Never Settle: How One Man Refused to Give Up and Took Charge of His Psoriatic Disease
Posted: March 10, 2025 | Word Count: 1,838
As an avid skier, Mike was alarmed when he unexpectedly started experiencing pain in his lower extremities and back that prevented him from hitting the slopes. At the time, he had no way to know that this pain would set him on a path to a diagnosis of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause symptoms including joint pain, stiffness and swelling.1
Active PsA is frequently undiagnosed and affects up to 1% of the U.S. population,2,3 including up to 30% of people with psoriasis (PsO),4 another inflammatory condition that occurs when the immune system is overactive, resulting in thick, scaly patches, called plaques, on the skin.5 Collectively, active PsA and PsO are known as psoriatic disease.
"I'm pretty active and try to stay in shape, so when this unexplained pain started to interfere with my passions like skiing and playing the piano, as well as my ability to quickly perform simple daily tasks like buttoning my shirt, I knew I needed to visit my doctor to get to the bottom of it," Mike reflects. "Originally, my doctor told me I had psoriatic arthritis, and I quickly learned that this was something I was going to have to deal with for the rest of my life."
Unfortunately, by the time Mike received this psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, his condition had progressed to the point that his hands were significantly impacted by the joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Additionally, about a year later, he started developing psoriasis lesions on the skin. The lesions first appeared on his ankles, legs and calves, and then later on sensitive areas of his body like his scalp.
"I was very concerned when the skin lesions started to appear. Since it was a while after my diagnosis, I wasn't aware that they might have been caused by my psoriatic arthritis," Mike shares.
Mike's TREMFYA® Journey
Mike began working with his primary care doctor, rheumatologist, and dermatologist to find a treatment plan that could address his active PsA and his psoriasis lesions.
Mike tried a number of medications to address his PsA symptoms, but, over time, he was unable to keep his symptoms at bay and stopped responding to them. Mike's rheumatologist suggested he try a biologic, a medication that can target overactive cells in the immune system and that can help improve active PsA symptoms. He was prescribed TREMFYA® (guselkumab), a prescription medicine approved to treat adults with active PsA.
Since starting TREMFYA®, Mike has noticed improvements in his symptoms, specifically joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Mike was able to go back to doing things that meant so much to him such as playing the piano. And, for his husband, that has meant doing some of the things they had to put on hold, like traveling, without having to worry about how his symptoms might impact their ability to explore and fully enjoy the experience together.
Mike also saw clearing of psoriasis lesions on his skin, which provided a sense of relief to not have to constantly explain that his disease was not contagious to others. Mike notes, "thankfully, I had the support of my husband, family and friends who were understanding of my condition and didn't make me feel self-conscious, which I am extremely grateful for."
In two active PsA medical studies, more than 5 out of 10 patients treated with TREMFYA® had at least a 20% improvement in joint pain, stiffness, and swelling at 24 weeks compared with placebo.6 Additionally, at 24 weeks, people taking TREMFYA® showed an overall improvement in their ability to perform daily activities such as getting dressed, eating, and walking, which was assessed in Disability Index of Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ-DI).6 Some patients also reported improvement in PsA-related fatigue at 24 weeks as measured by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy — Fatigue (FACIT-F), a questionnaire to measure self-reported tiredness, weakness, and difficulty conducting usual activities due to fatigue over the last seven days.6,7 Furthermore, patients with active PsA who were treated with TREMFYA® saw an improvement in psoriasis skin plaques at 24 weeks. Individual results may vary.
TREMFYA® is not for everyone; only your doctor can decide if it's right for you. Do not use if you are allergic to TREMFYA®. TREMFYA® is a prescription medicine that may cause serious side effects, including serious allergic reactions and infections. TREMFYA® affects your immune system. It may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. Please read the Important Safety Information below and the Medication Guide for TREMFYA® available at www.tremfya.com to learn more about these and other risks for TREMFYA®. Discuss any questions you have with your doctor.
The Importance of a Supportive Care Team
"Growing up as a Chinese American, I was taught to respect my doctors and follow their guidance without question," Mike says. "I'm thankful that I've learned how to work collaboratively with my full healthcare team to come up with a treatment plan that worked for me."
