Quite well now - why did I get it in the first place?

[Carol]

I hardly ever go on this site now because I am so well after being diagnosed 4 years ago, or was it 5????
I'm still on 3 Imuran a day and Bactim 3 times a week. It seems to work very well. A big thanks to Andrew for hosting this site, it was so important to me when I first got sick. I was discussing the causes with a fellow Weg who lives close by and we both had BIG emotional issues going on at the time - both of us felt trapped and powerless. So I believe there is quite a big emotional element in getting this condition. There's a book I have had on my shelf for years - had never read it - and it says that you choose the disease you get. It's mind blowing really. But I do believe for me it had a big emotional component. What are other opinions???????

[delorisdoe]

I had NO emotional components and did not choose wegners. I would have chosen something much more common so when I had to tell people theyd look at me with a "oh, yes, my sister has that"instead of the usual "wtf?". I did not choose wegners.

[mishb]

I'm with you Leigh, I certainly didn't choose the lot that he has given me.

My Aunty, very religious, feels that he chooses who he wishes to have what illness/condition. She feels that he only gives to those that are strong enough
in mind and body to handle it.

I'm not quite sure I believe that either, but I am certain that I didn't choose it .......didn't even know it existed.

[Jack]

When I contracted Wegener's I was having one of the best times of my life. Everything was going really well for me and I had a great job that I loved. I certainly did not choose to become sick.

[Sangye]

There are several things about this sort of thinking that don't make sense to me. First, why would someone choose to have any illness? All people naturally seek to be happy. That is easily proven by contemplating all types of behaviors. Second, it implies that someone who would choose to be sick is somehow defective compared to those who "choose" to be healthy. That seems uncompassionate towards oneself and others-- very easy to judge those who are sick or who don't get better with treatment. Third, it doesn't account for children or animals who are sick. Surely they haven't been sitting around wondering which disease to choose! A not-yet-5 yr old girl I know just died last week. She was born with a hideous disease and more complications than I have ever seen in a human being. Her suffering was extreme and non-stop. Her life was a living hell. I don't believe she chose that.

Buddhists do believe in emotional states and habits affecting health, but it is very different from choosing an illness. You can PM me if you want to discuss that, since I don't want to enter into a discussion about religion in the group.

[Psyborg]

I don't believe I choose the illness, or was affected by my emotions per se. I will say I was under a lot of stress when I finally went from weird symptoms to full-on flare.

I will say there are probably some things where we make ourselves ill, but largely much of it is caused by environment or predisposition. I guess it depends on if you consider stress to be emotive or environmental how it falls in the mix.

[NicShaf]

I have to agree with everyone, illness is something I definitely didn't choose for myself. In fact, at the time I got sick, I was doing everything in my power to be healthy. It was a very happy and exciting time in my life, I was just married and we were trying to start a family...a serious illness was the furthest thing from my mind.
A co-worker of mine had told me about this "theory" that she had seen/read called the secret? It is some sort of trendy thing, she gave it to me to watch, and I think I sold it at a garage sale for 25 cents. Anyways, the "theory" is that you can make anything happen just by thinking it...basically willing it to happen. She was telling me about a story she read about this woman who wanted a house more than anything, and she wished for it every day, and one day she got a house! I'm sure they neglected to mention in this story that the woman saved every red cent she made and worked towards buying this house, the story just said she wished for it...and anyone could do the same. This "secret" also says that the same goes for bad things. If you spend all your time thinking about all the bad things that can happen, then they will eventually happen to you. Like I said, I don't know the whole story, I didn't watch the video, but it seems to be the same sort of thinking in this book you mentioned.

I guess I went off on a bit of a tangent:)

[delorisdoe]

I am going to guess that maybe the book is implying that choices we make become us chosing a disease but even that is just not accurate. My aunt was a vegatarian who ate tones of nuts, seeds, beans and veggies, NEVER drinks, does tai chi, yoga and goes to the gym and has always been this way and she got breast cancer. my other aunt is an unhealthy smoking alcoholic and has no illnesses at all. she just looks 25 years older and smells.

[Psyborg]

LOL Leigh, I love your way with words :)

[delorisdoe]

thank you but I must confess that that last sentence is true...unfortunately.

