The Scleroderma Association of NSW Inc. 

cannot offer direct advice on treatment or available therapies. 

It is up to each patient to make all relevant health decisions

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   From Our Newsletters

Prozac for Raynaud's Sufferers

Pill for Depression Gives Relief

 (Taken from the Exeter Express & Echo and cited in "Hot News ", Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association, Issue 101. Vol 3. 2007 in Scleroderma Outlook No. 165 Nov. 2007 (pgs 5 & 6))

Susan Bloomfield, 68 from Cheriton Bishop, near Okehampton used to suffer from regular Raynaud' s attacks but these have all but disappeared -thanks to a drug called Fluoxetine, the main ingredient in Prozac, which is most commonly used to treat depression.

She says: "In 1998, after I retired from teaching, I had a throat operation to remove a benign tumour. I used to sing a lot, but after the operation I found I couldn't sing, so I queried it with the surgeon. They ended up thinking I had scleroderma, a connective tissue disorder, which can affect the internal organs and the blood supply. I had lots of tests, including a thermal scan on my hands and was then told I had Raynaud's. I was also diagnosed with Sjorgren's Syndrome, which means I have dry eyes and a dry mouth. I had always had cold hands and chilblains and all my joints, especially my knees and hips, were bad, but I thought it was part of getting older."

Susan was prescribed blood pressure medication and had hot wax treatments on her hands at the hospital once a week to aid her circulation. She was then advised to invest in her own wax bath, so she could use it daily at home. "I also went into hospital every six months for iloprost, which they gave me to increase the blood supply to my fingers and toes,"added Susan.

“Raynaud’s made daily tasks difficult. If I was washing clothes and had to put my hands in cold water, it  would really hurt, and so would hanging out the washing or paddling in the river or the sea. The blood doesn't come back to the extremities."

In 2001 Susan's mother died. Finding it hard to cope she was prescribed Prozac for her depression.

“Almost straight away, I noticed that my feet were feeling better and I didn't need to wear my gloves for choir anymore, but I didn't understand why it was. I then read an article about people  with Raynaud' s unexpectedly benefiting from a drug called Fluoxetine. I didn't know that I was taking it, but I had a look at my pills and was surprised to discover it was the main ingredient in Prozac. Ever since then, although I've said to the doctor that I'm not depressed anymore, I still take it for the Raynaud's."

Susan sees a specialist at the Royal Davon & Exeter Hospital once a year and still needs to wear socks at night but she no longer spends weeks at a time receiving treatment. That means that, although her voice has dropped from a soprano to that of a tenor or bass, she is free to enjoy singing in the Benefice Choir – and playing the organ at Pathfinder village church.

“As long as I'm on the Prozac, the future looks good" she said. "1 thought I would have to come off it because I wasn't depressed, but I was told that it is keeping my blood vessels healthy. I hope it will stay that way."