Is that for one treatment? How many do you need?

I have no idea what psoriasis is like. Is it like a rash, painful?

This looks like a very serious medication, and I'm quite sure your doctor has discussed it fully with you and that you have read the flyer and other information. Since you will be a risk of infection, maybe you should be avoiding people with colds and also avoid gardening since a cut there could become infected. I'm just thinking...

Awwwww, I hate to hear you say you feel like a leper. You are discouraged and miserable, aren't you? I'm sending you a hug. I'm so sorry and truly hope the Stelara will be the one that helps you. Let's hope! Keep us posted on how it goes. Best wishes.

Susan

And here I thought $1550 for a dose of Humira was expensive! Holy moley! I recieve all the drugs that come into our store and have never seen that one.

My nephew has one of the most severe cases of psoriasis I've ever seen. It covers probably 80 to 90% of his body and is super thick, dry and crusty. Especially his torso. In the summer he wears shorts and tries to go shirtless in his yard so the ultra violet rays from the sun can do it's magic. But in the winter, he's SOL that way. He can't afford the med's and the med's he was on as a child can destroy the liver so he was taken off of them.

Good luck with your med's. I do hope it works. At that price, it better. LOL

I had to jump in and comment. I also have psoriasis pretty bad. I am just getting over a really bad bout of guttate psoriasis, right now I am having lightbox treatments. I thought I would have to go on Enbrel but the Dr. decided I didn't need that right now. I am amazed at what medical treatments cost. The lightbox treatment is 85 dollars every time I step into it...the first treatment was all of 23 seconds...85 dollars. I am at 3 minutes right now and have 3 more weeks to go. I started at 3 times a week back in September. I have had some pretty hefty medical bills the past few months from other things too. The enbrel was going to be 2000 dollars a month...no way could I pay for that and I have pretty good insurance but they denied me the enbrel. Psoriasis is more than just dry skin! It really hurts and it can go internal, I have it in my bladder which is one reason for the light treatments, they said it would help rid my bladder of the psoriasis. I guess it goes into remission but usually I have a severe rebound affect but hopefully I won't this time.
I have heard of Stelara on TV but had NO idea it was so expensive. I am so glad your insurance covered it for you. Psoriasis is inherited, I got it from my Daddy's side of the family. Right now I am almost clear, just some spread out all over and my scalf is the worst right now. Do you do anything special for your scalp if you have it there?
Sorry for the long post, but I got a wee bit excited to see someone else with psoriasis that would know just how it feel and how hard it is to control.
Thanks again,
Deb

My sister has it and one of my Aunts, moms sister, had it. Aunt passed away a number of years ago, I didn't realize she had it, must have covered it up. My sister has suffered from it since she was about 30, almost 50 now. I think my nephew, her son, has had some symptoms. She says it gets worse when under stress. She has it on her legs mostly and some on her arms. I doubt she could afford all the expensive medications. I know she has gone in for the light therapy and medication has never really helped in the past. She just doesn't let it get to her, wears shorts and short sleeves. I was with her a few weeks ago and a older man said to her it looks like we both have the same affliction, in a kind way and they spoke for a bit.

I have suffered from severe acne for many years and has on occasion kept me from leaving the house. My sister has a beautiful skin otherwise. I guess we all have our crosses to bare in one way or another.

Wow-that is a lot of money. Hope it works, then maybe other insurance companies will cover it. Are you born with this, or Does it appear suddenly? Sounds miserable. Hope you wear shorts either way this summer!

That is an insane amount of money for a psoriasis treatment!

I have psoriasis, too. Fun stuff. I've had it on my scalp all my life - only noticable if my hair is in a ponytail. The last 2 or 3 years, though, it's spread down the nape of my neck and higher up on my head. Also in the last couple of years I've developed bad patches on my elbows nnd milder patches on my knees, ankles, calves and eyelids (barely noticable there to anyone but me). It's worse this year than last, and I'm scared to see how it will progress.

I only mentioned it to my family doctor once last year, and he gave me a prescription for an ointment called Dovobet, which didn't do much. I guess I'll go to a dermatologist next.

I'm curious to go and read about Stelara now.

