What caused your Wegeners?

[Jack]

Lots of research into the subject has been done, but no answers found yet, just a lot of theories. Pick the one you like best!

[Kimbangu]

I was diagnosed in Nov 2009 and initially I was fascinated to know "what caused it". The only true answer I think is that "Nobody Knows What Causes It. " I was convinced that in my case it must have been caused either by stress, or AFRICA. One thing stuck in my mind from my first visit to Africa- a South African nurse telling me that " the first time a European visits Africa, your Auto Immune system will be in overdrive". Having since spent hundreds of hours reading about this awful, sneaky disease I now, personally feel that a person is BORN with it inside them- (The predisposition for their auto immune system to go into overdrive) . All it need is for something - and you will never know what it was- to set it off. You just need to look at all the different life stories on this site- there is no common thread to any of the stories. I spent a lot of time agonising over HOW I caught it, but am now resigned to accepting that the potential to develop WG has always been there..... I quite like Jack's theory in other words......

[jeriorleans]

However, looking at the site, it doesn't seem like there are as many people in the south.

[GARYfromBOSTON]

I like to think it is probably a very sensitive immune system triggered by an infection.
Just another half baked theory I know! I've never read anything claiming to know the true cause.

My Weg's doc throws around "infections and/or antiboitics" as the likely cause. Even said these were the cause to a bunch of Harvard med student with no caveats. However, this is not scientifically proven.

[Kimbangu]

The rheumatologist I saw said that they see Wegener's predominately in Rural populations, and that most of their new diagnoses are Sept/Oct/Nov time, therefore it may be related to some plant or other!?

Nope, Gary we're in it for the "long haul". I can't spend too much time worrying about the cause. I mean, ( looking at this site), it would appear that Wegener's is restricted to English- speaking people with access to the internet? <g>

[elephant]

It's like finding a needle in the hay stack! Who is going to be the lucky person to find that darn stubborn WG needle???

[Mandycc]

I don't worry about the cause, after all I can't change it, but I do wonder if the antibiotics I took in India did something to my immune system so I brought it upon myself....but if so, again I can't change it now!

[Sangye]

It's like finding a needle in the hay stack! Who is going to be the lucky person to find that darn stubborn WG needle???

Whoever does...please, for the love of all that is good and decent, PULL IT OUT.

[Doug]

The rheumatologist I saw said that they see Wegener's predominately in Rural populations, and that most of their new diagnoses are Sept/Oct/Nov time, therefore it may be related to some plant or other!?

Nope, Gary we're in it for the "long haul". I can't spend too much time worrying about the cause. I mean, ( looking at this site), it would appear that Wegener's is restricted to English- speaking people with access to the internet? <g>

Kimbangu, Kimbangu, Kimbangu! I LOL'ed in violation of my own rule not to contribute to off topic humor by encouraging it in myself or others!

[jola57]

Kimbangu, you bad boy look what you did to Dougie, he LOL'ed himself