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...
Hi everyone,
What a treat to come here and find others with MCTD and UCTD! I have been to other sites but they are primarily for Lupus and Fibro.
I was diagnosed 3 years ago with UCTD. I was diagnosed before that in 2000 with Fibro, but have been sick longer than that. I will complete my profile when I'm feeling a bit better as to what has worked for me and what hasn't.
Right now I'm still taking morphine (Kadian) twice a day and morphine IR for breakthrough. For the last couple of weeks however they tried me on Opana for breakthrough and it seemed to work pretty good, but I feel I need a higher dose. They started me on 5 mg and upped it to 15 mg.
So, I saw pain doc's nurse this last Monday and she and doc agreed to start me on Opana ER 20 mgs twice a day with Oxycodone for breakthrough. Oxycodone instead of Opana because the Opana 5 mg pills are blue and I break out into little hives when I take blue meds. I know, strange, lol.
I read Aspire4grace's profile and noticed that she has had good luck with the Opana and she has UCTD, so I'm hoping it will help me too. I noticed that she hasn't posted in a long time, I wish I could communicate with her somehow.
Have any of you had any luck with Opana? Or Oxycodone? I seemed like the morphine takes away some of the pain, but not as well as I think it should.
Anyway, it is good to be here and I look forward to meeting you and sharing in the ups and downs.
Hugs,
PolarBear
What a treat to come here and find others with MCTD and UCTD! I have been to other sites but they are primarily for Lupus and Fibro.
I was diagnosed 3 years ago with UCTD. I was diagnosed before that in 2000 with Fibro, but have been sick longer than that. I will complete my profile when I'm feeling a bit better as to what has worked for me and what hasn't.
Right now I'm still taking morphine (Kadian) twice a day and morphine IR for breakthrough. For the last couple of weeks however they tried me on Opana for breakthrough and it seemed to work pretty good, but I feel I need a higher dose. They started me on 5 mg and upped it to 15 mg.
So, I saw pain doc's nurse this last Monday and she and doc agreed to start me on Opana ER 20 mgs twice a day with Oxycodone for breakthrough. Oxycodone instead of Opana because the Opana 5 mg pills are blue and I break out into little hives when I take blue meds. I know, strange, lol.
I read Aspire4grace's profile and noticed that she has had good luck with the Opana and she has UCTD, so I'm hoping it will help me too. I noticed that she hasn't posted in a long time, I wish I could communicate with her somehow.
Have any of you had any luck with Opana? Or Oxycodone? I seemed like the morphine takes away some of the pain, but not as well as I think it should.
Anyway, it is good to be here and I look forward to meeting you and sharing in the ups and downs.
Hugs,
PolarBear
Sorry the pain is bad... I use one of the lighter opiods, not controlled release and not every day... but my MCTD is not as severe as many others, my bloodwork is definitely outside of normal but the numbers are not too crazy, and my symptoms come and go. I have not needed to increase dosage in several years, I shoot for alternate day dosing because I don't want to develop tolerance... but, of course, sometimes you have no choice!
Best,
--Catalyzt
dallas - Sorry I don't remember your name from the other post . . . nice to meet you too!! Someone with problems like me, lol!! I don't know if Opana has Tylenol or Aspirin in it. I'm also going to start Oxycodone for breakthrough. It may have that in it, I'm not sure. Do you happen to know what strength of Opana was working for Aspire? I'm glad she is feeling better.
Catalyzt - Nice to meet you too. Sorry you are dealing with pain too. Whether it is mild or extreme, it is still pain and no fun that is for sure.
I hope you are both having a nice day.
Hugs,
PolarBear