I sat down by my computer with a second cup of coffee and started to think what to do today. I have my kids at home, because their daycare is closed. The weather seems to be promising for today. So, for sure we have to go out. But I am so tired as well. I am just thinking how much I have to push myself every morning, which is also one of the stresses. You know, that you will be tired, hardly thinking and you have to take care of the two small humans which are depending on you. I have made them pan cakes. The little one refused to eat it. May be they are too flat or what. Who knows.
I started to think about the diagnose I have. And I have realized that I have no idea what does it really mean. I know what the diseases mean separately, but I really do not know what it means under such complex diagnose: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).
The general definition tells that it is overlap of three autoimunne diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma and polymyositis (chronic inflammatory disease of muscles, typically muscle weakness and pain). Each of the diseases has its own set of symptoms. The most common feature is abnormality in the proteins collagen and elastin. Each disease also has its own blood test abnormalities and abnormal antibody pattern. Those symptoms can evolve rapidly or slowly. When conditions do not develop into any particular disease doctors usually call such condition as an undifferentiated connective tissue disease.
What I have been very happy to read that the most significant causes of developing mixed connective tissue disease are certain genes that are inherited. There is no known environmental toxin that would cause the disease. You have to understand me right. I was always told that it is my fault that I have such disease that I have caused it by my lifestyle and being too sporty when I was younger. The trigger is rather stress, which you cannot influence so much.
Symptoms of the mixed connective tissue disease depend on what type is dominant. If lupus is dominant you can suffer for chest pain, kidney disease, arthritis of the joins. If scleroderma is dominant you can suffer for swelling and thickening of the fingers and feet and Raynaud's phenomenon. It seems that I am rather the second type.
Have a sunny day!!
I started to think about the diagnose I have. And I have realized that I have no idea what does it really mean. I know what the diseases mean separately, but I really do not know what it means under such complex diagnose: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).
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| Meanwhile it is third and forth cup of coffee and one park with kids :-). |
The general definition tells that it is overlap of three autoimunne diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma and polymyositis (chronic inflammatory disease of muscles, typically muscle weakness and pain). Each of the diseases has its own set of symptoms. The most common feature is abnormality in the proteins collagen and elastin. Each disease also has its own blood test abnormalities and abnormal antibody pattern. Those symptoms can evolve rapidly or slowly. When conditions do not develop into any particular disease doctors usually call such condition as an undifferentiated connective tissue disease.
What I have been very happy to read that the most significant causes of developing mixed connective tissue disease are certain genes that are inherited. There is no known environmental toxin that would cause the disease. You have to understand me right. I was always told that it is my fault that I have such disease that I have caused it by my lifestyle and being too sporty when I was younger. The trigger is rather stress, which you cannot influence so much.
Symptoms of the mixed connective tissue disease depend on what type is dominant. If lupus is dominant you can suffer for chest pain, kidney disease, arthritis of the joins. If scleroderma is dominant you can suffer for swelling and thickening of the fingers and feet and Raynaud's phenomenon. It seems that I am rather the second type.
Have a sunny day!!
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