Connect
← Return to MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease)
Discussion
MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease)
Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Sep 18 10:07am | Replies (225)Comment receiving replies
@jessiek Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry for your diagnosis and your families’ difficulty with the diagnosis. I, too, was shocked when I got an autoimmune diagnosis and how it meant an end to so many things in my life. My sisters and my husband are the only ones who understand. (My sisters have autoimmune disorders of their own,). I know you will find encouragement and support here.
How long ago were you diagnosed with MCTD ? I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to take ‘time out’ from your work as a welder/sculptor. I purposely wrote ‘time out’ because you can and will get back to it in some form. I was so depressed when I couldn’t quilt anymore. And I had been an excellent quilter. I have slowly worked at getting back into quilting because it means so much to me and I know it will help my mood.
Do you have good doctors that you trust? Make sure your main doctor knows all that is going on with you. She can probably recommend a good therapist for you (an excellent idea). And make sure your primary doctor knows how much pain you are having. You need to be working with these diseases, not trying to manage pain.
What do you think is an important thing you can do for yourself this week?
Replies to "@jessiek Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so sorry for your diagnosis and your families’..."
Connect
Becky,
Thank you so much for the reply and encouragement !! I was just diagnosed a week ago but have been suffering with all over severe arthritis pain, headaches and breathing problems for years, along with severe numbness in both hands and arms. its the GI symptoms, along with chest pain and nausea, dizziness that really started to scare me about a year ago. I have had celiac since very young.
You are fortunate to have family that is so supportive, I hope your sisters find good treatments for their autoimmune disorders.
Im glad to hear you are back to your quilting, my grandma used to quilt and I loved it as a child.
For now I have been trying to figure out a manageable work load, I did 3 hrs of welding today, 2 hours of gardening and 2 hours of house work and now I am exhausted so will hit the sack early again. But I have to make a decision on on a big public art commission opportunity, I would never want to pass up a job but I am scared how I will be doing in 8 months when I have to start building it. I will talk to my doctors about it, and on that note, my primary is just O.K. she had to google several of the blood tests I had done at my RA and the new Rhumatologist is so busy, I am luck to get a note to her let alone a response.
This week I am going to try to get back into my Qigong practice, I do a 25 min routine on the computer, it really helps with the nerves and tendons.