Oh, and Cat, I LIKED it too. I mean I liked the music and I 'liked' it on youtube. Good stuff. I have a mouse pad with a built in wrist support and it helps when i use that...

@cat Great sound, I can't hear well right now but I had an alternate song title in mind, Called "Livinright getting up in the morning"
And I say Oh, oh oh ohhhh

Great video Cat. You look like you are having a blast!

Thought I was doing pretty well since my dose of Methotrexate was increased. Unfortunately, a GI checkup this morning led to the possible diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, on top of everything else. Shocker, using the bathroom 6 times before 8 am is apparently not normal! So, I get to experience the joy that is a colonoscopy next week. Wish me luck.

On the plus side, I've been doing some reading and found a very intreresting book "Autoimmune; the Cause and the Cure" by Annesse Brockley and Kristen Urdiales. It has some interesting ideas, and finally gives me some diet ideas that may help. Something I've been looking for! Hope it helps. Seems like there must be an answer out there besides taking a handful of drugs every day.

Seems like the same old/same old over here. Been having minor chest pain and am worried that its related to lung issues - but it's been getting cooler here and rainy which I'm sure cant help! I'm going to try not to worry about it for now and just keep living one day at a time. I was looking up info online and my husband got pretty pissed - "doctors hate when patients look things up on the Internet! That's the first thing they tell you NOT to do". But with so many bizarre and random symptoms, I'm not sure what other choice we have - just want to make sure this is something "normal" for this absurd disease. Then again maybe I should just take Xanax and see if that worker, hahaha : ).

All in all life is good. Family is doing well and the job is great. My rheumatologist was surprised that I hadn't missed any days at work b/c of MCTD. I didn't realize that was such a big accomplishment! Just goes to show that we need to take things slowly and be proud of what we DO get done every day.
Take care all!
Shannon

@ Bradyan Good luck with it, how bad can it be. Its only 4 foot long. But you get to experience one of the joys of life. Nurses begging you to fart so you can go home. Don't be shy. Let em rip. Its your ticket home, to a cup of coffee and food youve been missing for over a day.
Robert

@rescuemama, not missing work for MCTD is a huge accomplishment! Every two weeks, I have to declare which days I took for vacation/sick time and I throw myself a little party when I can say "none"!
@Catalyzt, love the video - thanks for sharing!

@ Bradyan.......try going wheat free and see if it helps. It helps me when things get out of hand.

I'd say good luck with the colonscopy, but that just seems wrong....lol I hope the results are good anyway.

Beth

i am back on the net and able to respond to the roll cal. i have withdrawn from every one and everything over the past 12 months due to my mental health issues or despite them. does enyone have any info, research on mctd/lupus and mental helth. i remember at uni yers ago, a woman was doing her thesis on lupus and its impact on mental health. i have had a brain scan and it was fine.

sorry to hear about your family's health scares beth.

Brady, one word of advice for the colonoscopy: Propofol with a lidocaine start! If you have no risk factors for using a full general, use a full general for this procedure! Hey, lots of people have no problem with it doing a local, but personally, I think doing it without FULL anaesthesia is just frickin' medieval. Seriously, I mean, break out the leeches...

The bowel symptoms come and go for me. Not that bad. Yours may ease off. Colonoscopy is an important test anyway, good to get it over with (didn't check your age.)

Oz, the mental part of autoimmune diseases is significant... I was just discussing this with my psychiatrist yesterday. Again, I think the way to think about this is that it takes two different forms: One is more an adjustment disorder, where you're freaked out because you have an illness, but then there's the direct organic consequences of the inflammation, which can include irritability, reactivity, brain fog, difficulty multitasking, anxiety, depression, and sometimes vision problems that work with this. However, these symptoms are often transient.

I would put my own mental issues as moderate at a minimum, probably moderate to severe. And I'm a psychotherapist. My nightmares and sleep problems are quite extreme... but I've had a lot of therapy and I do a lot of CBT. Lots of people with very severe psychopathology-- raging bipolar and depression, for example-- are very high functional, and lead rich and rewarding lives. I would find a therapist who uses CBT and has a lot of experience with medical issues... preferably, someone who has experienced them him or herself. Someone with HIV or MS or chronic pain or something. It really, really helps, because I don't WORRY so much about the symptoms. It's the worry that really knocks you out.

LR, you are cracking me up as always!

And I needed that, because I kind of crashed after coming back from my trip. Sunday, I was trying to catch up on yard work and paperwork and bills, and I just kind of broke down for a while. I felt like my blood pressure was really high, I started worrying about the future and how I was going to get through this week, and just kind of collapsed and sobbed for a half hour or so. My wife was absolutely fantastic... I am so proud of her. We had some rough spots before I left, but when I really needed her, man, she was right there.

