Psoriasis Meet Up

This Blog Post & Psoriasis Meet Up Series is in Paid Partnership with ILUMYA® (tildrakizumab-asmn).  All opinions are my own.

ILUMYA® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections, pills (systemic therapy), or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet or UV light).

Many people who take ILUMYA® see results after 2 doses, and that success frequently continues for 5 years.

See how ILUMYA® gets symptoms under control and keeps them under control: bit.ly/3trQtGu 

Let’s start with safety! Check out the LUMYA® full Prescribing Information here: bit.ly/3zguoP6 and Medication Guide here: bit.ly/3xEw3g0. 

 The most common side effects of ILUMYA include: upper respiratory infections, injection site reactions and diarrhea. These are not all of the possible side effects of ILUMYA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. 

If you have been around for a bit, you know that I have struggled with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis flare ups on and off for years now. I have been pretty lucky that my condition has remained mild. I attribute that ease to having resources and a family support that helped me gain answers quickly once symptoms appeared.  Every journey is different – some paths are long and windy, and some can be short but bumpy. 

We are so lucky that so many treatment plans are available but sometimes the information getting to your hands or getting a diagnosis can be a battle. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve met with patients who have shared their stories about what it’s like living with psoriasis. We discussed everything from how it has impacted their work life, fitness routines and even their family life.  I want to share a little about each interview with you all in this blog post but also be sure to watch the full interview linked below.

Holly

It was such a treat to speak with Holly and hear her story. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious and you could really tell when she told me about her moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis journey. Throughout her interview you could see how her moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis diagnosis started to take her sparkle away. Her skin really challenged how she felt about herself and she worried about how that low self-image might be seen by her small children. She lives in a warm climate and struggled to find clothes that covered plaques and even wasn’t able to enjoy fitness because of her painful flares. Holly’s journey was definitely a long road to finding a treatment plan that worked for her. But with the support of her family, she persisted in finding something that worked. Now that her symptoms are under control, she is living a full active lifestyle with her happy family and she feels like her sparkle is back.

Pete

Pete was truly an honor to interview. He is living out his retirement dream on a boat as a captain and scuba instructor, after a successful career as a police officer. His symptoms began when he was working as an officer and he found it quite difficult to carry on day-to-day activities. He was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, which caused open wounds on his hands. These flares concerned him during medical and emergency situations on the job. Luckily, after trying out a handful of different treatments he was finally able to find one that worked well for him. I was glad to learn that Pete rarely has any sign or symptom of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and is able to easily hang out on the boat and in the water without having to worry his skin. 

Nancy

Nancy was a delight to talk with about her journey. Nancy was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis by her dermatologist. Her symptoms affected her from the inside out and quickly turned her life upside down. She was debilitated by what was going on with her body. Her painful plaques made work difficult and led her to no longer enjoy her hobby of storytelling. Worst of all, she felt isolated from family. Finally, she found answers and a successful treatment plan.  She is now able to enjoy time with her extended family and is back to storytelling.

Success over Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis 

My hope that throughout the Psoriasis Meet Up Series is that we can help those suffering from moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis or those close to them can find empowerment and a community to connect with others. Having a strong support group is an important piece in coping with this condition. 

As people living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis likely already know – this journey can sometimes be lonely, but through meeting up with others you are able to find strength in your community and knowing you’re not alone. And for those who have been joining us from home, we hope that throughout these meetups you’ve also felt empowered to find your community and connect with others – just because our series has ended doesn’t mean the meetups have to! You can learn more about everyone interviewed at PsorasisMeetup.com

What is ILUMYA?  

ILUMYA® (tildrakizumab-asmn) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections, pills (systemic therapy), or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet or UV light).  

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION 

What is the most important information I should know about ILUMYA? 

Do not use ILUMYA if you have had a severe allergic reaction to ILUMYA or any of its ingredients.   

Get emergency medical help right away if you get any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: 

• feel faint 
• trouble breathing or throat tightness 
• swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, mouth, tongue or throat 
• chest tightness 
• skin rash 

ILUMYA is a medicine that may lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections. Your healthcare provider should check you for infections and tuberculosis (TB) before starting treatment with ILUMYA and may treat you for TB before you begin treatment with ILUMYA if you have a history of TB or have active TB. Your healthcare provider should watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during and after treatment with ILUMYA. 

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection, including: 

• fever, sweats, or chills 
• muscle aches 
• weight loss 
• cough 
• warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body different from your psoriasis 
• diarrhea or stomach pain 
• shortness of breath 
• burning when you urinate or urinating more often than normal 
• blood in your phlegm (mucus) 

Before receiving ILUMYA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: 

• have any of the conditions or symptoms listed in the section “What is the most important information I should know about ILUMYA?” 
• have an infection that does not go away or that keeps coming back 
• have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB  
• recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine (immunization). You should avoid receiving live vaccines during treatment with ILUMYA. 
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ILUMYA can harm your unborn baby. 
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ILUMYA passes into your breast milk. 

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.  

It is not known if ILUMYA is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age. 

What are the possible side effects of ILUMYA? 

ILUMYA may cause serious side effects. See “What is the most important information I should know about ILUMYA?”  

The most common side effects of ILUMYA include: upper respiratory infections, injection site reactions and diarrhea. These are not all of the possible side effects of ILUMYA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. 

You are encouraged to report any negative side effects of ILUMYA to FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You are also encouraged to report side effects or ADEs (adverse drug events) to our Drug Safety Department at 1-800-406-7984 or drug.safetyUSA@sunpharma.com (preferred) with as much information as available. 

Please read the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for ILUMYA and discuss any questions with your doctor.  

ILUMYA is a registered trademark of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited