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Personal Stories of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Author: Shelley Ensz. Scleroderma is highly variable. See Types of Scleroderma. Read Disclaimer

Photo of Seagull by Janet PaulmennThese 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 realized 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…

id="natasha">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…

Go to Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
 
 

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