Milestone Reached!

So the plaques on my fingers and elbows had thinned to the point that I would blister if I used the full dosage that my feet and parts of my hands need. Additionally, I know that my hands are thinning and will soon need to be reduced in the treatment. As a result, I had to request another ‘flash drive’. With the Levia machine, different settings are kept on different flash drives, which programs the prescription. Of course Levia had to contact my dermatologist to get the new prescription. I know many people do not know about Levia (which I still think is sad, especially since they received clearance from the FDA before XTRAC and Excimer). But the nurse from my dermatologist’s office was too funny. With the XTRAC machine, which is what they use, the technician can program different settings for different areas with each patient. I think I was up to 3 or 4 different settings at one point. I had to explain this four times that Levia does create settings in the machine, but the settings are created with the flash drives. But, we finally got on the same page and I got the new flash drive with a lower prescription.

Today I did my extremely thin areas (the ones that are smooth, but you can tell they are still a little plaquey) using the new drive. I had 32 shots. I then used my original setting (which is not up to 634 mj/cm2) for the rest of the areas. This was the first time that there were areas previously treated that actually felt smooth and non-plaqueish (I know, I am inventing words, but those of you with psoriasis know exactly what I mean!). So I did not treat these areas. I went to mark down the number of shots from my original dosage, 285. Combine that with my new dosage, 317 shots. On Saturday, when I did last treatment, the number of shots was 432. I have dropped over 100 shots in a few days. Now, I realize that some of these areas will ‘redevelop’ thinner plaques as I finish up treatment. But I have finally started to see a reduction in area needing treatments!!!!!!!!!!