lazarus16
22-11-16, 18:15
Hi everyone,
I managed to keep my health anxiety at bay but apparently all good things must come to an end.
For the last couple of months I have been consumed by fear of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis).
The symptoms I have noticed so far include the following:
- a single patch of pale skin on the back of the upper part of my left arm.It is especially visible in natural daylight but it definitely is hypopigmented. Unfortunately, the hypopigmentation seems to spare the areas around hair follicles which is a characteristic of the kind of hypopigmentation occurring in scleroderma
- 4 whiteish/pinkish/transparent/hypopigmented (I'm sorry if this sounds bizarre but I really find it hard to explain their appearance) scar-like dots on the skin of my right hand and similar 2 dots on the inner side of my right elbow. They look a bit like the lesions of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (a benign condition) but my dermatologist does not believe this is what they are, since they usually affect people in their 40s (I'm 24) and typically involve forearms and shins. However, she did not provide a definitive diagnosis either for them or the pale patch on my upper arm so I feel like I'm stuck in a limbo
- several telangiectasias (blanchable pink or red dots) on both my hands
- redness around the base of my fingernails
- tiny red dot on the cuticle of my left middle finger. It does look like a tiny haemorrhage seen in patients with connective tissue diseases
- a whole array of neurological symptoms that have been occurring for the last three years (twitching muscles all over body, droopy eyelid, perceived trouble swallowing, perceived weakness in right arm and right leg and many more), although I don't believe they are related to the ones listed above and I accept anxiety and stress as their explanation
I don't have Raynaud's, and also don't think I have any skin hardening. My recent complete blood count and urine sample test came back normal but they're unfortunately of no value in diagnosing scleroderma.
I have a very difficult time dealing with the symptoms, especially as some of them (e.g. the blood dot on cuticle) appeared only after I found out what they were, so there is no way they had been present before or I'm imagining it.
I'm doing my best to maintain some composure but, still being quite young, I really fear the impact that the potential diagnosis might have on my life. I have an awful lot to live for - my parents; my brother, who has recently overcome his depression and is finally living the life he deserves; my girlfriend, who is the sweetest and kindest person under the sun; dozens of good people that I am honoured to be able to call my friends.
I apologise for being pessimistic.
I managed to keep my health anxiety at bay but apparently all good things must come to an end.
For the last couple of months I have been consumed by fear of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis).
The symptoms I have noticed so far include the following:
- a single patch of pale skin on the back of the upper part of my left arm.It is especially visible in natural daylight but it definitely is hypopigmented. Unfortunately, the hypopigmentation seems to spare the areas around hair follicles which is a characteristic of the kind of hypopigmentation occurring in scleroderma
- 4 whiteish/pinkish/transparent/hypopigmented (I'm sorry if this sounds bizarre but I really find it hard to explain their appearance) scar-like dots on the skin of my right hand and similar 2 dots on the inner side of my right elbow. They look a bit like the lesions of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (a benign condition) but my dermatologist does not believe this is what they are, since they usually affect people in their 40s (I'm 24) and typically involve forearms and shins. However, she did not provide a definitive diagnosis either for them or the pale patch on my upper arm so I feel like I'm stuck in a limbo
- several telangiectasias (blanchable pink or red dots) on both my hands
- redness around the base of my fingernails
- tiny red dot on the cuticle of my left middle finger. It does look like a tiny haemorrhage seen in patients with connective tissue diseases
- a whole array of neurological symptoms that have been occurring for the last three years (twitching muscles all over body, droopy eyelid, perceived trouble swallowing, perceived weakness in right arm and right leg and many more), although I don't believe they are related to the ones listed above and I accept anxiety and stress as their explanation
I don't have Raynaud's, and also don't think I have any skin hardening. My recent complete blood count and urine sample test came back normal but they're unfortunately of no value in diagnosing scleroderma.
I have a very difficult time dealing with the symptoms, especially as some of them (e.g. the blood dot on cuticle) appeared only after I found out what they were, so there is no way they had been present before or I'm imagining it.
I'm doing my best to maintain some composure but, still being quite young, I really fear the impact that the potential diagnosis might have on my life. I have an awful lot to live for - my parents; my brother, who has recently overcome his depression and is finally living the life he deserves; my girlfriend, who is the sweetest and kindest person under the sun; dozens of good people that I am honoured to be able to call my friends.
I apologise for being pessimistic.