Hello,
Thank you for choosing DoctorSpring.
I have gone through your query. I am sorry to hear about your concerns and I will try my best to help you here. Since this is an online consult without a face - face interaction I hope I would be able to give some objective recommendations without patronising !
1. The dry skin is a part of the disease (RA) manifestation. Although it can be well controlled, some amount of dry skin is always there. You should not keep worrying about it as it will only lower your self esteem and cause anxiety.
2. Again moisturise - I know you might have heard it a lot of times, but this is the most important factor (especially in long term). Use them immediately after bath. Try to bath twice a day. Apply it immediately. You can use simple and un complicated lotions like Vaseline. DO a trial and error.
3. Discuss with your Doctor regarding the RA treatment. The disease activity has to be completely suppressed. This will have an effect in your skin and hair. Consider Prednisolone low dose.
4. Prefer whole food, fruits and vegetables over supplements.
5. De-worm . Take an anti helminthic medicine like Albendazole in consult with your Doctor. This will improve your nutritional status.
6. Try retinoid /Vitamin E based creams in consult with your Dermatologist.
7. Aerobic Exercise (without direct exposure to sunglight)
8. A Psychiatric evaluation ( very important) . There might be a masked underlying depressive disorder. Kindly get an evaluation
Sorry if I am being blunt. You should be glad that you are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle even if you have RA. Focus on the positives , get motivated and get set for higher purpose in life.
Hope this helps
Please feel free to ask followups
Patient replied :
I also want to note that I have had the dry skin before I started medication (all my life), and that my brother, 19 (older), was diagnosed with RA around the same time I was and he has normal skin. So is my Dry skin definitely a part of my RA?
With regards to point 1- When you say my RA can be well controlled, do you mean that my RA is controlled well at the moment or that it could be controlled better? Is there a way of treating it which will make my skin better than it is now? I know this isn't one to one so it's hard to tell but it helps to get good knowledge of what's wrong.
Point 3- What exactly should I discuss with my doctor over it? Will the RA uncontrollably have effect on my hair and skin?
Point 5- Is the medicine you mention here a once off thing or is it a course of medication?
Lastly, do you think that my problems are all in conjunction with my RA?
Yes, it think unless ruled out otherwise it is prudent to consider the skin manifestation in conjunction with RA. Individuals can have varying manifestation of the disease. Ref : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16021111
The disease activity should be assessed. You can discuss about the skin dryness and possible treatment additions for this. Predinisolone is a steriod and yes its a long term treatment. Another possibility is a associated Rheumatic disease like Xerostromia. This should be also considered. (to be discussed with your Rheumatologist_)
Hope this helps
Thank you