Just lovely....psoriasis

My Dh has had it for years. Gets petty bad on his hands and knees. The Dr. gave him a prescription for cream that helps, but if he stops the cream, it comes back. Same Dr. told him to take Fish Oil supplements for his cholesterol, I believe it was 3,000mg a day. Guess what, it cleared up the psoriasis so well, it's barely noticable any more. We're just waiting to see if it comes back with winter coming this way. Highly recommend the fish oil (we use salmon oil from Purtian's pride)

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"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back..." Maya Angelou

I have widespread psoriasis along with psoriatic arthritis. Using pine tar soap and a product (OTC) called Psoriasin ointment which I get at Walgreens. They have developed a shot for rheumatoid arthritis that also clears up psoriasis, very expensive, something like $1500 per shot!!!!! When I had better insurance I did use the shots and they work beautifully. BTW I have had psoriasis since I was twelve (43 years) and it started with scalp and one small spot on my side, at this time it covers about 20% of my body. Oh well, when I get to heaven I will have a glorified body with no psoriasis.

Westwood: I strongly recommend you speak with your doctor on taking a Glucosamine/Chondroitin complex supplement. Leading brand is Osteo Bi-Flex and it comes in several formulas, includinig with fish oil and they just come out with one they call an advanced formula.

I started taking after the Orthopedic surgeon recommended it following osteoscopic surgury to clean out one of my knees. At that time I had only about 20% cartridge left. A follow-up Xray about 18 months later showed significant regrowth and one about three years later showed cartridge regrowing almost back to normal. Basically works on all of your joints.

Osteo Bi-Flex was THE only brand he recommended as having quality ingredients at the dosages listed on the label.

Readily available at Wal-Marts, Krogers, pharmacies, etc. 2-3 tablets a day. Not terribly expensive. About $35 for 150 tables of the Double Strength formula I use.

I have a friend who has started taking it. I suspect a large part of her problem is being VERY overweight with the resulting wear and tear particularly on her knees. Had started to use a cane. After two weeks she said she no longer uses the cane. However, that seems an awfully short period for any effect, so suspect part of it is more perception than reality.

Not intended to deal with arthritis, but at least it does seem to help with part of the joint problems with mobility.

Also ask about taking something like Aleve in the morning before you even get out of bed.

Thanks for the welcome, westwood.

Finally got my Dx in June but after treatment since then with Methotrexate sodium sq injections I am still not any better (really cheap drug that is basically low-dose chemotherapy). The psoriasis itself isn't really a big deal for me - just scalp & occasional patches of eczema on upper trunk but the arthritis has killed me since I was a kid and no one noticed/cared. They thought it was osteoarthritis from too much busywork with hands, etc. (violin, piano, typing, horsebackriding, etc.). No doc ever bothered to look at me and I didn't really like to go to docs since they always discounted my complaints because I was too young. Took over two dozen physicians & specialists working on me on countless procedures & tests to finally Dx but they still aren't sure that's it alone.

Enbrel and Humira are new drugs called biologics. They are TNF-a inhibitors (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) that seem to help a lot. The studies from the pharmacy insert say Enbrel worked better for PsA vs. RA. The other thing that's interesting to me is that they are billed as combination therapies to use with the methotrexate but the studies on one of them showed virtually no improved reaction when methotrexate was continued.

I take 2 shots a week of the methotrexate and soon will probably shift to Enbrel - doc adjusted dosage a little while ago and is waiting to see how I am doing before going to Enbrel.

For me it's not just the pain & swelling, it's the constant mental & physical fatigue that has actually kept me from horsebackriding or working for over a year now.

I spent some time in Iceland this summer, and a lot of people with psoriasis and other skin conditions would go to bathe in the Blue Lagoon, a large geothermal spring there. The water is completely saturated with minerals, and seems to help some cases.

LOL, going to Iceland is probably pretty impractical for most of you, but you can get skin care products made from the "active ingredients" from the Lagoon at http://www.bluelagoon.com/Skin_Care_Products/ .

Just read Dr. Gott's column in my local newspaper and though of you guys. He had a "patient" recommend using Vicks Vaporub on the affected area 2 times daily. It has worked for many people that have written into his column.

I just read that too! My son uses the T-Gel shampoo, expensive but it works for him. He chooses not to treat the spots near his elbow.

