Well, it seems that this is insidious, isn't it. It comes and goes and moves around the body.

Recently he was having a BAD flareup. He has been using clobetasol for years. All it did was thin his skin. And we've tried the other creams, the moisturizers, etc. Nothing worked. I've tried avocado oil, olive oil.

It went away from behind his ears. But new ones cropped up elsewhere.

He has other medical problems so this is a vanity thing. His legs (he cannot wear shorts outside because people stare at him, that's how bad it is.)

A few days ago I got some coal tar gel (Psoriasin). Well, lo and behold, the scales are disappearing and the red things are getting less red. In his case, this stuff is better than clobetasol.

He was in our new podiatrist's office (Alan has gotten a second opinion) and the podiatrist has determined that his foot ulcer is NOT due to a bony growth but due to his high arch). So he's being measured for new orthotics this coming Saturday. The doctor said 'Wow, you've got some case of psoriasis there haven't you, have you seen a dermatologist lately, they have the injectible treatments".

I looked at him and said "And the injectible treatments have horrible side effects, they suppress the immune system and I read where a person is suing the company because it gave her Peripheral Neuropathy, and because Alan ALREADY has neuropathy, well forget that".

The doctor said "Oh". He then said "We are in the middle of a heat wave and that triggered it' (didn't know that)

See??? Doctors just don't know EVERYTHING now do they?

But thankfully he is helping Alan's foot ulcer to heal. It's almost gone and he assures us that with the correct orthotics, Alan should be able to walk again.

Can't wait for that.

So here's my question. If the psoriasin gel with coal tar, works on Alan, I will be taking a lot of time putting this stuff on his body.

Can't he use some T-gel shampoo or some Coal tar shampoo and when he gets in the shower and wash his whole body with the stuff. This sounds much less time consuming than dabbing the gel on the various lesions or red areas?

I know it's not a perfect solution, nor is it permanent, but it would be more convenient.

Anyone have a thought here?

Thanks much, Melody

My hubby has moderate psoriasis. He keeps it at a low level by using Flaxseed oil and fish oil daily. His last serious attack was
3 or 4 yrs ago, and Dovenex really helped. His derm doctor suggested Aquaphor for now, and that works well too.

So I have him on Vit D3, daily and now I've added Biotin 10mg daily. He has a little on his elbows, but his legs cleared up and are pretty good these days. (he wears shorts without problems now). But at one time his knees and shins were terrible. His eyebrows are okay too. He says his is worse in winter, better in summer, as he goes outside alot, etc and gets sun. Since Dovenex is a Vit D product and worked so well, I guess Vit D supplementation is helping here, for him.

High arches, + PN? Could be CMT hereditary neuropathy?

Hi Mrs. D. He only has the high arch in one foot. And they ruled out CMT years ago, but who the hell knows. Alan is on every single thing that your husband is on. Isn't it funny how the sun can help some and others, it makes it worse. And if Alan sat in the sun well, he's so fair skinned, forget it.

Take care
Melody
P.S. Should i get the shampoo with the coal tar in it for him to use in the shower all over his body?

Just a little information. You can have high arches, normal arches or flat feet with CMT. However, your post says that CMT has been ruled out years ago for Alan. I never thought that he might have it anyway from all of your posts.

There obviously is something else going on for sure. Unless of course he would have a type of CMT that they cannot test for. And there is always family history as a tool to help.

HI. Alan has (of course) been reading up on CMT on the internet. He then exclaimed "I had Flat feet when I was in the army, but they took me anyway, but if it was World War 2, I could have gotten out of being in the army"

I said "how do you know you had flat feet?" He said "I used to look at my feet and I always said: "wow, I have flat feet".

So.... either the guy has lost it, or he indeed had flat feet 40 years ago and now he has a high arch.

Also, (and this is important), CMT affects muscles right? About 7 years ago, after he got the stent he had to go into cardiac rehab and then he joined the gym (He got the foot ulcer by going on the treadmill in cardiac rehab). You think they would have known not to put someone with PN on a treadmill, but I digress.

After the cardiac rehab (and even wearing the Crow book), Alan went to the gym 5 times a week. He lost his weight, he developed muscles and he used to wear musclemen t shirts. I'll never forget that period in his life.

Can a person with CMT go to the gym, work out, lift weights and build muscles (all the while, wearing the crow boot for his foot ulcer)?

I don't think a man with CMT would be able to accomplish this do you?

Or, he has the strangest case of CMT I've ever heard of.

His mother had Guillian Barre and died at age 53 of a heart attack. His sister has recently been told that she has neuropathy but initially she had a morton's neuroma.

I don't get any of this. His father died of congestive heart failure at the age of 74. He didn't have any neuro issues at all.

You bet we are going to be asking his new podiatrist on Saturday when he gets measured for the new orthotics.

There's no treatment for CMT, this I know, but honestly, wouldn't his various neurologists have picked up on this (if he had this)? I remember asking the neurologist he was seeing about 4 years ago. "Could have CMT?" and she said "no".

Melody

With long standing CMT for YEARS, there is muscle wasting.

If you Google Charcot Marie Tooth on Google and click images...you'll see the muscle wasting on the legs. It is quite dramatic.

Now this may vary from person to person, but with time, and Alan is older, there should be some wasting in his legs with CMT.
Cramps and other muscle issues like weakness. If his pain is localized only to the feet and not legs, then the CMT diagnosis would not be done by doctors. But as Kitt says there are many many variants, and they are all different.

There is a controversy about long term use of Coal Tar products and skin cancers. For this reason, doctors don't use it much, and most coal tar products on RX are discontinued. But the proof is not total yet.
OTC products are still allowed to contain some coal tar... so keep that in mind. It is recommended to scan the skin carefully often for strange lesions, when using a coal tar product.

Hi,

Muscles affected by CMT cannot be built up. Muscles affected by CMT are atrophied (dead). You can keep healthy muscle and build that up. If a person indeed has CMT they can exacerbate the symptoms by overdoing.

CMT not only affects feet and legs but also hands and forearms. Other places as well. If you have ever seen anyone with CMT you can pretty much tell by the hands and the way they walk.

Alan has an interesting family history. However, it does not appear that it has anything to do with CMT. Again, I doubt that Alan has it but I'm not a doctor nor have I ever seen him in person. By this time, in my opinion, he would more than likely have much muscle wasting, etc.

For more on CMT click on my forum on CMT under "PN Tips, Resources, Supplements, and other Treatments". Again, there is no cure/treatment whatsoever for CMT.

Hi Mrs. D.
And thanks for the info on the coal tar. Not using TOO much of THAT anymore. God Help him,

Anyway, Alan's pain is only between the toes of his feet. Certain toes on both feet. No where else does he have neuropathic pain.

I'm going to run this by his new podiatrist on Saturday and see what he says.

thanks much to all who responded.

Melody