Wegeners with no major organ involvement?

[Texastatoogal]

Could you tell me what they
do for a nasal biopsy. What is involved? I might be getting one done on Monday and I am a little nervous.

[gilders]

Could you tell me what they
do for a nasal biopsy. What is involved? I might be getting one done on Monday and I am a little nervous.

There was a recent thread that was started about nasal biopsies,
http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.c...al-biopsy.html
Reply #9 gives you a fairly detailed story of my biopsy from a couple of months ago.

[me2]

Could you tell me what they
do for a nasal biopsy. What is involved? I might be getting one done on Monday and I am a little nervous.

Results may vary. I got scared reading Gilders account. Most people have little discomfort from the procedure as was the case for me. The procedure is done in the office and is very simple. They spray your nose with numbing agents and then take a little snip of skin from inside. Like a big bug bite size. A little tissue for the nose and you go home. In my case the biopsy was definative for wg and it meant an end to the endless doctor visits and antibiotics and on to proper treatment. Does this mean you are still looking for a diagnosis?

[2ringers]

If I were to have the nasal biopsy done, would the fact that I'm on methotrexate affect the results?

When I had the first tympanomastoidectomy done, they did a test on a sample of the polyp. I don't know what they tested for, but they said nothing was found. This was before any mention of wegeners. I wonder if the test would have shown this if they were checking for it.

[annekat]

I have seen first hand how pred can clear up Wegs symptoms, way before I ever knew I had Wegs, and how it often worked even better than the antibiotics to do so. I remember my ENT sometimes prescribed it and sometimes not, because he thought I'd had too much of it. Little did he know I'd be solidly on it in the future. But I agree it only improves the symptoms and doesn't fight the disease.

Interesting case study, Kirk. I've read on here before about Bactrim (the sulfa med in the case) being useful in maintaining remission but not as a sole treatment. I know I took Bactrim pre-wegs as one of the antibiotics used to fight "sinus infections", and it worked as well as any, in the short term. But it was never the DS version (double strength?) that many of us take 3 times a week. I'm inclined to want to keep taking it even if I quit some of the other meds someday, as long as it continues to work over time.

[Texastatoogal]

I saw a rheumatologist on Friday for the first time. My blood work from my primary was negative for wegener's and he will not start me on any immune suppressants until he is convinced I have it. So I am doing more blood work, a ct scan, and he is sending me to an ENT because he said my nasal area is red and inflamed.

[Dirty Don]

If I were to have the nasal biopsy done, would the fact that I'm on methotrexate affect the results?

MTX affects the AI to my understanding...thus controlling the effects of the WG...it still may present in areas.

[drz]

If you are in central PA I would look up Merkel in Philadelphia. He definitely one of the world known experts. You should be able to a consult with him quickly and a visit to his clinic if needed. My doctors consulted with him and Specks at Mayo.