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Dawn Pincott - Borne 26/4/1958
Diagnosed 1989
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First symptoms: December 1987 Sinus, which promoted snoring -
got this mildly in Dec 87 but it got worse. Nose bleeds - dry
scaly nose Loss of about 80% hearing in
both ears - July 88 Scleritis in the eye - Sept 88 All joints painful - 89
Continuous headaches 89 Hair loss 89 Skin rash 89 and finally
pains in the chest and difficulty breathing. "By the time I had
suffered approx. 18 months and had numerous specialists still
no-one knew what I had. I went to bed at night aching, tired and
didn't care if I never woke up. My GP said it was from the
Prednisone and had me booked to see a psychiatrist as he thought I
was a hypercondriac. When I was diagnosed in June 89
I rang my GP, told him what I had and told him to cancel the
psychiatrist appointment as I am not mental, I have WG." Tests and specialists included
: Nose scam for sinus - ENT (Ears
Nose Throat doctor) Eye test - ophthalmologist Head scan - Neurologist Nose and lung biopsy in Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane
First diagnosed - June 1989 by
Dr Hogg at P.A.hospital. Medication: Cyclophosphamide
and Prednisone "I felt so much better once on these
drugs" However the side effects included fat face, weight
gain,mood swings,sore gums, warts,hair loss, tiredness and early
menopause. This medication lasted 20
months for cyclo and 3 years with prednisone. However WG returned in June 92.
" I went to a GP, told him I had WG in the past, he wasn't
interested and treated me for the flu then I got scleritis in my
eye" The second bout of WG lasted
one year. "The GP treated my scleritis with drops instead of
prednisone, the scleritis turned to glaucoma and now I am half
blind in one eye". Some advice from Dawn: If you
have a dry scaly nose, buy an inhaler, put it in a milk bottle and
add boiling water and sniff - this relieves the dryness. Prednisone dissolves bones -
exercise to strengthen bones & keep weight down. Ladies - have a smear test. Drink 2 litres of water a day
when on cyclophosphamide.
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