I am having my first skin removal surgery (tummy tuck) next month. I have UCTD (Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease), and I am being treated with Plaquenil. I originally wanted the full body lift, but my surgeon is afraid of healing issues and flares. She wants me to do it in pieces. 

Have any of you had plastic surgery? Are you on any medications? Any healing issues? 

Thanks in advance!

~Dejah

There are risks of a flare with any surgery. Although I had lu*****mptoms prior to surgery I never put it together. I ended up with a diagnosis and a major flare about six weeks after surgery. Actually diagnosis took several docs and months. It was a great ent who did the right blood work and got me to a wonderful rheumatologist. On my l a st appointment I did ask him if the surgery caused the flare. He said he couldn't say with certainty. So I followed up with a skin removal surgery question. He said since that is more external the risk is much less but we would need to talk about it when the time came. I am 15 pounds from my goal and then need to maintain for some period of time for the surgery. I will decide then if it's worth the risk but the skin is pretty u g my! I am still glad I had the surgery. I had rny because I am also diabetic and it was my better choice. I was on insulin and another injectable each day and now am off all diabetic meds with great glucose levels. Even with a diagnosis of lupus, raynauds and mixed connective tissue disease it was worth it. Went into Wal-Mart today and bought size 10 pants. Far cry from my 26s. I could never have done this without the surgery. The plaquenil is a great med for me and seems to have gotten the flare down. Feel pretty good most days except really fatigued at end of work day especially if I need to get something from a store on my way home. But still no regrets. Good luck no matter what you decide but talk it through thoroughly with your rheumatologist. Ps I do tend to ramble.

How did you make out?

I was not diagnosed until after my surgery. Started having p r problems about 6weeks later and took about six months to get the diagnosis and get started on plaquenil. I have lots of excess skin but I am just working on getting past this flare and scared to set off another. Good luck with your plastic surgery.

I know your post was from a while back, but I'm curious if you ever confirmed this?? I've been on plaquenil for a looonnngggg time and I'm also very D3 deficient. I always figured my D3 deficiency was because, as most adults I do not get enough sun, milk, etc. Now, after reading your post I'm wondering...