Psoriosis anyone?

[noodle]

Hi x
Just wondered if anyone has any experience with psoriosis that they would share? I first had a serious flare up of it when I was about 14 years old, then it just disapeared after about a year for many years. About 8 years ago (about 32 years old) it staterd gradually again on my legs, and flared up badly to cover all my legs, backside and parts of my arms. It stuck around for about 3 years, then again just vanished for about a year, then gradually staterd to come back. A few months ago it was at its worst. I'm now 17 days AF and have noticed its really started to calm down, and have got everything crossed its on its way to clear up again. Despite it being common, little is published about it beacause the medical proffession are just as puzzled about it as evryone else. It's believed to be genetic (though only my cousin also has it). Theres a lot of evidence to suggest it's connected with renal problems, but again no certain proof. I've always suspected it's been alcohol related with me. At the time it started (14 years) was about the time I started drinking (sporadic binge drinking). By my mid 20's to recently I've steadily drank far too much, all the time. My cousins cleared up when he really cut down the booze (he was also a v. heavy drinker). It dosn't explain though why it did clear up with me when it did.
All a bit of a mystery so just wondered if anyone could shed any light on it?!
Any wise words appreciated :h

[Starlight Impress Forever]

Psoriosis anyone?

Hi noodle,
Had it for 25 yrs and didn`t miraculously clear up when I quit drinking over 3 yrs. ago. I`ll tell you what does work though........forget all the topical steroids etc. the docs will offer you for it. What works fab is aqueous cream........is just an emollient, but fab........big pot is dirt cheap.

Sad thing about psoriasis is that it isn`t as simple an ailment as many docs would have you believe. Having it long-term, like myself, can cause related ailments........now have psoriatic arthritis in my fingers and eyesight has deteriorated due to flare ups of iritis (inflamation of the irises), often caused by having psoriasis long-term.........is technically an auto-immune disease.......your bone marrow produces too many T-cells, as body mistakenly `thinks`something is attacking it, so `protects` you by renewing skin too quickly, hence the scaly plaques.

However, from a cosmetic viewpoint.......you can`t beat the cream I recommended.......if you use it once or, even better, twice daily, your psoriasis patches will have gone within a week or 2, but you still must continue daily application to keep scale away.

All the best,

Star x

[Cinders]

Psoriosis anyone?

Starlight,

I was reading up on that cream. Apparently difficult to get in the US. I don't have psoriasis but I do have old and aging skin, thought cheap and softening would be good.

However, it is interesting to note that one of the ingredients, sodium laurylsulfate, is used in most soaps and shampoos. It thins the skin, which would be awesome, except most soaps and shampoos also dry the skin.

So, I can see how this simple cream could be so helpful for psoriasis. The skin thinning properties of sodium laurylsulfate and the emollient of a cream.

Apparently many of those who use it, love it. Highly rated on a "rate the makeup thread" that I was reading. Many use it as soap in the shower.

Love,
Cindi

[Miss October]

Psoriosis anyone?

Hi Noodle ! I'm in the middle of reading a book "The Sobering Truth" by Jeff Hersten, M.D. Here is something I copied from (Chapter 24)

“Scientific studies have shown that an alteration in the immune system causes psoriasis. A subset of T lymphocytes are abnormal. The Th1 lymphocytes. This leads to abnormal production of messenger chemicals that increase inflammation, producing the pink, scaly skin, we recognize as psoriasis.”

“Alteration in the Th2 lymphocytes causes Eczema” (I shortened this part).

“Alcohol has been proven to enhance the alteration in both the Th1 and Th2 systems and amplifies inflammation. It aggravates both psoriasis and eczema. As these conditions worsen, the psychological stress increases, the drinking increases, and the condition flares to a greater degree creating a cycle of increasing intensity.”

This totally explains my severe eczema over the years with my habitual daily wine consumption. Once I cut my consumption in half, it magically disappeared from my entire body. I still get it on my hands, and sometimes my face, but usually in allergy season and the winter months.

So to sum it up in my own words, psoriasis and eczema are hereditary, but the alcohol and stress greatly intensify it.

Great job on your AF days, and I'm so happy for you that your psoriasis is calming down, as I know all to well the stress that a skin disorder gives you.

Take care,
Miss O.

[noodle]

Psoriosis anyone?

Thanks so much Starlight, Cinders and Miss October for your awesome replies :h
I'm heading right out to grab some Aqueous cream, I saw a big pot of it actually in the chemist the other day whilst I was looking at skin ointments and all that. Scary about arthritis and bad eyesight! I did have arthritis in my ankle a few years ago, but that got much better after I lost a couple of stone in weight, and dosn't give me any problems.
On day 19 now, and have noticed a definate improvement in the skin flare ups, but it's still there. Hoping it's going to clear all the way!
Miss October - I'm presuming these altered Th1 and Th2 systems can repair or return to normal if alcohol is avoided? Or do they stay permenantly altered?
Thanks for the advice xxx:thanks:

[RedJib]

Psoriosis anyone?

What an interesting thread. I've known half a dozen people who have bad psoriasis, and every one of them were serious (daily) drinkers. They all had to go for courses of phototherapy and experiment with various ointments/creams etc, but I never heard any of them say that a doctor had advised giving up alcohol. (Or maybe their physicians did suggest it, but the drinkers haven't been willing to try that treatment.) The reasons cited in this book make good sense.

[Bean]

Psoriosis anyone?

In Chinese Medicine, psoriasis is considered to be caused by an invasion of wind heat and damp. Alcohol is a hot and damp forming substance, hence why it would get worse with AL consumption.

Chinese med also believes psoriasis can be exacerbated by emotional disturbances transforming into internal fire/heat. Often we drink because of emotional issues but these cause other emotional problems as a result. The Liver is the physical and energetic organ that processes alcohol and emotions. So it stands to reason again that drinkers with a predisposition to psoriasis and skin conditions will see their condition flare up when they take AL.

Just another perspective...
Bean

[noodle]

Psoriosis anyone?

Hi Bean,
Yup - I too have heard some really interesting views of Chinese medicine that make a lot of sense. I'm only just beginning to understand how stressed out I am/have been under all the booze, which has been a bit of a revelation. I've always thought i'm just hungover or got too much going on, so take another drink....It's been shocking how much I don't really want a glass of wine, which I've always thought 'oh, I just like wine, if wine didn't exist I wouldn't drink" :H and how much in reality I just want to get drunk and 'get away' from everything, myself included. Scary. I've strated deep breathing, to try and relax, and a bit of exercise. My diet wasn't too bad anyway apart from all the liquid toxins I was pouring down my neck every night. i'm an (almost!) vegan (just can't give up milk in my coffee, sorry) and don't eat any processed stuff.
This week I'll keep trying to de-stress, slap on the Aqueous and stay off the sauce, I'll let you know how it's going!
Thanks all, brill advice xxx:thanks:

[InChains]

Psoriosis anyone?

don't know about availability elsewhere but theres a product int he UK called salcura, I work in a chemist and we have been hearing some pretty amazing things from our customers, people who have suffered for years beginning to improve within 3 days use of the intensive spray.

side note: the information about t-lymphocytes and the eczma link is very interesting as one of the resident severe eczma sufferers. I am currently using a treatment which actually chnages the way the immune system treats the skin, repressing the overreaction. Absolutely brilliant, possibly life changing if ti carries on working like this - I don't knwo about its use in psoriasis though.