Another day, another failed psoriasis product

So yes, it's been two months since my last post, but I wanted to give the cream a fair chance at... well doing literally anything, but unfortunately, no relief in terms of psoriasis was seen. Sure my shin was silky smooth, but personally I'm not a big fan of whatever fragrance the cream has, and just recently learned the cream contains parabens -_-. Parabens are a bunch of synthetic compounds commonly used as preservatives in lots of health and beauty care products. If a product contains methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben, congrats, it has parabens. So yes, parabens are in literally thousands of products, and sure, it could be easy to assume one lil paraben product will be fine, but if you have psoriasis, like I do, then you probably are aware that every damn thing out there is bad enough, to be adding parabens to the list of things to worry about. I decided that since the cream wasn't doing anything any normal lotion/cream couldnt do, that I will not be using the rest of the cream, and am as of now deeming the product somewhat worthless for psoriasis related symptoms.

The quest continues. It's ok, nothing new. Just another of the hundreds of products that don't really help. But that's kind of why I started this blog. I have a .txt file full of products people have mentioned in forums etc that I'm just systematically doing down, trying to find something other than Humira that actually works. Speaking of Humira, I am not currently on Humira, it's been about 3 months and I will tell you what has been happening since stopping Humira for me. At about month 1, with no more Humira, I definitely noticed my joints getting inflamed again. For me, it's subtle, but I for sure have psoriatic arthritis, which I didn't even notice I had until I started Humira, and suddenly I could get out of bed and walk to the bathroom without first stretching/cracking my ankles and knees. I just figured my whole body being stiff and crackling all over the place every morning was part of turning 33, and that this was just part of getting old. Well, I'm sure it is, but when all that went away after my first month of Humira, and suddenly I could run and do other things without actually hurting, I realized yep, I have inflamed joints! Anyways I digress, after one month, that started coming back. And my back started hurting randomly again after sitting in chairs weird or raking leaves. I feel like a normal person should be able to do these things and not be in pain for like 3 days afterwards. After about the two month mark, I noticed psoriasis was slowly returning the the back of my head, and behind my ears a little bit, which I guess luckily is covered by hair, but any return of psoriasis is like the beginning of another round of self-conciseness and nervous scratching etc. At 3 months, (as in like, the last week) I've noticed it returning to just inside my right ear. I've also noticed my fingernails are slowly starting to pit again. tiny little indents in my index, pinky and thumb. The look of psoriasis nails for me, is the worst part of psoriasis. It is the hardest to hide, and the longest to fix, so with that, I am going to attempt to get back on Humira. It is the only thing I've found that helps with any of this. Unfortunately, every year I have to re-apply to the Abbvie foundation to try and get Humira Rx'ed again from my Doc, and for that, I have to go back to my dermatologist for a check-up, which, without insurance of course costs about $400 out of pocket just for the visit. Sadly that is worth it for me :( Psoriasis is such a drag! I will try to update on my status once I know or not if I can make another miracle happen, and get Humira once again. Wish me luck!

If only prince charming were here... and by prince charming I mean a cure for psoriasis.

Now you can feel old before you're old! Thanks psoriatic arthritis!

As much as I would like to think this blog could just end at the last post, it shan't. Since beginning my Wonderful Humira regiment, I've learned that I also have (figures) Psoriatic arthritis. I would wake up and have to slowly step onto my right ankle until it could bear my weight, and my knees would pop and creak until I warmed them up, and sometimes if I twisted just right I could pop my hip (which feels as amazing and also strange as you can probably imagine) Although yes, Humira does/did an absolutely amazing job alleviating my arthritis, it would seem all things must come to an end. What little insurance my job was provided ended early this year as my hours were cut thanks to my awesome (siiiike) new boss. I now work a meager 18 hours a week, and that's just not enough to remain on healthcare. Originally, I thought this wouldn't be much of a problem, since I didn't have health insurance when I started this blog, and I was still able to get a hold of Humira, because I luckily still had a recommendation from my doc to see a dermatologist. Well, I went to get my humira refilled in April-ish and they say they need a new Dr approval to continue deliveries, and would ya know it, my doc is requiring me to come in for a checkup + blood work in order to get it. Without insurance, this will cost about $400ish buckeroonies. Not what I was trying to hear. There is good and bad news however. So the good news is, once my psoriasis was cleared up, LUCKILY I haven't had it come back... for the most part. The psoriatic arthritis is starting to make itself known though. The bad news, is even on Humira, ALL of my psoriasis didn't completely disappear. I still have this previous injury on my left shin, that never fully healed, and it turns out even the mighty Humira couldn't make it go away. I was still very aware of my blessings though, and just being able to crawl back out into the public was once but a mere dream for me, come true.

