Never Settle: How One Man Refused to Give Up and Took Charge of His Psoriatic Disease

(BPT) - 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:

• 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:

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 MotherToBaby@health.ucsd.edu. 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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1. 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
2. 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.
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. TREMFYA^® [Prescribing Information]. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc.
7. FACIT-Fatigue. FACIT.org. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://www.facit.org/measures/facit-fatigue

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Low-maintenance landscaping tips to keep your yard looking great all season

(BPT) - Choosing the right materials and incorporating well-planned design features can enhance the appearance of your landscape while reducing the effort needed for maintenance.

"Adding mulched areas around shrubs, plants and trees, as well as creating access pathways, are key design elements we use to enhance the beauty of a landscape," says Lavonne Thompson, owner of Gabby's Gardens in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Many materials can help keep your landscape looking beautiful, such as mulch, landscape rock, flagstone steppers, concrete pavers and natural stone. To create and maintain a professional look for your landscaped areas, Thompson recommends these elements:

• Create distinctive borders for garden beds, tree rings and other landscaped areas using natural stone, concrete pavers or edging. It will make it easier to mow around plus add definition, texture and color.
• Construct paths using natural stone steppers, concrete pavers, mulch or landscape rock. Not only do these materials create visual interest and define walkways, but they also improve accessibility.
• Use mulch, landscape rock or gravel to give landscaped areas a finished look. "Mulch adds interest and gives a clean, finished appearance that enhances curb appeal," says Thompson.

Maintenance of mulched areas can be a challenge with thunderstorms, critters, traffic and falling leaves. To keep landscaped areas looking beautiful and minimize seasonal maintenance, Thompson uses NorthRock^® Landscape Loc Mulch & Rock Bond, an environmentally friendly compound that can be applied to keep mulch and landscape rock locked in place.

Landscape Loc helps to prevent mulch movement from rain, wind, critters, mowers and blowers, while allowing the treated area to freely drain and breathe. It is safe for soil, groundwater, wildlife, people, pets and plants.

"Landscape Loc is a great product for when we are refreshing clients' projects in the spring," says Thompson. "It is essential in sloped areas and gardens to prevent mulch from moving out of place."

Landscape Loc can be used on landscape rocks that are 1/2" or smaller. It can also be used to control dust from gravel, sand, pebbles and light rock on walkways and driveways as well as to control erosion around those areas. The more porous the rock, the better Landscape Loc will bond. For denser rock, a heavier application is required.

Using a fan tip sprayer, apply Landscape Loc when refreshing and cleaning up landscape areas. It lays down white and dries clear, enhancing the look of mulch and other ground cover. Landscape Loc is available at Amazon and local retailers in one- and five-gallon containers or as a concentrate to mix with water. Watch an application of Landscape Loc Concentrate at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOdssqFrQVY.

"It's great that Landscape Loc goes down white before drying clear," says Thompson. "That way if you are called away for a moment, you can pick right up where you left off."

Achieve Optimum Wellness with endermologie by LPG: Revitalize Your Body, Relieve Stress and Enhance Sleep

(BPT) - In the pursuit of holistic well-being, advanced technologies are revolutionizing the way we care for our bodies. One of the pioneers in this category is a company that was founded in the south of France in 1986.

LPG^® features non-invasive treatments that have gained global recognition for the ability to sculpt, rejuvenate, and revitalize your body and face. Now LPG^® has taken wellness one step further with their new Vitality, Stress, Sleep (VSS) Protocol, a comprehensive approach to restoring balance and enhancing quality of life.

The VSS treatment protocol is designed to target three key qualities of well-being: vitality, stress management, and sleep quality. Through a series of personalized sessions, this treatment stimulates the skin and underlying tissues using LPG^®'s patented endermologie^® technique, which promotes natural biological responses, improving circulation, relieving tension, and fostering relaxation.

Owner of Beyond Massage Aspen in Colorado, Erica Boulangee M.Ac, L.Ac, LMT, Licensed Acupuncturist and Massage Therapist, utilizes LPG^® technology for her clients to help them meet their wellness goals. "Since integrating LPG^® endermologie^® into our operations, the results have been nothing short of transformative. I am thoroughly impressed by how quickly the treatment delivers results."

The signature VSS treatment works through mechanized massage that enhances lymphatic drainage, reduces muscle tension, and encourages the production of endorphins — our body's natural feel-good hormones. The result is a renewed sense of energy, reduced stress levels, and deeper, more restorative sleep.

"The VSS treatments, lasting only 40 minutes, fit seamlessly into my clients' busy lives while fostering overall wellness and balance. We have received tremendous feedback from our clients, who consistently report significant stress reduction in a remarkably short amount of time," Erica adds.

During a clinical study about the benefits of LPG^®'s unique VSS treatment protocol*, after one 40-minute endermologie^® session, patients' cortisol levels decrease by 19%, helping to lower stress and promote relaxation. Muscle aches were reduced by 38.1%, making it an excellent option for those suffering from chronic tension or discomfort.** The VSS Protocol focuses on invigorating the body by stimulating microcirculation and oxygenating tissues. This process enhances cell regeneration, resulting in improved energy levels and a natural glow.

According to Professor Christophe Hausswirth, the study's independent clinical research director, "This is the first trial to conclusively prove that a series of mechanical massage treatments designed to target the lymphatic system can have such significant effects on so many aspects of mental health."

Quality sleep is the foundation of good health, yet so many people struggle with restlessness and poor sleep patterns. The VSS Protocol gently stimulates the nervous system to restore balance, encouraging deeper and more restful sleep cycles. By promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension, it prepares the body for restorative rest, ultimately leading to better recovery and overall well-being.

Whether you're looking to restore energy, manage stress more effectively, or improve your quality of sleep, the LPG^® world of non-invasive health and beauty technologies offers a scientifically proven way to enhance your well-being.

To learn more about endermologie^® and find an LPG^® provider, visit lpg-group.com/en.

Follow us on:

• Instagram – @lpgendermologie_america
• Facebook – LPG endermologie
• LinkedIn – LPG^® America
• YouTube – LPG endermologie America

*Clinical study performed by the French beScored Institute in conjunction with the European Sleep Center, the University of Sydney, and the Cerballiance laboratory.

**Clinical results after one 40-minute endermologie^® session. Impact of an LPG Cellu M6 Alliance^® multi-session program. Effect on cognitive performance, sleep quality, stress levels and immunity in stressed individuals. Prof. Christophe Hausswirth, PhD1,2,3, Dr. Alexandre Coste, PhD1, Dr. Vincent Raimondi, MD, PhD4, Dr. Cyril Schmit, PhD1, Dr. Anis Aloulou, PhD5, Dr. François Duforez, MD5, Nathalie Paradis & Prof. Damien Léger, MD, PhD7.

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