Irish Raynaud's & Scleroderma Society

Carers Home Page

If you are caring for someone with Scleroderma, or for someone with Raynaud’s, you need to know first of all that these conditions affect a lot of different body systems. The person you are caring for may have symptoms that they have not told their doctor about, and you should be alert to a variety of problems that may occur. Many or most of these may be related to Scleroderma.

Raynaud’s

The Scleroderma patient will almost certainly have Raynaud’s, probably quite badly, and so please visit the Patient Information page (Managing Raynaud’s) on this website for help with this. Should your patient be unable to tell you if he/she is cold, please check the feet for white or blue toes, and for sores that take a long while to heal.

Heating aids

Raynaud’s sufferers can be made much more comfortable with some simple aids, so please visit the Products page on this website.  These items can be bought online, or they can be ordered by mail. 

Make a list of the products required and send it, with a cheque or postal order made out to the IRSS for the full amount, to The Irish Raynaud’s & Scleroderma Society, P.O. Box 2958, Foxrock, Dublin 18.

What is effected by scleroderma?

The following body systems are commonly affected by Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma). The entire digestive system, for instance, is usually affected, causing difficulty in swallowing, reflux, bowel problems, and sometimes incontinence. Please visit our Scleroderma pages for more information:

• Swallowing
• Reflux
• Digestion
• Bowels
• Lungs
• Heart
• Skin
• Joints
• Kidneys

Dry Eyes

When the eyes are very dry, this is usually a sign of an associated condition known as Sjögren’s Syndrome. Please see our Associated Conditions page for more information on this painful symptom.

Foot Care

It is recommended that people with Raynaud’s and Scleroderma have their feet attended to by a qualified podiatrist. The nails may need particular care, and ulcerations are likely on the toes.

The Gut

Problems with the gut are extremely common in Scleroderma patients and yet they are reluctant to discuss these with their doctors. Problems may include loss of weight, diarrhoea and constipation, improperly closing sphincters, and failure to digest food properly. Please ensure that the doctor knows about these problems as help is available.

Resources

Here you will find resources, downloads, and links to enable you to help the person you are caring for to manage his or her condition better. We also encourage you to contact us for information not currently found on this website.

Age Action www.ageaction.ie/caring

Carers Ireland http://www.carersireland.com

Want to nominate someone as Carer of the Year? Get the details, and download a form at www.carersireland.com/promote_aware.htm

Caring for Carers www.caringforcarers.org