Scleraderma

[artteacher]

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be giving a friend this link. She has scleraderma, and very similar digestive problems to many of us. She's found a lot of relief by going dairy and egg free.

Some people with scleraderma have collagen in their digestive tract, as well as other places, like fingers. (Sclerderma causes overgrowth in collagen, which is similar to scar tissue, all over the body. So the muscles of the digestive tract can be impaired, or the lining of the intestines can be "scarred" or covered with collagen. So they can get constipation, or diahrrea, or bacterial overgrowth, or all the above.

What is so interesting to me is that she and I can have so many symptoms alike, and intolerances that are alike, but I suppose it's logical.
If she should join and chat, please give her a warm Potty People welcome . . .

I'm not adding a scleraderma link, but if anyone should want to do so, it's pretty interesting. If you do a search on scleraderma + digestion, or collagen, or symptoms, you'll find a lot of resources.

Love, Marsha

[bobh]

Hi everyone!

She has scleraderma, and very similar digestive problems to many of us.

My grandmother had scleraderma, with "chronic colitis". Can you imagine growing up before WW II, prior to the major discoveries of wheat & dairy vs. Digestion? She was not a happy camper.

Your friend has so many more tools. There isn't a "cure", but I'm sure she can control her symptoms. She is lucky you are there to point the way.

[starfire]

I'm glad you gave your friend a heads up about this site, Marsha, and I know she will receive a big welcome.

Bob, I don't envy your Grandma one whit!!! It must have been terrible for her.

Shirley

[artteacher]

Hi,
Thanks for the kind words. I don't think I can help her much, except to share eggf, dairy free recipes. Since I'm finally getting better, I'd like to think that by following my diet she could have remission, but there aren't even many of US (who have a diagnosis of MC) that follow identical diets.

She's a really nice lady. I hope she checks in and shares her background with everyone. I think it is fascinating that we can have so much in common, yet due to different diseases.

Love, Marsha

[harvest_table]

Marsha,

I'll add this link. Have you seen this? Check out the site for much more info. Interesting.

What is Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder?
Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder is an autoimmune process with symptoms of Scleroderma, Myositis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus , Rheumatoid Arthritis and/or other autoimmune diseases. It is a description of a group of symptoms occurring together. This is different from a diagnosis that describes the underlying process.

It is a disorder of the immune system, which normally functions to protect the body against invading infections and cancers, and toxins. In Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder, as in other autoimmune diseases parts of the complex immune system is over-active and produces increased amounts of abnormal antibodies that attack the patient's own organs.

Sometimes MCTD is called Overlap Syndrome or Undifferentiated Mix Connective Tissue Disorder. Some writers discriminate between them claiming that each of these are different. Some argue MCTD is not a distinct entity at all, and is just one of the forms of Lupus or Scleroderma.

MCTD can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, endocrine, digestive, and nervous system, blood vessels which all are made up of connective tissue. There are reports of psychiatric disturbances similar to those found in Lupus. The signs and symptoms of MCTD differ from person to person, with the symptoms of either Lupus, or Scleroderma, or Myositis or other autoimmune disease being most prevalent. Since its manifestations can vary it is often misdiagnosed. The disease can range from mild to life threatening. It can be mild for many years, and then after about 20 years of having the disease a medical crisis may occur. The lungs and kidneys are particularly at risk. Lungs and kidneys symptoms are particularly serious involvement and should be monitored vigilantly by both the doctor and the patient.

It is estimated to attacks women eight to fifteen times more frequently than it attacks men. So, it is primarily a woman's disease, as are most of the 80 or so autoimmune diseases. It is hypothesized that there is a hormonal component to the disease, which accounts for the higher prevalence in women. According to American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people suffer from some 80 autoimmune diseases. Of these, the majority are women with perhaps 30 million affected.

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:b_T ... =clnk&cd=1

Hope your friend joins us.

Love,
Joanna

[mle_ii]

And guess what I think is involved here. Tissue transglutaminase.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissue_transglutaminase

Hmmm... and where else is ttg invoved for sure. Celiac Disease, and where else do I think it's invoved, all of the above in that article along with IBDs including our very own Microscopic Colitis. Biological glue gone bad.

[artteacher]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the links and comments. It's just too spooky, how many similar symptoms AND strategies to help ourselves the two of us have in common. I'm not surprized that you researchers know factual reasons for it.

Gotta go: I hope you're both having good days! Love, Marsha