Christmas holiday was pretty quiet, which is good. There has been a cold front hanging here in Orlando and the cold really hurts my joints. My hair continues to fall out, not thick like it used to be. I don't have the energy I used to have either, that's for sure. I could deal with the pain a lot better if I didn't have constant fatigue on top of it.

Well, after all of us being sick at one point ot another in December, I was looking forward to the new year. Until my hubby and son ended up throwing up for two days. My poor guys were just miserable. Luckily neither I or my daughter got it. I did however have an allergic reaction (to sucralose we think) that caused me to have red bumps all over, even on my scalp and I itched like crazy for a few days. Thankfully that is over! Have a slight cold now, but I can handle a stuffy nose. I have been cloroxing the entire house so hopefully we can keep these sicknesses away. Kind of hard with one in preschool.
Anyway, I should find out the results of my pulmonary function test and cardiac ultrasound on thursday. I know the old ticker is fine, but I am a bit worried about the lungs. Hoping they aren't too bad.
Gonna get in shape this year and start taking better care of myself and I am going to try to be more positive. Then, I am gonna work on getting the hubby in shape. I do all the cooking so it'll just be working on getting him to exercise.
Hope everyone is having a great new year!
-Kate

Oh and have a great time in Belize, Beth! Sounds wonderful!

2012 Wow time flies !! I hope my son moves back to Canada this year, I hope the other son comes to see us more often and Id love to babysit my granddaughter one day, Im gonna be positive ,loose weight lol and do stuff for me for once !! Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year !!

Christmas and vacations have come and gone. This year I will continue to take care of myself first, before work, house, family, etc. Because this is the year we are planning on trying to start a family! I'm nervous and scared about pregnancy but overall just excited to get started. I have to go off my Cimzia, plaquenil and Cymbalta this month so wish me luck!

Good luck, Kit, let us know how it goes without meds! Froggy, hope you and the family are on the mend. Beth, have a GREAT time in Belize! Buffy, I'm trying to get my barber to spray-paint my head the same color as my hair-- or what's left of it-- to make my bald spot less noticeable, but she won't do it for some reason.

Shoulder pain is very bad. (I probably have pleurisy or something crazy, I've decided not to worry about it, not much they could do besides putting me on prednisone.) On mobic twice a day now 7.5, helps a bit, but practiced guitar last night and I absolutely sucked-- right arm was slow, weak, and late, not hitting the changes on time. Can't even ride the bike now, so trying to walk a few miles every other day just to keep active. Still able to work about 27 hours a week.

I have been writing a song in memory of Tig. Not sure that it will have lyrics. It's raging punk rock, of course, and I was able to get down the scratch tracks before my shoulder got bad.

--Cat

Cat,
I hope you can post the song on here when you get it done. I was once very into the punk rock thing.......I found my pink DEVO wrap around glasses the other day....lol
Kate,
I hope everyone gets over everything soon, it's no fun to have little ones sick.
Kit,
Good luck with everything
Buffy
I hope it warms up for you.
Imrmom, I hope you get to babysit your grand daughter.

Had my appt with the rheumy this morning, and the cardiac echo was great, which didn't surprise me. The pft was a little off, but she said my oxygen exchange was good, a little low, but not bad. She said that she thinks I may have mild asthma though, because they saw a mild obstruction. She wants me to go to a pulmonologist now. YEAH, another specialist, just what I wanted to hear! She about flipped out though when I showed her the rash on my leg. She couldn't believe how bad the raynaud's and livedo reticularis is. So, now I get to add norvasc and baby aspirin. She put me on the lowest does possible of the norvasc since I have low blood pressure to begin with, but she said that I should be ok with it.
So, all in all the appt wasn't too awful!
-Kate

Had a fairly quiet christmas here. Had my first Rituxan infusion on Dec 20th, went well, a bit of tingling here and there but no other reactions. Actually think I was feeling better. Had my second infusion on Tuesday - yikes - it wiped me right out. Had the tingling again in my forearms, thighs and cheeks and chin, but sooooo tired. My hubby had work a couple of hours away so I went with him and enjoyed a night in the hotel. Got home last night and I just feel brutal. I guess I have to slow down. Was up in the middle of the night freezing - no fever though - had a bath, took some tylenol, upset stomach too. I am hoping it is just a bug. He is going to Vancouver in 2 weeks and wants me to come along....I am aprehensive, what if I get sick when I am out there.

