I am 41 and my mom is 59. We both have SCT but in our country they don't tell us the type. I have had several unexplained issues develop since my late teens which I will list another time. My mom is a breast cancer survivor and gets several tests regularly. One of her meds may affect the liver over time yet in the last two years it's her kidney function that is decreasing slowly. The doctor told her last week it's unlikely to be related to the cancer treatment and is more likely to be a result of having SCT. This despite being told for years SCT can't cause any problems as long as we don't fly in an unpressurized aircraft or go mountain climbing! Apparently, SCT can have serious effects on our kidneys!
My issues over time have included:
- Kidney infection with no identifiable cause that took 5 months to resolve
- Pain in bones and joints in cold weather along with stiffness and feeling cold before everyone else does
- Mysterious black and blue spots on legs
- Low haemoglobin levels in pregnancy but normal iron levels
- Low blood pressure during pregnancy to slightly high but within normal range for my age otherwise
- Headaches too often
- Difficulty breathing, mild dizziness and extreme fatigue in hot weather
- Heart palpitations on occasion
- Bursting of tiny blood vessels in the eyes at least 4 times in 15 years. This was the funniest one. My doctor first said maybe a mosquito had bitten my eyeball when I was sleeping the first time it happened. I don't sleep with my eyes open - my husband confirmed - so I instantly knew he was talking foolishness. I happened again and he went over my file and said it's not uncommon with SCT. It resolved on it's own and I didn't go back when it happened twice after.
- Slightly low vitamin B12 level but was told that it's not low enough to cause problems and the level has been constant since childhood. Vitamin supplements don't raise it.
The list goes on and on. I constantly drink water and juices all day long so I couldn't be simply dehydrated and when I don't drink something regularly I begin to feel slightly off key. My appetite is poor but I drink a lot. I also got normal lupus and anticardiolipid test results. I function fairly fine generally and the symptoms are generally manageable with OTC meds. I mostly only have very bad days when the weather is off. I can often tell when it's going to get rainy or cold by the starting of the pains. Not diabetic and good lung function was the results of recent tests. Doctor says I am very healthy so this is confusing!
