Testimonials

Scleroderma - Debbie B - Testimonial

In the spring of 1997, Debbie B. experienced a painful tightening and swelling in her hands. The family doctor ran tests, and then referred her to the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis for evaluation. The hand specialists determined that Emma suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome and advised surgery. She agreed to the procedure.

“When I went back to the hand center for my final check up,” she says. “The doctor said that something must be wrong, because I was not recovering from the surgery the way that they had anticipated.”

Her physician performed additional testing, but when test results returned normal, he referred Debbie to a rheumatologist for further consultation.

“The rheumatologist again ran tests and diagnosed me with scleroderma—an autoimmune disorder—in September 1997,” Debbie recalls. “I had never heard of the disease before. Scleroderma is such a rare disease. By this time in January 1998, I was experiencing problems with walking. When we went on vacation that year, I wasn’t able to sit on the plane because of the severe and painful swelling. I had to get up and walk around.”

In the ensuing months, her legs, feet, and arms began to swell, and she noted a hardening of the skin on the arms and legs. When the medication that the rheumatologist had prescribed did not alleviate symptoms, Debbie requested a second opinion and was referred to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. where researchers conducted additional testing, again confirming the diagnosis of scleroderma.

The condition was progressing at a rapid rate.

“By this time, I was having trouble with upper body strength,” she says. “I couldn’t bend my hands or use my upper body for almost anything. Lifting was hard. When I unloaded the dishwasher, it would take two hands to lift the plate from the dishwasher to the cabinet. I was pretty much a mess. Finally, a friend mentioned Dr. Dale Guyer’s name to me, and I made an appointment.”

In August 1998, Debbie went to her first appointment with Dr. Guyer. After careful evaluation of her medical history, consultation, and blood analysis, Dr. Guyer began treating Debbie with hormone, intravenous vitamin, and antibiotic therapies, along with other supplementary measures to support Debbie’s depleted system in the hope of slowing the rapid progression of the disease.

The program worked.

“I feel that the disease has stopped progressing. I see a significant change in my health today,” Debbie is now happy to relate. “The softness has been restored to my skin. And while walking used to be very difficulty, today I am able to exercise. I even returned to my fulltime job.”

While scleroderma is to date incurable, Debbie continues her battle against the progression of the disease.

“We hope that in the next few months, it will be in remission,” she says. “And we are heading in the direction.”