Brady, one word of advice for the colonoscopy: Propofol with a lidocaine start! If you have no risk factors for using a full general, use a full general for this procedure! Hey, lots of people have no problem with it doing a local, but personally, I think doing it without FULL anaesthesia is just frickin' medieval. Seriously, I mean, break out the leeches...

The bowel symptoms come and go for me. Not that bad. Yours may ease off. Colonoscopy is an important test anyway, good to get it over with (didn't check your age.)

Oz, the mental part of autoimmune diseases is significant... I was just discussing this with my psychiatrist yesterday. Again, I think the way to think about this is that it takes two different forms: One is more an adjustment disorder, where you're freaked out because you have an illness, but then there's the direct organic consequences of the inflammation, which can include irritability, reactivity, brain fog, difficulty multitasking, anxiety, depression, and sometimes vision problems that work with this. However, these symptoms are often transient.

I would put my own mental issues as moderate at a minimum, probably moderate to severe. And I'm a psychotherapist. My nightmares and sleep problems are quite extreme... but I've had a lot of therapy and I do a lot of CBT. Lots of people with very severe psychopathology-- raging bipolar and depression, for example-- are very high functional, and lead rich and rewarding lives. I would find a therapist who uses CBT and has a lot of experience with medical issues... preferably, someone who has experienced them him or herself. Someone with HIV or MS or chronic pain or something. It really, really helps, because I don't WORRY so much about the symptoms. It's the worry that really knocks you out.

LR, you are cracking me up as always!

And I needed that, because I kind of crashed after coming back from my trip. Sunday, I was trying to catch up on yard work and paperwork and bills, and I just kind of broke down for a while. I felt like my blood pressure was really high, I started worrying about the future and how I was going to get through this week, and just kind of collapsed and sobbed for a half hour or so. My wife was absolutely fantastic... I am so proud of her. We had some rough spots before I left, but when I really needed her, man, she was right there.

Brady, to get through the Colase or whatever they call that gallon of crap you drink...add lemonaide, something prepacked like Crystal light. Since it has no reds or blues, it is acceptable and makes the taste much more bearable. I've had 3 or 4. This is the voice of experience.

Tracey!!!! We missed you so much.

Cat. OMG! You don't have blood dripping off your face. Loved the video. By the way SIL stands for Sister-in-Law. And I don't have carpel Tunnel, but I do get a tired wrist from the computer mouse. I discovered something by chance. Have a couple different computer mice of different sizes and ergonomics. I have a big one with a ball on top, and I now have a wireless from Costco that you hold almost like a pencil. When my hand gets tired, I switch. It makes a huge difference.

Love you all.
CJ

Oz Tracey I am so glad you are back with us. So many have dropped off the radar and not returned. I am a basket case you guys. I am so worried about my hubby I can hardly cope. His uncontrollable jerks are just horrible and it is driving him crazy, my pooor kids......who is gonna take care of them?????
Leanne

Things are going pretty well here, Plaquenil has really helped with the joint pain. GI issues are about the same -- it's pretty amazing how you can get used to constant nausea -- worst part is when I can't sleep because of the stomach pain and indigestion but usually a heating pad works wonders. My GI doc pretty much said there is nothing she will do for me other than the Reglan and I don't like to take it unless I'm desperate and can't keep anything down so I guess I just live with the gastroparesis.
I am struggling with a strange dry cough occassionally and SOB and some chest pain. Nothing to serious, just has me wondering if something is brewing. I mentioned it to my rheumy at my last visit in Sept and he said my lungs and heart sounded fine. I asked him about CT scan and PFT's as I have never had them and he said he didn't want to expose me to the radiation of a CT scan but maybe if the symptoms are still bothering me at the next visit we could do PFT's. I've never had either of those tests. I did have an echo last March that was normal -- I was referred by my GI doc since my chest pain was atypical of GERD. But rheumy has never sent me for any testing other than doing bloodwork on me every visit.
Do your rheumys all do Echo's, CT's and PFT's routinely? Do they do them only if you have symptoms or routinely?
My next appointment is Dec. 18 and if these symptoms continue until then I think I will push him for some PFT's since that is non-invasive and could give us some info on whether my lungs are being affected.
Had my first opthamologist appointment for Plaquenil and the Eye Doc said he can't remember the last time he ever saw anyone with retinal toxicity from plaquenil but that he would check me once a year -- so far eyes look good. Interestingly he asked my who my Rheumy was and when I told him he said my rheumy was also his wife's rheumy -- she has RA and that she loves him. I like him to, I just wonder why he isn't more aggressive with testing etc.. Well anyway, Sorry for those of you who are struggling with pain,illness, family struggles and more and so sorry Lela about your husband's struggles.You are all in my thoughts and prayers, take care.
Climber

Lela: I will pray.

Berg: I only got those tests when i symptoms to warrant them. I guess they figure dose 'em with immuno suppressants and let 'em be.