Anyway....no whinning for me this year. Chin up and forward on! Have a great 2012 everyone and Cat I would also love to hear the song you wrote for tiggy. That bothered me all holiday....damn, she was younger than me. This disease is scary.

Take care everyone.
Leanne.

Here's to the new year!! We had a great holiday, but it seems like Christmas went by so quickly. I went back to work part-time on Dec. 8th and it's been such a great outlet for me. I love being out of the house and interacting with other adults and I feel so much more productive!! I know being a stay-at-home mom is the most imortant job a mother can have, but after 7 years I was at my wits end with being here ALL THE TIME! My mom has the kids or they are with my husband when I'm at work, which is a huge help. I've also decided to drastically change my diet - I'm a vegetarian, but have recently gone off all dairy, grains and processed foods after reading an article about how those foods can exacerbate RA symptoms. It has been SO HARD, and I cheated on some chocolate the other night, but I'm at day 6 right now and honestly my joints already feel a lot better. I was diagnosed last year, and spent most of the year trying to get adjusted to the idea of having a "disease", and also going on one med after another. This year is going to be all about ME controlling my disease - or so I'm hoping. Good luck to everyone on here for a great year!!

Hi everyone, I have been lurking but haven.t felt like typing much. Kids and wife had a great Christmas. and its over. Now to a new year. Hope everyone is well.

Been missing this :(
Holidays were nice, somewhat disconnected. Too much work for me. No snow, driest December on record. Just didn't feel very Chistmasy.
Actually took my decorations down on Christmas Day.
Had to get up at 4:00 the following morning.
On a different shift, 9:-5:30. Hoping to feel better soon.

Hi my name is Karen. I was diagnosed MCTD by my primary care doctor late 2010. I have since seen a Rhuemy doc once (I have been without health insurance for a bit) and he seemed on the fence over whether I had it, but seemed to agree with the doc. Neither of them have much experience with it. So I am out here looking for help and answers, especially since I just transitioned to Plaquenil 2 months ago and stopped the steroids and I have been in alot of discomfort. What were the factors that rang the MCTD for you doctors (mine was a sedimentation of the blood and some other blood factor as well as joint swelling). I also have been noticing symptoms that I have had for years, extremely cold feet and hands, very dry eyes...things I never thought could be related but in reading articles realize they may be.
I know you all have probably been over this a few times, but if you do not mind giving me an idea of what are your prominent symptoms and how you deal with them it will really help me. Any and all advice will be appreciated. Thank you!

Thank you so much!
Karen

Happy New Year Everyone,
I'm heading off to Samana for a week of hopefully sun and warmth. Joints not to bad but I'm having trouble with my skin. Sores and tingling, maybe nerve ends. Rhuemy doesn't think its related to MCTD, yeah okay. What do they really know about this disease. Karen welcome to the group. All our symptoms vary, mine are fatique, joint pain, infections and skin disorders. Medication and exercise seems to keep most of it under control. Cat- I'm interested in hearing your song for Tig too. Terry

Welcome, Karen! I have fatigue, dry eyes, mouth, female parts, some joint pain but a lot of muscle pain. Chronic tendonitis and bursitis. Urinary tract infections, rashes with the sun, some problem with my eyes that they cannot diagnose, blepheritits, and I cant remember disease. also cardiomyopathy.
I was diagnosed with an elevated ANA and RNP.
I had to get off the Plaquenil after 5 years but take 2 mg of Medrol each day as well as Celebrex 200mg.
Mary Ann