Hello from karaokeking

[karaokeking]

Hi Everyone. I am from the U/K, and i am 74 years old. I have had psoriasis since i was 32. I first went on the coal tar ointment for quite a lot of years. It was messy and stained all your clothes, as well as your body. It looked as though i had been punched black and blue. After years on that prescription i went on Dovobet, that seemed not so bad, but the doctor told me i had been on it to long and that there was a danger of it thining my skin, what ever that meant. Anyway he has now put me on two different options. I have a tube of Betamethason valerate 0.1%W/W cream, and tubes of Dovobet ointment. The diference with the two tubes is one is a cream and the other is an ointment, which means the cream sorts of rubs into the skin, where as the ointment is more thicker, like vasoline, and tends to stay on your body longer. Ivé been on these for about a Month, with just the same outcome as the Dovobet. I don´t have it to severe i can still put a swimming costume on, plus i go to Tenerife for the Winter, so of course the sun helps quite a lot.

Now what i would like to know is the tablets that some of you are taking. Did you have to ask the doctor for these or, did he suggest them to you, and can you get them on prescription in the U/K. Thanks.

[Kat]

Hi Everyone. I am from the U/K, and i am 74 years old. I have had psoriasis since i was 32. I first went on the coal tar ointment for quite a lot of years. It was messy and stained all your clothes, as well as your body. It looked as though i had been punched black and blue.  After years on that prescription i went on Dovobet, that seemed not so bad, but the doctor told me i had been on it to long and that there was a danger of it thining my skin, what ever that meant. Anyway he has now put me on two different options. I have a tube of Betamethason valerate 0.1%W/W cream, and tubes of Dovobet ointment. The diference with the two tubes is one is a cream and the other is an ointment, which means the cream sorts of rubs into the skin, where as the ointment is more thicker, like vasoline, and tends to stay on your body longer. Ivé been on these for about a Month, with just the same outcome as the Dovobet. I don´t have it to severe i can still put a swimming costume on, plus i go to Tenerife for the Winter, so of course the sun helps quite a lot.

Now what i would like to know is the tablets that some of you are taking. Did you have to ask the doctor for these or, did he suggest them to you, and can you get them on prescription in the U/K. Thanks.

Welcome Karaokeking! I'm in the US so not much help on how the U/K system works, I'm sure others will be along to answer that question, I just wanted to say hello and welcome you. Spain is beautiful, lots of sunshine! We were stationed in Rota, Spain back in the early 80's.

[jiml]

Hi and   to the forum im sure you will have a good time here there is a lot of good information on most treatments ....and a mix of members happy to share their experiences with us .. So it's possible to follow members journeys which is very useful to see what possible problems you may encounter on any given treatment ... On here its actual experiences not just words from a doctor who does not have the disease . You ask did we have to ask for the tablets... In my case I was running out of options  as according to my hospital I could not have more UV for fear of skin cancers , steroid ointments had thinned my skin and I wouldn't use them any longer( this means your skin tears very easily ) ( although I do keep some dermovate by me in case I get a plaque appear ) methotrexate tablets made me ill ... So in discussion with my dermatologist I was given 2 choices .. Acetretin or Fumaderm ... I'm very happy I chose Fumaderm as it has been very successful for me
Yes they are available on prescription but it would have to be a dermatologist that prescribes them and monnitors their effect ....Your GP would have to refer you if you are not already under the care of a hospital

I envy you going to Tenerife for the winter a great idea to get winter sun on the psoriasis .
I hope you enjoy your time here we are a very friendly group of sufferers always happy to talk about our experiences
Jim

[Fred]

Hello karaokeking   to Psoriasis Club.

I have moved your post to it's own thread here so it will get noticed by other members better.  

In answer to your question about the tablets that some of our members are using: Most of what you are reading is about Fumaderm, Methotrexate, Psorinovo, Acitretin, and Ciclosporin, and should always be taken under prescription as you need to be monitored and have regular check ups.

In regard to what you can get on prescription in the UK: There is a protocol that that needs to be followed, this usually means your GP prescribing a cream, then after that you will normally get a referral to a dermatologist. The dermatologist will then work with you to see what is best suited in your situation, this may mean light treatment one of the pills, or a bio treatment (the latter usually being the last option)  

You have tried phase 1 (the creams), so you should now be pushing your GP to refer you to a dermatologist. You have the right to do this and some GPs wont do it unless you demand it, once you are assessed by a dermatologist they may give you one of the pill treatments.

Regarding the thinning of your skin: Dovobet can make your skin go thinner than it should be and can result in it never getting back to it's usual thickness, also Dovobet is not a long term treatment as it is a potent glucocorticoid steroid. You can find more about dovobet here: Dovobet And Dovonex (What's the difference ?)

As we get older our skin gets thinner, less supple and more prone to injury, the over use of something like Dovobet will speed that process up and instead of having skin like writing paper it will be more like a cigarette paper.  

[D Foster]

Hi Everyone. I am from the U/K, and i am 74 years old. I have had psoriasis since i was 32. I first went on the coal tar ointment for quite a lot of years. It was messy and stained all your clothes, as well as your body. It looked as though i had been punched black and blue.  After years on that prescription i went on Dovobet, that seemed not so bad, but the doctor told me i had been on it to long and that there was a danger of it thining my skin, what ever that meant. Anyway he has now put me on two different options. I have a tube of Betamethason valerate 0.1%W/W cream, and tubes of Dovobet ointment. The diference with the two tubes is one is a cream and the other is an ointment, which means the cream sorts of rubs into the skin, where as the ointment is more thicker, like vasoline, and tends to stay on your body longer. Ivé been on these for about a Month, with just the same outcome as the Dovobet. I don´t have it to severe i can still put a swimming costume on, plus i go to Tenerife for the Winter, so of course the sun helps quite a lot.

Now what i would like to know is the tablets that some of you are taking. Did you have to ask the doctor for these or, did he suggest them to you, and can you get them on prescription in the U/K. Thanks.

Welcome karaokeking ,it's a great site with great people ,most are a bit nutty but you can't have everything.
I am amazed karaokeking that your GP in all the years that you have had P has not referred you to a Dermatologist ,insist that he does and look at the alternatives that are around, GPs know about a lot of things a little but tend not to know them in any depth.
I am very envious of you spending the winter in the sunshine .

[Grizzly Bear]

Karaokeking


GB

[jiml]

Oooh  grizzly nice smiley  
.
Karaokeking ... If you are thinking of the Fumaderm tablets you would have to be refered to a hospital for a dermatologist to prescribe .... They are not available through GP surgeries  

[Troll]

Belated hello Karaokeking

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