Tag Archives: psoriasis emotions

psoriasis, Psoriasis Treatments

Skyrizi Week 6: Anxiously Awaiting Results

I’ve experienced a steady anxiety about Skyrizi the last few weeks. My expectations changed after I injected the second dose at week 4. With the next injection at 16 weeks, I figured the medication already in me must do the work.

A graph from the Skyrizi website show the percentage of those taking the medication reaching ninety percent improvement tapering off by week 16. For once I want to be part of that three out of four who get fantastic results from a psoriasis medication.

I Want It Gone Now

In my head I know I need to practice patience when it comes to psoriasis. Few medications work as quickly and effectively as I want. I want something like a Tylenol or Benadryl that starts working within the hour. What I typically get with these drugs is more waiting with less than stellar results at the end of months of waiting.

I don’t easily admit my impatience. I see myself as a veteran of these psoriasis wars—I’ve seen it all, and nothing surprises me. Expect little. Set the bar low to the ground. Manage expectations. All these platitudes mean well, but do little to curb the appetite that’s grown for something, anything, to truly knock down my psoriasis. The fact remains I’m no different than anybody with a severe chronic condition—I want it gone now.

Alas, it just doesn’t work that way (if it works at all). I want the rabbit, but many treatments act more like the turtle. Slow and steady wins the race, Aesop’s fable declares. But what if the turtle never makes it to the finish line?

Here are some photos comparing when I started Skyrizi and about six weeks later:

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psoriasis

Skyrizi Week 3: Three Questions Waiting to Be Answered

I can’t believe I finished my third week of taking Skyrizi (Risankizumab). In the coming week I take my second dose. This dose is a loading dose administered at week four. The dosing moves into every twelve weeks thereafter.

The biggest questions I have when I take a new medication are if it will work, when it will start working, and will I have side effects. See below for my updated impressions on these three questions.

Will Skyrizi Work to Clear My Psoriasis?

This is a crystal ball question to be determined in the coming weeks. But if you make me give an answer of what I predict I’ll tend to take the pessimistic view. When a drug claims that X out of 10 people who took it during clinical trials reached PASI 75 or 90, or even cleared, I’m skeptical I would be one of them. 

I’m usually the X out of ten that did not reach any notable level of psoriasis clearance. I know, I know. Past results do not predict future outcomes. Too many variables must play out before making any conclusions. My body changes over time. New medications have different mechanisms of action in my body than others. But I’ve faced disappointment after weeks and months of waiting on a new drug enough times to not get my hopes up.

Follow My Skyrizi Journey!

Starting Skyrizi for Psoriasis Week 0

Skyrizi’s website makes the following claims:

  1. In clinical trials, 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at four months, after just two doses
  2. Of those, nearly 9 out of 10 sustained 90% clearer skin through one year
  3. Also, 8 out of 10 people achieved clear or almost clear skin at four months, after just two doses.

Number 1 and 3 sound like the same results told in two different ways. Number 2 says that those who did respond sustained it after a year. Okay, awesome numbers to be sure. I just hope I’m not the 1 out of 4 or 10 who doesn’t get a great response.

When will Skyrizi Start Working?

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psoriasis, Psoriasis Treatments

Starting Skyrizi for Psoriasis: Week 0

It happened faster than I could mentally prepare myself—I’ve stopped Tremfya (Guselkumab) and started Skyrizi (Risankizumab) on Friday. 

The conversation about starting Skyrizi began with a message to Dr. Christie Carroll on the day the FDA approved Skyrizi for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in April. She told me that the prescription request might run into problems with gaining insurance approval for a brand new medication. Also the pharmacy probably did not yet have it in stock and ready to ship. She offered Taltz (Ixekizumab) as an alternative.

I told her about the discussions I’ve had with other doctors and their thoughts on which biologic I could take. Even though they don’t know my personal situation as well as Dr. Carroll, they thought very highly of Skyrizi. With the data from clinical trials looking amazing (the Skyrizi website claims that “3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin”) I told her I could take Taltz first, but if it failed, I wanted to try Skyrizi eventually.

I started taking Tremfya on August 21, 2017 and Skyrizi on May 31, 2019. I didn’t quite make it to two years, but it did keep me moderately under control for almost 650 days (and 56 million seconds)!

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Read about my two year journey with Tremfya

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Skyrizi Week 0

At my next dermatologist appoint on May 17th Dr. Carroll told me that with the passing of a few weeks, and a new staff member to file prior authorizations, we could give Skyrizi a try. I would first need to get blood tests, especially and updated TB test before starting the new biologic.

Just over a week later I received a cryptic email from the specialty pharmacy, Accredo, that my prescription request was being filled. The next day I received a letter from my insurance provider stating they approved the prior authorization for me take Skyrizi. I immediately signed up for Skyrizi Complete, a service by AbbVie that would provide support such as copay assistance while taking Skyrizi.

A quick call to Accredo ended with scheduling a next day delivery of my first dose. The Nurse Ambassador, Adele, from Abbvie also agreed to call me in the late afternoon to assist me with the first dose the next day.

Two weeks after Dr. Carroll submitted the prior authorization request for Skyrizi I found myself injecting my first dose–one syringe on the left side of my abdomen and another on the right side. Hopefully in the future the dose will be one pen or syringe, but I didn’t mind the two injections this time around.

May 31, 2019 Photos to record my psoriasis at the start of Skyrizi treatment. (Above) Back and upper arms. (Below) My leg (left) and arm (right) showing psoriasis lesions broken out.

