Psoriasis patient emerges from decades of suffering

Lyn Chittick has battled severe psoriasis for half a century. But only now does she seem to be winning.

The first indication of a problem was a small lump that appeared on her chest when she was 10 years old. At that time, says the Ontario resident, her family doctor did not diagnose psoriasis.

“A week later, I woke up with blisters all over my body. My mother took me to hospital and this time we were told it was impetigo and I was quarantined until it cleared up.” Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection most common in children.

Within a month of returning home, she awoke with a mass of sores. “My whole body was completely covered,” says Chittick. “The only places that were clear were the palms of my hands, the soles of my feet and my face.”

At this point she was diagnosed with severe psoriasis. “After every treatment I just got worse within a couple of weeks,” she says. “Finally they did get it under control enough so that I didn’t have to be hospitalized.”

By this time she was in her teens and her chronic disease was controlled enough for the pain to be bearable, says Chittick. But she was still treated like an outcast. “I was shunned by the other children and the teachers. I wasn’t allowed to go in the swimming pool. I wasn’t allowed anywhere.”

She was even expelled from school at one point because she was not wearing a dress, as required. “My mother had made me a long tunic and pants so that my legs would be covered and I would feel comfortable going to school, but the principal wouldn’t allow it.”

“People don’t understand that psoriasis is not contagious and is not because someone is dirty,” says Kathryn Andrews-Clay, the executive director of the Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients (CAPP).

“It’s an education process and [education is one way that] we are trying to improve the quality of life of patients living with psoriasis.”

Chittick’s battle with her condition and the social stigma associated with it continued over the years. “I was on many different medications trying to keep it under control,” she says. “One after another, each medication would stop working and I would be started on a different treatment.”

After a particularly bad episode in 2014, she was referred to a new dermatologist who prescribed a different treatment plan which, says Chittick, made all the difference.

“I can now do the simple things that other people take for granted but I could never do. I can swim with my grandchildren. I can wear white or black clothes. For the first time in 45 years, I can shave my legs. My husband and I have become more intimate again. He had been afraid to touch me in case he hurt me.”

She adds that the treatment plan has also helped improve other aspects of her health.

“My psoriatic arthritis is much better. I have great mobility now and I’m not in pain 24/7.”

One problem remains, she says. Her insurance company conducts an annual review and she is concerned that her coverage could be discontinued.

“This is the only thing that has worked for me in 50 years and I can’t risk a relapse. Right now, I have been approved, but I am expecting my annual review interview soon and I can’t be sure that they won’t change their decision. I would be devastated if they did.”

Many insurance companies conduct annual reviews of medication approvals. Generally, they are looking for validation that the patient is responding well and the dose is within what has been authorized for sale by Health Canada. Sometimes a letter is required from the physician to confirm the patient’s health or to justify the prescribed dose.

There are many options in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. All treatments have benefits and risks, some of which can be serious, and can vary by individual. If you are living with psoriasis, talk to your doctor about treatment options that might be right for you.

For Chittick and thousands of patients across Canada, preserving their current state of stability is vital to quality of life and peace of mind.