Could it be scleroderma

[Queencara78]

Hi all just wanted to share my recent symptoms and hopefully someone will be able to relate to them.

I was diagnosed in 2014 with Raynauds phenomenon, and been under a rheumatologist since 2015. Blood results were always ANA negative until 2016 1/160 titer with a nucleolar staining pattern.

I have many symptoms including extreme fatigue, muscle pains and skin complaints but recently my fingers are swollen like sausages are shiny and difficult to clench a fist and my raynauds has become increasingly worse.

Has anyone else experienced a similar pattern of disease activity? Can anyone tell me if i should be concerned, as after looking at a recent study of the link between scleroderma and Raynauds phenomenon, it states that a positive ANA especially when the patient has Raynauds then it should automatically raise suspicion of scleroderma.

[Hidden]

It certainly sounds like scleroderma to me but would ask your rheumatologist

[Irene55]

My hands went like that before I was diagnosed with Scleroderma but I had many other symptoms too.

[marilynmcl in reply to Irene55]

Same here....but best to ask rheumatologist...but your symptoms are exactly like mine...but I have systemic sclerosis which is affecting my lungs quite badly so fingers...swollen as they may be...crossing you don't have this symptom too. xx

[Irene55]

No, I have diffuse Scleroderma with a Polymiositis overlap. So it means I have a milder form of each. In this way I am lucky. I do have Raynauds as well.

[cowhide]

There is a scoring system for diagnosing systemic sclerosis, based on a variety of issues. rheumtutor.com/2013-acreula... so, as you have had a blood test - one of the few items that you can't assess yourself, you can see how many points you would score. Then discuss with rheumatologist.