[SmackytheFrog]

Sometimes I feel like my psoriasis is consuming my life. It feeds my depression and makes me wish I could melt away into my surroundings and not have to be seen.

I spend most of my free time trying to find means to tame or cure it and attempting the suggestions of others but nothing I've tried seems to work. All I know is I feel hideous. Like a scaly monster that shouldn't be loved. But somehow I am? I have a loving boyfriend who claims I'm beautiful but when I look in the mirror all I can see are red blotches and scales. Its just become like a thousand times worse the past year and I just want it to at least go back to the way it was.

I know its bad to scratch, it only irritates it more but I'm SO ITCHY. I'm constantly hearing people scold me for scratching but they just don't understand how much it really itches. Imagine a mosquito bite...then imagine it dries out and becomes a sore and that sore has the same itch as the mosquito bite and it hurts even when you leave it alone. It stings to shower. Which is ... I don't know... depressing. I used to love the feeling of showers - being soapy and clean.

It used to just be a small patch on my head and a spot on my calf...now its my entire scalp and my fore arms and both of my calves, my breasts and my hips. I feel like I'm turning into a lizard woman. I feel ugly.

I'm sorry I just had to tell someone in hopes that there might be someone out there who understands. Sometimes I feel like I'm being overly sensitive to it... but with the outbreak suddenly overwhelming my entire body I can't help but feel...melancholic sometimes.

Has anyone actually had any luck with treatments?

I've tried cutting dairy out of my diet, various creams and lotions but so far no relief. I've heard about using tanning beds for the U.V. light and detoxes. Any luck with those?

[roads]

I'm so sorry you're suffering so horribly with this! I'm can't offer you any advice, just wanted to say that with this causing such impact on your life I hope you are getting the support of a good therapist with this. It's so much more than just a skin irritation--I had no idea.

[SmackytheFrog]

Thanks RoadRunner.

I'm actually not seeing a therapist, I honestly don't have the time with my lifestyle. My skin aside I've been coping well with my depression since my ex left and I found my current boyfriend - but there are times when I think it would be beneficial to seek therapy because my lifestyle has just changed dramatically and I'm having trouble adjusting to my life suddenly no longer feeling in my control.

To summarize I used to live in the same town as my job and near my friends but due to some family complications I had to move in with my boyfriend, a 45 minute drive from where I used to live (and I don't drive so I rely on my boyfriend to get me back and forth). I feel guilty about that a lot because it means he has to get up a bit earlier and sometimes (because I'm on shift work) stay later to pick me up. His family doesn't make it much easier because they're constantly on him about us never being home and they assume that because I'm not the one driving that I'm not tired - they don't take into account that I start working when I get dropped off - regardless of my scheduled start time. It's one of those things that makes me grind my teeth but... I'm living in their house so I feel like I can't really tell them off. And I feel like I can't really take control of my diet now either - I'd feel weird telling them that I'd like to cut out all the processed crap they eat. "Could I just have the broccoli tonight?" lol

Blah, I think I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed with all the change and my skin is suffering from it and by that making it worse. >_<

[crazylife]

Hey, i have psoriasis to and it SUCKS!!! I'm using Dovobet for my skin and some tar stuff for my scalp and so far it's really helping, takes away the itch and most of the flakes it's still red but so much more less noticeable. I got told stress makes it worse too. Dovobet is 8 weeks on and 8 weeks off, not reached the 8 weeks off but the 8 weeks on are going great, what have you tried?

[Fresia]

A family member has severe psoriasis and finally found help from the dermatologist.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pso...ents-and-drugs

[SmackytheFrog]

I've been using a Xamiol lotion for my scalp which was working great until I ran out and now I just haven't had the time to get to my doctor. And I think the cream I have been using is ratio-ectosone which hasn't been helping at all. I guess the best I can do at this point is try to find time to meet with my doctor or see if I can get set up with a dermatologist.

[kindachaotic]

Have you asked your doctor about a drug called Enbrel?
You may need to be referred to a dermatologist because I think it's a once a month IV administration. It's supposed to work really well & if you have Ins thru your job it should pay for it.
Also used to work with a gal that took the light therapy treatments. It was a slow process but did help.

Sending healing thoughts your way.

[SmackytheFrog]

Actually, something I had a breakthrough last week ladies and gents.

My boyfriend's dad is a hypnotherapist and we were talking the other night about how my skin has been effecting me so we decided to try hypnosis to find the problem and to mend it. I wasn't sure about how it was supposed to help my skin but amazingly it has! I was hypnotized on Tuesday and already I'm feeling great - many of my red patches have cleared up and the really bad patches are quickly reducing. I don't scratch as much and my head doesn't feel as flaky.

Apparently my psoriasis was stemmed from a fire related death in a past life that my subconscious couldn't let go of. He asked my subconscious to let it go and went through to balance my chakras.

It worked great for me. If anyone would like to get in touch with my boyfriend's dad let me know and I'll post the link to his website.