I upgraded the blog software today!
Category: General
After I started thalidomide in April, 2003, I noticed that I began to have significant trouble concentrating. I could no longer read a book, even. Before that, I read a lot — at least a few books a month. My short term memory also took a hit. I asked some other patients about their experiences, and more than a few had similar situations. I’ll write some more about this when I can focus better. :)
I called in to get the results of my IFE and PE, and here they are:
April 7, 2004
IgG: 361 mg/dL
IgA: 904 mg/dL
IgM: 10 mg/dL
Total protein: 6.7 g/dL
It looks like I can be stable on dex alone. I last took thalidomide in early March. Initially upon stopping, there was an increase. See labs for details. >> LABS <<
I had blood drawn yesterday in Pinehurst. Since I had a dramatic increase in my IgA last time I had my monthly labs at UNC, my doctor wanted me to have another test in a few weeks. That was yesterday. We’ll see what the results are on Friday or Monday. They’re faxing the report to Dr. O. at UNC. I’ll have to call in to get the numbers myself.
I’m on my first day of dex at 40mg. Tomorrow I’ll take 20. I’m not sure that’s a good taper though. Last week I sufferd on Monday! I felt tired and my legs just don’t want to work. I ended up sleeping most of the day.
I’ll have a blood test Monday to see how I’m doing. I really hope the dex works for me alone, because I don’t want to have to move to DVd. I will if I have to, of course. I just have to hang in until school is done.
This time on dex I am going to eliminate carbs completely. I don’t want blood sugar problems! It’s only for a few days, so I’m sure I can survive. :)
Dex is nothing short of agonizing sometimes. High blood sugar, sleeplessness and then the crash.
In a week and a half, I’ll have a blood test called IFE to see if it’s helping me. Dr. Orlowski thought maybe I could try DVd if this doesn’t help. DVd consists of Doxil, Vincristine and dex. It’s different from VAD, because, “DOXIL is made of fat bubbles called liposomes that contain doxorubicin. In DOXIL, these liposomes are surrounded by a layer of hairlike strands made from polyethylene glycol.” It has only a few hour (maybe a little more) infusion rate, as opposed to 4 days.
Since my last check a few weeks ago, my serum IgA is up almost 200 mg/dL. I guess that’ll teach me to stop my thalidomide. It’s at 1044 mg/dL now, and hasn’t been that high since before last May. I wanted to finish my masters degree before I do a transplant, so I need to keep it under control until then (summer and fall semesters are the last ones). I’m going to take 40mg of dex on Fridays and 20 on Saturdays, starting tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes when I get labs done next month.