Discovered this informative site and wonderful people when they first mentioned the diagnosis of GPA during my recent 11 day hospitalization. Came home last evening!!!

A little background - I am a 60 year old RN, working full time and living my life. I do wonder if GPA has been "smoldering" in the background because of abnormal inflammatory markers for a very long time. They did a "work-up" but found nothing and I even saw a RA and thus was years ago

About two years ago lost the hearing in my rt ear assoc with vertigo - MRI done told it was probably viral and to live my life. No other specific symptoms but as I read everyone's story I see subtle hints of GPA. Would feel hot but no temp, HR would increase and feel a little SOB and Sats would be in low 90,s but attributed that to being busy and rushing -no biggie, or so I thought


Oct of this year wicked sinus issues - ear acting up so went back to ENT. All well. Few days later developed unilateral eye pain - saw eye doc - all looked well. 3 days later vision very bad in left eye, back to optomologist - referred to neuro - optomologist. Testing done - felt might be due to sinus infection, had sinus surgery , steroids and vision back thought all was well and suppose to go back to work. When tapering off steroids for what was felt to be optic neuritis vision got bad again so they restarted prednisone and a few days later while tapering down again totally loss vision in left eye - told to head to hospital and went in the Thursday before Thanksgiving and after a lot of testing an a complication where they cut through my intercostal artery when doing the lung biopsy a sx of GPA diag was made due to Blood work and my presentation.

Had my first dose of Rituxin which they explained reasons for and 1000 mg Solumedrol X 3 doses plus one more dose due to vision getting a bit blurry again. I would be lying if I did not mention how scary this all is as you all well know - the rituxin especially scares me although I red that the side effects are most prominent after 1st dose and go,down with each subsequent dose- if I read that correctly

On 60mg Prednisone with slow taper. On bactrim and usual meds. Have home oxygen now due to lung issue but I am hopeful that will get better.

Sorry for for just a long post - I have been reading the board and am so appreciate,I've read of all your info and would love to learn more


Sorry for a my typos also.