Psoriasis Stories

I'm Linzi and I'm Scottish.

I'm wee. I'm a redhead. And I have wee red spots, also known as psoriasis. Hence my online pseudonym of Weeredspots!

I have had psoriasis for nearly 9 years. At various stages I've had it on different parts of my body. My scalp has been a constant resting place for flakes and dry patches from day one. Under my arms and under my breasts are intermittent with the appearance of spots depending on the weather, my level of activity or what I'm wearing. During my worst flare up which affected nearly 60% of my body; my torso, arms, bottom and my thighs were completely covered in tiny, red spots.

At the beginning of my psoriasis journey I was treated with steroid creams, coal tar shampoo and moisturiser. This kept it largely at bay and I had regular check ups as an outpatient which always saw me come away with another steroid cream. My skin showed signs of improvement and I was discharged from the dermatology clinic.

Then I had a particularly stressful year at work, topped off with moving house and juggling 2 jobs, one being a Primary Teacher with infants. The winter of 2014 I noticed my red spots were back with a vengeance and each morning I would notice it was spreading further and further down my body.
I wore baggier clothes, stopped doing any physical activity, slept in the spare bedroom with windows open to cool down my skin and had late night cold baths to relieve the itch. With no guidance from a dermatologist I tried every emollient, moisturiser and lotion on my skin in the hope of some relief.

I eventually saw my GP at the turn of 2015 and got a referral to a different hospital clinic specialising in dermatology. By this point my skin looked raw, like a burns victim and the red spots were interspersed with little, white, pus filled spots.

In the spring of 2015 I was diagnosed with pustular psoriasis, a rare form of psoriasis which can be very serious if not treated accordingly. I was immediately admitted as an inpatient to a Derm ward where I stayed for just over 2 weeks.

My skin was so unstable regular treatments such as coal tar and light therapy weren't an option.

They tried stronger steroid creams only for these to exacerbate my skin. So with my limited options and a lot of research into the medications left, my dermatologist chose Ciclosporin. An immune suppressant in oral, capsule form.

Very quickly my skin made noticeable improvements.

I was on Ciclosporin for just under 9 months. My skin greatly improved but was not 100% clear. I still had little red spots but I was delighted with this progress. It also made it more manageable that all the spots were in places that could be easily covered by clothes. Living in Scotland we don't have to show a lot of skin, even in the summer months, our weather doesn't call for stripping off or flashing the flesh!

I was a regular to the outpatient clinic to monitor my progress throughout my time on Ciclosporin. Blood tests and urine samples were taken at every check up to ensure the immune suppressants weren't adversely affecting my kidneys, this is one of the most serious, possible side effects.

It became apparent that although Ciclosporin had dramatically improved my skin, my psoriasis had plateaued and the risks of staying on the medication outweighed the tiny improvements to my psoriasis.

I was then prescribed coal tar to use at home. Firstly Exorex (5% coal tar) to check for any reaction. When it was apparent my skin could tolerate it, I was moved on to Psoriderm (6% coal tar). It has a yucky smell but I have been using it every night, (some mornings too if I've had a particular flare) and my skin is much clearer. I have been consistent with putting it on and with clearer skin I have been able to exercise regularly again.

The coal tar, exercise and maintaining a healthy balanced diet have got my skin in a much better state. If I look for them I still have little clusters of spots on the back of my legs and on my bottom but hey, they're behind me and I can ignore them for most of the time.

Fingers crossed I can maintain this level of clear skin and I can continue to manage my psoriasis with a healthy lifestyle and regular check ups with my dermatologist.

Because of my psoriasis journey I started weeredspots.com to share my story with others and to help spread awareness. I had never heard of psoriasis until I had it. Information is key and having a community of fellow sufferers online is a great way to remind us all that we are not alone with this awful disease.

Take a look at my website or I also use my Twitter to talk all things psoriasis and my Instagram @wee_red_spots.