I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis nearly 5 years ago. I had had lower back pain for many years and put this down to my job as a dental surgeon. Prior to my diagnosis I had seen specialists about problems with my feet, my dry eyes and had also seen a pain specialist

I have been struggling with psoriasis for over 15 years and could control it more or less, about 3 years ago after  having trouble with pain within my joints especially my legs .

Who would of thought that I would not be able to return to my favorite sport after a "simple" tumble. Year was 2011 and I had just started a new job in a upscale car dealership. The previous year was a wreck and I needed a fresh start at a big company that did high volume and I wanted a new challenge... 

I was a sporty teenager who liked nothing better than running around a hockey pitch or netball court. So when I was 16 and started complaining about feeling unwell in 1980, I was dismissed as being a bit of a hypochondriac.

It was just over 4 years go I got diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.  It was a shock, I did not know what was happening.  I was a fit person worked since I was 17 and just lost a computer contract and that weekend my symptoms started.

I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis a year after my youngest child was born,25 years ago. I had never heard of the condition, never had psoriasis before. I had been sent to a skin specialist because I had a really itch, flaky scalp.

Like most people I probably had PsA without knowing it for years. About ten years ago I had a very bad knee but just put it down to being an injury as I used to be in the building trade. This would flare up from time to time.

I started getting psoriasis in my late teens.  My scalp was a mess and I underwent the usual multitude of skin scrapes, lotions and potions before getting a definitive diagnosis. 

After having gone through a stressful time from aged 10 to 14 years, when my family moved and I had to go to 3 new schools, I developed a facial rash and scaly scalp. I had never had skin problems before, although my mum said that I had dry, scaly ears as a baby!

I had scalp psoriasis as a teenager which was put down to hormones, I was given shampoos and creams but being a typical teen I was too lazy to keep up the scalp applications. I also began to get mild skin patches but not enough to worry me.