| Systemic Sclerosis: Scleroderma in Overlap, MCTD, UCTD |
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| Overlap Patient & Caregiver Stories |
| Andi P: UCTD and Possible Scleroderma It is believed that I do have an autoimmune disease they are not sure if it is systemic or not, but I know what I live through on a daily basis... |
| Angela S: Overlap Syndrome I am twenty-five years old and I was diagnosed with polymyositis and scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, mitral valve prolapse, a heart murmur, and pericarditis... |
| Annette G: MCTD, Systemic Scleroderma, Chronic Kidney Disease, CFS, Fibromyalgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, TMJ People think that because I am a nurse I have all the answers. Well guess what? I don't... |
| Buggzy: Autoimmune Hepatitis, Fibromyalgia, Undiagnosed I am really desperate to get some answers or to hear from others in the same boat as me... |
| Cindy: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) He seems to think that I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, but until my symptoms show more criteria for it, he can't call it that... |
| Daniel B. Koch: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease with Scleroderma Two months after I was born the doctors noticed that my growth rate was very slow... |
| Daphne: Daughter of Scleroderma/Polymyositis/Antisynthetase Syndrome Overlap Patient By early 2005, she began to exhibit Raynaud's phenomenon. She was also having swelling in her face, hands and feet... |
| Debbie G: CREST, Lupus, Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension It has been a very long and bumpy road at times but somehow through all the hospital visits and other illnesses I have managed to stay ahead of the game by a step or two... |
| Deborah M: CREST Scleroderma, Systemic Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Fibromyalgia When we are given the CREST diagnosis, does that mean that we definitely will have the tight skin eventually? |
| Diane M: MCTD, and Surviving Sister of Scleroderma Patient I do not know what lies ahead for me on this path, I only hope that I can be as strong as my sister was... |
| Donna C: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) I am beginning to get tired of going for test after test and not find a specific reason for my symptoms... |
| Elaine GH: Limited Systemic Sclerosis I tell everyone I meet about scleroderma. I have joined two support groups and bought all three editions of Voices of Scleroderma... |
| Fran: UCTD After years of suffering from a long list of unexplained complaints (fatigue, muscle/joint pain, rashes, fever), I was diagnosed with UCTD... |
| Gail: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) They did a series of tests and blood work and found I had Interstitial Cystitis, a positive ANA, and gastrointestinal dysmotility... |
| Hailee Vale: MCTD but Now Undiagnosed I still do not have any proper answers. I have my own theories as to what went wrong and I am waiting to see a rheumatologist... |
| Heidi: Difficult Diagnosis of UCTD Do these symptoms resemble the beginning symptoms for others who have gone on to be diagnosed with scleroderma? |
| Jaci: MCTD and Autoimmune Hepatitis Out of fear of going back to the doctors, I tried just to live with it, whatever it was. What I found strange was that nobody seemed to noticed how terrible I was feeling, not even the doctors... |
| Janet: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease I have just been diagnosed with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), lung fibrosis, Raynaud's and sicca (dryness) symptoms... |
| Jill K: Lupus with GAVE (Watermelon Stomach) My hemotologist and GI specialists are very supportive but I am so frustrated at how little any one seems to know about GAVE disease... |
| Kate: Possible Scleroderma/Lupus Overlap At some point in that dreary winter month, I began waking up with swollen hands... |
| Kaycee: Diffuse Scleroderma with Polymyositis The rheumatologist confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse scleroderma on my initial visit to him. Since then, I have had a muscle biopsy, which confirmed polymyositis... |
| Kellie: Overlap Scleroderma and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) I am so relieved to read about so many people who have had the same experiences... |
| Krista: Scleroderma in Overlap Many of you probably know that I have translated "SCLERO.ORG" into my language, Romanian... |
| Jackie S: Overlap Syndrome For as long as I can remember I have had terribly dry skin and a very hoarse voice with dry mouth... |
| Jennifer: Surviving Daughter of Overlap Syndrome Patient This letter was written by my dad and was read at my mother's memorial service in October of this year... |
| Laura M: UCTD A rheumatologist told me I did not look sick and to "get a life"... |
| LaVonne: Surviving Mother of a Daughter with MCTD Hello, I am the mother of an only daughter who had Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD). She died in March 2000, at thirty-five years of age... |
| Lee: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) A Sloan-Kettering researcher said our problems were related to HLA-B27 inheritance... |
| Linda F: CREST Scleroderma, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Hematoma, and Osteomyelitis I need to tell you all the gory details so you can truly understand what a miracle it is that I am alive today... |
| Lisa P: Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) I have an appointment with a new rheumatologist on May tenth. Hopefully I will get some answers... |
| Lynn: Lupus, Scleroderma, Sjögren's and Polymyositis Overlap I am going to start to see the doctor more often and take better care of myself... |
| (Polski/Polish) Maria P: MCTD z Sklerodermia W tej sytuacji tylko pozostaje mi wolanie o pomoc, bo zycie bardzo szybko uchodzi,poprostu ta choroba zabija... |
| Mick Breske: UCTD/Lupus I felt I was being treated as some dumb blond. Finally one day I was referred to a Rheumatologist... |
| Monica: MCTD This diagnosis is a bittersweet one for us. Yes, after seven years of hell, we now have a name... |
| Myrianisa: Daughter of a Severe Scleroderma Patient My mother was diagnosed with scleroderma six years ago. At the same time, she was also diagnosed with lupus, Raynaud's, MCTD, pulmonary fibrosis and fibromyalgia... |
| Nan: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and Fibromyalgia Finally after several years of struggle, one wonderful doctor at OSU got gutsy and gave me the MCTD diagnosis... |
| Natasha Lubin: Scleroderma Meets Sjögren's I started this page so I can keep finding connections between all of our diseases and how they interact upon on another... |
| Peggy H: Undiagnosed MCTD? I have been told for twenty years that I might have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), but I haven't been definitely diagnosed... |
| Serena: MCTD/Diffuse with CREST During her 20 years from onset to diagnosis, her Calcinosis was diagnosed as fungus... |
| Silezia: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (South Africa) I believe that if we try to feel positive about our life and the cards we are dealt, then we can manage our disease most effectively... |
| Swede: UCTD or Hypochondria I have been experiencing severe pain in my feet and ankles for the last two years... |
| Syl: SD/Crest/PH/Sjögren's The physician's assistant noticed that my hands went really blue... |
| William M: Scleroderma or Lupus I had to give up my career of being a registered nurse (RN) over two years ago due to total disability... |
| Romanian Patient Stories |
| Krista: Povestea Mea - Scleroderma in Overlap Nu este prea usor, sa incepi sa-ti scri propria istorie, in asemenea situatie... |
