can give you is to listen to your doctor if you have faith in him/her and to educate yourself about the disease.  Keep us posted on how your doing.  LindyHi guys,,,, I hearty welcome to this forums..I agree with you...."I'm one of the small percentage of individuals who was diagnosed with PsA but I don't have skin plaques. I started off with MXT and then went on to Enbrel and have since climbed the medicine ladder because I have RA also. The best advice I can give you is to listen to your doctor ........


thanks a lot...
Welcome the best I can tell you is wait till you see a rheumy and see what they have to say. I know it is scary hearing the different meds you could get put on, but the big thing you have to understand is what they are trying to do with the meds is to hopefully slow down the progress of Pa and try and help you get back to a near to normal life. I would like to suggest that if you have a library near by check out the info they will have on Pa, it is not much but it will help you understand what is going on with your body. There is info of course on the the internet too. Read up on the meds that is used to help relief the effects of Pa. Yes the side effects can be very scary but they do work for alot of people. Until you go to see the dr use Aleve it works really well just make sure you take one in the morning and one in the evening everyday and it will help with the pain and inflammation. Please feel free to unload and ask all the questions you want there are quite a few great people here who care. Again welcome to the board and please let us know what the dr says. meme
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