I had been feeling unwell for sometime and went to my semi annual doctors checkup. I had the usual bloodwork done and to my shock got a a phone call from his office to report to the Emergency Room! Renal failure! Am now on dialysis and adjusting to this new situation. Looking back and learning more about Wegener's it is frustrating to realize how easy it is for doctors and patients to miss the warning signs of this disease.

Item- A little over a year prior to diagnosis I had gone to my doctor complaining of a rash on my ankle and calf. He sent me to a dermatologist but I was seen by a nurse practitioner . She said it was 'hives' and gave me a topical corticosteroid that seemed to clear it up except a new more persistant rash developed behind one ear on my scalp. No big deal I thought. My mom had psoriasis so maybe that was what it was but out of sight out of mind.

Item- In late 2014 my routinie doctor exam led him to question me if I might be diabetic based on my blood sample. Whatever it was he had seen in that blood sample that caused his concern cleared up and as I was not overweight or showing any other indicators of diabetes it too was ignored.

Item- In April of 2015 my doctors exam was normal

Item- By October 2015 I had noticed my urine had begun to turn an amber color and I had no energy. My leg joints were sore and walking more than 100 meters became difficult. I was scheduled for my 6 month checkup but by then it was too late. I only had 9% kidney function left. I spent most of November in the hospital getting treated for end stage renal failure and, as I told my doctor, I may have lost lost 25 pounds in the hospital but I felt like a weighed 500 pounds now and, while still ambulatory, my ability to do anything strenous or walk more than a few hundred feet without becoming exhausted is my new reality.

Question for those here. I am being put on the kidney transplant by my nephrologist but am curious if Wegener's disease patients are considered 'good' candidates for transplants owing to possibility of the disease reoccurring and the risk immuno suppressant drugs pose. I had to spend a week in intensive care after becoming 'neutrophinic? in January as a result of taking cyctoxan. BTW I am 64, male and live in Sarasota, Florida. I am retired but had to sell my boat and curtail my other activities due to my current health problem.