SCARED.....SO VERY SCARED....

I agree with tammy,  your diet might be causing  autoimmune issues.  For a month try eating only whole foods.  This means foods with one ingredient.   Poultry, and beef (organic grass fed if possible)  fish (wild not farm raised if possible), vegetables, fruits, nuts.     

Nothing processed meaning nothing out of a box, or bag.   Some foods can be inflammatory for some people can cause problems like you are mentioning.  I wouldn't eat any dairy for a month because that can also be inflammatory to some.

Try it!  Eating whole foods that God gave us are always the best for us.  

No, do not eat immune boosting foods. That is the opposite of what you want to do if you have an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune diseases cause your immune system to be OVERACTIVE, not underactive.

Make sure that you get a referral to see a rheumatologist who can determine what connective tissue disease you have (if you have one, which sounds like you might)

But don't worry. There are meds that can help you and being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease is not a death sentence. Hang in there!

Unlike other blood tests that can generate false positives, the SCL-70 blood test is very accurate when it comes to a positive result. The antibodies are very specific to scleroderma and are very rarely present with other diseases or disorders. There are no known published cases of SCL-70 antibodies being associated with other conditions.

Unlike other blood tests that can generate false positives, the SCL-70 blood test is very accurate when it comes to a positive result. The antibodies are very specific to scleroderma and are very rarely present with other diseases or disorders. There are no known published cases of SCL-70 antibodies being associated with other conditions.

I say stick to a whole food plant diet.  Do Not eat soy Gluten. Diary. And especially Meat of any kind including chicken..  stay Natural..  use Tumeric and Ginger to reduce inflammation.  I been doing it for 7 months.  I know you’re scared I also have autoimmune it’s very scary and depressing   Don’t give up and start making food work as medicine.  The inflammation has to calm down. Stay away from all processed foods.  Go see your Doctor...  please keep me posted.  Was your ANA positive? Do your research..  Prayers 🙏🙏🙏. 

Hi Tammy,

I'm in a similar boat. For 8 months now I have a laundry list of symptoms. Worse ones are swollen turbinates in my nose, very hard of breath which I'm suspecting is lung inflammation not asthma, hair loss with an itchy burning scalp, significant weight loss even when I've been over on calories, the flu 3 times, coldsore/ulcers 4 times (mainly in my nose), blocked ears, sore neck, migraines, anxiety, it goes on. I only get temporary times were I feel more normal-ish and then it comes back worse. I've presented to the doctor numerous times, mainly about my breathing and they shrug me off saying it's allergies and asthma or make me out to be a hypochondriac. I'm on my third doctor now. Bloods came back positive for ANA and Rheumatoid factor but not dsDNA or ELA, so last time I went he said "it's not an autoimmune disease" to which I was a bit taken aback and replied "I still have my suspicions". I'm going back again on Monday and insisting on a referral to a Rheumatologist as I suspect Lupus and this obviously goes above just allergies. Sounds like you may be in a similar boat. I've been talking to people here and they say it's very hard to get doctors to diagnose so we have to be persistent... Has you doctor been supportive? How long have you been having your symptoms?

I have looked up your test result on the internet.   You don’t say what your diagnosis is but, according to the test result it is probably Scleroderma.  I have just recently had a diagnosis of Lupus or Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), another autoimmune disease closely related to Scleroderma.  Both have the “CREST” symptoms –

C             Calcium deposits which cause thickening of the skin in nodules (like my right palm which has pulled my 3rd finger down).

R             Reynaud’s Disease or white finger due to cold and damaged blood vessels (arterioles) bringing insufficient blood in suddenly cold conditions – I have this too, only discovered the name recently.

E              Heartburn which can be quite severe with difficulty swallowing and acid reflux. Yep gottit!

S              Sclerodactyly – I had to look this one up. It’s shortness of breath usually accompanied with dizziness, chest pain, fainting, chronic fatigue, and dry cough usually associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension – I think that’s another way of saying difficulty in breathing.  Oh how I wish these guys would use plain English!  I just have the dry cough and throat as in Sjogrens Syndrome.

T              Telangiectasias – looked this one up too. Small dilated blood vessels near the surface known as spider veins.  Still means nothing to me.  Possibly related to Reynaud’s or rosacea.

It’s a strong undeniable result and, the sources say, no change in lifestyle eg diet will help.

NHS UK says (I’m a Brit – not sure what this website covers as I’m a newbie) is a rare condition with hardened areas of skin and sometimes problems with internal organs and blood vessels.  And its chronic ie incurable.  Like Lupus – lupus has lung implications too but I’m not there yet!.

I have chronic dandruff, blepharitis, dry eye, dry throat, mouth and lips, acid refux/heartburn, arthritis, constipation, fatigue and depression.  In a breakthrough last June I found a link to the first of those five in an internet search – demodex mites.

It’s our most common human ectoparasite ie skin parasite, thought not to be a problem.  But if you use google scholar and search “condition + demodex” (or demodicosis the worldwide recognition of the disease) you get some results.

i)                    It’s not a problem unless you have a permanent weakness in your immune system or a temporary weakness due to stress, ageing or medication – in which case you may have an infestation which leads to symptoms such as my six above.  We all have some from your mum at birth, it’s the density that counts. 

ii)                   It’s controversial – UK medical specialists eg Rheumatologists, Opthalmologists know about it but don’t formally recognise it yet – they need prodding!

iii)                 There is strong, but so far only circumstantial evidence, that they may be the cause of various forms of inflammatory  auto-immune disease of the connective tissues – that includes scleroderma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.  They are known to be a vector for bacteria and fungal infections and they have been linked with vascular and arteriole damage conditions in eg Reynauds.

iv)                 Numerous research studies show that conditions like Blepharitis or Rosacea disappear when treated with a miticide eg ivermectin taken either orally or topically as a cream.

v)                   What triggered my search last June was a painful bite inside my eyelid.  Ten years ago I felt a similar bite inside the top joint of my small finger on my right hand already infected with arthritis in the first two fingers. The pain was brief but my husband and I watched as a thin red line circumnavigated that joint over the space of a week.  Anecdotal evidence, but it does point a finger.

vi)                 We hear constantly about bacteria and viruses but less about fungal infections (eg candida) and even less about parasites.  Why?

It was suggested to me recently that the human body does not attack itself.  But a successful parasite might deceive the immune system by clothing itself in the body’s own fluids eg lipids. Antibodies to these lipids have been found in some of the auto-immune diseases suggesting this might be the case.  Ask about your antibody test.

Its just a theory.  But what have you got to lose?

You’re right to be scared and brave to SHOUT for help as you have done.  Scream, cry, rant to let it all out.  Then calm down as you are the one to save yourself, no-one else.  Think about these ideas, research them for yourself, prepare to stand up to your Rheumatologist, who may not want your views – but you have a right to a second opinion and a right to request that you be given a chance to try out ivermectin, taken daily, orally for at least 4 weeks I suggest.  If there is no improvement you may have to back down – they are the experts.

Corticosteroids weaken the immune system and should be avoided.  Coconut oil in solid cold pressed virgin form half a tablespoon twice a day in yoghurt or tea is an immune system booster but there are other natural boosters if you search.

My prayers are with you.

If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them or send you some of my research – but it seems this Forum is somewhat limited in this regard. 

My friend has a syndrom CREST, which sounds rather like what you are suffering.  Not entirely, but in some respects.  You could check out her blog 'beyondthebellyache.wordpress.com[/b]' I think she has quite a lot of help with her symptoms

Good luck