Psoriasis drove me to the brink of suicide

People with the condition get patches of crusty skin

WHEN Simon Jury developed a patch of dry skin no bigger than a 50-pence piece, he had no idea it was the start of something that would drive him to the brink of suicide.

 

But what began as a minor lesion on his leg soon took over most of his body. In his late 20s Simon, now 42 and a credit controller from Chelmsford, Essex, developed psoriasis, a skin condition that most people perceive as little more than a minor irritation.

But it can destroy psychological as well as physical wellbeing, crushing self.—esteem and leading to severe depression. "I knew absolutely nothing about psoriasis," says Simon. "I just thought it was an allergic reaction to something and would clear up pretty quickly.

"But over time it took a terrible toll on my body and my mind, to the point where I thought it would be easier if I just ended it all."

Psoriasis affects nearly two million people in the UK. It most often develops in adults under 35. Red, flaky, crusty patches of skin emerge which become covered with silvery scales.

These normally appear on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back but they can develop anywhere on the body and lead to such discomfort that sufferers tear at their skin to try to find relief.

Skin cells are normally made and replaced every three to four weeks. But with psoriasis this process only lasts about three to seven days. The resulting build.—up of skin cells is what creates the itchy and sore patches.

It's thought that a malfunctioning immune system is the main cause, often as a result of something innocuous like a sore throat or minor graze.

Over time it took a terrible toll on my body and my mind, to the point where I thought it would be easier if I just ended it all

Simon Jury

This makes the body's defence system attack healthy skin cells, although the condition can also run in families.

One of the hardest times of year for many sufferers is summer, when the heat adds to the constant discomfort. Now Simon, pictured below, who is married to Michala, 42, is helping to raise awareness of steps fellow sufferers can take to cool down their damaged skin.

"I just noticed one day that I had a small red, dry patch on my shin," he says.

"I went to my GP who said it was probably a fungal infection and prescribed some cream which had no effect at all. But nobody could see it, it didn't itch too much and I wasn't really that bothered."

However, when Simon went on holiday to Malta a couple of years later, his skin erupted with hundreds of tiny red bumps. He blamed heat rash and for weeks afterwards applied skin lotion to dampen it down.

But the bumps gradually developed into scaly, itchy patches that took hold on his arms, legs, scalp, face and ears. By this time he had relocated and his new GP instantly recognised it as psoriasis.

The cream Simon was prescribed had little impact and soon his skin was weeping and infected which meant antibiotics, followed by a referral to a specialist who recommended UVB light treatment.

It worked but the psoriasis kept coming back, each bout worse than the last. "I started to think, 'Is this how it's always going to be?'.

"I started to lose faith. I stopped going back to the doctors and started to feel very lonely. I was getting only four hours sleep a night .— sometimes less .— and was permanently exhausted."

One night, after months of constant sleep deprivation, Simon ran a cold bath to cool down his skin.

"When I turned the bathroom light on and saw what I had done to myself in my sleep I was horrified. My fingernails were caked with blood. There was blood running down my legs and arms and I looked awful.

"I got in the bath and thought it would be so much easier if I just put my head under the water and let it all go.

"The only thing that stopped me was how devastated Michala would be if I killed myself. I realised I had to start fighting back.

"She only found out when I later wrote about that night in my blog."

 

A new survey for drug firm LEO shows 40 per cent of psoriasis sufferers worry about their skin being more visible in summer and more than a third are concerned about protection from the sun.

Dr Anthony Bewley, consultant dermatologist at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, says: "Summer can mean greater anxiety.

"But it doesn't have to be as bad as they fear. If they have not had a recent review, I would urge them to see their GP, nurse or dermatologist to get it under control."

COPING WITH PSORIASIS IN SUMMER

Wear light, comfortable clothing that will not irritate your skin

Walk or run. The fresh air may be good for your psoriasis

Rub on emollient before going in the sea or swimming pool ? Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm

Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for a sunscreen to suit your skin

Carry essential medication in your hand luggage during travel

Use a fan to cool your skin at night