Diagnosis, Treatment

[Terri]

Did you guys see this in the latest Vasculitis Foundation paper?

Thanks to Catharine McPherson......

Diagnosis, Treatment

What does this test called ANCA mean?

When positive results are seen

Whether MPO or PR3

Or even just plain P or C – diagnoses WG

Oh! I forgot its GPA-

That is what it’s called today.

Some other tests to help diagnose

Are biopsies- kidney, lung, sinus or nose.

First drug prescribed is prednisone

For some, it’s just this drug alone.

Patients’ next drug I can’t abide,

Repellant cyclophosphamide,

With side effects to frighten you-

Affecting hair and bladder too.

Twenty plus side effects from pred

List them and fill your heart with dread.

Next they may give you imuran,

Not everyone takes- not everyone can.

Methotrexate is next on the table,

Pills or inject, if disease isn’t stable.

New drugs, “biologics”, that I suspect

Are rare and have dangerous side effects.

But all of these medicines do suppress

One’s total immunity, is my guess-

So now I’m susceptible, I suppose

To any bad germ from my head to my toes!

I think I’d be happy and healthy, but still be mused

If they’d sort out those cells which are confused

And leave my good ones unaffected;

But,those invisible culprits are still undetected...

Thanks!

[Lightwarrior]

Did you guys see this in the latest Vasculitis Foundation paper?

Thanks to Catharine McPherson......

Diagnosis, Treatment

What does this test called ANCA mean?

When positive results are seen

Whether MPO or PR3

Or even just plain P or C – diagnoses WG

Oh! I forgot its GPA-

That is what it’s called today.

Some other tests to help diagnose

Are biopsies- kidney, lung, sinus or nose.

First drug prescribed is prednisone

For some, it’s just this drug alone.

Patients’ next drug I can’t abide,

Repellant cyclophosphamide,

With side effects to frighten you-

Affecting hair and bladder too.

Twenty plus side effects from pred

List them and fill your heart with dread.

Next they may give you imuran,

Not everyone takes- not everyone can.

Methotrexate is next on the table,

Pills or inject, if disease isn’t stable.

New drugs, “biologics”, that I suspect

Are rare and have dangerous side effects.

But all of these medicines do suppress

One’s total immunity, is my guess-

So now I’m susceptible, I suppose

To any bad germ from my head to my toes!

I think I’d be happy and healthy, but still be mused

If they’d sort out those cells which are confused

And leave my good ones unaffected;

But,those invisible culprits are still undetected...

Thanks!

I LOVE THIS, amazing. I would read it in a bed, I would read it on my head and now I'll have to read it on high dose pred.