Learn more about my diagnoses and fight my way through it!

Further testing has revealed a new diagnoses,well more than one actually.
Mixed connective tissue disease.(MCTD)Along with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Dermatomyositis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.Yes I know that is all quite a handful and MCTD itself is another rare entity with a special antibody floating around in my blood.It’s quite uncommon, makes me feel special:-)

MCTD basically means that I have symptoms of three or more different auto immune,connective tissue diseases,in my case I am postive for SLE,Dermatomyositis(DM),and Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA).

The treatment will be the same as when I was first diagnosed with Dermatomyositis.So this new diagnoses is no worse than before.In fact it will benefit me in the future to know what meds or alternative therapies that I might respond to.Generally those who have connective tissue diseases have more than one,so this is common.It is serious but now we know what we are dealing with.

Now if I can only get in to see a rheumatologist and an immunologist to get more testing to determine what damage has been done.The issue is my bloody health insurance.There is a complication with it having to do with specialty care,long story and that is definitely another frustrating blog entry that I will write about at a later date. I have been approved for specialty care but I am not going to be able to get in to see a rheumatologist until January,so here I wait..in pain and misery.I am in the midst of a nasty painful flare,the worst one so far,so this news does not help to hear.Well at least I have some kind of health insurance to help to treat this so many have no health insurance.

So until I can get in to see a rheumatologist,I will continue with my chiro care and do the best that I can.I have been doing alot of research about a gluten free diet that might help with my particular set of auto immune inflammatory diseases.If I can find an alternative method as opposed to alot of drugs I will work that option.
I am still here and still fighting.Havent given up yet!:-)

I really want people to be educated about this set of diseases.Lupus,MCTD,Dermatomyositis are all frequently misdiagnosed which can lead to death or severe complications if not treated.Also most connective tissue diseases affect a greater number of women and the correlation is still not known.There is quite a bit of research to be done about connective tissue diseases.So please I ask that you read the links that I have provided and arm yourself with knowledge as I have.
Thank you:-)

Here is some info about MCTD:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mixed-connective-tissue-disease/DS00675

Lupus:
http://www.medicinenet.com/systemic_lupus/article.htm

Rheumatoid arthritis:
http://www.medicinenet.com/rheumatoid_arthritis/article.htm

Dermatomyositis
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dermatomyositis/DS00335

Finally a definitive diagnoses after many years of strange symptoms, horrible fatigue,odd problems with swallowing,bizarre rashes and alot of joint and muscle pain as of late especially.

After some special blood testing which include looking for particular antibodies,an MRI and a muscle biopsy I have been diagnosed with a rare disease known as Dermatomyositis.
Its a connective tissue disease as well as an auto immune disease.Basically your immune system attacks your muscles,most especially the muscles in the trunk of your body,which affects the lungs,the heart,esophagus(the muscles that control swallowing) and of course the neck,shoulders and back.Very little is known about this disease which is why I really want to put the word out about it.

There is treatment and many have gone into complete remission, so believe me I am going to fight this thing and I know that I will beat it.And I will still accomplish all of the goals that I want to.I may have to scale back on some things and thats ok,hell I never planned to run a 12 mile marathon anyway lol.

So I am about to post some links and information about this disease and I would ask that you please read and pass it on.As I said it is a very rare disease and we need to learn all that we can about it.
Knowledge is power and I want to be armed to the teeth with it!:-)I utterly refuse to let this take away from ALL of the things that I want to do with my life!
Thank you:-)
This is a great support group on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/amy.crabtree2?cropsuccess=#/group.php?gid=10112679261

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dermatomyositis/DS00335

http://myositis.org/template/page.cfm?id=2