What is guttate psoriasis? This is a form of psoriasis characterized by tear-like lesions. “Guttate” is a Latin word which means spotted. This article will follow the case of Jane, representing those people who are suffering from this type of psoriasis.
Jane, 31 years old, is a flight stewardess who took advantage of a company-sponsored vacation in the Caribbean Islands in 2005. Jane met an accident and she scraped her right leg. She developed lesions on the injured leg. After just a couple of days, the lesions scattered at the back of her right leg and passed on to her other leg.
Jane was 32 when she was diagnosed with moderate scalp psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Her skin underwent a stress injury which triggered guttate psoriasis.
In approximately 3 weeks, nearly 60% of Jane’s both legs had lesions. Her dermatologist ruled out psoriasis upon her visit, confirming Jane’s idea though she was initially in denial. She knows that the disease has no cure. Dealing with the disease was emotionally draining for her more so because her psoriasis is slowly taking an alarming proportion that she never knew possible before.
After being diagnosed with guttate psoriasis, she became emotionally insecure. She tried to hide her condition from friends and did not ask for her family’s support.
She isolated herself from the world. She did not go out for some time and did not meet with friends. She would always wear pants even during summer in order to cover her legs. She managed to keep them covered even during flare ups occurred for months while she was working.
But after some time, she finally accepted her disease. She became more open with her family’s support and became more active with her advocacy for psoriasis sufferers. Now, she has the full support of her family. When she walks for psoriasis, they donate to her walk. Her sister even walks with her. Or her niece volunteers to be the face painter.
The most challenging part for Jane is managing her condition on a daily basis. She has to put layers of lotion consistently and must avoid injuring her skin further because new lesions will start.
Her flares would come and go. The longest she was cleared was two months although there was a time when 70 percent of her body was covered.
What helped Jane to cope with her psoriasis is her positive attitude. In this way, she knew she may be able to live a rather stress-free life. This is her secret in overcoming her condition.
During the early stages of psoriatic arthritis, she did her best to have a healthy lifestyle by eating right, doing yoga and exercise. At first, she resorted to herbal supplements and vitamins for her treatment but when the psoriatic arthritis began affecting her joints, she was convinced to try biologic medications. Humira (adalimumab) is her current medication. Her decision was right because she reacted to the drug wonderfully, and she even stopped having flares since then.
Jane only wishes that people will realize that psoriasis sufferers’ immune system are being endangered by the disease and that their overall health needs to be constantly checked or cared for.
Psoriasis is a severe and intense disease, and may cause deep depression for those who have it. She hopes that people will become more aware and educated about psoriasis and realize that it is not contagious nor just a simple skin dryness.
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