::Psoriasis::
Psoriasis…a dreaded word if you have it…any form of it….
I had my son Parker, in May 2011. Shortly after having him, I started to get these red spots. I had them on my hands and a few on my legs. I didn’t think it was anything to serious. I started to then get more and more over the next 2 years and finally went to see a dermatologist, where I was “diagnosed” with psoriasis. This made sense because having birth can be a trigger.
SO what does this mean? What do I have to do to make it go away???
As some of you know, psoriasis is where the skin cells in people with psoriasis grow at an abnormally fast rate, which causes the buildup of psoriasis lesions. Psoriasis is considered an autoimmune system.
I have what is called plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disease and appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells. These patches or plaques most often show up on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back. They are often itchy and painful, and they can crack and bleed.
My dermatologist at the time said that while we are trying to have another baby, I cannot take things like Humira or methotrexate until after we are done having children. She then gave me corticosteriod shots. These worked very well and almost completely cleared my skin for about 2 months.
We recently moved so I had to find a new dermatologist. This dermatologist said they would never give me corticosteriod shots because they are so dangerous. Little did I know, since I had been getting them for almost 2 years.
At first I was frustrated. I was all sorts of mad and going through all these different emotions. The new dermatologist recommended I do lightbox therapy which sounded great but I could drive 2 hours round trip 3-4 times a week. I was doing some research one night and came across this guys blog. He was going the all natural route. While we are trying to get pregnant for baby #2, I was intrigued because this is the route I now have to take and don’t mind as long as I get results…I know we all want them immediately!
I learned that results won’t happen over night. There is NO cure for psoriasis. I have to live with the fact that while we are trying for another precious gift, I have to itch and burn and be miserable…which I will GLADLY do for another beautiful baby.
I still had hope though, I knew there had to be SOMETHING that worked a little. I came across this blog Psoriasis Diary. He has a lot of great information and is solely documenting to help others. He has a lot of helpful information, videos, and more.
So this is what I have found:
-Continue to eat better and lose weight
-Start to go gluten free
-Drink 2-4 liters of alkaline water daily
I am hoping these changes will help me clear some of my many spots. I hope this helps others find their journey to clearer skin!
I will document my journey every so often. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask!! 🙂
KJ Taggett 