been a member almost a year now
had symptoms for about 6 yrs
dx a year ago
Live in southern Ontario, very hot....yesterday was 30c or 95f

who's next?
Beth

I have been a member for just over a year now. I was dx in July of 2009 and had symptoms for the previous year. I live in Saskatchewan (Canada) the weather has been great here, a bit of a heat wave coming in the next few days. I am struggling with meds right now, trying to find 'the right fit' wish me luck.

brand new member

live in melbourne australia

diagnosed properly with biopsy last september after months of asking doc why do i feel so freakin' sore and tired and what are all these rashes? she said flea or fly bites!

pushed my illness to the enth by smoking when a new doctor said you have three organs to fail for death to occur, your skin is failing, your lungs are failing and you won't get to choose the third. i quit smoking within days. that was 4 weeks ago. wow, 30 years of smoking - i feel like a fool. with an ulcerated mouth and throat i was one of those people you'd see sucking it in through the hole in the neck!

not too cold here, thanks beth for the c's and f's it is about 12 degree;s celcius today and the spring bulbs are about to burst open. you guys have hot august nights - good lord love neil diamond.

tracey

Hi, i have been a member for over 2 years now. I first got ill when i was 23....had some really tough times but didn't get any diagnosis for another 10 years. I was first diagnosed with auto immune liver disease...then a few years later MCTD...
I live in the north of England....in the countryside....tough winters and often cool, damp, cloudy summers.
Oh to be well x

I forgot to say in my post yesterday - thank god for this site - I was so happy when I found it and found out there are others out there like me. It is full of knowledge and support. Thank you everyone! Leanne

Just joined this group a few weeks back.
Have been on Lupus group for 2+ years.
Diagnosed Feb. 6, 2008 with Lupus.
MCTD added when I saw the Rheumy 2 months later. Sjogrens a little later and now vasculitis.
They can trace my symptoms back 17 years.
I live in the high mountain desert of Utah (God help me).

I join a few weeks ago....it is a releaf to hear people discrib things they have wrong that are like me!! I still haven't gotten a diagose yet.....
I guess I will be one of those that never be!!

I do have other things that they do reconize I have copd, arthrists, back problems bludgin disk in L5S1 and the "S" spine sorry can't spell it,
And I have arthristis almost everywhere! Or Degentive dease I think it's still same to me either or.
I get swollen and hard to use my fingers and hands, and my ankles go out all the time and I fall down, hips, and knees.

I have a lot of rash coming n going.....and they don't know why?
I have a Cyst in my brain and as long as I take things for my high blood pressure it is ok they said.

So what else i can't remember right now.

But lets see the first time I started having problems probably as a kid.

I also have Gerd, these rings that catches foods before getting into my tummy. I had skin cancer too.

I forget time to time and tired a lot during the day time...I don't sleep welll and now on something for my panic attacks...that has help me sleep.
This week my hands didnt work for me when putting up my large size oxygen tank, and it fell and smash my foot.
So far I can't move my toes for 4 days, and couldn't feel but the feeling is coming back today.
But with the feeling is PAIN!!!! I saw my doctor he told me if I don't start being able to move my toes that he will have a MRI done.
I am in a black shoe that lets me walk as well as possible now.

So what else will happent to me next? I think I am bad luck.

I also have heart problems for got about that I had a heart attack a couple of years ago and they save me and I have a stint in my LAD.

See I forget all I have wrong.

So I think this place that you all have created might be just right for me....even if they never find out why I have so many things going wrong...even my doctor doesn't understand it?

I get urenary infections all the time and have kidney stones last year // I had my gall batter check last month it is fine so far.

So thank goodness for one thing....

Oh again I forgot I have gluacoma in both eyes they did surgery so I wouldn't go blind...right now I have a detachment in one eye and I have what they call a floater and caterits but they are babies...
anyway I can see thank heaven for lazer surgery.

OK I guess that is it? I hope so anyway.

