I have suffered from Psoriasis since I was a child and had no idea it was an Autoimmune Disease until I was diagnosed with Collagenous Colitis in my forties, Rheumatoid Arthritis 5 years later and more recently Scleroderma after my stomach started getting hard and itchy. I was angry about the Scleroderma diagnosis because I couldn’t believe I had been hit by yet another Autoimmune Disease, but was also shocked as well because the Dermatologist confirmed I had the tell-tale signs of Scleroderma on my back. Growing up I had been led to believe that the eyesore on my back was scar tissue resulting from a riding accident … when I was 9 years old. So I had been living with the condition for most of my life. I have now started getting recurrent bouts of Uveitis/Iritis a condition also attributed to Autoimmune Disease. I am full of steroids to manage the Collagenous Colitis and put up with the various side effects, weight gain, candida in my gullet which requires additional medication, nausea, although I cannot solely blame the steroids for that. Nobody told me when I started taking steroids orally I would end up with candida in my gullet, along with all the other side effects I find out about whilst taking the meds.
• Thinning of the skin, easy bruising;
• Headache;
• Runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat;
• Muscle pain;
• Mild nausea, stomach pain, indigestion;
So the objective of this group is to provide help to autoimmune sufferers. Somewhere we can all share our positive experiences about coping with the diverse illnesses that fall under the umbrella of autoimmune disease. Such as, success with prescribed medicines, natural remedies that have helped, or mindfulness techniques. Sally Edmondson 26/11/2017
