Guttate Psoriasis

[ekul]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and psoriasis unfortunately.

I suffered from tonsillitis just before Christmas and was prescribed antibiotics which seemed to cure the problem, then a few days into the New Year I developed another sore throat which I feared was the tonsillitis returning.  It didn't develop into tonsillitis much to my joy at the time, however little did I know it would turn out to be so much worse!

A few days after the sore throat I noticed what looked like a rash on my face, after much googling I discovered what I now know as guttate psoriasis.  Within days it had COVERED my body!  The usual places, chest, arms and back are particularly bad, but having it on my face is the most distressing.  I have only just started a new relationship just before Christmas, and it has absolutely killed my self confidence, despite how understanding the girl has been, I have told her that I don't want her to see me until my condition improves.

I have now visited the doctor who told me that it would clear in a few weeks and prescribed me with Betnovate to apply twice a day and told me to return in a week to see how I was getting on, when I also plan on asking to be referred to a dermatologist.  I have trawled the internet intensely because I am just so distraught about what has happened to my body, I have read numerous articles which state how guttate will cure itself within a few weeks - months, but then I have read innumerable forum posts from people who have suffered from guttate for years, or had it go away only to return after a few months.

I'm sorry for such a long first time post, but as I say, i'm beside myself with what is happening to me and my current appearance is shocking!  I just want to know IF or WHEN this will go away, I know it is said to be very subjective, but I would like to hear some of your experiences of guttate, how long did you have it? Did it ever go away? I have never experienced anything like this, it has made me incredibly self conscious and I'm scared of what the future of this could be.

[yorkie1990]

Sorry to hear it, everyone's psoriasis is different so theres no guaranteeing anything really. I had heard from countless doctors is would go after 3 months and, like yourself i trawled the internet looking to see other peoples experiences only to find many peoples saying it had come and stayed. 

For me (and most) usually a guttate P outbreak follows strep throat by 2 weeks, so it was probably the original tonsillitis that caused it, and i have a feeling my first tonsillitis bout, about a week after I had the same thing where i thought it was coming back but it didn't seem to in the end.

Feel like I'm in a similar situation tho to be honest. Last May 2011 I got tonsillitis for the first time ever (later found out to be strep throat) 2 weeks following this had an outbreak of guttate psoriasis all over my scalp and chest and little spots on my arm and forehead. Had never had anything like this before, i had had 2 very small spots on my chest before which i never clocked to be psoriasis until the outbreak, and also very very mild scalp psoriasis. My dad also has very mild psoriasis, that comes and goes with stress.   Then i had doctors saying it would go within 3 months, didn't go at all (other than when i sunbathed and used steroid creams but it came back within a few weeks), then just after my 21st in september 2011 I had another bout of tonsillitis which two weeks later meant even more psoriasis came all over. in december i got a tonsillectomy, but haven't noticed any improvement from it and from everyone else's experiences I've read about people seem to have seen an improvement in 2 weeks so don't think it has helped.

But this is my advice to you. First thing would be to go back to the doctors and get checked for strep throat (might have to be a blood test). Im sure it is strep throat but it would be best to double check. Try and get a refferel to a term and get some light treatment.

Also what i would say, is be extra healthy and avoid people with sore throats like the plague, to try and keep away from reinfection. as my second bout was followed by my re-freshers week at uni which was pretty heavy and my 21st.   I also would say, although this may sound really really extreme, try and get a tonsillectomy. I wish more than anything i had had mine out before my second bout, that would have meant i had avoided the second bout and my psoriasis would have (probably) stayed how it was rather than getting a lot worse.
Also i know many people have found their psoriasis recedes after a tonsillectomy but there haven't been many official studies at all so it's hard to tell and it looks like mine hasn't.  Getting a tonsillectomy will probably be pretty impossible on NHS (unless you lye and say you've struggled from many bouts of tonsillitis)   luckily my dad has good health insurance with work so managed to get it done privately.

But yeah, I can't come here and tell you it will go and i can't tell you it will stay. Many people here will probably tell you theirs flares and recedes etc etc. But don't loose hope and try and speak to your family and get any support you can.   Also don't let doctors push you over and tell you to just take this steroid cream and it'll go, also don't overuse steroid creams they will only make it worse in the end.

any more questions just ask.

