Patient Stories

My Story began when I started noticing the lesions on the skin in June 2013 on the legs. He was first given ketoconazole tablet but the lesion increased. He started seeing a doctor in kano, and later referred to about eight hospitals including the military reference hospitals, leprosy centres and one teaching hospitals. He was diagnosed after several years when he finally me a dermatologist at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. He improved only on coal tar cream and steroid cream. However, the lesions recurred.

Psoriasis affected him in many ways. He had to put on long clothes. It affected him in his working place, such that, he could no longer do many of his duties as military personnel. It also weighed him down such that he could not fulfil his passion of serving the country diligently. He is happy to collaborate to fight the condition and also learn more about it as well as encourage others.

My psoriasis journey began in 2005. It started on my scalp, and I honestly thought it was just stubborn dandruff. I was prescribed Nizoral shampoo, but over time the condition spread to my chin, behind my ears, and eventually my forehead. The itching became unbearable, and I had no idea what was happening to my body. I visited my family GP, who asked me to do an HIV test. Result came back negative but I still had no answers. For years, I lived with the discomfort, hoping someone would finally tell me what was wrong.

In 2013, while visiting the United States, I was finally diagnosed with psoriasis. Although it was difficult to hear, it was also a relief to finally have an answer. I was started on steroid cream (clobestasol propionate) and methotrexate tablets, and my skin gradually improved. In 2017, while in London for fertility treatment, I was started on Humira (adalimumab), and it felt like magic. My skin cleared beautifully, and for the first time in years, I felt confident again. Sadly, after about two years, it stopped working.

In 2019, I met an amazing dermatologist, Prof Bolaji. Being treated by a female doctor made me feel comfortable enough to openly show her what I had been hiding for so long. She started me on Enbrel (Etanercept) and other medications, and my psoriasis stayed under control—even through COVID. Then, in late 2023, I experienced the worst flare-up of my life. Embrel (Etanercept) stopped working, new lesions appeared everywhere, and the itching was so intense that scratching often left me with painful open sores. I felt exhausted, frustrated, and heartbroken.

I was later started on methotrexate injections, but the side effects were too severe, so I had to stop. In 2025, I began treatment with Cosentyx (Secukinumab), methotrexate tablets, Betnovate scalp Application, Clobetasol cream, polytar shampoo, Nizoral shampoo and vitamin D. Today, I’m still on this treatment, and I’m so grateful for the results. My skin has improved so much, and I finally feel like myself again.

Living with psoriasis has taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of never giving up. My journey hasn’t been easy, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is always hope. Keep advocating for yourself, because the right treatment can truly change your life.