User Tag List

Likes Likes:  38
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 18 of 18

Thread: Wegeners is back!

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    see map location in MN
    Posts
    4,374
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    16 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    Quote Originally Posted by Rose View Post
    Interesting post. My Rheumy has told me from the get go that I will be on drugs for life. According to him the risk is too great of Wegeners returning and doing even more damage to already damaged organs. Also that a flare is usually less aggressive when still on maintenance treatment.

    Rose
    My situation is the same. They doubt I could survive a serous flare and the risk of one goes up a lot once you stop all maintenance meds.

    Accepting a life time of more meds might be easier for me since I also have Type one diabetes and have been on insulin for years. Except for a organ transplant there is no cure yet for diabetes.
    Last edited by drz; 01-28-2018 at 12:22 PM.
    Knowledge is power! Wisdom is using it to make good decisions!

  2. Likes im so blessed, Alysia, Jaha liked this post
  3. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    England
    Posts
    829
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    38 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    Although I said that I try to achieve drug free remission between flares, once I have my kidney transplant I will be on anti - rejection meds (which are basically immunosuppressants) for the life of the kidney, so the choice of being drug free will no longer be there.
    Diagnosed April 1995

  4. Likes im so blessed, Alysia, Jaha liked this post
  5. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Mobile, Alabama
    Posts
    256
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    Quote Originally Posted by gilders View Post
    "Im thankful for the clinical trials that ppl are a part of, otherwise they would always be following protocol"
    It's nice to hear people being appreciative of clinical trial patients. I'm on the RITAZAREM trial.

    As for whether you should be on drug free remission or not is a tough choice. I have had periods of drug free remission and have quite aggressive Wegener's (when active). I'm currently awaiting kidney transplant and really could not say if I'd never gone drug free whether my kidneys would have failed so badly or not.
    I can't regret my drug free choices as the drugs have bad side effects and in my case, they have become less capable of "fighting" flares/relapses. So I'm happy to hold back on maintenance, so that the drugs are more potent during a flare.
    I read all the posts, and I do agree with everyone, even if some differ because this disease is so difficult. It is different with each person, and I "simmer" like Alysia, so I have to stay on 5-10 mgs of prednisone or I will flare. My concern is the attitude of your new Dr. I would definitely give her a chance, and see if your able to get a workable relationship with her. I was very fortunate with my first 2 Rheumatologists. I had a wonderful Dr. who diagnosed me and was my dr. for 10 years, then I moved north and was lucky enough to have the sweetest lady doctor, and both of these doctors were "on my level" when discussing my symptoms and if I was not having symptoms, and took how I felt very seriously, while at the same time I trusted their directions and if they thought I should try another med or stay on a med longer, I would agree. I guess what I am trying to say is, Wegeners is a disease that has a mind of its own, and if a Dr. is trying to treat you with a medication that she thinks you should take....without even taking the time to establish some sort of respect for your feelings and questions you may have, and talk to you about her reasons, etc. I know probably most people would say she is a good Dr. and may not have the best "bedside manners"....and that is probably true. But I hate that on your first visit with her, she was abrupt and stern. Hopefully, the longer you see her, the more she will know about you, and everything will smooth out. I love the way you felt, like you were not sick, and thinking that maybe you were one of the people who could go for years without meds....I often felt a little like that when I was first diagnosed, because I was young, and I was determined to live my life as normally as possibly. And I was able to push through the pain and the flares....I did not have the long term effects of the steroids like I do now. But you have access to better meds, and hopefully you will not have the damage long term that people have when we were diagnosed 20 or more years ago. I wish you the best, and you can still feel like you are not a "sick" person!! I did it for years, I hiked, biked, went to the beach all the time, because I live 30mins away from the beach. And I rode jet skis, the kind you cant sit down on, so I had to balance or fall....that kept my legs looking amazing!! If I was having arthritis in my ankles and knees....I just pushed through it. Don't feel defeated, you are doing the right things. Blessings, Prayers and Love to you....
    Life is a Gift~ Lilly

