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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MToennis 03/14/2017

Today I went to the rheumy for my check up. He was pleased but took blood to see if he could figure out why I had a 3 day flare which came and went! He thinks I am in remission and that the nodules on my finger joints are osteoarthritis and not rheumatoid. But he is keeping me on the low dose steroids because he is afraid I will flare or go out of remission without it. I take 2 mg a day and am off the plaquenil. May you all get such good news!

Mary Ann

MToennis 03/15/2017

So today, I get a call from the rheumy. My white count is a little low, an issue for me, but he wants me to cut the steroids to 1 mg every other day for a month and them discontinue them. I will be glad to cut those out but do worry about what will happen, especially since my white count is down. The white count tends to go down when my disease is trying to act up. but he wants to recheck the white count in 3 months so I guess he wants to recheck off the steroids. My other blood work has not come back yet. I am curious about that!

Libbmom 04/01/2017

That is fantastic!

Katalyzt 04/06/2017

Ah, yes, but the white count could be low because of the prednisone, so that's why he wants to recheck later, right?

Glad someone is using alternate day dosing for prednisone! I haven't heard of that in a while, and it always seemed more sensible in terms of adrenal gland function.

Seems like most of the news is good! Fingers crossed, post back and let us know the results of the other blood work.

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