Sorry -- forgot one more message....

Want2be....Hope you are feeling better since that last flare. Can I ask if your dr. revised his diagnosis after blood work or just by symptoms, etc?

Hope you feel better each day....
Take good care.
Marianne

Marilyn,
So sorry to hear about your sister being so ill. I have been thinking about you.
Mary Ann

thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. They starten her on radiation for three weeks to try and stop the internal bleeding. One of the tumors is sitting on a major blood vessel and they are hoping it will help but no guarantees.. I managed to lose my car keys. Computerized ones so my car was towed four hours away to have new keys made. Ouch! Now I have to find someone to drive me there to bring car home. Have been doing stupid things all week. lol. hugs to all and where is our cat? marilyn

Marianne,
Thanks for asking---At first--about 4 months ago, before the initial blood work--he suspected a mild form of Lupus---after the blood work he said it was UCTD---My 3rd appt-on the 8th of July--I could barley walk in there--My face was red-the pain was horrible all over my body----I think its been my worst flare ever---I still feel like I cant snap out of it---I have a nerve test coming up b/c my eye has been twictching pretty bad, and my neck and arms hurt so bad...They tingle and get numb..only at night though--in the day they ache.... So the Lupus dx. was his intial dx. -but then gave me the UCTD after the bloodwork--then went back to saying it was mild lupus I guess because of my symtoms and history------Oh I dont even know anymore---all I wish is that I felt better.

Hello I was just dx with MCTD and would like to thank all of you for writting on this site. I have enjoyed reading and learning from all of you!! I just started Meds 2 weeks ago and so far tolerating it OK. I still always seem to have some "ache or pain" . However I ve had that for a few years now its just now I know why and They quit trying to give me xanax and lexapro in exchange for prednisone and mex!!! Hope all is having a good day !!

Oh, so hard to catch up!

Help, are you the one with the dryer problems, or is that MT as well? I am confused...

Dallas, ah, that is so hard. I hope your sister is not suffering much... and there are sometimes unexpected reprieves... you really have been hit with so much...

Want2e, I get twitching eyes sometimes too, I got them more when I was younger, they are distracting, you get used to them, then they seem to subside.

Auggie, ditch the Lexapro if you don't need it (I hate SSRIs, though Lex is one of the better ones) but I say keep the Xanax for emergencies. If nothing else is working, and you need to get to sleep particularly for work, family, or other major responsibilities, it may get you through a bad night better than, say, NSAIDs. Just go easy and be careful, of course...If you don't use it often, it will work well, though I think Ativan is better, less addiction potential, less temptation to increase dose, less tolerance.

Okay, gotta eat dinner, it's almost midnight! Arggh!

--Cat

Cat-
Low BP and all that is often present is a severe UTI. Very serious but usually easily treated by fluids and antibiotics. Often the cause of the UTI is dehydration in the elderly. Can be lack of cleanliness, but the elderly have poor immune systems, and in women, the short urethra causes bacteria to easily get where it doesnt belong. With good hydration, it flushes out but combine poor immune system and dehydration and you get sick. It is more common in the elderly to easily get dehydrated. And in people who are having problems with demetia, very common. They dont think to drink like we do, and usually have a poor appetite. Hope this helps. May your Mom feel better soon.
Mary Ann

as for twithching eyes. What a pain and a distration! I get that too and it is so weird! Will get it off and on for weeks, then it is gone for awhile. I dont even know what causes it but think it might be eye irritation from the Sjogrens.
Mary Ann