MCTD Support Group

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or Sharp's syndrome is a human autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body. MCTD combines features of polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic scleroderma and is thus considered an overlap syndrome. MCTD commonly causes joint pain/swelling, Raynaud phenomenon, muscle inflammation, and scarring of...

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cap1972 05/16/2016

My daughter has been ill the last month or so. I asked the doctor to run lab work. She has mono, very high ana titer, elevated sed rate and vitamin D deficiency. The doctor said the mono could possibly cause the ana titer and sed rate to elevate so more lab work was ordered on Friday to try and separate what's causing what. I can't imagine. I'm 40ish and just adjusting the this horrible diagnosis. I can't imagine trying to help her through it at only 17. Do any of you have children who've also tested positive for an auto immune disorder?
Thank you! Just very worried and concerned.

alwayspeachy 05/18/2016

My teen has been worked up several times, but has popped up negative each time.

cap1972 05/18/2016

Thanks for the input! Still waiting on all the final labs! The waiting seems forever!!!!

karenreiter 05/20/2016

I have 6 children, 4 are grown and show no obvious signs though my youngest of those is only 17 and I am beginning to be slightly concerned. In my research on my condition (mctd) I read that it seems to be possible that it can be genetic at times...

dawnc4t 05/21/2016

I have MCTD and my daughter was diagnosed at 3 with juvenile arthritis and my sister has Ra .I also have a son whom is symptom free so it is kind of random .

brunob 05/21/2016

my daughter was dx'd with juvenile mycologic epilepsy at 25 and now at 29 she has been dx'd with diabetes, but they haven't been able to tell if it's type 1 or type 2, she doesn't quite fit in either box. I don't know if any of this is from me ore not, no one else has either of these conditions on either side. I feel so guilty.she is the one that is vegetarian and active and takes such good care of herself and she is having all the trouble. It breaks my heart.

alwezonmymind3 05/23/2016

My daughter is disabled with Sjogren's. We first discovered abnormal blood work when she was 12 and had to have a physical for summer camp. Debilitating symptoms and diagnosis with an autoimmune disease didn't happen for another 15 years or so.

Kristina1 05/24/2016

Hello and hopefully your daughter is alright without any of it ...
... In my case, my mother most certainly suffered, like myself, from SLE/MCTD and it is most likely that I have inherited it from her... that is what the doctors mentioned about "my case" ...
I do hope your daughter is alright without any of it and I wish you both all the best.
Kind regards from Kristina.

cap1972 05/24/2016

Thanks for all of your updates and kind words! The additional blood her pediatrician ordered all came back "negative". That leaves her with a positive ANA of 640, elevated sed rate and elevated RA factor. Waiting on a rheumatologist referral, which can take a while in this area.

They are repeating blood work in 4 weeks. I'm hoping maybe there's a chance the mono still has it everything out of whack!

stephenheminger 05/26/2016

everyone I know who had mono, and thats just about everyone I knew as a teenager recovered completely from mono. I don't know if I had it, but i was very sick the whole time. It could have come and gone and I never noticed it.

MToennis 05/26/2016

I was sick with mono for a year the second time I had it. I do think it can activate an autoimmune disorder. It does run in families and runs in mine strongly but so far my kids are OK. My cousin has just gone through the ache of having her daughter diagnosed with RA. My cousin has Sjogrens, but her and my aunt had RA as did our grandfather. I hope this is not the case with you.
Mary Ann

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