Scleroderma and the Outcome.

[meggi56]

Why does it take so long to get an answer?My left arm is agony all the time. STILL, I'm undergoing blood tests......

[gheadjoiner]

Im getting pain in left arm also is this through raynauds?

[meggi56]

All I know is that my left arm is painful and weak. And, even though we're in the middle of a heatwave, my left fingers keep turning white and dead. Blood tests borderline scleroderma......BIG HELP!

[tinaparkii]

I no what ur going through with ur arm. I am exactly the same. More so up on wakin every morning. IV had physio and test and waitin now to see somebody else. No joy as of yet tho. Good luck tho x

[meggi56 in reply to tinaparkii]

My GP has recommended taking an extra Gabapentin - which I've been taking for years as part of the pain relief regimen for my spondylolisthesis. I've been taking an extra Gabapentin at midday for the last three days. So far, it SEEMS to be helping. The pain in my upper arm is slightly less, though the soreness and stiffness in my elbow continues. As does the Raynaud's that affects my fingers with monotonous regularity.

Do you find that you get depressed by it all? I do. Each day I rise around half-past five - after yet another restless night - and have a shower. The pain from my spine is always bad at that point. When I get downstairs, I take the Gabapentin and the Co-Codamol (on which I'm dependent) and can find no enthusiasm for the day ahead. It all seems SO bleak. Especially since my son died last November......

I WON'T take anti-depressants, though. I need to try to deal with the pain and decreasing mobility with as clear a head as is possible.

[tinaparkii in reply to meggi56]

Sorry to hear about ur son. That must be hard to cope with with out anythin else. I get so depressed constantly with having heart failure as well im always drained of energy. And I am limited to certain pain killers because of my meds I take for my heart. I to won't take anti depressants. My pain from my arm seems to stem from my shoulder down. I can't even use it until my nifedipene kick in to ease my hand. Then I force myself to use my arm a bit until the pain eases a bit

[meggi56 in reply to tinaparkii]

My son was diagnosed as having Hodgkin's Lymphoma on 22nd October. Such a shock! An avalanche of hospital admissions and diagnostic procedures followed immediately. I was terrified - but suppressed the fear so that I could just BE there for my son & his wife......

He was scheduled to see an oncologist on 23rd November, to discuss treatment options. He was determined to fight - take whatever treatment was offered......But I was SO afraid that the treatment would kill him. He was weak and so thin. I had an intuition that told me tat he couldn't survive chemo and radiation......

The day before that appointment, he collapsed - at his wife's feet. And that was IT! Next time I saw my son, he was dead.

My depression is reactive: the death of my son, my increasing spinal pain and the Raynauld's are the causes. There are no anti-depressants that will help. They can only have an effect if depression is clinical. Mine is NOT clinical. I don't want to be fogged by anti-depressants.

Last time I DID take an anti-depressant - about nine years ago, when my depression WAS clinical, I suffered an adverse reaction. I felt paranoid, had hallucinations and violent headaches. I begged my then GP to wean me off the drug - but he insisted that I give it at least another three months! I ended up deliberately taking an overdose - just so that I could stop taking that drug!

It was extreme. But I HAD to do it. Had to get OFF that drug.

I'll NEVER take that kind of drug again!

I'll live with the pain and its effects. I'll remain dependent on the pain killers. But I will NOT take anti-depressants.

Making contact with someone like you helps. I feel very alone most of the time and don't like to lay my burden on my family.

[tinaparkii in reply to meggi56]

Wow. That is so scary. Couldn't imagine how it must av felt. My heart bleeds for U and his wife. I took anti. Ds for about 2 weeks about 8years ago. But felt like I had no control of anything or any one. So I felt even more down about my life. And instantly stopped taking them. I told myself daily only myself can change my life and still tell myself this now but it doesn't work any more I don't have that fight in me to get out of it. And sit ere daily on my own. My daughter calls most days for a bit and tries to make me get out for a bit. But even that is to much most days. And I come bk and sit alone again. Id love to get up and go walks to get out of the house its not good at all is it. And I feel so sad when I hear others feel this way. Like urself.

[meggi56 in reply to tinaparkii]

Any chance that you & I can continue our communication via email? This site feels rather restrictive.

My email address is: [e-mail]

Up to you, of course.

[tinaparkii in reply to meggi56]

Sorry. Went of for a bit as have to rest my hand you see. But yes that's fine. Il email U now then il av my email addy

[Karina in reply to tinaparkii]

I to get arm pain on the left side. My GP gave me a lidoderm patch and I wear it to go to sleep and my pain has subsided! I hope your pain goes away

[meggi56 in reply to Karina]

Latest on my blockedartery. Surgeon now tells me - out of the blue - that he can't carry out the proposed angioplasty because blocked artery is too close to brain. Risk of stroke during procedure. So, he leaves me with useless left ajnd and shrugs off resulting lessening of life quality. End of story.