[Psyborg]

I think everyone has a relative that fits that description :)

[Rylee]

I first got WG's in the fall of 2008 and it took 7 months to figure it out. It was one of the most stressful times of my life. My husband at the time was in Afghanistan, I moved from Edmonton to Ottawa with 3 kids by myself, I was starting a new job and my marriage was on the rocks. Dr's thought it was the stress in my life making me sick (joint pain, weight loss, headaches, anemia) - so they told me it was in my head. Now, I am in 'medically induced remission' as my doctor calls it, but he is always concerned with my personal life and the amount of stress I am experiencing. He believes that a stressful environment is a trigger for a relaspe of WG.

I am not of mind to prove him wrong....I believe one of the best things I can do for myself is to stay healthy in my mind so it can help my body. So I try to take time for myself and look after me... mind and body. Since I have done that, I am a lot happier and a better person.

[RudiK]

I certainly didn't "choose" this or any other illness. I had just retired from my job, after leading my company's IT department for 32 years, and had big plans to travel to visit my relatives in Germany and see all the beautiful sites in the US that we had not seen, spend more time visiting and spoiling our grandson and spend more time on my hobbies, etc. It looks like, though, that the "man upstairs" had other plans for me. One month after retirement I lost feelings in both feet, lost lots of weight and almost died before my "new" internist came up with the correct diagnosis. So, for rest of this year at least, there won't be any traveling. But, I'm content, I won't give up, I have not lost my faith, I feel good, WG is in remission (not that that means much with this illness), I am in good spirits, and will live the rest of my life as best as I can.
But, I did not chose the illness, and just like Michelle, I had never heard of it until it struck. Oh well, such is life, we take each day as it comes.
Rudi K.

[marta]

I've read that in numerous places Rylee, that stress can trigger a flare. I have that experience with cold sores. If I get stressed I can feel a physical manifestation (a shivvery, chill kinda feeling in my face) and poof the next day I have a cold sore, so I've experienced numerous times how stress can manifest into a physical problem, and I totally buy it that it works that way with Wegs. I also try as hard as I can to avoid stressful situations, and take time for me and what makes me happy. Life is such that I'm not always successful, but I do try. There's lots of laughter in my house. That helps everything.

Ex Edmonton girl hey? How's Ottawa treating you? Where were you guys in Edmonton? North side, at the base? I grew up (well from when we came to Canada) in that area.

[delorisdoe]

I had a boss and if you even mentioned a cold sore shed yell at you claiming she would have one by the next day...and she did. stress related for sure. The only thing I was stressed about at the time of my diagnosis was the 1.5 years of pain and illness pre diagnosis

[Psyborg]

But were you stressed out 1.5 years earlier when you really got sick? :)

[delorisdoe]

But were you stressed out 1.5 years earlier when you really got sick? :)

No, I was at a time in my job when I was the least stressed id ever been. My relationship has never stressed me out. I had a second job on a farm babysitting for a great family and was making a ton of extra cash. Life was good then.

[Rylee]

I love Ottawa! We lived in St. Albert. I am really glad I am here though. Ottawa is my home now. I have great doctors and a great job and my kids love it here. Funny - I get cold sores too and they always appear when I am stressed. It is my first warning sign.

[norcalian]

I can see the possible attraction in thinking that one can actually choose a disease...because if you chose Wegener's, perhaps you can choose long lasting remission, a normal life without medication. I think when people are faced with a life-threatening disease what we desire most is control...this sounds a lot like that. I'm just not sure how it's helpful. Just like the book "The Secret" which is supposedly based on the Law of Attraction (basically what you send out to the universe by way of intentions, the universe send back) I think sets people up for disappointment - especially when they wish without working for something. I had a professor who was really into psychoneuroimmunology - which is basically mind-body health. That always made a lot more sense to me. I know that there's been some discussion on this forum about positive thinking and getting better...and people have different opinions about it, but there is a fair amount of research to support the healthy benefits of meditation, faith, prayer, feeling gratitude, dealing with stress, etc. I know for me, when I got sick, it was the most stressful time I have ever experienced. I was a new counselor in public education in California...which anyone familiar with the financial crisis out here and the massive budget cuts in education will understand. Now that I am working on improving my mindfulness, I often find myself holding my breath...I suck that bad at dealing with my stress. I can't help but feel that for some of us (perhaps more than others) stress materializes itself in very real and physical ways. I don't think that's the only reason I got this disease - I'm sure I had a pretty solid biological predisposition - but I think the way I dealt with my stress definitely contributed. Sorry if I'm just droning on. I'll get off my soapbox now.

