How long have you been living with psoriasis?
Living with psoriasis can be quite a journey. How long have you been on yours?
20 years
Thanks so much for sharing! Twenty years is quite a long time... How have things changed for you throughout the years? -Latoya (Team Member)
While I wasn't "formally" diagnosed until I was almost 60 years old, I know I had plenty of telling symptoms since early childhood. So, to be reasonably accurate, I need to say 75+ years!
But it's been very variable. Some periods have been much worse than others, and the flare ups have been on a constant march around my body (currently worst on my left foot [!] and scalp). And, as I've mentioned before, this weird disease has a frustrating mind of its own and its own defense mechanisms! As such, my history has been one of treatments working for a while, but eventually ALL either losing their effectiveness or causing untenable side-effects (like skin thinning). C'est la vie avec psoriasis!Seventy-five years! Now that's a journey and certainly possible given all that you experienced before being officially diagnosed. It’s amazing how much you’ve endured and how well you’ve learned to just roll with it. It’s encouraging for others to see and learn how others cope with its unpredictable nature. I know it's a crazy ride, but you've handled it quite well. -Latoya (Team Member)
Thanks!
Fortunately, while lifelong, my psoriasis has never been worse than "moderate" and is usually fairly "mild" when treated (especially now with Zoryve). The only major life impact has been inability to tolerate wearing a closed collar or necktie, due to intense itching and inflammation, especially around my sternal notch. This has caused a lot of (social) problems in formal and business situations, and of course, it was a serious career impediment. Things are much less formal these days, but it was a HUGE problem when I was younger. Otherwise, psoriasis has been much more a persistent nuisance than a disability.
That’s really interesting to think about. I've never considered the social impact of a specific item of clothing, like a tie. I'm sorry to hear that it impacted your career. I'm sure you were doing the best you could.
Fortunately, I think people today are much more accepting of the need for various accommodations now. It's like not being able to wear dress shoes and instead needing to wear sneakers. Besides, there are plenty of ways to dress formally and professionally without a tie! -Melissa, team member
