Diana's Blog

Well, the only way to find out if some treatment or other helps with psoriasis is to try it...so on I go. I have a few insights, which are clearer now looking back at the last few years. Having no control group of myself, I don't know if I'm right, but here's what I suspect:

Sleeping in a hypobaric tent may have slowed down the progression of my psoriasis. During that time, my stress level increased (re: my job), and the spots on my lower legs seemed to intensify. But, it was as if something was held in check. (To complicate things, the slowed immune response meant I got sick more easily, which stimulated the immune response, and caused skin outbreaks.) The rapid worsening and creeping-all-over only began after I got out of the tent in 2007. So, tent = good for suppressing auto-immune disorders; but ultimately bad for overall energy and immune-system strength. Lovely paradox.

The psoriasis response in 2007-2008 seemed like a rebound effect; not only did the skin get worse, but it seemed to be moving very quickly, as if to make up for lost time.

When I tried hyperbaric oxygen therapy recently (after researching how it speeds up repair of body tissues), I felt healthier and more energetic, but my skin, which had begun improving in response to Humira (biologic immunosuppressant), suddenly stagnated and even made a turn for the worse again. Two days after my last hyperbaric session, the skin began to calm down again. In the meantime I'd also added PUVA (narrow-band UV light), thinking the Humira wasn't working for me. I know, seems chaotic and unscientific, but...the need for relief from psoriasis and its multitide of related frustrations is powerful.

And, with this stuff, you only have answers in hindsight! Currently, I believe Humira + UV light is helping the skin. How to boost or stabilize my energy levels remains mysterious, as effective solutions only seem to make my skin explode. Right now I'm hoping my attempt at tapering off topical steroids is successful. Maybe, in a year or two, my skin will rebuild the outer layer that has been dissolved by steroids, and tears in response to the tiniest of twigs!

Given how long it can take for the immune system to adjust to change, I still believe that in time, my skin will become calmer on its own - time being the key word.

I'm wondering if I should start carrying around little cheat-sheets with a bulleted summary of this problem, for the people who ask, "What happened to your skin? Psoriasis? Have you tried xx?"... 

To sum up the last month on the health front: Trying to treat an autoimmune condition is definitely a catch-22. As with viral or bacterial infections, or cancer, you have to kill some of the good stuff to wipe out the bad.

So I started the injections of Humira (a biologic immunosuppresant used to treat psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases). Unfortunately for me, my roommate's high school (she's a teacher) shared the latest cold with our household, right about the time I did the first injection. I didn't know a virus was coming my way (if I had, I certainly would've kept that needle in the fridge a little longer!). The first rule of Humira is Do Not Take it When You Are Sick or Getting Sick. Oops. Gretchen and Greg were fine within a few days; I wasn't back on the bike until three weeks later, having missed a fitness trainer seminar, a CPR class, a family visit to Arizona, and that much triathlon training. Well, I knew going into all of this that nothing is guaranteed. But, no matter how much I try to think Zen-like, I don't like missing fun or important things I've planned. Still, I take a rest, and then try again.

Also, a word of pharmaceutical advice: Don't let any doctor tell you that psychiatric medications have no withdrawal symptoms. Some of them will try to tell you that it's no big deal going on or off an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med. Ha! Certainly, it depends on how sensitive your system is; and it's a given that most doctors won't even approach understanding of how it feels to be an athlete, and request a certain amount from your body.

Cymbalta (an anti-anxiety and -depression agent) was my previous experiment in the long line of attempted psoriasis treatments. It has been known to improve psoriasis, and most notably, relieve some of the itching. It did reduce the itching a little for awhile, but that was all; and the myriad of side effects wasn't cool with me. (High heart rate and low blood pressure don't mesh well with running or riding your bike! Plus, it made me bloated, foggy-brained, and inarticulate. I did sleep well, and sure, I didn't feel anxious - but my stress level has gone down like 90% since I quit my tech writing job anyway.)

So, cool, I'll just stop taking the Cymbalta (tapering appropriately, of course), and feel better. Wrong! With the Cymbalta withdrawal came continued bloating, and hello, depression, hormone weirdness and cognitive confusion. Talk about rebound effects! For a few days, I could barely keep anything in my short-term memory. It still looks like I'm pregnant (which would be neat if it were true, but that's just water retention). Don't worry, it's all coming back... but wow. I write this because it made me feel better to read message board posts and blog entries by other people going through the same thing. I know that in time I'll feel more like myself again. I'll post again as it happens, so any of you fellow med-survivors out there can take heart too.

Meanwhile, I've somehow managed to study and learn quite a bit in the last couple of months (not on the bad days, of course - but on just enough days) -- my Certified Personal Trainer exam is coming up soon.

...And finally, after years of working through techno-speak and translating it for the software consumer, I feel like I'm being watered with creativity like a thirsty plant. I'm actually having a really good time with a few fun, creative projects on the side...mostly entering writing, recipe and photo contests. Here's the latest mini-project (with my sister Lori and my husband Greg) - the theme is, Why do you need to win this Mustang from Valvoline? (Since we're really wanting to keep our house in Carlsbad, a new car for Greg isn't in the budget...but there's no rule stating we can't try to win one. :> ) Another contest my sister and I entered awarded $25,000 to the maker of a winning sandwich recipe, and some second prizes too. Two of our recipes were startlingly similar to the winners' - kinda encouraging!  

More important than any of this, really, is the alarming importance of the upcoming election. Without waxing too political in this particular forum, May the best candidate win!

"Not quite the Mustang she was expecting..." (The amount we laughed made our effort so worthwhile...)