Beating psoriasis
The hard way 
This isn't some 24 hour miracle cure, but I had a couple of patches of psoriasis. One was very stubborn, but I finally got rid of it. It was interesting to me, so I thought I'd put it online in case it helps anyone else.
Diabetics seem to be more susceptible to almost every health problem or disease. I don't know if psoriasis is directly included in that, but even if it isn't, it had indirect help. I was unconscious due to hypoglycemia, and lying on my left arm. The veins in my forearm clotted.
I asked my doctor about it and he said not to worry. The blood would find another way back. This must have happened, but there were still some new problems. It now had a tremor. It wasn't as capable as it was before and I began using it less.
The first patch of psoriasis started on my left elbow, and I didn't even know what it was. Showed it to my doc, he gave me a couple of sample tubes and I started smearing the ointment on the patch twice a day, as directed.
I looked for information and found that pressure might contribute to the cause. Sure enough that had been a light pressure point for some time. I was working on the computer a lot. When I was using the mouse, I was often leaning my left elbow on the desk.
Never did that again.
I spread the goo on the patch twice a day and within a few months the patch was gone, but that was just the start. Later I noticed another patch nearby, on my forearm where there was no pressure point. I started applying the ointment again but not much happened. Progress was very slow compared to the first patch.
It was also different. Eventually the outer surface of the thick skin patch healed and looked normal, but most of it was still lumped just below the surface. My doctor said to just keep using the medication. It was obviously going to be slower. The medication had to penetrate a layer of skin to even get to work.
The patch had cover. The medication gained on it very slowly. If I missed a day, the patch of psoriasis gained. After a long period of slow progress, I mentioned that to the doc. He said to use the medication 4 times a day instead of 2. It was one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments.
While this was happening, I was making other gains. I had been on a high coffee and sugar diet. I cut back on both. It didn't take long to notice an improvement in a hip that was usually sore. As soon as that was clear to me, I started eliminating sugar from my diet almost completely.
My doc had called the joint problem arthritis. When I mentioned the improvement from cutting out sugars, he said "less sugar, less inflammation." That was news to me, and encouraging too. (Thank you doc. )
Since psoriasis can also result in arthritis, that improvement in my diet might have been the extra help I needed when progress got difficult. The hip is still getting better even to this day, but it is progressing very slowly.
And finally, just for the last few months of the patch, I traded my desk job for one where I was physically active 3 or 4 days a week. I also got a hand grip exerciser that I could carry in my pocket. Whenever I was walking somewhere, I would pull it out and start squeezing it with my left hand.
It happened to squeak. As I was walking by someone who didn't notice it, he asked "Is that your ankle squeaking?" Enjoyed that.
I started doing push ups enthusiastically, and took every chance I could to do things with my left arm. It picked up strength and dexterity, and became a more useful tool relative to my right arm than it ever had been. Even the tremor improved. It was a very nice feeling, with new appreciation of "use it or lose it."
By this time I had being medicating it for more than 2 years. The patch was about the diameter of a pencil eraser, but it was hanging on and progress was very slow. I was getting discouraged.
I began to keep my left sleeve rolled up above the elbow all day long so it wouldn't absorb any of the medication. I put some in a small container and took it to work. I applied it there if it seemed that the area didn't have any left.
I was now doing that 5 or 6 times a day but now was not covered by health care, and didn't check with a doctor about that. At one point it was obviously too much and the skin turned red in the area. I backed off to 2 times a day until it recovered, then went back to more frequent.
Finally the lump under the skin was completely gone. I was suspicious and kept using the ointment for about 2 weeks longer. Then I noticed a new lump had started to form at the edge of the area I had been treating.
That obviously wasn't good news, and it happened again when that one came under control. My enthusiasm had taken a few serious hits by that time. It looked like I was stuck with it for life. I gave up on the focused effort to get rid of it and just applied the ointment 2 or 3 times a day. Sometimes I even missed a day.
Then one day I checked the area closely and it was completely gone. Just in case, I used the medication for awhile longer, but then quit. I now have been off it for months and have never had the problem again.
