Scleroderma

Law Enforcement graduate. Did social work for 6 and one-half years. Started having pain in my hand in 1999 when I held on to things. In the fall of that year my fingers started-up with the Raynaud’s. In December of that year I began to feel tired and a little week. Week by week pain started increasing in my wrists and I was running a fever quite often. In January of 2000 it really started to hit. Each week my pain began to move all over. By the end of January I couldn’t hardly wash my hair, brush my teeth, walk, or concentrate. I went to my GP who ordered X-rays on my wrists for arthritis. NOTHING! She gave me Viox–didn’t work…gave me some other arthritis drug…didn’t work. Iwent back again and she give me a shot of Toridol…didn’t help. She had the nerve to ask me if I had been depressed! Yeah, I was depressed alright–from all the playing around with stuff and her implying that the pain was in my head! Finally one night at work I was so bad (yes I continued to work I was one of the charge people and felt I had to be there no matter) that they called in help and my co-worker took me to the ER. That is where I got a doctor that just by examining my symptoms of pain and swelling said he was calling another city to speak to a specialist because he thought I had an illness that someone from infectious diseases should handle. I was refered to this Specialist and went a couple days later. It didn’t take him long to tell me I had SD. Hesaid it was Diffuse SD and didn’t offer any real hope but gave me Methrotrexate and Plaquinel. I laughed just to know that I wasn’t crazy but also knew I wasn’t staying on that stuff for long either. I felt from the beginning this was caused by a bacteria and I was going to get rid of it. I found the Scleroderma site but what a depressing trip that was! I was out of there! Don’t even know how I found the Roadback but I went in the Specialist’s office armed with infor and wasn’t leaving until I got the Minocycline. I got it in July of 2000. My doctor took me off the Methro right away but left me on the Plaquinel. I weaned myself off of that stuff in August. He wasn’t thrilled I did that but I was fine. I have been pain free for 8 and one-half months now. My Raynaud’s is so much better too. I will go to get the once-over i April. (I was doing so good last September he didn’t want to see me again until this April) I believe I am a “caught early” person but I still went through unbearable pain and swelling for a time before the AP. My ankles, legs and wrists felt like shattered glass that was pushing against all the incredible swelling in body. Thank God for Dr. Brown, Henry Scammell for following him, and the fantasic Roadback Board people for taking on this site.