 I am a 59 year old female and I was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma three months ago. At this time the problems are mostly skin related, with hardening and lesions. I am tired a lot and am in pain under my arms. The back of my knees are so hard that I have difficulty bending. I am frequently chilled. I'm just beginning to have difficulty swallowing and have pain in my kidney area. I am taking Minocycline 100 mg. twice a day. It has helped my skin to soften and the lesions to start shrinking. My legs do not straighten out in bed at night due to swelling in the groin area and tightening of the skin. I seem to be puffy. I do not have the typical involvement in my hands and it took months and many tests to diagnose my case. No one shares a timeline with me or will tell me what to expect next. I am trying to just enjoy each new day and attack each new symptom as it comes about. | 
