Yeah! an autoimmune forum
 

BIG thanks to DocJohn for adding an Autoimmune forum. :)

Hello to the other autoimmune folks...

I'm Liz (30-something, female, married, no kids, 3 cats) with a Dx of UCTD - Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease.

Big mouthfull of words meaning it's something autoimune and it's something wrong with your connective tissue, but we don't know exactly what it is, so we'll just give you a big mouthful of words as your diagnosis.


I also have a few of the so-called "minor" autoimmune problems... Sicca syndrome, Raynauds, etc...

To top everything off is fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain, anxiety, hypermobility with chronic tendon injuries, TMJ, endometriosis, blah, blah, blah, etc....

Persoanlly, I think there is a bigger picture - one main medical issue that has yet to be diagnosed that will explain why I have so many diagnoses. I think all my current diagnoses are all meant to explain symptoms, not a diagnosis that will explain the problem.... and without knowing the big picture diagnosis I am stuck treating symptoms instead of treating the source.

So that's me in a nutshell. Anyone else care to introduce themselves?

Liz

Hiya Liz :)

I am soooo pleased to see this forum has been added too.

I originally found Braintalk while learning about Tourette Syndrome, which my youngest son was dx with almost 7 years ago
Well, this past year he has been having some wierd abdominal pains and we had a real run around with misdiagnosis until this summer when a colonoscopy showed he has Crohn's Disease:(

so,
now I have had to start researching ways to help him all over again!

One of the biggest probs is, my son reacts very severely to most prescription meds and if there is a potential side effect..........he seems to get it!
That was why I got involved in alternative treatment research for Tourette's

Anyway, sure enough, my son had really bad reactions to the ant-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs for Crohn's that they tried him on, and so I am thankful to have found excellent info re natural things to help him and we are seeing really good results, as evidenced by his most recent blood tests:p

I will post more about just what is working for him if anyone is interested.

But I am nevertheless pretty ignorant on the vast area of autoimmune illness and so I am here to be a sponge and soak up as much info as I can

Hey Curious! Could ya stock up this room with yer coffee and choccy goodies too pleeeeeez:D

Hi, can I tip-toe quietly into this forum as well please, autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune atrophic gastritis, pernicious anaemia with postive rheumatoid antibody stuff as well with an 'umberella diagnosis of mitochondrial cytopathy..

Gillian

Hi...
I have Myasthenia Gravis, so I guess this is where I shall hang out too..
Gabe

Hi everyone
 

My names Patricia, I was on the old Bt I have probable MG, gluten intolerent, and lots of other stuff that know one cares to figure out.
Gabe I remember you, how are you doing?
Thanks Liz for getting this forum added, great to be here.
Nice to met you all. Patricia:)

Hey Patricia...
I'm doing ok...due for IVIg on Wednesday and I am way ready! I had a crappy day at work and it was good to see a familiar name!
Gabe

Hi everyone~

Hashimoto's and Pernicious anemia here...with gluten sensitivity in the family~

Cara

Chemar~

I'm curious to hear more about the The Makers Diet. I've heard of the book, but I'm curious about what dietary changes are recommended? From what I've read, both yeast and gluten may have possible implications in Crohn's disease. Has your son been tested for Celiac Disease?

I've got a few entries about Crohn's in TGF.

I also wonder how the The Maker's Diet compares to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which also helps some with Crohn's.

It is great to hear your son is having positive changes in response to dietary changes!

Cara

This is a wonderful forum!

Autoimmune illness here too... Asthma, Celiac Disease, Pernicious Anemia and a bunch of antibody stuff... they want me to have some more tests because they say there are red flags for Lupus... depression and axiety as well.

It's nice not to feel like I'm alone with all of this... thanks everyone. :)

interesting fact about auto-immune disease
 

What correlates with giftedness in children? According to Ellen Winner at Boston college, here are the qualities and features that tend to be exhibited by gifted children: strong right-hemisphere development, language-related difficulties, autoimmune disorders, high levels of motivation, and social and emotional difficulties. American Psychologist, January 2000 Vol. 55, No. 1, 159-169.

So we are genius', just like we've been telling our families all along :)
Joanne
lupus, APS