Putting Scleroderma into Remission with Katie Spilka

This week’s story features Katie Spilka who shares her story of being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called scleroderma at age 16 and how CrossFit and a positive outlook have helped her put her symptoms into remission.
Katie was an everyday teenager when she first experienced unusual symptoms, including numbness in her fingers. Because of her family’s medical history, Katie’s mom advocated for her to see a rheumatologist, and conversations with the doctor revealed that symptoms Katie had thought were normal were actually signs of scleroderma.
After 5 years of treatment involving some heavy hitting medications, Katie worked with her doctor to begin weaning off some of her prescriptions. Says Katie, “At this time I was 20 years old and scared yet relieved that I would be able to feel “normal” again. I knew I needed to do more for myself to keep myself well.”
She made the leap to join a CrossFit affiliate and the workouts and community were instrumental in helping her re-build strength she had lost to her disease, as well as providing an incentive to improve her nutrition.
As an adult, Katie, inspired by her rheumatologist, has gone on to become a nurse so that she can help care for others. She continues to experience remission from her symptoms and says, “I have now been weaned off all my medications that I was taking for my scleroderma and trying to take it one day at a time taking the best care of myself that I can!”
You can connect with Katie via Instagram @kspilkz
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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

[@RebeccaSong]

I was 11 when I got diagnosed and boy do I wish they gave me therapy to help me navigate it. You look great! You have zero visible manifestations, which is a blessing! ❤️

[@Angelaangelinoo_]

Bless you ❤ So when you got diagnosed nobody started you on a treatment? How long it took you to find out that you had scleroderma from you first sign let’s say ?

[@RebeccaSong]

@@Angelaangelinoo_ My parents noticed changes when I was around 6/7 years old. We didn’t have health insurance to go to the doctor until I turned 11 & that’s when the doctors figured it out. As soon as I got diagnosed, I was started on medication treatment~

[@Angelaangelinoo_]

God bless you 🙏🏻🫶🏻 thank you for the reply and I’m really sorry you couldn’t go earlier and for going through this at such a young age. My symptoms started last January and after 5 months I went to the doc as i didn’t find it normal. I was very persistent and went to more than 4 doc at the same time. I started already treatment a month after diagnosis. Are you now in remission or the condition is still active? If you don’t mind me asking what medication you are on now and do you use anything specific for the skin that you have seen results ? Thank you 🙏🏻

[@CoolInOlympia]

Great interview! What a fun person! So glad she is happy and so well!!!

[@lillyrocks2011]

I pray for a medication for our skin! ⚕️🙏🏼🕯️ To control or to stop the collagen over production.. It's terrible what this disease causes us😢. I hope scientists, pharma find better medications so we can live the most normal possible. 🙏🏼

[@JaneWestdyke]

Can I ask what your SCL-70 was? This was very informative. I'm glad you look so well...

[@NessrineEl]

هذا تحليل دم تصلب مجموعي

[@rachelsmith9823]

Hi my name is Rachel Smith , I would rather not be here any more the pain is all day and night , all most 30;years I have crest sick of the pain as with pain causes depression