Hi there. New here. I was previously diagnosed with RA, then I relocated and was rediagnosed with Sjögren’s as my main rheumatic disease. I’m also hypothyroid.
I used to have terrible eczema and pomphplyx but these seemed to disappear with menopause. Then the inflammatory arthritis (seronegative) arrived and it took 8 months of polyarthritis to get diagnosed with RA.
I’ve tried 5 DMARDs over a 7 year period and had severe skin reactions (anaphylaxis) to two, nausea and pancreatitis with other two. Four months ago I was taken off Mycophenolate for worsening tremors and small fibre neuropathy - and no improvement after 15 months.
Now I’m told it’s wait and watch and a familiar pattern is emerging - intense groin and sacroilliac pain with sausage digits on the tip of both hands with loads of pain in all peripheries. My nails are discoloured with strange dark spots and tinged with yellow - although I’m assured this isn’t fungal each time I ask GP. The dermatologist says connective tissue disease and the vascular/ Scleroderma doctor says probably ageing (I’m 55).
My first cousin has PsA without Psoriasis so it has occurred to me more and more that I might have a mild version of the same along with my confirmed Sjögren’s.
Question - only my finger pads and area around nail are red and swollen - and it seems under the skin rather than on the surface. Does this sound like mild PsA without the Psoriasis possibly or would I have the odd patch and much more visible joint swelling?
I see my rheumatologist in late August and plan to ask but meanwhile I’m in a lot of pain and have high inflammatory markers and yet no visible swelling or redness at all apart from my finger pads. I don’t think it’s my neuropathy because it stings a lot to type and affects my top finger joints and tips of the nail beds on each finger. Toes have hard crusts of dry skin on the joints too.