Along with support from his healthcare team and family, Mike enrolled in the TREMFYA withMe program, which offers education about TREMFYA® and its administration, as well as one-on-one guidance and assistance related to insurance coverage or cost support options.
"I'm proof that you don't have to struggle with a condition or just learn to live with it," Mike shares. "I know how hard it sometimes can be to get the help you need — I've been there, and I'm here to tell you that you can find the right care and the appropriate treatment option. Don't give up, and don't be afraid to speak with your doctor about your needs to get the most from your conversations and develop a true partnership."
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Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
In consideration of the time Mike spent participating in this article, he was paid honoraria by Johnson & Johnson.
INDICATION
WHAT IS TREMFYA® (guselkumab)?
TREMFYA® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet or UV light).
TREMFYA® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with active psoriatic arthritis.
TREMFYA® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about TREMFYA®?
TREMFYA® is a prescription medicine that may cause serious side effects, including:
- Serious Allergic Reactions. Stop using TREMFYA® and get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:
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- Infections. TREMFYA® 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 TREMFYA® and may treat you for TB before you begin treatment with TREMFYA® 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 TREMFYA®.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection, including:
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Do not take TREMFYA® if you have had a serious allergic reaction to guselkumab or any of the ingredients in TREMFYA®.
Before using TREMFYA®, 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 TREMFYA®?"
- 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.
- have recently received or are scheduled to receive an immunization (vaccine). You should avoid receiving live vaccines during treatment with TREMFYA®.
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TREMFYA® can harm your unborn baby.
Pregnancy Registry: If you become pregnant during treatment with TREMFYA®, talk to your healthcare provider about registering in the pregnancy exposure registry for TREMFYA®. You can enroll by visiting www.mothertobaby.org/ongoing-study/tremfya-guselkumab, by calling 1-877-311-8972, or emailing [email protected]. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of TREMFYA® during pregnancy.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TREMFYA® 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.
What are the possible side effects of TREMFYA®?
TREMFYA® may cause serious side effects. See "What is the most important information I should know about TREMFYA®?"
The most common side effects of TREMFYA® include: respiratory tract infections, headache, injection site reactions, joint pain (arthralgia), diarrhea, stomach flu (gastroenteritis), fungal skin infections, herpes simplex infections, and bronchitis.
These are not all the possible side effects of TREMFYA®. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Use TREMFYA® exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to use it.
Please read the full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, for TREMFYA® and discuss any questions that you have with your doctor.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Dosage Forms and Strengths: TREMFYA® is available in a 100 mg/mL prefilled syringe and One-Press patient-controlled injector for subcutaneous injection, a 200 mg/2 mL prefilled syringe and prefilled pen (TREMFYA® PEN) for subcutaneous injection, and a 200 mg/20 mL (10 mg/mL) single dose vial for intravenous infusion.
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- About psoriatic arthritis. National Psoriasis Foundation. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriatic-arthritis/#:~:text=Psoriatic%20arthritis%20(PsA)%20is%20a,age%20and%20may%20affect%20children
- Gladman DD, Antoni C, Mease P, et al. Psoriatic arthritis: epidemiology, clinical features, course, and outcome. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):ii14-7. doi: 10.1136/ard.2004.032482; PMID: 15708927; PMCID: PMC1766874.
- Mease PJ, Armstrong AW. Managing patients with psoriatic disease: the diagnosis and pharmacologic treatment of psoriatic arthritis in patients with psoriasis. Drugs. 2014;74(4):423-441. doi: 10.1007/s40265-014-0191-y; PMID: 24566842; PMCID: PMC3958815
- Mease PJ, Gladman DD, Papp KA, et al. Prevalence of rheumatologist-diagnosed psoriatic arthritis in patients with psoriasis in European/North American dermatology clinics. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013;69(5):729-735. Epub 2013 Aug 24. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2013.07.023; PMID: 23981683
- Psoriasis. National Psoriasis Foundation. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriasis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355840#:~:text=Psoriasis%20is%20a%20skin%20disease,make%20it%20hard%20to%20concentrate
- TREMFYA® [Prescribing Information]. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc.
- FACIT-Fatigue. FACIT.org. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://www.facit.org/measures/facit-fatigue
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