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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brunob 12/04/2010

I have been fighting a chest cold for a week and have been having odd symptoms. I will start feeling better and then come crashing down.
I wake up and I am weak and shaky sometimes nauseous. I get cold and my skin hurts, especially on my back. As the day foes on I do start to feel better, but it takes hours and hours. Thenthe next day I feel better and I think imhettingover this and I'm good for a couple days and then I come crashing down again.

I dont have any joint pain or anything else, this is driving me nuts.

Any suggestions or advice.

Thnaks
Beth

brunob 12/04/2010

Sorry for all the typos.....brain is not working well either

tomsmom05 12/05/2010

I'm sorry you're sick. It sounds like a flare to me. Have you put a call in to your rheumy to see what he or she thinks? I really hope this passes soon for you.
Take care!

brunob 12/05/2010

I see her next monday....I was just wondering because this is like nothing I ve been through before. I havent had a fever or anything that I associated with a typical flare. The only thing I seem to have that everyone mentions is the fatigue which comes and goes.

Tanya-Steinberg 12/30/2010

I think it's possible that this episode was caused by a flare up. I've experienced varying symptoms ranging from excruciating headaches and double vision to almost constant nausea and vomiting. I began suffering from more of the neurological symptoms first then progressed to include sweating, chills, and muscle stiffness but never the fevers. I think autoimmune diseases are so unique in that each person is different in what they experience.

My latest flare up began Thanksgiving with lower back pain that progressed to the inability to walk on my own without using a cane and then not at all. I am on oral and inhaled steroids now until at least early Feb. to control this flare up but am feeling much better. I would see what your Dr. can do for you in controlling sudden flare ups.

Catalyzt 12/31/2010

Or, it could be something like-- you have lung involvement from MCTD, all those little blood and air vessels aren't clearing everything out right, so what might be a minor cough for someone else becomes a major chest cold. You can certainly try treating it like a chest cold-- codeine phenegram syrup and maybe an antibiotic if the doc thinks it's not a virus.

Not getting enough air at night, you get weak, some Raynauds kicks in... you don't have to get joint pain every flare. (Small favors, right?) And I had plenty of flares without fever in every stage of this illness, from the very first years as a teenager to now.

You ever use any 02 to sleep or try sleeping in a reclining position? Maybe your lungs work too hard when you are lying down. With my dental issues, I had to learn to sleep sitting up for a while, and it actually helped. Amazing how quick I got used to it when I had to...

Hang tough, let us know what happens...

--Cat

brunob 12/31/2010

thanks for the comments, I did go in and they put me on O2, they were shocked that i walked in under my own power, but you dont know how bad you are until you feel better. so with the o2 and anitbiotcs I hope to kick this to the curb and then stay away from people until I start the new med....LOL
maybe I just seal myself in a bubble til then, as long as i have the internet, a phone and some books i should be good!!!

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