I was diagnosed with the CREST syndrome form of Scleroderma about four years ago, but apparently I've had it all my life (I'm 53).
I went into remission during my pregnancy with my son, when I was 24. When I started into menopause all these "problems" I thought I had "outgrown" started showing up, but since as a child I had been examined time and again and always the answer was, "Well, there isn't anything really wrong, probably she is just 'high strung',"
It didn't even occur to me to seek a doctor's advice. It was a mini-epidemic of Carpal Tunnel problems at my company that caused me to bring "my hand problems" to my doctor's attention. She ignored my complaints of wrist pain and was much more interested in my intense Raynaud's. Blood tests and several rheumatologist appointments later produced the diagnosis.
Basically I am well, but do tire easily, and have a number of esophagus related problems, which seem to be made worse by stress. I use globs of hand cream and cotton gloves at night under "splints", (that Carpal tunnel is unrelated but real... well, how much is Carpal tunnel and how much is Scleroderma is anybody's guess.) My doctors shrug and say, "If we could do anything effective about either one, it would be interesting to find out how much is one and how much is the other." So, I just cope.
I've developed a very "continental" style of shopping each day for dinner, to accomodate my finicky appetite. I take hydrochlorothiazide, lisinopril, diltiazeme (for blood pressure... the last also for Raynaud's), and ranitidine. I'm still working as a software technical writer, in fact have just started a new job at a small privately owned software company. Many former co-workers also work here, so I had the interesting experience the first week of actually going up to strangers and introducing myself... because there were so few people I didn't know!
V. Ellen Golden
Ellen Golden died Feb 10, 1999 in the presence of her loving and caring family.
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