Socks, thanks for the cybernet hug. You would not believe how people in the past have treated me like a leper. I was in a beauty shop one time and I had on 3/4 length sleeves. I psoriasis on my elbows peeked out and immediately (out loud where everyone could hear her)the beautician ask me what was wrong with my elbows. I told her is was psoriasis. She told her shampoo lady to "glove up" as psoriasis was contagious. It is NOT contagious and futhermore I did not have it in my scalp..just all over my body. I tried to explain to the shop owner that it was an immune disorder and that your body kept making excess skin and it piled up. She acted like she did not believe me. I had never been in that hair shop before and was mortified...I did indeed feel like a leper. I ask if I could just leave and could I call back a reschedule. I never went back. It does make you feel like a leper.
Debn, I am not sure what guttate psoriasis. I have plaque psoriasis.
I also have psoriatic arthritis which acts alot like rhuematoid arthritis. But, with my psoriasis being so bad and the medications for psoriatic arthritis lowering my immune system so much, the Rhuematologist started me on Stelara to get rid of the psoriasis as my skin was cracked really bad. (not anything like what a normal person when their skin cracks) These are deep cracks in the skin. He was afraid that I would get an bad infection as the other biologic drugs would not work as well on the psoriasis only the arthritis...at least in my case. His staff has made me an appointment with a pain specialist to manage the pain of the psoriatic arthritis. I made sure I wanted one that didn't push the pills but helped me manage the pain...whatever that means, as I have never been to a pain clinic to help me learn how to manage pain.
Nicole, I have had psoriasis since an adolesence. Before all these new drugs came out, the drs. would give me this high priced ointment that was in a ultra small tube and told me to use it twice a day. I use to get so annoyed as that tube would not even cover all the psoriasis plaques on my body one time. How was I to make it last a whole month. I don't think the drs. knew how small the tube was and when I tried to explain, they would tell me to use a small amount. I was! Ahh... those were the days.
I just pray that Stelara will work. I think I can tell a difference already and I got the shot last Tuesday. Thank you for all the well wishes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis is definitely NOT contagious. I've had it for years-it started as dandruff in my high school years, I used OTC dandruff shampoos which kept it at bay, now I have 2 small crusty red spots on both knees and on the outside of one ankle. Funny, you'd think both ankles would have it. I know it's ugly so I wear long sleeves all year. In hot summer I wear a light cotton blouse over my tank top. No big deal. I have consulted dermatologists over the year. One prescribed a cortisone cream, which helped some but I over-used it and developed a scabby sore. Stopped using and it healed. By the way, do you have any health insurance that covers drugs? My biggest co-pay is $40 and that's for my "dispense as written" prescription for medication to control my over-active parathyroid glands.

Last week DH came home from the best dermatologist we've found in the Chicago area. He has a new diagnosis: psoriasis on his scalp. It started scaling about three months ago.

This is the MD who gave him extensive skin tests 18 months ago and told him to throw out all his over-the-counter body washes, shaving creams and lotions because of the preservatives in them. (The spots on his face cleared up as soon as he switched to preservative-free products.)

Now he is to put a steroid, Clobex (clobetasol propionate), on his scalp daily for four weeks. It's to stay on 20 minutes, then be rinsed off. It foams a little, like a shampoo. He was given samples to start; MD said it is very expensive. This thread makes me worry about HOW expensive it may be!

Has anyone used this? It's distributed by Galderma Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX and is made in Canada -- US patent pending.

This getting old is tiresome. I feel like an old car that spends as much time in the shop (medical offices) being repaired as it does cruising around.

I have Clobex spray I put on my scalp and I have to order it on line from Express Scripts.....and yes, it is expensive. I get 3 months worth at a time, 3 small bottles of spray and the total is...$1800.00, yep that is the correct price. My insurance covers some of it but I try to make it last a very long time.
I have had psoriasis for 12 years, it became active when I quit smoking. I refuse to be embarrassed about having patches of cracked skin on my body. I also have the plaque psoriasis along with the guttate which makes one look like they have measles all over their body! I went to bed one night with just the plaque psoriasis and woke up covered head to toe with red blisters just like 3 day measles. Boy did people look at me weird when I walked into the Dermatologist office the next day. I was immediately took back to a room...LOL
I don't know if I have the arthritis caused from psoriasis yet or not, I do have arthritis but just haven't had a test to tell me which one. Any arthritis hurts...LOL
Psoriasis is inherited...but not contagious. I have it pretty bad too...refuse to be a shamed and happily splash in my pool all summer in a bathing suit and to h*l l with anyone that it bothers! My family and friends could care less. I have complete compassion for anyone with skin problems, this is really a painful illness, emotionally and physically.

