Two summers ago, just getting out of bed was tough. That's when I heard the words 'Psoriatic Arthritis' for the first time.

Recently, it was #WorldArthritisDay and #WorldPsoriasisDay, plus now it is #PsoriasisAwarenessWeek so I thought I’d share my personal health story I’ve been too nervous to tell up until now.

🖐️ Hands Up: Have You Heard of Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)?

Honestly, I hadn't until I was diagnosed with it two years ago.

I've had Psoriasis (on my scalp) for over a decade, but it wasn't until two summers ago when just getting out of bed was agonising that a GP mentioned Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). They are both chronic autoimmune conditions that I will have for life.

For the first year and a half, while I was really struggling and trying to understand what was happening to my body, I found it so hard to find stories from young people that I could relate to. I felt isolated and didn’t know how to tell people about what I was going through. I'm a big fan of sharing stories to reduce stigma, so here I am practising what I preach, sharing the brief version of my story now that it is all much more under control! 😂😍

💥The Autoimmune Double Whammy: Psoriasis and PsA

I’ve lived with Psoriasis for over a decade. It's an autoimmune skin condition that primarily affects a patch on the back of my scalp, and flares are often triggered by intense stress because I even had a massive flare on my face while finishing my second university degree 10 years ago. It really doesn’t bother me day to day and only when I get stressed does it flare. It is easily managed by using medicated shampoos over a short period.

About two years ago, this developed into Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). This autoimmune condition causes my immune system to unnecessarily attack my joints, ligaments, and tendons, leading to pain, stiffness, damage, and debilitating fatigue. If left unmanaged, it could wreck permanent damage to my joints.

Did you know 1 in 3 people with psoriasis will eventually develop PsA? It often follows an illness or injury. My anecdotal theory is that a severe bee sting I got while protecting my dog, Paddington (who has bee allergies!), set off the trigger in my body.

Just six weeks after that sting, the first symptoms appeared. While on what should have been a relaxing week-long boat holiday in Turkey, I started feeling stiff and weak. By the end of the trip, I struggled to get out of bed without using something to pull myself up.

Once home, a GP asked the fateful question: "Have you heard of Psoriatic Arthritis?" I had described waking up incredibly stiff - a classic sign of early-onset PsA, it turns out. From there, I was referred to specialists (grateful for the privilege of being able to seek private care initially). However, it took about 18 months after diagnosis to find the right specialist and medication and from here, I transferred to the NHS. This delay was a mix of miscommunication and my own denial. What ultimately changed was realising I had to advocate harder for myself and face the situation head-on to get my long-term health back on track.

😥 When PsA Was At Its Worst

When the condition was really bad last year, it was more than just a bit of stiffness. The symptoms I most experienced were relentless and frustrating:

Inflamed finger joints and a significant loss of grip in my right hand.
Incredibly painful to go from a sitting to a standing position.
Swollen joints in my knees and hips.
Weakness in my arms and wrists, sometimes making basic tasks difficult and painful.
New patches of psoriasis on my face and uncontrollable dandruff.
Struggling to walk normally at times.
Overwhelming fatigue that medication couldn't touch.
Capped off with at the same time, I tripped over and smashed my teeth, which made managing medication more tricky!
My mental health taking a massive whack because I felt my body had betrayed me.

I'll have both conditions for life. I joke that my immune system has ADHD just like me because it gets distracted and attacks the wrong things in my body and can't focus on its job 😂 so that makes two of us with ADHD! Shortly before I had the symptoms of PsA, I was diagnosed with ADHD so it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster navigating these side-by-side.

💡 The Truth About Arthritis and Age

When I was first diagnosed, I had the ingrained misconception that arthritis was something that only affected older people. That couldn't be further from the truth.

The truth is, arthritis absolutely does not discriminate based on age.

There are over 100 types of arthritis, affecting an estimated 350 million people worldwide. Two of the most common autoimmune types of arthritis are Rheumatoid and Psoriatic and these often first appear between ages 30–50.
Psoriasis itself affects about 125 million people globally, typically presenting as red, inflamed skin patches.

