To disclose or not to disclose?

I have chosen to research the Epilepsy Foundation's eCommunities site on ning. Immediately after joining and creating a profile with limited information, I was welcomed by a fellow member. Even after identifiying myselft as a researcher, I was able to maintain my relationship with the member and he agreed to an interview.

Now I have just posted a topic on the "forum", a portion of the site that allows members to post information, questions, experiences, anything- and other members can respond. I am asking users what the community means to them, as well as a few other open-ended questions.

As a person living with epilepsy, this site was of great interest to me. I created my profile with my condition in full disclosure. After revealing myself as a researcher, I wasn't sure if I should expect people to believe me, or if they may think I was trying to work my way in to the community by claiming I have epilepsy.

In my "forum" post, I was unsure whether to disclose my condition. I felt I should keep my experiences off the table in trying to complete an ethnographic study, but all the while, I had a feeling more people may open up if I was honest about my situation.

Well, I decided to leave if off the "forum" for now. My profile still discloses my epilepsy, but I did not include it in my "forum" introduction and questionaire. If I don't receive replies I may repost and see if there is a difference in response based on my idetifying as epileptic.