I met with the rheumatologist on Wednesday, and I still feel like I can’t get a straight answer. She feels I am at the beginning stages on a Connect Tissue Disease. OK. What does that mean? “Well, like Lupus.”
I can’t believe how challenging it has been to try to get the bottom of what ails me. Has medical science caught up with me?
Apparently, if someone shows the antibodies in their blood that indicate an auto immune disease, and only show a portion of the symptoms therefore eluding a specific diagnosis, this is called a UCTD.
UCTD is a developing disease that may at some point turn into a diagnosis of Lupus or one of the several other auto immune diseases that fall into the Connected Tissue Disease category.
“Have you ever hear of Plaquenil?
She recommended that I start this treatment for Lupus. Prior to starting, I am suppose to have an eyes exam, as Plaquenil may cause blindness.
Taken from Wikipedia, other side effects include: “For prolonged treatment of lupus or arthritis, adverse effects include the acute symptoms, plus altered eye pigmentation, acne, anemia, bleaching of hair, blisters in mouth and eyes, blood disorders, convulsions, vision difficulties, diminished reflexes, emotional changes, excessive coloring of the skin, hearing loss, hives, itching, liver problems or failure, loss of hair, muscle paralysis, weakness or atrophy, nightmares, psoriasis, reading difficulties, tinnitus, skin inflammation and scaling, skin rash, vertigo and weight loss.”
Do I really want to subject myself to this? I know my flare ups are bad, but I am scared of these drugs and their effects on my body.
A friend suggested meditation.
I am seriously looking into all of the ways I can naturally fight this disease.
livingwithautoimmune 