[Emilyvic]

Hey Hun I'm in the same position pour your heart out to doc and get seen my derm asap as they will refer you for light treatment mine started end of November and has got worse it has jut calmed down in the last week but not getting better just stable now and been told the light treatment will get rid of it see my prev post for pic of what mines like all over how old are you? The creams did nothing for me but keeping it moisturised def helps with the itching as it itches more when the skin is dry and flakey dnt read too much into peoples posts I've learnt as they all have dif types of p and various opinIons of what works when I don't think anyone knows for sure! See the derm and get the light treatment I spoke to a friend of a friend today who had it and they sed thy had it 3 months had light treatment and it went totally and never came back in 30 years hope this is same for us xxxx

[ekul]

Hi Yorkie. Thanks for the reply mate, sound like you are in a very similar boat to me.  There's no history of psoriasis in my family as far as we're aware, and my parents were really shocked when I first told them about it.  They are both pushing for me to try and get my tonsils out and have been saying it for years anyway because during my school time I used to suffer from tonsillitis a lot.  I will ask the doc about testing for strep throat and mention again that I have suffered numerous bouts of tonsillitis.  Has your guttate come back at the moment?  How long has it been back for?

Hi Emily! I only really developed it in the last couple of weeks, but touch wood it seems to have stabilised on my upper body, although seems to still be spreading on my legs.  I'm 23.  The doc prescribed me quite a thick moisturiser and it has made the world of difference! I only started applying the corticosteroid cream today do you (or anybody) have any idea on how long it should be before I start to see results from that? The fact that the doctor asked me to go back in a week made me wonder whether he expects to see results by then?! Or perhaps it's only to see if it's getting worse.  I have heard great things about the light treatment and I would love to give it a try!  Anything to get rid of these damn spots and get my life back on track! I don't want this to ruin my life.

[steelem]

hey guys this was my symptons exactly some 20 yrs ago - and guess what betnovate was the 1st cream - listen that cream will make you think it will work but this is stage 1 and believe me stage 1 is your back to the drs becuase your p is everywhere thank you mr betnovate .. i can tell you those days were very very bad especially as a lad who wanted to party// anyway my p always started with tonsillitis in the early days at one point they wanted to remove the tonsils and that year aged 23 it stopped - weird.. the p stayed though - so without me changing my life i would do uvb every other year until i had enuff - my story is elsewhere how to get something more normal infact mine id 99% clear mail me for free advice

[Emilyvic]

Aw I know it's such a shock isn't it ruining mine at the min hut jus hopin this light treatment will get rid derm said it will so fingers crossed , only dif with me is that I didn't have any kind of illness sore throat etc before but think my tattoo trigerd mine isn't in my family but my brother had it too so maybe it's a mix of parents genes! Hope the cream works for you and it goes soon I'm 21 so know exactly what it's like XX   

[yorkie1990]

No worries.

Yeah, sorry to make it seem like mine had gone in the reply.   Mine is still here and hasn't changed at all unfortunately.  Trying not to loose hope but it's pretty hard.   21 aswell and at Uni so being away from home makes the depression just that little bit more difficult.

UVB treatment is definitely the best option, but then it is likely to come back a few weeks after but who knows.

There are a lot of treatments available which usually suppress and i think its pretty obvious the only way to REALLY treat something like this is from the inside and attack the cause of it (which i thought was my tonsils) rather than apply creams and just treat the surface of the issue.   

Seeing as you have had tonsillitis before and had no guttate p outbreaks then i would definitely get checked for strep to see it was that that caused it, and definitely just keep moisturised and it makes it a lot less painful as i'm sure you'll know


Remember not to believe everything you read on the internet, but also don't believe everything the doctor says too.

[ekul]

Completely agree about treating the cause from within, rather than looking for some treatment to the exterior.  I will push for a test for strep.  Is this like a swab test from inside your mouth?

Understand the depression part of it also mate.  I think this is something I could deal with a lot better if I was single, I would probably have more patience with waiting to see if it cures itself and would also be a lot less stressed.  Being in a new relationship i'm worried that if I see the girl then she might be freaked out by my appearance, which I couldn't blame her for, but equally distancing myself from her at the moment feels like it could put an equal amount of stress on it too. Ah life!!

[Emilyvic]

It's much harder being single lol! If she's in a relationship with you means she likes you as a person so chat with her about it as i'm sure she won't find you any less attractive Girls see inner beauty much more! Being a single girl is hard because it makes u not want to meet any guy in the first place why do we have to have this stupid problem ey XX

[yorkie1990]

Yeah for sure, it's usually a mouth swab test for a strep check but it that can only be done during or straight after the infection. I had to have a blood test to check for strep antibodies because they stay in the blood a while after. So you may have to have that.


See where you're coming from with the relationship part, to be fair i think its really hard what ever situation you're in because it really hits you like a brick wall. Especially when you're this age and a bit younger because we're all so impressionable at this age. As nasty as it sounds it feels like every goes on looks and stuff (even tho its not true, its hard to think otherwise)  I broke up with my girlfriend like the week before psoriasis came and it was completely unrelated and now i feel like i have now idea how i would ever get a girlfriend these days. So I would say even tho it's hard, try not to end the relationship or cut it off because you'll probably (definitely) regret it down the line.