PDA

View Full Version : Wondering



dotbill
12-26-2010, 07:14 PM
Hi, I'm new here but not to WG, I've had two bouts of it the last one about 15 years ago. My kidneys are working now at 35% but I'm getting side tracked my question is for the last month I've have been having numerous asthma attacks and am wondering if this could be related to WG at least I think it is asthma attacks it is coughing spells that don't stop until I use my inhaler I go back to the doctors in a few weeks just wondering if anyone else has had this issue.
Thanks and God-bless
Diane

pberggren1
12-26-2010, 07:40 PM
Hi Diane:

Welcome to the Forum. I myself have not experienced this with Wegs but there might be some others on here that have Asthma as well. 35% kidney function does not sound too good. But then again I am not sure how they measure kidney function. My Wegs specialist is a Nephrologist as well so I will ask him next week when I see him. So it sounds like you went about 15 years without a flare. I hope it was a good 15 years for you.

nell
12-26-2010, 08:04 PM
Hi Diane
I too have asthma which was very well controlled. I then started having bad coughing bouts, which, whilst helped by my salbutamol inhaler, didn't go away. I finished up having a chest x-ray because of something totally unrelated and the docs
discovered numerous granulomas on my lungs. I would therefore strongly recommend you see you doc sooner and make sure he/she does an x ray. Please don't let them dismiss it as asthma without. If I could turn back time doing so would have saved me a lot of permanent damage to my lungs.
Hope it goes well for you
By the way this is my first ever posting. You've drawn me out of the woodwork after a year of monitoring this site.
Good Luck
Nell

andrew
12-26-2010, 09:16 PM
Yuh huh certainly sounds like Asthma to me. I have the same symptoms. The lung dude that I spoke to recently also tells me that sleep apnea causes this kind of coughing as well.

elephant
12-26-2010, 09:18 PM
Hi Diane,
I agree with Nell, you need to get his checked out soon. Sounds like it could be Wegeners in disguise. Do you have a Rhuematologist that specializes in Wegeners Disease. You really need to get to one if you can, at least have your Rhuematologist contact a specialist from one of the docs from the Vasculitis Foundation.

Jack
12-26-2010, 09:30 PM
I don't think it is the same as your problem, but I developed a cough after 15 years that turned out to be Bronchiectasis. There are a couple of other members of the forum that also have this so I suspect that it is connected to Wegener's. Due to the strong possibility of lung involvement, you need to get this thoroughly investigated. Asking your regular doctor and having him tell you that it is probably Asthma is not good enough and may lead to delays and long term damage.

Sangye
12-27-2010, 01:29 AM
Hi Diane (and hiding Nell--- LOL), welcome to the group. Diane, your doctor should order pulmonary function tests (PFTs) which I'm sure you must have had in the past. PFTs will be able to tell if your asthma is worsening or if another type of airway restriction has developed. I also suggest a chest x-ray to rule out other lung pathology. Wegs is certainly a possibility, but there are other things that could cause your symptoms.

JanW
12-27-2010, 06:33 AM
I second Sangye on the PFTs because I was misdiagnosed with asthma for five years when it was really WG narrowing my airway. This is a serious problem, and one that if often missed (my condition, subglottis stenosis is most often identified as asthma by practitioners who are unfamiliar with our condition). Since WG can develop anywhere at any time, it's good to have this ruled out (as well as other stuff going on with your lungs).

chrisTIn@
12-28-2010, 09:52 PM
Welcome to the forum.
I hope your doctor(s) can help you.
Maybe you can get an earlier appointment, if you call the assistent, and tell about your latest symptoms?
Good luck!