Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms

[Caroline]

Other then you both, I don’t feel those sharp pains.

I do feel stiffness, but mostly only in the morning and that vanishes after showering and moving a little. My tendons sometimes feel as if they have a problem, but that is not a sharp pain, but a diffuse pain. It mostly vanishes when being used again.
It can come back with long walks indeed.

[Kat]

Other then you both, I don’t feel those sharp pains.

I do feel stiffness, but mostly only in the morning and that vanishes after showering and moving a little. My tendons sometimes feel as if they have a problem, but that is not a sharp pain, but a diffuse pain. It mostly vanishes when being used again.
It can come back with long walks indeed.

I think it was the stiffness that got me the psoriatic arthritis diagnosis.  I actually doubted the diagnosis as I didn't really have pain. I have to rethink that now.

I keep thinking my ankle is going to get better on it's own, but so far I'm still limping along... well for quite a few steps then I'm fine until either a few minutes or a few hours and then back to limping again. Limping isn't really the right word, more stopping as it's too painful to walk, then a limp or two while I test it out and I either stop and wait or walk normal. It's the strangest thing on how it just comes and goes. I either wait a week to see a doctor or go to emergency care and it's not really an emergency, just dang uncomfortable!  I have a ball game and a band competition to attend before my doctor's appointment. That should be interesting.  Staying home isn't an option unless I can't walk as I've always gone to the grandkids stuff at school and only have one left in school so have no plans to miss his activities! Mr Kat suggested a wheelchair but I have a cane that doesn't help a lot really but is an option as it does help a little.  But since ankle could be fine I hate to carry the cane around.    Imagine you see someone with a cane, walking along not using it and then boom, a bit of an owie moment and she's limping along using her cane for a few steps and then.... back to carrying it and walking fine!  I might get committed!!! 

[Fred]

But since ankle could be fine I hate to carry the cane around.    Imagine you see someone with a cane, walking along not using it and then boom, a bit of an owie moment and she's limping along using her cane for a few steps and then.... back to carrying it and walking fine!  I might get committed!!! 

If people have nothing better to do than watch someone walking (or not) with a stick then they really should go and get a life.

I always used to walk with one when I had my dog, I made my own.



When I had my ankle problem I got it back out again and it helped as it gives you comfort knowing you have something to help, it doesn't mean you have to use it and there is nothing wrong with just holding on to it.

Think about it. You see someone walking but holding a stick, you don't know if that person is getting over an operation and is learning again to walk without but they keep it with them for security.

My Mum had a foldable one it was light and easy to carry, I was surprised how stable it was when unfolded.

Another thing my Mum had was a little trolley on wheels that she could put her shopping in and it had a little seat, I tried it and held my weight no problem. She done very well with her trolley and her stick and no one committed her, if they tried she would have whacked them with her stick.

Make life easy for yourself, forget about others.

[Kat]

You're right Fred. And I doubt anyone would actually notice whether I was using it or not. Sometimes I think I still fight a little when thinking about old age stuff. It's funny really, as I've used a cane before when I was in a walking boot and didn't think anything about it (I was younger then ) It's why I have a cane. Plus I think it's the idea of carrying it around if I don't need it, which could happen.

We call the trolley a "walker" here. My father in law had one with a seat and it came in handy for him when having to wait as standing for a long period had become uncomfortable for him.

I think I probably need crutches though over a cane or walker/trolley. Something where I can walk without putting any weight on that foot. Although now most people use a umm knee scooter I think they're called, but with it being painful to put weight on my arthritic knees I don't see that as an option. For now, I'll just plan on taking my cane along in case I need that little extra support/security.

[Fred]

  For now, I'll just plan on taking my cane along in case I need that little extra support/security.

Good choice.

[Kat]

Update:

Ankle was better on Friday, only bothered me a little and not at all on Saturday and Sunday. I still went to my appointment on Monday as I figured if I didn't it would start hurting again.

Doc took an x-ray. Showed ... well I'm not really certain what it showed. Something about joints/spacing/old injury. To sum it up he thinks it was the result of an old sprain perhaps with arthritis but he said the arthritis wasn't too bad actually. Since it is better, he suggested a wait and see approach and gave me a prescription (pharmacy had to order so I don't have it yet) of a non steroid cream to try if it happens again. Said we could go to a walking boot and cane or cortisone injections in the future if it continues but for now he didn't think those were necessary. I think if it goes away on it's own and isn't anything I have to worry about, those will never be necessary.

I'm glad it's better. I have a decent pain tolerance so I do know it was painful and seemed to be more painful than what he described to me honestly. He did suggest I go back to the rheumatologist to see if the arthritis is rheumatoid or psoriatic to try to prevent it from getting worse or something to that effect. Sometimes it takes a bit for me and a new doctor to find the right words to communicate. They have to treat me like I'm 5 when they try to explain it. It's actually the top part of where it connects to my ankle that hurt, well a bit off to the side. Hopefully it doesn't do it again.

[Fred]

Good to hear it's feeling better Kat, and now you have had it checked you know a little more. The injection they done in my ankle fixed the problem, I do get the odd twinge but nothing to stop me doing things. So I think you are right to hold off with the injection, if it does get worse it's something to fall back on.

[Forest Walker]

Any idea how you may have injured your ankle in the first place (possibly old ankle injury)?

[Kat]

Any idea how you may have injured your ankle in the first place (possibly old ankle injury)?

well... no, not really.

I have had times where I twisted my ankle but nothing severe enough for me to really remember it. You know that step in a hole or off a curb (or sometimes just being clumsy ) Because I have stiffness in both ankles and small amounts of discomfort and such it's possible I injured it and just didn't really realize it. I told the doctor that I get swelling in my ankles, that I had been checked for rheumatoid arthritis and they said I didn't have it and that the same doctor said I was showing early signs of psoriatic arthritis. He suggested I get checked again. I know my hurt to put weight on it at times, also to stretch/flex it when it was hurting even without weight on it. And when it wasn't hurting I could stretch/flex it with no pain at all. The way it came and went was just... strange. But hopefully it has "went" now and all is well.