ROGER A new member, from the U.K.

[rakpartridge@hotmail.co.u]

Hi my name is roger, i'm 56 from Stroud, Gloucestershire, England.

at the end of last year (2007) i went to my local doctors with a very painful foot where i was told it could be arthritis and was given pain killers.
as time went on the pain got worse and i went to see another g.p. who said i had 'drop foot' a nerve problem with my foot.
after a couple more visits to my g.p. with my foot pain getting worse and also not eating properly, because all food tasted terrible, i was referred to gloucester royal hospital on the 8th january 2008 where they started running loads of tests, x rays, scans, biopseys etc. it was then i was diagnosed with W.G. treatment then started 'bags' of steroids and antibiotics were given to me. after about three weeks i was feeling much better and kept asking when i could go home, when one morning i woke up to find my arms and legs all swollen up, i was told i had a kidney problem.
treatment then started to reduce my swellings, i had fluid seeping out of my legs which meant they had to be bandaged up on a daily basis, and it took weeks for them to go down.
after 8 weeks in hospital i was finally allowed to go home even though my feet were still swollen and i could not get shoes on ,from the kidney problem,and i had hardly any feeling in my feet from where the nerves had gone from the W.G. treatment.
another 8 weeks went past at home hobbling around on sticks and regular vists from nurses to bandage my still blistered feet i decided to go back to work part time.
here we are now in august 2008 i am back at work full time, still visiting hospital for regular check ups, but still have 'tingly' feet where the nerves are still growing. doctors say they will get back to normal eventually but it will take some time, but i can put up with that even if i still use a stick to walk about with.

[andrew]

Hi Roger!!! Welcome to the forum, it's a pleasure to have you here

One of my original diagnoses was arthritis. 'Interesting' how this disaese can take many forms before finally revealing its true self - hmmm....sounds like some of my clients at work

It sounds like you got good treatment in hospital. Is that the case? What meds have they got you on at the moment.

Nerves can take a long time to grow, but grow they do. Good on you for taking this WG thing by the throat and giving it a good shake. Good on you for getting back to work full time. Well done!

[rakpartridge@hotmail.co.u]

my Medication Is Now Down To Prednisolone &azathioprine

[andrew]

Originally Posted by rakpartridge@hotmail.co.u

my Medication Is Now Down To Prednisolone &azathioprine

Ahh, the cornerstones of a good WG regime Taste good too

Great that you only have a couple of meds to take. Any word on reducing/eliminating either of them?