Trish’s Autoimmune Story

MEET TRISH

I am 33 and live in SC. I have a wonderful husband, Oliver, and a 10 month old daughter, August.

 DIAGNOSIS

In my early twenties I developed a large red patch on my leg. I went to my dermatologist to get a biopsy and was diagnosed with psoriasis. I wasn’t told anything about psoriasis during my appointment, just that I needed to apply a topical steroid to the area and to avoid scratching it.

About a year later I had a terrible flare up and went to the dermatologist where I was living. She prescribed me a topical steroid and told me to use it for three months. She diagnosed my psoriasis as ‘guttate psoriasis.’ I stopped using the cream after one week because it wasn’t helping and I didn’t like the side effects.

I had an appointment with a PA soon after my dermatologist appointment. She ran labs and told me about autoimmune illnesses and inflammation. It was the first time I had actually heard the word autoimmune.

 LIFE CHANGE

I’ve had to educate myself and be my own advocate in my psoriasis journey. A lot of this has been just trial and error for me. I haven’t found products that help me so I don’t treat the psoriasis outbreak topically anymore.

 HEALING

I had to make lifestyle and diet changes. Finding my triggers has been extremely important. Certain foods, stress, alcohol, products (especially lotions with fragrances), and viruses are all triggers for me.

I can always tell when I’m about to have a flare up because my joints will begin to ache. It’s mainly my knees, wrists, elbows, knuckles, and ankles. When this happens I have to stop, evaluate and make changes. Usually within the next few days I will start developing little red patches that sting and then itch.

 STRUGGLE

I can do well with my diet and lifestyle choices and still have an outbreak.

Find Trish | @trishreneebeauty