[Skip to Content]
Patient & Caregiver Stories Main Menu
(English) Stories by First Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V-Z
Stories in Other Languages: French | German | Greek | Italian | Polish | Romanian | Russian | Spanish | Turkish
Stories by Date Posted: 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Tracy: Undiagnosed

My fingers and toes turn white and become completely numb.

[Macaw] I have been experiencing extreme sensitivity to the cold. My fingers and toes turn white and become completely numb. I have seen a doctor, and he has run two antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests. They were both positive.

My problem is, my doctor is not telling me anything. He wants to wait another six months to test my ANA again. I do not know if the wait and see approach is the best way to handle this. Should I find a specialist, or wait for a diagnosis?

I would really appreciate hearing from somebody who has been diagnosed. Not only would I like to hear how the diagnosis came about, but also what the chances are that I have scleroderma if at all possible. My only other symptoms are fatigue and a little joint stiffness in my fingers.

Please share your story with me. I am really tired of waiting and wondering. Thank you very much.

To Contact the Author

Tracy
New email address needed 7-13-03 SLE
Old Email Prefix: tjak4
Posted 11-19-00 SLE
Story edited 7-13-03 SLE

Story Artist: Shelley Ensz
LINKS
ANA Antibody Tests
Difficult Diagnosis
Raynaud's

New Personal Stories

Kristi U: Systemic Scleroderma We sold our motel business because it hurt me so bad to work each and every day...
Chris D: Systemic Scleroderma About eighteen months ago my entire body began going haywire...
Iko H: Limited Systemic Sclerosis (Belgium) I am fifty-one years old and in May 2011 my diagnosis of scleroderma was confirmed. I am studying for horse veterinarian and am in my last year...
Michelle P: Sjögren's Syndrome I went to see Professor Hughes in London in 2010...
More New Stories
Submit Your Patient, Caregiver or Survivor Story in:
Arabic  | Dutch  | English  | Español  | Deutsche (German)
Italiano  | Polski  | Russian  | Spanish  | Turkish  | Other Languages
We will edit your story, create original artwork to decorate it, prepare it for the web, and post it on this site. Just fill out our simple Story Submission Form for your story, updates, or email address changes.
 
Go to Trish: Spouse of a Diffuse Scleroderma Patient
About the ISN

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.We are a full-service nonprofit 501(c)(3) providing stellar worldwide research, support, education and awareness for scleroderma and related illnesses, such as pulmonary hypertension. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

 

Scleroderma Hotline
Toll Free U.S. 1-800-564-7099
Direct Line: 1-952-831-3091

Post a message in Sclero Forums
Email: isn@sclero.org

International Scleroderma Network (ISN)
7455 France Ave So #266
Edina, MN 55435-4702
United States

AKA Scleroderma from A to Z and SCLERO.ORG
Privacy Policy, Financial Disclosure, and Disclaimer.

Home   Medical   News   Sclero Forums   Support   Translations

© Copyright 1998-2013 International Scleroderma Network
All Rights Reserved