WELL WATER

[Cubby]

I just met a lady who believes that her Scleroderma was caused by her well water being contaminated with VINYL CHLORIDE. She developed Scleroderma years later, but her husband also had neurological problems.

We all wonder what caused this----stress, dental infections, contrast CT scan dyes, etc. However, back in the beginning we were in Maryland and my first thought when I had symptoms, but no diagnosis, was that it was my well water.

Isn't it interesting to finally meet someone who believes it was her well water. Soooo, wonder how many people have, or had, well water before getting scleroderma.

[beebell]

I believe almost anything can trigger diseases. Dr. Franco theory is that autoimmune diseases are caused but virus. So many things can set it off such as the foods we eat, aggressive medications ( it can cause disease to spread), Bug bites, environmental chemicals ( cigarettes, second hand smoke) and Stress. For me I think ACRYLIC NAILS triggered Scleroderma I had them a year and then noticed my first symptom. Who knows but its an eye opener isn't it.......

[sherion]

In my case I don't think it has anything to do with well water. The only time I MAY have been in contact with well water was when I was a baby and my family lived deep in the south. There was no running water there but I don't believe there was any way for it to have been contaminated with Vinyl Chloride. I also have a tendency to believe it originally started with a virus but was set off by stress.

Sherion

[steve201]

mine was definitely set off by stress.....but another theory is the metal dental fillings I had contributed...I have spent a ton of money getting them taken out and composite fillings installed....I've also spent a ton of money to learn how to destress ....still spending money on that !!..haha..

Steve

[Cubby]

Yes, deep in my heart, I will always believe that mine was caused by a terrible bacteria infection that I got at the dentist. However, I did have faulty well water back then, right around the same time, when we relocated to Maryland for those 4 years.

[deannagraham]

I saw an interesting chart that illustrated how scleroderma probably occurs. Simplistically, it was 1) genetic predisposition allowing the dsease 2) early life expsoure to a chemical or living organism 3) later life trigger or triggers such as stress -either physical or psycholgical and chemical. I saw this at Duke in one of the exam rooms and wish I had asked for a photcopy. I can put my finger on qua;ifiers for all three areas in my life. Did you know there are several Choctaw families living in Oklahoma that have multiple members in each generation that have scleroderma?

[Cubby]

DEANNAGRAHAM: That is really great info! Thanks!

[kathleen]

I was born in Montana and we lived in the oil fields in company housing where my father worked. No running water or indoor plumbing. The water came from a sistron (sp) metal water tank in the ground and we used a one arm pump to get water out of it. When my dad would pull the lid to see how much was left, there was often critters floating in it. Pretty sure it was contaminated. When we moved to Oregon I was 8 and we lived off well water until I moved from home @ 20. My symptoms started at 18, raynauds first, then arthritis, stomach aliments etc. At 20 they thought I had Lupus, at 30 they said SD Crest. OHSU in Portland indicated that they thouhgt it could be triggered by asbestos and did a long interview about all the places I had lived. I beleive I had it for a long time before real signs showed. I had what my Mother always called growing pains that were very painfull some days. At 55 now with SD, Sjogrens, barretts esph, full charge CREST and few other ailments to go along with everything else. So I guess it could be in the water so to speak. Anything is possible.
Kathleen

[Cubby]

I, too, have a feeling I had it for a while before I got the really bad symptoms.