It's all in the family....for the most part.

Hubby got his diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis earlier this year. I got a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis 4 yrs ago, but firmed up to PsA last year. He was promptly started on MTX since he was already on Mobic. I'm taking both of those. Now he's gotten approval for Humira, which I've taken for almost 4 months. We have the same rheumy and the same pain management doc. Have had many of the same pain mgmt procedures. He used to kid me about all my medical issues...but I am the one who got him the referral to rheumatology that got him diagnosed.

For a few years previous, he has developed many of the same complaints I have endured for years...back pain, compression fracture, osteoporosis, plantar fasciitis. I was thinking all this time that it was familiar and mentioned it a few times, but he didn't want to pursue it. Then our pain doc suggested injecting the SI to see if it was a pain generator and it DID reduce his pain. I was really suspicious of PsA at that point. Then the rash on his elbows was diagnosed as psoriasis. I told him he needed to see the rheumy. He agreed. Appt three weeks later. At follow-up 2 weeks after labs/x-rays, rheumy told him it was PsA.

We will use the same mail order pharmacy for the Humira. That is likely to confuse someone eventually....same drug, same address, different names on rx.

But there is no doubt we understand the other's pain. He had to stop the MTX and Mobic for rotator cuff surgery coming this week. I'm sorry he's hurting so much, but he's got a highly recommended surgeon doing the repair. We are hopeful.

DX: Psoriatic Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Psoriasis
Meds: MTX since Oct 2009, 15mg/week. Cimzia-restarted after 2 yrs away.
Epidural Steroid Injections x8; Lumbar Radiofreq Ablation x2
SIJ Steroid Injection x3; Bilateral Radiofreq Ablation SIJ x9