Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis that causes swollen and painful joints. It affects up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes itchy scales, called plaques, which typically appear around joints or on the scalp. Thought to be linked to a dysregulated immune system, psoriasis affects about 2 to 3 percent of the world’s population, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF).
Managing Multiple Autoimmune Disorders
Gatheright’s situation isn’t uncommon. Roughly one in four people with an autoimmune disorder will likely develop another one, research suggests. Along her journey, Gatheright has worked with multiple physicians and experts, constantly trying to nail down exactly why her body was waging war against her. Efforts to find a treatment that would help alleviate her chronic pain, fatigue, and at times depression was challenging. With each autoimmune disorder that presented itself, Gatheright found that she had to be her own healthcare advocate, oftentimes pushing her doctors to look at alternative treatments, and in many cases trusting her instincts and seeking second opinions. “To have a doctor downplay your symptoms or tell you that you’re overreacting or that there is no other option can be really disheartening,” she says. Indeed, despite testing positive via blood work for rheumatoid arthritis, Gatheright was frustrated by her rheumatologist, who was still unconvinced she had the autoimmune disease. He was equally dismissive of her psoriatic arthritis. “When you go in to see your doctor and you’re in severe pain and you’re only 35 and can barely walk, that’s not what you want to hear,” she says. “He really didn’t listen to me.” Then, early in 2020, a recurring skin issue arose and she sought medical care from a dermatologist. It was the skin specialist who diagnosed her with psoriatic arthritis. “My rheumatologist finally had concrete proof of a diagnosis,” she notes.
New Diagnosis, New Doctor
Gatheright might have considered switching rheumatologists, but within a few weeks of her psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, her rheumatologist left his practice. As a result, she began working with a new specialist without having to change practices. Only this time, it was apparent that the relationship would be much different — and she remains with this doctor today. “She is very informed, she listens, and she is much more compassionate,” Gatheright says of her current rheumatologist. “My new doctor understands that you can’t see what the inside of my body looks like, what my bones look like, what my joints look like.”
Staying on the Job With Psoriatic Arthritis
Gatheright’s rheumatologist not only had a better understanding of psoriatic arthritis but also took into account how the condition might affect her day-to-day activities. While Gatheright’s previous rheumatologist recommended she quit working entirely, something that was very difficult to hear, given her age, her new doctor looked at how she could tweak some of her daily activities to alleviate her pain while on the job instead. Gatheright, who is an occupational therapist and on her feet nearly all day, now receives weekly or biweekly massages and may also move to a four-day workweek. Gatheright has also worked with her rheumatologist to find a treatment plan that’s right for her. “I think the treatment she has me on is fairly new and it’s too soon to know if this will be the one, but I do feel better than I did a few months ago,” she says. It’s now been several months since she began working with her new rheumatologist, and Gatheright feels this is the best relationship and open communication she has had with a physician. “I feel like I am finally with a good doctor that is going to listen to my concerns and work with me to get me to the healthiest I can be,” she says.