Both PsA and Psoriasis are genetic. While I knew psoriasis ran in my family, it wasn't until my PsA diagnosis that I found I had had a chance of inheriting it from both sides of my family tree. Learning this gave me a sense of peace—it felt less like a personal failure and more inevitable.

Sharing these facts is crucial because, despite being so common, these illnesses remain largely invisible and misunderstood.

🎬 Behind the Scenes

For the last two years, I’ve mostly kept this to myself and my inner circle. I was afraid it would prohibit me from getting work (#selfemployedlife) or that I would be pitied, but I don’t want to feel shame for going through something tough.

The reality of living with an invisible illness often contrasts sharply with the life you present. I had nightmares of waddling down the aisle at our wedding in massive pain, but thankfully, that was one of my most pain-free days at the time because of the adrenaline - I was able to dance for hours in heels!

Professionally, my hands would get incredibly sore holding up cameras at weddings, and I had to learn the hard way not to burn myself out with both work and socialising. I am profoundly grateful for learning to respect myself as much as I respect others by finally setting boundaries. I don’t always get this right, but it is all a journey. And I finally learnt to really prioritise sleep!!!

To combat the pain of sitting at a desk editing photos or working on designs, I invested in a walking pad, which was a HUGE help and inspired many an impromptu dance sesh in my office. There has been a lot of joy to be found in navigating all of this, too, like joining a specialised gym class for fellow joint sufferers where I was the youngest by like 20 years. Being unwell also encouraged me to get back to swimming, which has been an incredible source of low-impact exercise and mental health strength this past year.

Finally, now that my physical health is much better, I have been able to work on my mental health and have finally started going to therapy, which I am really proud of myself for prioritising. The truth is, when one section of the house is on fire, you can't focus on other areas until those flames are extinguished. Getting my body stabilised was the first step; now it's time to focus on my mind.

💉 Finding a Game-Changer

Right now, I'm on biologic medication and other medications to stabilise my immune system. This combination has been truly game-changing, improving my life significantly since the beginning of the year.

Technically, I am now considered immunosuppressed. But realistically, this just means my immune system is no longer suffering from ADHD. Instead, it's finally doing what it's supposed to do: fight off the bad guys, not myself!

It was a tough journey to get here, and I am proud of myself for firmly advocating for the right diagnosis and treatment plan. I am incredibly grateful to the NHS for the access to this effective (and very expensive 🫠) biologic medication that I inject myself with every two weeks—a true lifeline I receive for free.

A massive shout-out to Arthritis UK for the young people's chat that is called “Too Young for Arthritis”, which has connected me with people who truly get it and has been a huge comfort and lifeline. Also to the Psoriasis Association UK for their advocacy.

Now, my hobby is forgetting I have a chronic illness most of the time, which is a HUGE privilege. I still have to stay on top of daily tablets, bi-weekly injections, regular blood tests, and navigating appointments. But I am so happy to have control back in my life, and I hope that stays this way. If not, I know I am strong enough to navigate it. I always thought I was empathetic, but this has given me a whole new appreciation for those who navigate their own chronic illnesses or whatever life has thrown your way; you all give me the strength to keep going.

💖 My Main Takeaway: Advocate for Yourself

To everyone who was there for me during the ups and downs of the last few years—checking in, supporting me, and just being kind—thank you. And if you didn't know, please know I never wanted to make a big fuss when I was really struggling!

I hope sharing my story can help reduce the stigma surrounding chronic illness, especially for those who are young and newly diagnosed. I feel really vulnerable putting this online and hope it will be received positively. But if just one other person who feels like I felt reads this and feels seen and understood, it’s worth it. The world is harsh enough, and we all deserve to feel supported.

I mostly downplayed what I was going through due to fear of judgment and loss of work (#selfemployedlife), but I want to be an example of just putting one foot in front of the other! This journey taught me so much resilience and empathy, making me, hopefully, a better person and business owner.

My main takeaway for anyone reading this is: it is always, always worth advocating for yourself. Getting an autoimmune condition in your 30s isn't as rare as I thought, and you deserve to be heard and get the right medication and support. And give yourself kindness as you navigate it! It is, after all, all our first time living and figuring it all out so just keep swimming!

If you have questions about my journey, drop me a message or leave a comment below! 💌