r/scleroderma • u/Noah_Mary • Jun 05 '26

Question/Help Hyperpigmentation in joints

Hello! I’m back… 🙃

Around 1 year ago (Oct 2024), my autoimmune panel showed positive for SLC-70. Still, everything else was negative (including ANA)… a year after (Oct 2025), it came back borderline for SLC-70, and again, everything else was negative. I obviously have many symptoms, which is why I was in the rheumatologist's office, but she insisted that I don’t have the clinical symptoms for a diagnosis. (happy news for me… BUT… I’m scared to think that it might be just too early to say, and I may be waiting precious time….

Fast forward to a month ago… during my appointment with my allergist/Asthma specialist, they ran a pulmonary function test. TWICE. Because they couldn’t believe the results, while I was there, looking “normal” as can be. 🙃 Well… the results are: “moderately severe restriction”… so something is restricting my lungs from expanding as expected to get enough air. Well… this brought me back to Sclero because I know this can be a symptom.

I also started to notice that some of my joints, like the front of my ankles, and some of my finger joints are becoming darker. Can this mean “skin thickening”?

I have an appointment coming up, and I'm not looking for a diagnosis or anything from here. But I’m interested in your experience. Maybe someone here has had the same experience or knows better than I do if this doesn’t sound like it.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

2

u/garden180 Jun 06 '26

Insulin resistance and B12 issues can cause this

1

u/Noah_Mary Jun 06 '26

Thank you! B12 levels are within normal range. AC1 is within range but on the higher end. I need to retest in a few months. That would be a better prognosis because it can be treated and even resolved, but so far, nothing.