| Associated Conditions: MAIN MENU | |
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| Autoimmune Diseases: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) | | This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. See Disclaimer. | | | |
| Personal Stories of Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| These stories are from people who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or who have been nearly diagnosed, or misdiagnosed with it; as well as those who have RA in overlap with other autoimmune diseases. (Also see: Difficult Diagnosis) |
| 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... |
| Anna: Linear Scleroderma (Poland) I realised that it is not worthwhile to give up, even during the most difficult moments; it is necessary to fight and to believe that it will be better. If I had not believed I would not have been alive now... |
| Becky H: CREST Scleroderma I am interested in becoming a pen pal with someone so that we can be supportive to each other as changes occur and compare notes... |
| Beverly: CREST Scleroderma I was overtired and needed naps in the afternoon, pain was slowly getting the better of me and I finally went to the doctor... |
| Boo: CREST Scleroderma Finally in 1994, it was labeled as CREST syndrome, which is a form of systemic scleroderma... |
| Darlene: Diffuse Scleroderma (New Jersey) Now that I have become more knowledgeable about scleroderma, I feel I can cope with it better... |
| Dawn M: Linear/Systemic Scleroderma My family
and I were informed by the doctors, that the localized/linear form of scleroderma that I was diagnosed with, would never progress into the
potentially fatal, systemic form... |
| Debbie 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? |
| Debby B: Systemic Sclerosis I began experiencing unexplained aches and fatigue, along with swelling and numbness in my hands, at the end of 1999... |
| Dianne R: Crest, Pulmonary Fibrosis Twelve years ago they told me I would never see fifty and I have beaten them by three years... |
| Franco: Sjögren's Syndrome (Italy) My name is Franco, I am 57 years old, and three years ago I was diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome... |
| (Italiano) Franco: Sindrome di Sjögren Sono Franco ho 57 anni,da tre anni mi hanno diagnosticato la Sindrome di Sjögren, ma in realta' sono quasi trenta anni che ne soffro. |
| Iris: Family History of Scleroderma Is there anyone else who feels that their family has a history of scleroderma? |
| Jim: Scleroderma I have already been found fully disabled by Social Security for my ankle alone, but this isn't enough for the good folks at the insurance company... |
| Jo: Mother of a Child with Morphea Scleroderma Last year we noticed that our daughter had a blotchy, purple/red "rash"... |
| Joanne: Diffuse Scleroderma (Now in memory of Joanne by Lis) My hands became very swollen and I was unable to make a fist... |
| Johnny: CREST Scleroderma I have just won the fight to save my left foot. I spent the previous year and half fighting to save my big toe, but it had to go, because the pain was so unbearable... |
| Keith H: Eosinophilic Fasciitis (EF) I have a rare skin disease called eosinophilic fascitiis, a skin and muscle disease which causes tightness of the skin, and sometimes a reddish coloration of the skin in areas... |
| Keua: Possibly Scleroderma I finally decided to see my doctor when I could not even straighten my fingers without pain and discomfort and was feeling extremely lethargic... |
| Kevin: Undiagnosed Scleroderma, Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc.? All I do is live, sleep and breathe the pain in my hand... |
| LadyBugDi: Acrocyanosis (now Raynaud's) I was tired of going to the doctor and being told it was from stress... |
| 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 C: Limited Scleroderma My mother has rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and my thirteen-year-old daughter has what is believed to be early lupus... |
| Lyn: Systemic Sclerosis I thought my life was ending and that I would never have that little girl I always wanted. I was wrong. I did make it through somehow... |
| Martina: Linear Morphea (Ireland) I am twenty-four years old. I was diagnosed with linear morphea in September... |
| Natasha Lubin: My Eyes Say It All When I was only eight years old, my hands were blue, red, white, purple, numb, stinging... |
| Papa V: Lupus, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, and Scleroderma About thirty years passed, and then—BAM !—I got a heart blockage, stroke, liver biopsy due to elevated enzymes, skin rash, high blood pressure, very high ANA... . |
| Shar: Lupus, Scleroderma, Sjögren's, and Fibromyalgia Was my battle with Hepatitis C worth it? Yes! |
| Sue "SASA": Morphea Scleroderma I am a thirty-eight-year-old woman living in South Australia, where there is a high incidence of morphea... |
| Susie: CREST Syndrome I have had CREST syndrome for the past eight years. My specialist is Dr. Frederick Wigley, from Johns Hopkins... |
| 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... |
| Yuri: CREST Syndrome Now, one month before my nineteenth birthday, I live with CREST Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, acid reflux and anemia... |