Do you all even realize how many chemcials you are putting on your skin by using all this? Your biggest enemy to your skin is detergent, and all the soaps in the stores and health food stores are detergents...same ingredients make dishwashing liquid, clothes soap, hand soap, shampoo and the stuff you wash your cars with at the carwash! It's no wonder you have skin aliments. Think about your feet soaking in all that in the shower as you stand there! Acne on face, neck, chests and back are almost always more to do with cream rinse with all the wax in it not being rinsed off well enough. Spend some time reading the information on the products you use, alcohol, propolyne glycol, petroleum products.

I make goat milk soap (real soap not detergent bars) and lotions. I promise you if you ditch the detergent bars for the winter you will never have winter itchy skin, your body will stop producing too many oils, because soap does not strip the oils out of your body like detergent bars do.

Kung I would be happy to send you a free bar, just PM me your addy. I have a wonderful unisex scent which is chocked full of shea and dead sea mud (high in minerals), that would be perfect. Vicki

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Vicki McGaugh
Nubian Soaps
North of Houston TX
www.etsy.com/shop/nubiansoaps

A 3 decade dairy goat farm homestead that is now a retail/wholesale soap company and construction business.

Yes, I know that I am putting chemicals on my skin, but I swear, I would bathe in bug spray if it would stop the itching...

-Joy

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-Joy

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The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Thomas A. Edison

Vicki, psoraisis is not caused by chemicals in soap, etc...it may be made worse by chemicals but is actually an autoimmune disorder...check out this site http://www.psoriasis.org/about/faq/ It is far more serious than just dry, itchy winter skin.

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SWF 46

Westwood, I have PA in my back and hands and the condroiten has really helped that. I too used to practically crawl out of bed but no more. You have to take it for a long time tho. might be a month or two before you see a difference. I used to take Glucosomin Condroiten but now the rheumatoigist says that studies have shown that the chondroiten doesnt do anything and I should take the Glucosamine sulfate instead. Ok so now Im doing that but I told him if this didnt work as well Id go back to the other. Drs. dont always know what works. I also take flax seed oil and fish oil capsules. We also have to stay as limber as we can. if you dont use it you lose as they say.

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suz

I may be way off here, but I believe I have this on my scalp. It has been persistant for about 7 or 8 years, gets worse about right now. The ONLY thing that helps is a scalp rinse of apple cider vinegar w/ tee tree oil in it. I have tries all of the fancy shampoos--I have to put the ACV on my scalp and allow it to sit for a few minutes. It has to be done regularly. It burns like a @##%#$%W%, but works. Oh, and you will smell
I have a friend who has this and swears that the goat milk soap really helps the itching--but doesn't nessesarily make the rash go away. I would take Vicki up on that nice offer...

it may be made worse by chemicals
.......................

That was my point. That none of the chemcials, salves, balms, deteregent soaps, are going to cure you, it will make it worse. If the eucalyptus essential oil in metholatum with a petrolum base makes you feel better, than get some raw shea butter and put eucalyptus essential oil in it yourself (it then wouldn't contain all the chemicals, perservatives and petrolum in it). Using deteregent bars, strips your skin of it's natural oils, why use it?

Wow, don't even get me started on baby soap, diaper rash creme etc.. Vicki

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Vicki McGaugh
Nubian Soaps
North of Houston TX
www.etsy.com/shop/nubiansoaps

A 3 decade dairy goat farm homestead that is now a retail/wholesale soap company and construction business.

I have had good results with Dr. Boudreaux's Butt Paste for many skin irritations-especially a patch of strangeness that flares on my right arm once in a while. Our body chemistry varies, but you may want to try this stuff. Sold at wallyworld(yes, I know), generally in the baby section, although up here they keep it in the pharmacy-kind of anal about the name.... Good luck-Dan

I've been doing some information gathering on Glucoproteins/glyconutrients and found some interesting things concerning cell communication vs health including skin problems.

My DD has Atopic Dermatitis so I get very excited when I find things that might help. From the information I've found we'll be trying aloe vera juice, burdock and broad range EFA's (fish oil, borage oil, flax seed oil) along with increased vegetable oils (avacados, walnuts, pecans etc) in her diet. Keep your fingers crossed. I just wanted to pass this along, perhaps some of you might like to get in on the '"experiment" and share your feedback?

When she was little Bagbalm was the most effective thing we found. I hate using petroleum bases products but sometimes you just have to use what works. Olive oil and coconut oil and the current favorites. B

I make a balm with tea tree oil in it that seems to work very well. My family and friends have used it for years. You can get the essential oil from many places online. Try http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com. That's who I get mine from. You can apply the essential oil directly to the affected area. Its also good for ringworm (just in case)