Hi everyone,

I am very glad to find this forum and read many of yourstories. My WG was diagnosed in 1998after two years of fevers, fatigue, sinus symptoms, and finally a septal perforation. It seemed like it was diagnosed pretty early,and was limited to upper respiratory. Methotrexateand Imuran did not do much for me, so I went on Cytoxan (plus prednisone andBactrim). It worked well, and after acouple of years I went into remission. Ihave been in remission for 15+ years. A rheumatologisttold me that if you are in remission for that long, that the disease isbasically gone and you can count on it being really over, which was obviously agreat idea to me.

However, I think I am now having a flare and am prettyfreaked out about it. At first I thought it was just a bad cold…thenflu…sinus infection, etc. but it will not go away. Fever,muscle aches, fatigues, malaise, and nasal “crusties”. NormallyI walk 5+ miles a day and now walking across the room sometimes makes me shortof breath. Am having a problem with oneof my ears. Have seen a doctor a coupleof times and had several courses of antibiotics, steroids, etc. and that hasnot worked. Some days are better than others, but for themost part I’m not feeling well and not functioning well.

I am really hoping that this is something more benign, like the world’s longest fl u, but am more and more concerned about it. I’m in my early 50s and am leery about the impact of the disease and/or treatment compared to when I was 30.
My previous rheumatologist seems to have closed upshop. Does anyone have a recommendationfor an appropriate specialist in the San Antonio, TX area? The earliest appointment I can get for someonewho seems to know what they are doing is six weeks from now.
Thanks for this board and the great conversations about WG.