Psoriasis has gotten very bad and I have an exam in 2 days!

Hello everybody,

I am extremely stressed right now. I have a Core 2 exam on Thursday but since it is exam season my Psoriasis has gotten very bad! It's on both of my wrists, my back, my leg and my head and itches really bad. Sometimes the only way to make it stop itching badly is to have a shower (mild temperature but even if I moisturise the skin it becomes bad again soon after). Contact of my clothes on my skin is very uncomfortable.

Even worse, I am bald and the Psoriasis is on my head (not by choice but because sunlight helps treat the condition). It is quite unsightly and I don't know how I will be able to make the exam :'(.

The only way to describe how bad the itching is that it's like multiple needles pricking you from both inside and out. This gives you a similar but worse feeling of having to pee very badly (You can't think clearly)

I am a private candidate, so I haven't done any mocks. What will happen if I miss the exam? I have already done Core 1 and will do S1, S2, FP1 and D1 next month. Does that mean I will fail AS Maths? I will cry if I do because I really want to apply for Warwick next year and have studied very hard

Good luck

I am a private candidate, so I haven't done any mocks. What will happen if I miss the exam? I have already done Core 1 and will do S1, S2, FP1 and D1 next month. Does that mean I will fail AS Maths? I will cry if I do because I really want to apply for Warwick next year and have studied very hard

Thank you very much for your post!

I've had Psoriasis since I was very little and about 3 years ago it was declared as severe by my GP due to how much of my body it covered (Back, Stomach, Legs, Arms, Scalp, Ears). I was given Dovobet and still use it but it isn't as effective as it used to be - it hardly has any effect any-more. Because of this I underwent Phototherapy which cleared it all up for a few months but a few weeks before my exams started it came back, I thought nothing of it but it became a lot worse. I struggle to close my wrists and wearing clothes is very uncomfortable when it touches the affected areas.

My GP told me to see a specialist so I can be referred for the tablet or Phototherapy again but this cannot be done until the end of my exams as for Phototherapy you have to go to the hospital 3 times a week for several weeks.

I do not want to miss the exam but I don't see how I can make it. I cannot cover up to hide it because it is so hot and even if I do manage to cover up it will itch like hell :| Not to mention my wrists which crack whilst writing the exam papers... The thing with Psoriasis is that whilst stress itself makes it worse, seeing how bad it is on yourself worsens it even more. Due to this I am very self conscious so knowing people are staring at me in the exam hall while dying of itchiness will be too much

I want to apply for Maths for entry in 2015 at a top University so core 2 is quite important. I am well prepared for the exam as I have worked hard all year. If I get good grades in my other 5 units would they use this to give me a predicted grade for core 2 or will they just fail me? Would Universities understand if I do Core 2 next year alongside A2 Maths, Further Maths and AS Additional Further Maths?

Sorry for long reply, so depressed right now. Psoriasis has ruined my life :|

If you miss the C2 exam you will neither pass or fail the AS you will not have completed enough units to be awarded a grade. You will need to take the C2 exam next year. When you apply to uni you will simply state you have no AS grade and your full A level maths grades are pending. The lack of an AS grade will not be massively important if the results of your other units justify your predicted overall grades are realistic.

Contact the exams officer today, they may be able to make arrangements for you that minimise your discomfort/embarrassment. (They may not but if you don't tell them they can't even try)

Apparently switching to a raw veg diet can help cure psoriasis, easier said than done though.

If you're unable to sit the exam there's nothing you can do and no reason to feel bad, health is priority, get the problem sorted and come back stronger next year

I have contacted him but didn't mention missing the exams - they said I could get special consideration for all exams I have taken that were affected. Something like 2%. So when I apply through UCAS, instead of adding AS Mathematics I will have A2 Mathematics with two units done and 2 pending? Or do I add AS Maths 2 units done and 1 pending?



I have looked into this, saw something called the Psoriasis Cookbook - will buy it soon! It will be tough considering how much fish and chicken I eat but if it has to be done I will do it. I cannot even begin to tell you how much Psoriasis has affected me over my life

I will call the exam centre and tell them then, hopefully they, Edexcel and the Universities I apply to understand

Thank you all for your help!