Welcome to you and your mom Jason...WG is a difficult but doable disease. WG is a vascular disease in which the Auto Immune system no longer directs it's help at needed areas as it has been fooled by the WG attacking the vascular system, in many different areas, thus the AI thinks it is attacking a bacteria...it's not as the WG is on the outside of the blood system, so things like organs and the vascular system take the hit from the AI...not a good thing! As for your mom's aching, if she is not on the proper drugs and doses, she will be achy as that is a fairly common symptom of WG: roaming pains. Your docs need to know how to use drugs like prednisone (helps cut down flaring symptoms and inflammations), methotrexate (kind of the beginner's drug for WG, low damage from WG), there are others available and others on here will chime in with their names I'm sure. Rituxin (Rituximab) is the heavy duty drug, but is the most effective. Side effects seem to range the spectrum for most WG patients...all the drugs do something other than what we'd like! Prednisone is famous for the moonface, humped back, and eating waaaay too much chocolate! The drugs given to control the AI have their own sets of side effects but none, for most WG patients, are extremely dangerous if used on a given protocol. Keep asking questions, both of us and your mom's docs...they need to know there are specific ways and drugs to treat this disease...no guessing nor reading out of books...your mom needs specific help. Best to you both.
Knowing how to think empowers you far beyond those who only know what to think. -NdT
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