Deb

Not to take away from thistledews post but with her heading I almost didnt read it.I have had psoriasis for about 25 years at least I think. It is amazing I always wanted to ask on here if anyone else had it. I guess now I know. I used to have it on my arm from my elbow to almost my wrist. My husband is a vet and he got some salve from the VA to soften up the bottoms of his feet. One night I decided to try it on my arm. I think I only used it once or twice and the psoriasis was cleared up. The salve is called TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE CREAM USP 0.1% Now I have it on my hairline and into my ear. I have not got brave enough to put it on there yet though. I think I am scared because it is so close to the brain. My brother also gave me a prescription of really small pills and some salve, but I dont know what it is because the label was worn of before he gave it to me. About 12 years ago I had it really bad on my scalp and it was coming down my forehead. My mother took me to a lady who told me to put LISTERINE on my head. I was working at a tree nursery at the time and I used to put it on my head and then put a shower cap on it so it stayed wet and the tie a scarf over it. No one knew I had the shower cap on. I left the listerine on 24 hours a day. She told me to only wash my hair once or twice a week. I dont know how many times I went back to her and then one day she told me I had to let it breathe and not put it on all the time. She told me though she had never seen anyone get rid of it as fast as I did. It has to be the plain orangish brown listerine and no flavored stuff. She also said prayers over the psoriasis starting with 3 Signs of the Cross. The prayers are mostly said in German. This is the story behind the prayers. Before the King James bible was made, the older bibles all had the remedies in them for healling all kinds of ailments. This was before there were a lot of doctors. Then they decided that since they had a lot of doctors to help the people they didnt need them in there anymore and they took them out of the bibles. The old germans saved some of them. Thes healers have been passed down through generations and it usually was a female that taught them to a male and a male taught them to a female so it went back and forth in between the sexes. But they always dont do that anymore. I knew of 3 of them in the Dakotas but 2 have passed away. Now I just use the listerine and sometimes put vinegar on it to get rid of the plaque. I had my sister look at it and she said it doesnt look so bad so I think it is helping. Ok if any of you want to see if you can find one of these healers I think that the Amish and maybe even some hutterites may have them. But they are all over and not always associated with these groups. Some people call them witching people But in german the name is Brauche pronounced browha. My hair used to be really thick but it got really thin after I got the psoriasis on my scalp. I also have a sister-in-law who has it all over and hers is really bad. I consider myself lucky that mine isnt as bad as others. If anyone has any questions Please ask and I will try to help if I can.

For anyone interested in Psoriasis please read Thistledews post titled My Pharmacist told me I set a record... my reply is long and I apologize for that.

We used to meet our deductible the first script of the year, youngest son was on growth hormone. He did not produce any normally, it was $10,00 a month. Luckily, insurance covered it. I get really angry about people getting it for other purposes now and for less money. He was two years old and had to have his blood pressure lowered to almost a death point to measure his growth hormone production. Children should not have to be put through that just so rich people can look younger!

terilyn -- Might the cosmetic demand create a greater market and bring down the price? When you say your DS 'was' on growth hormone, are you saying he didn't need it throughout his growing years? (Always learning.)

He was on it from age two until eighteen. It was his choice then to stop. He would have only gotten about one more inch of growth by then, said it wasn't worth it. He was tired of the daily shots. He ended up about 5'10" so it was definitely worth it.

I asked our pharmacist if he had heard of this medication. He looked it up on our computer and he said one dose is just under $4700.00Cdn.

Was your prescription for just one dose?

I thought the cost was to be in the neighborhood of $15,000 a year (5 shots). My aunt is on it, and as expensive as it is my Enbrel is costing nearly $2,000 a month for 4 injections.

Chisue, I used clobetasol propionate cream on my hand for a different skin issue and it will thin your skin terribly. My hands looks like a 80 year old's now. Be very careful when using the steroids on any area of skin that is already thin.. such as the hands, knees and elbows.

I also had the guttate variety in high school. (of all times...) I broke out one day in class with red itchy spots on my back. Next day it was all down my body. Went to family physician who told me I had seborhia dermatitis (sp) Went to dermatologist and found out different. I spent most of 2 yrs with shots, creams, tar shampoos, tar bar soap, and ended up on Methotrexate, which was experimental then, 1974. It seemed to really add to the mix of things, and cleared up pretty well. I really do not have too much trouble anymore, (knock on wood). My son, 24, seems to be the only one out of 4 children to have it, but shortly after I was diagnosed at 16, my sister age 6 also had it. After 20 yrs, Dad got it. By then, the MTX was pretty commonplace, and they started him on it right away.
I do have sympathy for anyone who has to deal with it. It is a real pain. I ended up with arthritis (RA) that the arthritis clinic at KU thought for sure was the psoariatic arthritis, but they called me a few days later and said no, discontinue those pills, and I got something different.
One of the girls in school asked me what was wrong with me. I told her and she told everyone in school that it was, of all things, syphilis...

Count me in as having Psorisis too. My dermatoligist put me on the clobetasol propionate cream and Lydia is correct...it does thin out the skin.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. Mine is only on my elbows (very slight) and my calves. I not only use the cream but I have also found that soaking in White Tea Bath Beads and drinking Lipton White Tea helps. Once my legs begin to clear up the psorisis does then to go to the palm of my hands. It always looks like I have been gardening without gloves. Skin tends to peel but again it's not that bad.

I have come to live with the ugly patchs on my legs and I am comfortable wearing skirts again. I'm just grateful I am not as bad as my mom was when I was little.

SamKaren
your resident DJ