Let me get right on that

Which brings me to my next point. Psoriasis is obviously a life long condition. Sad, but true. And although there is no known cure at the moment, docs and their fed up, whiny-ass (like me-self lol) patients are still searching for fixes left and right. Which means I must stay vigilant and continue the conquest for relief! I've been doing some research and learned of a few new products I'm going to be trying out the next few months, and so I will chronicle that journey here. First curiosity is this: Forever Living Aloe Propolis Creme. While talking with a fellow psoriasis sufferer they suggested it and said after just a few days of using it she had "skin like an angel". Thats all I really need to hear to give something a try, so I ordered some. I'll update after I give it a fair chance to work, to see if I notice any changes.

I've slain the beast... for now.

 

            So I've been on Humera for about a year now. I will say it was not easy getting Humera how I get it now, and before I started with the free program I'm on now, this stuff costed a damn fortune. I still owe about $600 left after a small insurance miscommunication that I had in the beginning. In the beginning I had a starter trial which thanks to a payment assistance program I enrolled in only cost me $5 for the first two months. It was when this program ran out (without telling me) that insurance tried to bill me $2800 for a one month supply... which was 2 doses taken every 14 days. What a freaking joke. I did however see absolutely amazing results which I had not seen in over 10 years, so I was hell-bent on finding some way to make it work. I tried assistance program one after another before finally contacting the actual company that makes the stuff and sending them a sob letter, convincing them to let me into their "Humera patient assistant program" that lets me get it for free because, well lets face it... nobody can afford 2800 bucks a month.

(Heres a link to the program I'm in: http://www.abbviepaf.org/pdf/AbbVie_PAF_HUMIRA.pdf )

It was a pain in the ass to finally get going, but hey, I'm saving tons of money and I'm psoriasis free!! I said I would do anything, so weeks of phone tag and begging etc and I'm finally here. Not everyone will find a way to get it free, but it's worth a try. Print the thing up and ask the doc.

 In order to take Humera you have to have your doctor say it's okay, and get a blood test to make sure it's okay for your body to take.

         Humira (Humera) is a TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-blocker. It works by blocking a protein (TNF-alpha) found in the body's immune system that causes joint swelling and inflammation.
Humira (Humera) is used to reduce the symptoms, prevent bone damage, and improving physical function in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who have not had a good response to other arthritis medicines. It can be used alone or with other medicines.

         Humira (Humera) is also used to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. Humira (Humera) is used in the treatment of Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms."

 Not only did it get rid of my psoriasis near completely, but I was having super wicked back pain, and my right ankle was so sore in the morning that I was literally calling into work every once in a while when it was too painful to take. That's all gone now. I literally feel like I've gotten my life back, no joke. I am truly blessed, and I may sound like some humera commercial right now but I don't give a shit, this stuff worked beautifully for me and I am so thankful I am sharing my experience so hopefully someone else out there who is like I was, depressed, near hopeless, can maybe find help.

Heres some photos of me now. Praise the fucking lord seriously, I'm a normal human again!!!

              Wow. It's been a long time since I've been here. My journey has taken many crazy turns. I have finally found something that works. About 6 months ago I started taking Humira. No, I'm not here to sell you anything. This isn't about making money. I have also included some photo proof. Unfortunately, it isn't cheap, and I don't know how available in other countries it is. I noticed visible change within about 2-3 weeks. By the second month it was almost fully gone. I inject two pens per month into my thigh. It barely hurts, but I also have multiple tattoos, so my pain threshold may be different than yours.

 

Even my nails cleared up! Amazing.

 

 I just wanted to give you all an update. I had no idea how many people from so many countries were finding my blog.

 

If anyone is interested in me writing more, I can. I have to run to work now, but I will try to update this with links to places you can learn more, and talk about how I finally figured out how to get this stuff for free. (US) Thanks for reading.

Found a temporary solution for the psoriasis!

Not sure if anyone still reads this, but look what a friend gave me! Only cost about $25 online on the few sites I saw it on. Mometasone Furoate cream usp, 0.1% see if you can find it online! I found some but haven't bought a second tube yet... I hardly use even a penny size dob. Only thing is it of course starts to come back within a few days, but this god-send at least let me clear my head up so I could get a job and stop being a sad hermit in my house.

Friends, Family, and America! (and Canada and everywhere else too!)

I have no idea why I decided to post this picture here.