First Reactions and Impressions

Less than a week into treatment I’ve experienced a myriad of emotions including hope, anxiety, excitement, and fear. I wouldn’t try a new biologic unless I felt hopeful and excited it might clear my psoriasis–even if for a season. The anxiety and fear of what side effects I might feel, and what it might be doing to my body besides cleaning my psoriasis is just as real.

Physically, I experienced some headache, lightheadedness, and fatigue after the first dose. It’s only been about five days so I’m not going to make too much of it. No doubt someone from the manufacturer will want to talk to me about my experience (they tweeted as much!) Not to worry, I will talk to my Nurse Ambassador soon about my experience so it can benefit others.

My psoriasis is about the same. Every time I’ve checked it the last few days it’s about the same. So nothing to report there yet, although I wish I could say it worked so quickly.

Prayers Welcome

Finally, if you are praying person, I covet your prayers. I didn’t expect to start Skyrizi so quickly, and I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about trying my 6th (!) biologic for psoriasis since 2003. But whatever happens I know I’ve been through the lowest of lows with this disease and made it through with the strength of God.

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Psoriasis Treatments, Travel

42 Weeks with Tremfya: Coping with a Skin Flare

Beautiful flowers in Sitka, Alaska, taken during a stop on our summer Alaska cruise vacation with family.

A couple weeks ago marked the 42nd week on Tremfya (guselkumab) and the 7th injection. I started in mid-August last year with about ten months elapsed since that first injection on the day of solar eclipse in August.

At this point in my treatment cycle I hoped to have more stability with my skin. But skin flares do happen even while taking the best medications.

What a Bad Skin Flare

Somehow I think that if I’m taking a super expensive biologic for psoriasis that I’m entitled to clear skin. Expectations often wreak havoc on my mood when I think this way. As an optimist and idealist it’s quite easy to bring those unrealistic expectations to the new medications I take.

When my skin flared like a wind swept wildfire a month ago I felt overwhelmed. Between the darker red spreading psoriasis spots and the generalized bumpy rash all over my body I could only feel normal skin in a few places. My mood darkened as I went into coping mode.

When my skin flared like a wind swept wildfire a month ago I felt overwhelmed.

A few factors appeared to contribute to the flare: increasing phototherapy dosage too quickly; Tremfya losing effectiveness at the end of the 8 week cycle; completely stopping cyclosporine; stress at work with a demanding spring; and a busy schedule with end of school year activities for the kids.

Follow my Tremfya journey!

Tremfya (Guselkumab) Week One  

3 Weeks with Tremfya: The Waiting Game

8 Weeks with Tremfya: It’s Working!

12 Weeks with Tremfya: The Third Injection

16 Weeks with Tremfya: The Verdict?

20 Weeks with Tremfya: Read the Instructions! (4th Injection)

24 Weeks with Tremfya: A Pattern Emerges

28 Weeks with Tremfya: Still Working? (Injection #5)

38 Weeks with Tremfya: The Q&A Edition

Employing Poor Coping Strategies

I’m not proud to report that during the flare I didn’t cope well at all. I did continue my skin care routines including taking a break from phototherapy and using steroids with wet wraps a couple times. But my expanding gut tells me that I ate way too much junk food. All those pastries, ice cream, donuts, extra shots of espresso, greasy burgers, and chips of all sorts no doubt made my skin even worse.

I also tend to stay up later when my skin flares. In an ineffective attempt at avoiding caring for my skin I delay my shower and night time skin routines. Instead I play games on my cell phone, (binge) watch Netflix shows, work on emails, or read online sports news. Eventually I get going on what I need to do, but much later than I’d like. The next day I’m naturally tired and wanting naps in the afternoon.

I really could use more margin in my life for when difficulties like skin flares inevitably come. It’s not that I don’t know better ways to cope when my health tanks. But if I’m already tired and stressed I don’t have the will nor the energy to counter those cravings to eat junk food and stay up late.

I really could use more margin in my life for when difficulties like skin flares inevitably come.

Thankfully, vacation came at a great time. A week on an Alaska cruise settled my mind, gave me much needed time away from work, and allowed the new Tremfya injection to start working.

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Waterfall next to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska

Treatment: A Work in Progress

I hear stories of how long it takes to finally find a treatment plan that effectively manages psoriasis while minimizes risk. Some people go through multiple treatments, including combinations of various medications such as topical, phototherapy, systemic pills, and injectable biologics.

I feel like I’ve been trying to find that elusive treatment plan for the past twelve years. When the systemic Soriatane with phototherapy stopped working for me in the mid-2000s my skin would not stop peeling and scaling. Pure misery. I tried new biologics, went back to methotrexate, and even tried coal tar. Nothing worked.

Cyclosporine turned out to be the most effective medication for my psoriasis and eczema. However, it is only FDA approved for psoriasis for one year because of it’s toxicity to the kidney and other side effects. I used cyclosporine off and on for the next decade while trying each new biologic, although the breaks would only last a couple months before I needed to start up again.

Psoriasis treatment just feels like a work in progress, especially when that bad flare comes along unexpectedly.

Now I’ve finally stopped cyclosporine while taking Tremfya and experimenting with phototherapy. Psoriasis treatment just feels like a work in progress, especially when that bad flare comes along unexpectedly.

Time to end this entry with a photo of a cool glacier in Alaska to remember those calmer days. Too bad I can’t just go back here whenever my skin flares!

Margerite Glacier

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

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