  6. Likes NatriceRomeo, im so blessed, Alysia liked this post
  7. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Central Pennsylvania
    Posts
    199
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    5 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    Quote Originally Posted by gilders View Post
    Although I said that I try to achieve drug free remission between flares, once I have my kidney transplant I will be on anti - rejection meds (which are basically immunosuppressants) for the life of the kidney, so the choice of being drug free will no longer be there.
    I "liked" your post, but i dont like that you have to go through that

  8. Likes seied liked this post
  9. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    32
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    30 years without meds was great but at the time I was diagnosed the doctors did not know much about the disease and they didn't know you could have a flare, they discharged me after 5 years and I thought that was it I was cured. Fortunately, the rheumatologist I am now with does understand the disease which is why I have to stay on maintenance meds. I am on 1.5g mycophenolate which is only a low dose and I don't have any side effects. Could you maybe ask if you could go on a low dose of methotrexate.
    I am having a problem with subglottic stenosis at the moment and I am waiting for my first dilation which will be in 3 to 4 weeks but they have said I am still in remission, apparently stenosis has a life of its own.

  10. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Central Pennsylvania
    Posts
    199
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    5 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    Quote Originally Posted by Donnak06 View Post
    30 years without meds was great but at the time I was diagnosed the doctors did not know much about the disease and they didn't know you could have a flare, they discharged me after 5 years and I thought that was it I was cured. Fortunately, the rheumatologist I am now with does understand the disease which is why I have to stay on maintenance meds. I am on 1.5g mycophenolate which is only a low dose and I don't have any side effects. Could you maybe ask if you could go on a low dose of methotrexate.
    I am having a problem with subglottic stenosis at the moment and I am waiting for my first dilation which will be in 3 to 4 weeks but they have said I am still in remission, apparently stenosis has a life of its own.
    yes thats what im told about my stenosis, that it takes on its own path...she is starting me on 12.5 mg of methotrexate. I had been on it and imuran together for 10 years, just imuran for 6 before that. It makes my hair thin, and i feel super tired, but i cant complain. I think im accepting it a little better now. Thankyou for your responses!

  11. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    32
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    You could ask if you could try mycophenolate or cellcept as its known, I did get stomach pain and really tired at first but this only lasted a couple of weeks and now I don't have any side effects.

  12. Likes im so blessed liked this post
  13. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    27
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: Wegeners is back!

    I'm sorry of this, I can relate to it - truly. I'm wondering, since you had been doing so well in remission for over a year (as well as Donna here: 30 yrs). Did the Fellow Dr. even ASK any questions or document this critical positive info. into your file? This may not only help find a pattern of probable cause to what may be helping you, but compare to other WG patients in the medical database (instead of scolding with an ultimatum for NOT taking drugs you were concerned about?!) You'd think a Dr. in this field would be curious and willing to investigate. Perhaps your environment has changed? Your diet? When it's not documented, no one ever knows. It's a hassle, but doing a journal yourself would help if they're not going to report it and have it placed into your medical file. I've learned overtime, how critical this is regardless of intimidation, to be straightforward to make sure they also document what you said and felt was important, into your report – the GOOD and BAD progress and HOW LONG with/without drugs. Get a copy of the report to see if it aligns to what was discussed. In my experience, I was absolutely shocked (unfortunately much, much later as I had no experience or concerns about reports) to observe so many errors, lost papers, misinformation and/or missing facts! Some symptoms, I never had or even said! which is now causing a lot of grief today. (I recall another example of someone in this forum discovered a Dr. reported he had syphilis!)

    Getting your report may also help you feel or get an idea if she is the right Dr. for you. You have every right to request another one you feel comfortable with, as they are the ones ordering “lifetime” maintenance drugs while you had been doing great so far! Low dosage I hope? (Did she even share or advise to take folic acid supplements w/ it?) These Drs. don't take or deal with the side-effects of these potent drugs, and often get incentives from the pharmaceutical co.
    Remember, you're paying for it all. -H.
    Last edited by Helen; 01-30-2018 at 04:09 PM.

  14. Likes seied, im so blessed, Jaha liked this post
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •