This time I made it on time for my dermatology appointment. After the first visit to my new dermatologist almost turned out a disaster, I made sure to double check the appointment time. Yes, I needed to make it to the clinic on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. for this second visit.
You’d think that after four decades of seeing doctors I would feel comfortable at clinic appointments. But in those few minutes I spend with the dermatologist decisions will be made about my health that will impact my life for weeks to come.
With a new dermatologist and healthcare provider system I felt intense anxiety for that appointment. My elevated blood pressure told the same story: seeing the doctor is a stressful event for me. Even so, I overcame my anxieties to closely collaborate with Dr. Carroll on what’s next for my skin treatments.
Getting Acquainted
Thankfully, the doctor visit went much better than I expected. At the outset I spent a couple minutes getting acquainted with Dr. Carroll. I first shared my psoriasis column on Everyday Health, The Itch to Beat Psoriasis with her. I also talked about my volunteer work with the National Psoriasis Foundation. Dr. Carroll shared how she studied under a prominent psoriasis researcher and physician and supported the Foundation’s efforts. She explained her philosophy of putting patients first, even if they are late like I was last time.
I thought the exchange helped to break the ice and develop rapport. I hoped that by sharing some of my life with psoriasis she could trust I knew my skin conditions well enough to input on treatment decisions. I also felt more comfortable that, based on her training and experience, she could manage the challenging case that is my psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Besides getting to know a new healthcare system and my new dermatologist, I needed to consult with her on a couple issues looming for my health and skin care.
Tremfya Adjustment
I’m convinced now that the pattern I saw emerging with my psoriasis on Tremfya treatment at week 24 continues. The normal dosing schedule for Tremfya is one injection every eight weeks. By week six or so, however, my psoriasis tends to begin to worsen. It takes two or three weeks after the injection to get back to a more controlled state–if at all.
I would like to try taking it every 4 weeks, but that would double the injections to 13 annually. With a cost of ~$10,000 per injection you can do the math. Every 8 weeks is about 6.5 injections per year, with every 6 weeks about 9 injections. Continue reading →