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Question:
Rose, I am not sure why your father has been on kidney dialysis, but there are a number of disorders which can have scleroderma like skin changes associated with them. Localized scleroderma (Morphea) is a specific disorder which does not present in the way you have indicated. I have extracted below a section of my scleroderma FAQ on Scleroderma-Like disorders which may help. The full FAQ is located at: http://www.synnovation.com/sclerodermafaq.html I hope this helps. Ed ehar…@synnovation.com Scleroderma-Like Disorders ————————– Morphea, or localized Scleroderma, usually begins between the ages of 20 to 50 years as patches of yellowish or ivory-colored rigid, dry skin. These are followed by the appearance of firm, hard, oval-shaped plaques with ivory centers that are encircled by a violet ring. These spots generally appear on the trunk, face, and/or extremities. Many patients with localized Morphea improve without treatment. Generalized Morphea is more rare and serious, and involves the skin but not the internal organs. Linear Scleroderma appears as a band-like thickening of skin on the arms or legs. This type of Scleroderma is most likely to be on one side of the body but may be on both sides. Linear Scleroderma generally appears in young children and is characterized by the failure of one limb (i.e., arm or leg) to grow as rapidly as its counterpart. Diffuse fasciitis with eosinophilia (DFE; also called eosinophilic fasciitis or Shulman’s syndrome) is a rare condition that mimics Scleroderma with swelling, stiffness, and decreased flexibility of the limbs associated with skin thickening. Although the symptoms can be widespread and involve the trunk and limbs, in contrast to Scleroderma, the fingers, hands, and face are usually not affected. In addition, there is no occurrence of Raynaud’s or GI involvement. Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) and toxic oil syndrome (TOS) are toxin-induced disorders that mimic Scleroderma. Both conditions result in skin fibrosis and can become chronic. Scleroderma-like skin changes have also been associated with insulin-dependent diabetes, carcinoid syndrome, myeloma, scleromyxedema, chronic graft-versus-host disease, porphyria cutanea tarda, Werner’s syndrome, progeria, phenylketonuria, bleomycin exposure, local lipodystrophies, and POEMS syndrome. On 26 May 1998 14:01:12 GMT, "Rose LoCastro" <rlocas…@worldnet.att.net> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi >I’m new to this newsgroup and I do not have scleroderma, but my father may >have. He is 65 years old and has been on kidney dialysis for 5 years. A >kidney transplant 4 years ago failed. Approximately a year ago the skin on >his hands began to turn waxy, harden, crack and itch like crazy. Without >going into the long details, suffice to say that after being seen and >treated by many doctors, no one has yet come up with a satisfactory >diagnosis. What the doctors have settled on is "localized scleroderma". I >spoke with his dermatologist and she said that although it presents like >scleroderma, it doesn’t test like scleroderma. Creams and light treatment >have not helped. In the meantime, he’s going out of his mind with the >itch. He’s scheduled to see a rhuematologist next month. >My question is, has anyone experienced "localized scleroderma" to the >hands? Is there anything that can help ease the pain and itching? Any >insight will be greatly appreciated. >Rose
—————————————————————– Ed Harris ehar…@synnovation.com If found listless or depressed, administer chocolate immediately! —————————————————————–
Response:
Hi I’m new to this newsgroup and I do not have scleroderma, but my father may have. He is 65 years old and has been on kidney dialysis for 5 years. A kidney transplant 4 years ago failed. Approximately a year ago the skin on his hands began to turn waxy, harden, crack and itch like crazy. Without going into the long details, suffice to say that after being seen and treated by many doctors, no one has yet come up with a satisfactory diagnosis. What the doctors have settled on is "localized scleroderma". I spoke with his dermatologist and she said that although it presents like scleroderma, it doesn’t test like scleroderma. Creams and light treatment have not helped. In the meantime, he’s going out of his mind with the itch. He’s scheduled to see a rhuematologist next month. My question is, has anyone experienced "localized scleroderma" to the hands? Is there anything that can help ease the pain and itching? Any insight will be greatly appreciated. Rose
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