Monday, February 23, 2015

Patient Stories

Are you at risk of psoriatic arthritis?
Absolutely. They say about 30% of people with psoriasis develop PA. Some people get it before they get psoriasis and sometimes it's the other way. It doesn't discriminate.

Was your psoriasis always bad?
It got progressively worse as I grew up. By 13, I was covered about 70% [over my body]. Thankfully, I never got it on my face, but I got it on my hands, arms, feet, legs, stomach and back.

You'll always have the disease, no matter what, because it's internal. There's no absolute psoriasis cure.

How often does it flare up?
It can come and go, or it can be [constant]. It just depends on the patient.

It's not like you're going to have it for a year and it's going to go away. Once you have it, flare-ups can get worse.

How did you cope as a child?
I learned to mask it under long sleeves, pants – even during the hottest days of summer.

I'd see my friends in T-shirts, tank tops and shorts, and I was always very jealous. I didn't shave my legs until I was 20.

I got very aggravated, [thinking] 'Why do I have this?'

I knew other people had my disease, but I didn't see it on anybody else. As far as I was concerned, I was the only one.

How does psoriasis affect your daily life?
I had days where I didn't want to go out. Even going to a gas station, the clerks didn't want to hand me change because my hands were covered.