What has you psoriasis journey been like?

Posted Wed 13 Jan 2021 15.05 by Sez

Hi All, I’ve joined this forum as my husband has suffered from psoriasis for 7 years and has recently begun to feel overwhelmed with anxiety and worry’s to the degree it is affecting his daily life. Could I ask you to tell me about your journeys? So when did your psoriasis show and where? Then how long did it take to progress and where to? Did it get to a point and seem to stop spreading? Any improvements over time? Are you able to confidently link your trigger to an element of your diet or stress? Apologies for the list of questions. I’m trying to gather other people’s experiences to try and get more of an understanding to hopefully give my husband some peace of mind. Thanks in advance.

Posted Wed 13 Jan 2021 16.33 by Scott in Toronto

Thanks for the question. I've been on a journey for 3 years. I developed severe psoriasis 3 years ago, after an allergic reaction to penicillin. It came on within 24 hours of taking the antibiotics, and I ended up going to the hospital and seeing 3 dermatologists over the next year. Not a great time. The first dermatologist thought I had eczema. That incorrect diagnosis wasted a lot of time! A second dermatologist had a biopsy done and diagnosed it as psoriasis. She put me on Enstilar foam, which worked very well for me (helped my psoriasis get maybe 75% better?). At the start of 2020, I decided to try and get rid of my remaining psoriasis by improving my diet and exercise. I tried many of the suggestions you'll see online. 1. Cut down on alcohol 2. Cut down on nightshade vegetables. I've definitely become sensitive to potatoes. 3. Reduced dairy 4. Started using a humidifier every day 5. Made sure to go out in the sun frequently 6. Started taking vitamin D3, zinc, and turmeric 7. Started to meditate every morning using the Headspace app. Seemed odd at first, but it definitely helps reduce stress. 8. Reduced sugar and processed foods. That was the only tough step! 9. Started walking 10,000 steps a day and lost 20 pounds The end result is that my psoriasis is 99% gone now. I keep the Enstilar foam available for when I need it, but that isn't too frequently. Going through all these steps took some effort. But I just started one of them each month, and after a year they've become habits and no longer seem like a chore. I've even become accustomed to not eating added sugar. I hope your husband finds a solution that works for him. These online forums provide lots of helpful advice!

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