Undifferentiated Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disorder is a term used for when signs and symptoms of one or more connective tissue disease are present- for me, think lupus, scleroderma,
antiphospholipid syndrome and Sjogren's all rolled into one- but laboratory tests don't fit you into one particular catergory.

It recieves depressingly little social media or news coverage.
Comparatively, to hold up what social media considers a rare condition, one which recieves a LOT of coverage: 1 in 5,000 people have hEDS or 1 in 40,000 have cEDS.
1 in 50,000 have UCTD, and because UCTD is an umbrella category, every patient has a different 'cluster' of issues.
Generally people with UCTD don't have severe organ damage, nor do they have neurological involvement but lungs are more lightly to be scarred by it.

Unfortunately I like being different. My second flare, in early 2024 gifted me with epilepsy. My liver and kidneys were also damaged, and my oesophagus is scarred.
An antimalarial drug called hydroxychloroquine acts on the immune system and keeps it from acting up on your organs. It's usually used for lupus.
I got on it in late 2024. I am now out of my wheelchair and back in full-time study. Most of the damage has healed but some is permanent.
It took seeing three seperate doctors- all who agreed on UCTD- to agree to try something rather than wait for it to "define" into something else- which may never happen.
Given the state of my liver I may well have not survived waiting that long.
Hydroxychloroquine has been a miracle drug. But it's not that simple. I'm still at risk because of the lack of general knowledge about UCTD.

Because I don't have a positive ANA blood test (the one they run in House MD to diagnose lupus) or a set diagnosis of any one connective tissue disease:
- I am not eligible for clinical trials for my condition or pain or anything else.
- I can only be given one sort of medication, hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil for you americans), and not any other treatment options.
- I am not eligible for steroids even if i should be in critical condition because of autoinflammation.
- I am not able to apply for support groups, advocates or grants for myself since none exist.
- I am not eligible for antiocagulant therapy until I have a severe blood clot despite having had mini-strokes.