Psoriasis - Any remedies?

WestieFan

My son developed psoriasis when he was 16. After a few months of hydrocortosone and betnovate, our GP referred him to the dermatologist.
He attended there every six weeks or so for over a year, seeing different doctors and getting different creams - you name it, he had it.

Anyway, the only treatments that seemed to work were dovobet and dovonex, used alternately. After a while, they gave him light treatment, but he could only get that once a year, due to his age.

He had to apply a lot of the dovobet to see any results. I didn't feel this was good for him so we asked for more light treatment but this was refused.

After some time, however, we noticed stretch marks appearing. This was caused by the creams, confirming my worries that they would thin his skin.

He got completely fed up and went for a sunbed a couple of times. When we told the consultant she was horrified and we had a falling out over it. I felt that the sunbed, used carefully, was the lesser of the two evils, compared to the amount of cream he had to use.

For the last year, he has been having a sunbed (8 mins or so) once a week and his skin is completely clear. Our GP knows about it and hasn't commented too much.

I am not advising anybody to use sunbeds, but just saying what worked for him.

brindles01

Yes I think my attack has been brought about by a really bad throat infection over Christmas that wasnt treated for 3 weeks as this appeared at the same time. Ive had it now for 5 weeks and used Dovonex which makes it sore and inflamed. I was treated at first with steroid tablets because the doctor thought it was a different infection , so it was allowed to go unchecked for 2 weeks before he decided it was psoriasis and even then he said it was the plaque variety, but after looking at different websites and photos it MOST definately is guttate psoriasis. Roll on tomorrow to see what the GP says about my request for a referral

goldentouch

brindles01 wrote:

Yes I think my attack has been brought about by a really bad throat infection over Christmas that wasnt treated for 3 weeks as this appeared at the same time. Ive had it now for 5 weeks and used Dovonex which makes it sore and inflamed. I was treated at first with steroid tablets because the doctor thought it was a different infection , so it was allowed to go unchecked for 2 weeks before he decided it was psoriasis and even then he said it was the plaque variety, but after looking at different websites and photos it MOST definately is guttate psoriasis. Roll on tomorrow to see what the GP says about my request for a referral

I didn't believe my GP so I got several other opinions (I work with doctors). They all agreed though. I don't use anything on mine - nothing made any difference. A restful holiday in the sun would though, I bet.

Post-It-Note_3

I suffer from eczema and psoriasis andhave done for over 20 years. I use all the typical prescribed medication but since xmas i have been using a cream from a lush store called dream cream. It is about £8 a tub but onlynees a little bit so lasts a while. I have noticed a considerable difference since i started using it and would reccommend it highly. Only thing is the smell is abit lavindery due to the natural oils in it but thats a small sacrifice!

snake666

i to have this had it for 25 years and its got worst over the last 5 years after i gave up hod carrying i have just been to my 4th light treatment i have to have this for 6 weeks 3 time a week but it has taken ages to be refured as its a private hospital and the nhs are paying for it
i ue dermovate its a steriod and doctors dont want you using it to often also used exorex which you can get over the counter and thats good for keeping the itching away
snake

elvis_bloggs

My dear old mum god bless her, suffered with Psoriases for over 40 years, mainly in her scalp and all over her back, she had a cupboard full of creams but when it was really bad she was taken into hospital for 3 weeks at a time and covered in a coal tar based cream, it helped but did not cure it. At the age of 82 she fell and broke a leg and had to have a pin in her hip, she never got over the shock and died six months later but her psoriases cleared up within that six months.

brindles01

Following on from my thread from yesterday, just been to GP and got him to do a referral letter. He now can see I have guttate psoriasis and informed me that it usually lasts around 16 weeks. In that time I might heal myself before I get the referral as it is a very busy skin clinic, even with 4 specialists! I will have to wait and see. He also prescribed Dermovate cream but I really dont want to do steroid treatment unless it gets too much to bear. Although I have it all over my body it is only my trunk that gets sore and irritated, my arm and legs just have the spots.

Haushinka

Ok.

I'm 20 and I've had psoriasis since i was 15. I think a mixture of smoking cannabis, smoking normal cigarettes and being a moody teenager where part of the process to make my psoriasis flare up.

First, some people say psoriasis comes up every few years for some poeple and goes away for a few after that. But thats some people.

My skin clears in the summer. I've used every skin cream available and at the moment i use elocon, it is the only thing that will clear it. And once its cleared it stays away for up to 4 days, then you have to start retreating it every couple of days afterwards. But at £6 a tube on prescription it doesn't work like that.

I have no real remedy for it. Baby lotion is probably the best moisturiser as its for sensitive skin and it smells good.

I have it mainly on my back. I haven't seen my derm in about a year because he is useless, i saw my doctor quite a while back and said that my derm had recommended elocon [he hadn't, i was advised by someone online] and he gave me it.

Its not a cure but it'll do. I've just stopped smoking, and ive been clean off all hard drugs for 4 months.

Oh also ive heard that that colonic thing also cures it for some people as its got something to do with the toxins in your system.

Ted_Hutchinson

Haushinka wrote:

My skin clears in the summer. .

This may be a reflection of your higher Vitamin D3 status in the summer. Vit d3 is made when the sun shines directly on your skin. Having more vitamin d3 enables you body to take up more omega3 and omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory agent.see omega 3 psoriasis
It might be sensible to try to keep your vitamin d3 levels as high in the winter as in the summer by either supplementing with an effective amount of cholecalciferol 3000-5000iu daily. Quidco Cashback - Healthy Direct - 21%
this is intended for information only. Medical advice should be obtained from your GP if you can find one who understands how inappropriate the current RDA for D3 is.

JeanJeanie_2

Hi I too suffer from psoriasis _pale_ , a few weeks ago I came across this fantastic forum

http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/community/

You will find all kind of suggestions for treatment. It is, like this forum, very supportive and informative.

All the best and I hope your OH finds something to ease the dreaded psoriasis!!!!!!