[Thakator]

"I am certain that I didn't choose it .......didn't even know it existed." Great way to put it, Michelle.

[freakyschizogirl]

I didnt choose Wegs but i have always had a sense of foreboding that i would be seriously ill at some point in my life...hypochondria probably but it was still there.

I did suffer from a lot of stress in most of my jobs and i believe this caused my first flare when i look back at how low my energy was and i was diagnosed with borderline anemia.
My last job i suffered panic attacks but havent had one in the year since i left.

And Leigh i know people like you describe...who can be so unhealthy and still be healthy enough to live without disease or serious health problems. I fear for my sister who eats way too much sugar in her diet...but there is no telling some people.

[Sangye]

I can see the possible attraction in thinking that one can actually choose a disease...because if you chose Wegener's, perhaps you can choose long lasting remission, a normal life without medication. I think when people are faced with a life-threatening disease what we desire most is control...this sounds a lot like that. I'm just not sure how it's helpful. Just like the book "The Secret" which is supposedly based on the Law of Attraction (basically what you send out to the universe by way of intentions, the universe send back) I think sets people up for disappointment - especially when they wish without working for something. I had a professor who was really into psychoneuroimmunology - which is basically mind-body health. That always made a lot more sense to me. I know that there's been some discussion on this forum about positive thinking and getting better...and people have different opinions about it, but there is a fair amount of research to support the healthy benefits of meditation, faith, prayer, feeling gratitude, dealing with stress, etc. I know for me, when I got sick, it was the most stressful time I have ever experienced. I was a new counselor in public education in California...which anyone familiar with the financial crisis out here and the massive budget cuts in education will understand. Now that I am working on improving my mindfulness, I often find myself holding my breath...I suck that bad at dealing with my stress. I can't help but feel that for some of us (perhaps more than others) stress materializes itself in very real and physical ways. I don't think that's the only reason I got this disease - I'm sure I had a pretty solid biological predisposition - but I think the way I dealt with my stress definitely contributed. Sorry if I'm just droning on. I'll get off my soapbox now.
Yes to all the above (except that you were droning or on a soapbox LOL) :thumbsup:

[MCC]

I understand the link between stress and wegeners, but when I got it I was actually very happy and unstressed.

Someone gave me a copy of Louise Hayes book 'You can Heal your Life' and it actually made me kind of angry. She says things like 'we create every so called illness in our body...letting go of resentment will cure cancer...'.

Maybe it was a bad time for me to read it just after I'd been diagnosed as I wasn't very open to the idea!

[Sangye]

Ironically, I was really into Louise Hay's stuff before I became a Buddhist. So how did I get so sick??? LOL

[MCC]

Ironically, I was really into Louise Hay's stuff before I became a Buddhist. So how did I get so sick??? LOL

:biggrin1:

What do you think of Louise's stuff now?

[Sangye]

I think it's not a full equation. My post earlier in this thread explains why.

[gurinbasra]

I remember an intern which was about I think my second dr appmnt since I was diagnosed so I was extremely sick. She talked to me before the Rheumy came in and there I was cranking my ear to hear what she was saying as I'd lost most of my hearing, but I do remember that she told me "you know, there's nothing that you've done or eaten in your life that caused this, it's just something you've always had and the right conditions just lit up that grassfire and now we've got to get it under control, so don't let other people blame you for what you have". I must have been talking via Pred emotions to her. My ENT dr said he thinks I've always had it, and that it was just a matter of time for something in my life to set it off.

I was having the time of my life before I got sick, now I'm trying to have the time of my life, but my time get used up by the WG a little too much for my taste!

[pberggren1]

.

I was having the time of my life before I got sick, now I'm trying to have the time of my life, but my time get used up by the WG a little too much for my taste!

Yup, I totally agree.

[Sangye]

Gurinder, what a great thing to hear early on from a doctor (even if it was just an intern).

I love your last sentence. :smile1:

[marta]

Gurinder, I love the things you say and how you say them, and your outlook on life. You are an inspiration.