When you’re diagnosed with psoriasis — an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy cells (skin cells) instead of targeting foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses — taking medication is usually a necessary first step. There are many kinds of medications used to manage psoriasis, and as you know, finding the right treatment takes a bit of trial and error to see which therapy you’ll respond to best.
If you reach a point when your dermatologist feels you need to escalate your treatment — progress from a topical cream to an oral medication or injectable/infused medication — you may also be working with a specialty pharmacist for the first time. This is because these drugs are complex specialty drugs that you can’t get from your typical neighborhood pharmacy. Between trying a new medication and working with a new type of pharmacy, it’s normal to feel confused, overwhelmed, and frustrated. But it’s never a good idea to stop treatment (or not refill that RX) without first talking to a member of your health care team.
The Global Healthy Living Foundation and CreakyJoints spoke with dedicated dermatologists, rheumatologists, primary care doctors, specialty pharmacists, and like-minded psoriasis warriors to help guide you during this crucial part of your treatment journey. We talk about why starting (and staying on) treatment matters for your physical, mental, emotional, and social health — and how to make your specialty pharmacists yet another reliable partner on your care team. Let’s work together so you have the support and guidance you need to manage your psoriasis from the inside out!
In addition to itchy, painful skin and comorbid diseases like psoriatic arthritis and metabolic syndrome, many people with psoriasis can also have psychiatric and emotional concerns, such as depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and self-harming behaviors brought on by the stigma associated with the disease. In fact, researchers refer to it as a “psychosocial skin disease” for the impact it can have on a person’s self-esteem. In this video, you’ll hear more about why psoriasis isn’t only skin-deep.
Why Starting (and Staying On) Treatment Matters
No one knows better than you that psoriasis goes well beyond your skin. Psoriasis is a systemic disease. This means it can affect your entire body, increasing your risk for seemingly unrelated diseases — heart disease and diabetes — as well as psoriatic arthritis, which causes inflammation of the joints and occasionally the spine. Stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and loneliness are also common in people with psoriasis. Learn More
10 Signs It’s Time to Escalate Your Psoriasis Treatment
Are you experiencing frequent flares or lesions in new areas? Is your topical becoming bothersome or less effective? There are several signs that may indicate it's time to talk to your doctor about a change in your psoriasis treatment plan.Learn More
Psoriasis Patient Story:
Meet Vickie Wilkerson
When her treatment finally began working it was like “seeing the sunshine after a heavy rainstorm,” says Vickie. “It’s kind of hard to describe, but it’s just an over joyful feeling — like okay, I finally found something that’s going to work for me.” Read Her Story
Specialty Pharmacy and Psoriatic Disease:
What You Need to Know
How quickly you reach your health goals can depend on how well your specialty pharmacy serves your needs and reacts to changes. This is why GHLF and CreakyJoints talked with several specialty pharmacists to provide you with resources, support, and answers to your questions. Read More
Surprising Things Your Specialty Pharmacist Can Do for You
When your medication gets more specialized, your care does too. Here are 10 ways that a full-service, specialty pharmacy can provide care for those living with psoriasis:
Knowledgeable pharmacy staff available 24/7 who understand your specific disease and the medications that treat it
Personal support from a pharmacist you know and trust
Option to request regular phone calls to make sure you're successfully taking your medications and to see if you have any concerns
Dosing and administration counseling to help you feel comfortable knowing how to take your medication
Medication delivery that works for your schedule
Tips for remembering your medication, regardless of how often or how many different medications you take
Side effect counseling to help you find ways to make everyday life easier
Medication review to prevent potentially harmful interactions
Insurance assistance, including prior authorization coordination between your insurance company and your doctor, and alerting you if medication filling delays may occur
Financial assistance coordination to make your medication more affordable, when possible
How to Make Your Specialty Pharmacist a Partner in Your Care
Your specialty pharmacist is much more than just a medication dispenser — they can be an accessible, qualified resource to help support you throughout your psoriasis treatment journey. Talking to your specialty pharmacist about a medication’s potential risks and benefits — and how those fit into your treatment goals and preferences — is part of what's referred to as “shared decision-making.” Get Tips
“The medicine comes on time. They call you every month. They ask you how you're doing. Do you need any supplies? I went on a trip once, and they sent me a bag to put my medication in and told me how to keep it.”
— Diane T, who lives with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
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“Psoriasis: An Inside Out Disease" was made possible with support from Amgen.
CreakyJoints® is a digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research. We represent patients in English and Spanish through our popular social media channels, our websites, and the 50-State Network, which includes more than 1,600 trained volunteer patient, caregiver, and health care activists.
Part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, CreakyJoints also has a patient-reported outcomes registry called ArthritisPower® (ArthritisPower.org), which includes tens of thousands of consented arthritis patients who track their disease while volunteering to participate in longitudinal and observational research. CreakyJoints publishes the popular “Raising the Voice of Patients” series, which offers downloadable patient-centered educational and navigational tools for managing chronic illness. It also hosts PainSpot (PainSpot.org), a digital risk-assessment tool for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, and eRheum (eRheum.org), for telehealth and virtual-care support. All programming is free, always. For more information and to become a member, visit CreakyJoints.org.
