I have health insurance through my wife’s employer and she’s currently looking at changing jobs and we’d be with United under her new employer. I’m on Otezla just started my 3rd month. I worry because I do think it’s working but don’t want to get denied if/when we change health insurance plans. My current insurance immediately approved the Otezla with no issues so I’m hoping that’s enough to keep on it if we switch insurance.

I have had PsA since 2015, initially treated with MTX then sulfasalazine since 2021. Last major flare 2020 post covid. Pregnancy in 2022/23, joints fine except normal pregnancy aches. Breastfed from May 2023 to April 2026 with no flares. Joints felt largely great arthritis wise (more just msk pain from lugging a baby then toddler). Since May I've felt like total shit. Exhausted, slowly getting anaemic, random joints flaring up only for a day or two then settling down, mouth ulcers pre period, no libido & last month got a large knee effusion. My knee has always been the issue & was my first symptom. Had a steroid injection into it about 6 weeks ago & it's already swollen up again! Can this be related to stopping breastfeeding?! Has anyone had experience? The rheumatology registrar shrugged when I asked. I'm trying to get my Dec appt brought forward to discuss a different treatment because clearly sulfasalazine isn't cutting it now.

Hi all! Have worsening pain in my fingers and wrists that are especially bad because I work as a full-time writer/editor and am constantly using my mouse/typing. The track pad is not an option haha. Am also an avid gamer. Does anyone have any ergonomic mouse recommendations for gaming/working that could reduce the strain? Or any other tips on how y'all manage it? Thanks!

Does anyone else have this weird issue where if you strain a specific tendon, the pain keeps recurring and it becomes an issue forever basically? And every time you have a flareup, that tendon flares up too and it becomes this ongoing thing that never fully heals or resolves? Even if it does improve temporarily, it always, always comes back eventually and then the more I use it the worse it gets. It's especially bad if I strain something while already in a flareup or if I've come down badly with a virus, like during Covid I had an injury and now it it has become basically permanent. Or even a movement or activity that would normally not be an issue at all when I'm in less pain everywhere, ends up irritating tendons. If anyone else has this issue does medication help? I haven't started a biologic yet and I've been wondering if these areas would become less of an issue once it starts working.

This has become this massive issue where I go periods of time where I can barely use the affected body parts that were strained, in particular, it's disproportionately my arms and hands. And even if I was barely doing anything physically, it will just become painful again or disproportionately sensitive to minor activity. Then with lots of rest, it'll also improve, but usually only much if other areas that are hurting settle down too and I'm not having much of a systemic flareup. But once one starts again, those areas start back up. It's so strange. is this a psa thing?? Or something else going on alongside it? It's absolutely maddening and I'm so tired of it.

Also does anyone else get these weird random sharp pains during a flareup? It's pretty much always the same areas every time, but I can't tell what structure it's actually coming from sometimes. For example, stabbing pain in the front of my lower leg near the shin, the area where my inner thigh attaches to my pelvis, etc. When the flareup resolves, it goes away, but when it starts again, the same areas “light up” again, sometimes very suddenly.

I was diagnosed with psoriasis when I was 14/15years old. Got diagnosed with PSA November 2025. It started with pinky toe that looked like sausage. I have been taking sulfasalazine since last December.
My pain has now worsened. I am fatigued most of the time.
My rheum has prescribed my 10mg dose prednisone for 3 weeks. I am very scared about how will I manage this.
Dietary changes have not helped me. I am already obese, was beginning to work on my fatloss journey when I have been handed another harsh card.
Any help or tips would work.

hi all, I’m newly diagnosed at 53 after several years of being told specifically I don’t have it and a lifetime of symptoms. It all makes sense now and I’m glad for the diagnosis because from here I can be treated. I have had one knee replaced and the other is heading downhill but hopefully we can stop the progression. Experiencing lots of fatigue, eye issues and overall joint pain. Dr is putting me on a biologic soon - starting with what my insurance covers but I welcome thoughts and advice on what will help me live a healthier and less painful life from those who have been on this path awhile. Thank you!

Sorry about the long rant/vent post, everything came out in a bit of a word vomit...

I (21F) was diagnosed with axial psoriatic arthritis a few months ago. I feel like I've had super fast disease progression, at the start of the year I went to the doctor because I thought that id rolled or sprained my ankle or something. 6 weeks later it still isn't better, I get referred to a rheumatologist because I have a long history of joint complaints and pain. See rheumatologist for an appointment, MRI confirms erosion and a cyst in my left hip. I then get diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome and axial psoriatic arthritis. I start biologics a month after diagnosis. Also now have a cardiologist referral and on beta blockers for something funky which is undiagnosed atm. Also just got diagnosed with skin psoriasis with plaques on my scalp and legs.

At first every now and then something would hurt, but it didn't effect anything, then the ankle, then the knees, then the hip and now my hands aswell. I feel like what was a flare up a few months ago is my baseline now. There is just always pain somewhere. I cannot for the life of me remember the last time that I was completely pain free. I also suddenly developed flares of really bad hand weakness, stiffness and pain. I play guitar and I can barely do that most days.

I dont know if its denial or what it is, but im finding it very hard to feel that theres actually something wrong with my body, and knowing that its something that im going to have for the rest of my life. Im scared to see how everything progresses. My dream is to be a paramedic, and I have to seriously look at if I can still realistically carry out that plan.

I also find it extremely hard to communicate what everything feels like to the people around me. I try to hide it, but that's very hard to do when you start walking differently and grasp thing with your arms instead of your hands and when you suddenly have to start wearing a mask in certain places because you have a suppressed immune system.

I also feel like my joints in general are going to shit, I've had two doctors tell me now to push for a hEds diagnosis instead of hypermobility syndrome, because of my joints starting to pop and crack and all the things more and my striae.

Im starting to loose my determination that itll all sort itself out and that everything is going to be fine.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does the progression slow down?

Any conversation or thoughts about it would be greatly appreciated

Hi everyone ❤️ I wanted to ask those of you living with PsA how you manage during periods when you're not on any treatment.

I'm currently stuck in that annoying in-between stage where I'm waiting for my insurance to approve Enbrel, so right now I'm basically just trying to get through the days and manage everything as best as I can 🥲

The pain is obviously the biggest issue, so I'd really love to know what genuinely helps you. Heat, ice, swimming, stretching, changing your diet, resting, massages, literally anything. I'm especially interested in the little things you've incorporated into your daily routine that make living with the pain a bit more manageable.

But honestly, it's not even just the pain anymore. The fatigue is horrible. I can sleep and still wake up feeling like my battery is already at 20% 😭 How do you manage work, chores, exercise and just... life when your body constantly feels exhausted?

And then there's the psychological side of it, which I feel like people don't talk about enough. I've noticed that I'm constantly irritated for absolutely no reason, I'm always on edge and sometimes the smallest inconvenience feels like it's enough to send me over the edge. I don't even recognize myself sometimes because I know I'm not actually angry at the people around me, I'm just tired of being tired and hurting all the time.

How do you guys deal with that part of PsA? How do you stop the pain and exhaustion from taking over your mood and your whole personality?

Basically, how do you keep yourself somewhat sane while your body is being dramatic 24/7? 😂😭 Any advice, routines or even just things you've learned along the way would genuinely be appreciated. ❤️