Well well well! Where in tar nations have I been? haha! I honestly didn't know anyone read this before I realized I had unread messages from quite a few people that actually liked reading my blog! Can you believe it? Real people in the real world want to read what my silly ass comes up with when battling psoriasis! Amazing. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I'm sorry for leaving all you out in the cold to get worse skin :(   I've been in school doing stuff and things, I still don't know what I wanna be when I grow up (lulz) so I've just been taking pre-reqs and fun classes until I figure it out. I took an astronomy class, and a geology class and was having lots of fun until I accidentally took a politics class, hahaha oops! Nah that was fun too though, it was just a lot harder. I've never truly understood politics. Too stressful for a psoriasis person to get a wrangled up in it I say. Anyways I got a Pell grant last year and $4200 to spend on schooling so thats what I was doing. Right now I've just filled out to get another, and it didn't get approved before fall quarter started, so now I'm waiting until December to see if I can go back to school for free. At the moment I'm living in my parents basement, not going to school, with no job and I just turned 27. I am quite literally at the very last place I was hoping I would be at 27. The only way I was okay with myself living in the basement was because I was in school fulltime, but now that that is on hold, I gotta get me a job! Please America! Help me help you!! hahaha! Yeah so I have some extra time I guess.

I made another funny blog awhile ago. Check it out?

A gym just opened up down the street from my house. It's a Planet Fitness. First one in Washington state I think, I'm not sure, I had never seen them before this one, but when I went to Michigan to visit family they were freaking EVERYWHERE. So I guess they finally made it out here. It's only $20 a month for unlimited tanning included!! Ok let me back up a bit. I have no health insurance, I literally try ANYTHING to fight psoriasis and last I dunno, April or May? I got a tanning membershit at some place down the road for 20$ a month (on sale from $35! F that!)and went 15 times in that one month and saw a noticeable difference! Well I was willing to go for $20 but $35 is not very kosher on my skimpy budget of selling ebay items. Which brings me to my sole source of income the past 4 months. I make just enough to pay my cell phone (which is late at the moment) and my car insurance (which is late at the moment) and then usually spend the rest on gas and booze. I know I know, it's a vicious cycle. BUT winter time is fast approaching Washington and garage sales are getting rare as gold nuggets, and my income is drying up faster than my skin, so it's time to figure something out. I NEED to just be an American and get a job already. It's hard I feel like I'm in a rut though. And absolutely despising winter and snow doesn't help at all. It's such a catch 22. I need a job to pay for medication for psoriasis, but I can't bring myself to go to a job interview without a hat on, because of psoriasis, and WHO in their right mind would go to a job interview with a hat on?! I'll tell you who, people who don't really need a job! Le sigh.

Click to view my Ebay LOOT!

And that is why I have been making money reselling yard sale loot. I really do love doing it though! If I could do it forever, I absolutely would!! But it's kind of one of those things you need money to make money. Maybe I should get like, a job in construction or.. FUCK man I just don't even know... I just like reselling stuff, but I HATE sales, mainly because I don't like convincing people to buy shit they don't already know they need. I highly dislike being a pushy person. Well, I will keep you all updated on the tanning sitch, please, if you care, post a comment or something this blog really is mainly for myself but knowing there's people who are interested and have the same problems as me, kind of really makes it all more interesting don't you think?

Life happens.

Washington... I love this place.

Yeah there I go again without an update for like a month. Sorry, I'm mainly posting in this blog since I can't really tell if anyone even reads it. I've been getting a wealth of psoriasis information since joining up at www.psoriasis.org and the forum at http://psoriasisclub.forumotion.org/  has a lot of interesting topics as well. On March 2nd a tanning place by my work had a special. 17 bucks for unlimited tanning so I got it. I've gone 5 times at about 11-12 minutes each time. I can tell if I'm any tanner yet, but a girl I go to school mentioned I look darker. Psoriasis wise, it seems like the plaques are softer. Every 4-5 days you know when it gets hard and super bad looking and you gotta go take a 30-45 minute shower to rub it all off, yeah that part. The skin isn't getting quite as hard as before it seems. I'll keep tanning and we'll see how it goes. I'm definitely excited for summer and going camping etc. I can't get enough sun it seems. I live in Washington, and we have more cloud cover than anywhere else in the US pretty much. I wish I could move to Hawaii or California. Anywhere with lots of sunshine, and bodies of water would work for me. I love Washington though. Tons of green trees everywhere, hills, and we got ocean and plains, we pretty much got it all here. I can get in my explorer and go west for 30 mins and see the ocean, or go east for an hour and be in the middle of mountains. I can go north for 3 hours and be in Canada. South for 12 hours and be in Cali, though I've never been. Or I can take a 5 hour flight to Hawaii. I really like where I live actually, I just wish I had more sunshine here. People not from here come here and see a sunny day thats still 45 degrees and washintonians come out in droves in shorts and sunglasses to enjoy the rare weather. Including myself of course. We've had like 4 strait days this week of spotty sunshine, and I gotta tell ya, it's doing wonders for my emotions. I love sun so much.