Update

[mamagotcha]

I was asked about an update regarding my fun skin disease journey.

When I saw the dermatologist, he looked at my elbow and immediately said, "Psoriasis." He was obviously really busy and ready to prescribe the steroids and move on out, but I asked about the UVB wand. He said he'd heard about it but hadn't had anyone try it. I asked if I could, and he said, sure, as long as I got all the paperwork together.

He still wanted me to use the steroid creams to knock out the current flare, so I ordered them. Even with our insurance, they were $35 each (one in a liquid for the scalp, the other an ointment for the elbow and ears). I was going to be out of town this last weekend, and didn't want to deal with any potential problems starting a new med while not at home, so I held off on starting them until yesterday. Nothing much to report yet.

I sent in all the paperwork for the wand, and got a cryptic phone call from the doctor's office on Friday:
Ring...
Me: "Hello?"
Chirpy female voice: "Hello. This is Dr. Spero's office. Will you hold for the doctor?"
Me: "Um. Okay."
....
Dr. Spero: "Okay, what's this all about?"
Me: "You told me to send you the paperwork for the UVB wand. That was all the info I could find." (It was the insurance forms and a sample recommendation letter from the website of the wand's manufacturer.)
Dr. Spero: "I got it." (*click*)
Me, staring at phone blinking: "Wha?"

So. Now I guess I get to wait to hear if my insurance will cover it. Dr. Spero has a less than stellar communicative style, but if he can help me get this straightened out, it will be worth it.

In the last week, I've had two new patches start up on the front of my thighs, oddly symmetrically. Also, I have two raw spots on my left hand, cracked and painful. I'm putting the cream on all of them, too.

I'm truly puzzled. The more I read about psoriasis, the more it appears to be triggered by stress. Why didn't I get it during all those migraines during my divorce (when I had that lovely bout of shingles)? Why didn't I get it the super-stressful year we moved to KC (when I had that delightful little panic attack)? Why didn't I get it last year when our lives were pretty much Stress Central? Why is it showing up now (or rather, six months ago), after we've been settled and in good shape? We replaced the car, Bill's got a great and steady job, we're living in a nice place in a calm neighborhood... things aren't perfect, but they're little glitches, not huge earth-shaking upheavals like we've had all during the last decade.

Is this something like when you deal with a true emergency, a fire or something, and then when you have time to catch your breath and look back, you fall apart? But I don't FEEL like I'm falling apart. I'm kind of at loose ends, I don't have a lot of what I'd call close friends, no way to make any significant money, but I'm able to walk and bike and do a little Nia (a class started at a Y close to us, whooHOOOOO!), I'm doing a little yoga and meditation in the mornings, I'm starting to read again, I have a few writing projects in the wings, I'm doing a little volunteer work, I'm getting some braiding gigs... things aren't great but they are sure as hell a LOT better then they have been for most of the last ten years.

I just have the feeling I'm missing something important. Any ideas?

ETA: The cream is working! The inside and back crease of the ears are almost entirely clear, and the elbow is better than it has been in ages. Finger cracks and scalp aren't responding yet, but my hopes are cautiously rising...

Comments

[lunacow]

Very relieved to hear the cream is working! I hope things continue in a positive direction and that you're able to get the wand.

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

I've done more reading (yay, WebMD) and it seems the scalp version of this med has a lower response rate than the topical ointment... reflecting my own experience so far. Also, the scalp suspension is really oily and difficult to remove, and some folks think the cure is worse than the problem. So yes, wand!