Has Your Psoriasis Medication Ever Been Delayed?

Up until this week, I've never thought about the impact of medication delays. I assumed it just came with the prescribed treatment territory. What I do know and am all too familiar with is that finding a psoriasis treatment that will work can be a very long and drawn-out process - that includes the involvement of your local pharmacy.

How can treatment delays impact symptoms?

After living with psoriasis over the years, trust me, I've tried my share of medications. Some of which have worked while others were a complete disappointment. I have been on six different biologics. Finding a specialty pharmacy to prepare and deliver my specialized medication, well that's a different and difficult story in itself.

Last week I got hit with circumstances beyond anyone's control which really got me thinking. This has been a bigger problem outside of just me. I want to know, directly from you, the one that's living it too. Do you experience delays in medication? How often? The bigger question is, how does this impact your treatment journey and stress management?

When my psoriasis meds met a hurricane

In case you are unaware, it's hurricane season. Living in Louisiana, we've recently been hit with Hurricane Ida. In addition to many things she left in her wrath, medication delays can be added to that list. In the first part of last week, my specialty pharmacy called me to refill my psoriasis medication. Even though I am not currently on a biologic, they ship my Otezla in the same manner in which they used to ship my past biologics.

The pharmacy, by the end of the same week, was on my phone again telling me that we needed to set up a new delivery date because of the hurricane.

Now it's time to worry

At first, I didn't even worry about this delay. I still had plenty of medication on hand. Well, until today. Until now, all of my specialty pharmacies have been in other states. Treatment delivery never has been an issue. Today, my specialty pharmacy is located in New Orleans which just got slammed by Hurricane Ida and is without electricity. Now I am worried. I am finally on a treatment that is working. Fear of not getting the treatment on time is pushing my anxiety to a whole new level.

Do not get me wrong, I would never want anybody to put themselves in harms way. I wouldn't want the delivery drivers trying to navigate streets that are not safe to drive on. I keep trying to remember a time when a medication delivery was late but all I can think about is now. I guess we really never think about something until it impacts us directly.

Do you have any advice?

As each day passes, more and more stories are being told about the aftermath and devastation of Hurricane Ida. I cannot even get the specialty pharmacy on the phone because so many power and phone lines are down. Not knowing is the worst part of this situation.

My heart goes out to everyone affected in those areas that got hit. Their problems are so much worse than mine any day of the week. It makes me curious to know your stories. Has your psoriasis medication ever been delayed? It doesn't have to be because of a hurricane. Should I be concerned about a flare? Any insight would definitely be appreciated at this time.