I am so lucky to found YOU all!!! Thank you for letting me come here
hugs to you all
Ruthie

First diagnosed with lupus in early ninties but had positive ANA,s for Lupus from late teens. MCTD diagnosed about four years and again had symptons long before that. Have sjogrens RA sclerederma raynauds and possibly myositis. Have fibromyalgia too for many years. This Drs like to blame everything on. Egads. even with blodwork provong otherwise. On no treatmeants! I live in northwestern ontario Canada! hugs Marilyn

Not sure when I joined maybe a year ago but just recently decided to sign in and get to now everyone. So glad I have!!! Was dz a year ago this past July. I had symptoms for years but they all just thought I was crazy LOL!!! Last year was bad and was dz with MCTD only so far and GERD but have Raynauds and swollen hands all the time . I live in Huron Ohio by Lake Erie close to Cedat Point the amusement Park. I too love to see I am not alone or crazy by reading these posts.-Michelle

Became a member about a year ago diagnosed 2 years ago.Bad symptoms for about 2-3 years before that but I look back and see Ive probably had it for years.Fibromyalgia for 20 something years. When I noticed I had a fever for about 2 years every time the grandsons were sick I took their temp and Id take mine just becuase and Id be running 99 100 ,of course just ignored it .Started having excrutiating pain in shoulders back arms ,first thought heart attack.Made 2 trips to hospital ,my heart was under stress and I had a fever and high inflammation levels.Doctors said get to a rheumy .That took 4 or so months. I take plaquenil, Lyrica ,high blood pressure meds prednisone for flares .Past 6 months been feeling really crappy.

I live in Cloverdale B.C. So so summer here at least Im not sweltering ,I try to never go in sun ,bad bad it makes my face go to a bright red rash !!

I just found you all a few weeks ago. Diagnosed late May of this year. Seems I always had raynauds, can remember it as a teenager and I'm 46. It was really bad this past winter. What sent me to the doc and eventually to the rhumy was severe and sudden swelling in my ankles and feet in February. Not any other odd symptoms that I can recall.

Started on Plaquenil in early June. It has relieved the strange soreness that I had whenever I moved my eyes, but the raynauds is the same and my hands are really swollen 24/7 and I have an uncomfortable tightness under my skin in my arms, neck, and left side of my face. I have reflux and my voice is hoarse. Oztracy, I am proud of you putting down the smokes! I did that ironically as part of this journey in Feb/March as the docs thought the swollen ankles were caused by poor circulation due to heart problems (heart is ok after all glad to say). Life without smoking is great. I just wish I could get my boyfriend to stop!

I live in southern Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. The summer has been hot and tomorrow the forecast for DC, where I work, is sunny and 98 degrees.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Good Post Mary Ann!

Hey all,

I am fairly new to this site have only been here maybe 2 months now, 3 tops. I started noticing symptoms that something was seriously wrong at 14 (im 19 going on 20 now, bday is less than 2 weeks actually). I can trace signs of this disease back to my childhood though. I was diagnosed with Lupus at 17 then changed to MCTD at 18. I am from Southern Cali but live in DC. I love being able to come on here and know that I am not going through this alone.

Hi everyone. I have been a member longer than I have been diagnosed. MCTD diagnosed in Oct. 2009. I have had symptoms of RA since 1980, winters only. True symptoms of MCTD/RA hit me in May 2008.

I live in "The Heart Land" / "Tornado Alley" otherwise known as Oklahoma, USA! We are having a deadly heatwave. Temp was 108 degrees F today with a heat index of 112 and has been over 100 for about 10 days with heat index from 104-115 degrees F! Looking forward to the cold front moving in tonight. High tomorrow is 97F! Can't wait.

I love this site and am thankful for finding it.
Numby

Life"s been hectic for me so I almost missed this...Started awful symptoms spring '06. Diagnosed Oct '09. Found you wonderful people almost immediately. I'm 42, live in Amargosa Valley, NV (Near Vegas) and boy is it HOT.

I look back and can see symptoms building since early 20's just not extreme enough to alarm me or the Drs. Unexplained sinus drainage and dry skin? Why worry.

I really need to keep up with you people. This site always keep me smilin'
CJ