I start telling my story and hope to encourage other psoriasis patients to do the same.
Psoriasis pretty much affected my live in a severe way since it was discovered on age of thirteen in combination with vitiligo. Before psoriasis was diagnosed I was a happy child enjoying life in every way. I was an actor at that age and performed in a lot of plays at school and played at the local theatre. After the diagnoses I got a shy, closed and pretty messed up guy. I felt ashamed, ugly and insecure as a result I had hyperventilation and panic attacks.
Life became a daily struggle to me. The dermatologist at that time told me there is no cure available and pretty much told me to accept it and that’s it. That was such a disappointment too; my thrust in medical treatment vanished immediately.
Years went by and living in my own save, protected world resulted in not really living for years. Talking to a psychologist at age 29 helped me accepting this incurable non contagious disease and helped me to find some trust in people again. With her help I started to visit a dermatologist again and she advised me to start talking about my psoriasis.
Now I write about psoriasis at my blog, I started talking about it to friends and family and even at work I shared my ‘big secret’. Surprisingly it helped me in a great way to start living again!People react positive and understanding and share their own life struggles.
There is a reason to tell this story. I haven’t been living for almost 17 years, missed out on chance to enjoy life. I hope dermatologists are aware of the role they play in giving people hope ,faith and confidence.
If my dermatologist at the age of thirteen had taken my condition seriously at the time it would have helped me dealing with psoriasis. Sure there was still a road to take in accepting the disease and overcoming the Shame of Psoriasis.
I am now thirty years old and finally I feel alive again! Still struggle with psoriasis and vitiligo every day, but at least I have thrust again, talk to people and started to enjoy the beauty of living.
Sebastiaan, Netherlands
Suffering from psoriasis, start talking! Share your story now
I’ve had p for 9 years I got strep throat which lowered my immune system. Within 24 hrs I had p all over my body. Not so bad on my face or arms..I lucked out there. My twin sister was talking with a friend about this juice called xango juice which has mango steam root and many other ingredients. I’ve found that it has really helped me. I drink 3 ounces a day morning noon and night. And also mix an ounce in lotion and put it on my spots. It took awhile to work but i was completely cleared up for bout 2 years. Now I think I’m allergic to the new carpet at my job..and now have many spots. It’s not even a fraction of how bad it was at first…and I will continue to drink the juice in hopes it will work again. Just thought I would share this info. I know how desperate I was to try anything I thought would help..this really is the only thing non prescription that has helped me. It’s hard living with p some people just don’t understand. It’s not contagious, and truly not anyone’s fault that they have it. I feel like this… I’ve always looked at people for who they are not how they look. The one’s that want to make fun of you just aren’t worth my time..the one’s that stare don’t understand or know what it is. I work with the public if I catch someone staring I just smile and say I have psoriasis. I met my husband when my p was out of control, it covered my entire back. I hid it for awhile, then he saw it and asked me what it was. I told him. He didn’t care and it made me love him even more!! Try to surround yourself with people who really truly know u…your psoriasis won’t even matter! Hope I could be somewhat helpful.
Time moves on and the suffering continues. I now have minimal plagues because I am on Remicade IV. I am attached to appointments every 4 weeks to going to hospital to get the treatment. Pain continues everyday, no one knows what the suffering is. My boyfriend thinks he can rub it away, he creates more pain and gets mad when plead with him to stop the rubbing. I am tired of taking meds and seeing doctors. I dress as I want, tell everyone what I have, I am not going to hide because it may make someone uncomfortable. I deserve to live too. Christian love and blessings to all.
Im now 14, I found out that I had psoriasis when I was 9. In public school no one said anything about my arms &legs until I got transfered to a private school with only a few classes in it. So every one knew every one. I was the only one every one picked on because of it. &i was an over weight kid. As I got into grade 7 I went to a school with only 2 grades in it! But by that time we were all friends &good with each other. So I started wearing shorts & short sleeve shirts to school again. Grade 8 went by &every thing was good. I still had psoriasis bad! I’m now in grade 9 &back in a public school. I’m at a healthy weight. The only thing is that I still have psoriasis. No one at my school knows it. I’m always I mean ALWAYS wearing jeans &sweaters. This one time I wore a 3/4 length sleeve to school &my science partner made a comment about it to me. I told her what it was &she told me I shouldn’t be allowed in public . So as a teenager &having a short temper I didn’t stop myself from telling her that her face was so ugly it shouldn’t be allowed in public. I got detention. I have an all girls gym class coming up next semester &im scare because I sweat easily so I’m going to want to wear shorts but my arms &legs bother me more than that! &im also one of those girls who likes fashionable clothes! &its Sooo hard to find nice clothes! My moms always buying me nice stuff to wear but it’s all short sleeves &iove everything she’s getting me but I don’t wear it. My psoriasis is slowly going away. My one leg has small patches. My other leg is still bad. My arms are bad too. This is hard on my social life. I get invited to water parks beach trips theme parks in the summer but I don’t like my arms &legs to I don’t go. I’m also a girl who keeps to her self now. I have 1friend that I’m with every day. She seen someone with psoriasis &made a comment a bout it. So now idk if I want to tell her!
also understand! Have had P for 28 years, an unwelcome side effect of Lithium. Stopped the Lithium, but the P decided to stay! The best approach for me has been the Biologics…but they are flawed also. Just started Enbril, after reaction to Stelara. Sometimes difficult ‘to keep the faith’, when all you want is the ‘itch’ to stop. The Biologics have stopped the constant ‘snowstorms’, but the plaques are always there. Really looking forward to learning about this site and how other people cope with this. Don’t know why I didn’t seek this out earlier!
I hear u pal…Psoriasis changes everything…
I was a soccer player in my university…had a nice gf..
Since psoriasis appeared, my gf left me..I felt ashamed showing my skin in public and so left the soccer team too..
Now I am 20 pounds over weight, not willing to get into any relationship bcz I am ashamed of my psoriasis…
Its hard
I understand completely.
I am now covered head to toe with the stuff.
Have been suffering for many years because of it.
Cream after cream and after trying countless ‘sham’ remedies, I am at the end of my ropes.
I hate this thing growing on my body.
I’ve blogged about it but only those who really know me understand my discontent.
Just wanted to say from one P sufferer to another, keep the faith.
Maybe someday there will be a cure.
~m