Well today has seen me reach a big milestone in my Vasculitis journey, l have had my last infusion of chemotherapy!! I can't believe how the past 6 month's have flown by.
All in all l have tolerated the treatment fairly well compared to other people l have spoken to, so I've been lucky :)
My journey does not end there though, it may be an end to one regime but l am not out of the woods yet.
The next phase of the treatment involves a drug which carries on where the chemo left off, not as toxic as chemo but acts by dampening down the immune system and slowing down the disease process.
Of course this drug comes with side effects :( Some people are affected more than others, having not yet started taking it, so l can't comment yet.
I have to have my blood monitored regularly while taking this drug so its still regular trips to the hospital.
Am also still on the dreaded steroids and have gained 2 stones in weight, l am at the moment trying to lose the steroid weight but it is hard to do so, hate it though. I just want my old self back, its like looking at a stranger in the mirror.
So that's about it for now, will keep you posted.......
Monday 27 January 2014
Friday 3 January 2014
The last five months
Happy New Year!!
Sorry for my lack of posts since September I have just been getting on with coping with my illness. It doesn't feel like five months since all this started the time has gone so fast.
Since the beginning of August I have been having Chemotherapy every three weeks with a blood test ten days later, all done at the Royal Liverpool.
I have also been on Steroids since August and have gained over two stones in weight which I hate, I have the typical "Moon Face" Its like a stranger looking back at me in the mirror its horrible.
And the side effects have been horrendous, shaking, dizzy, no power in my legs.
I was started off at 80mg dose and have weaned down now over the period of five months to 7.5mg thank god, although this dose is indefinite classed as a maintenance treatment. Thankfully the horrible side effects have gone apart from the loss of power in my legs which makes climbing stairs difficult, unfortunately my doctor has told me this is likely to be permanent caused by the steroids.
I have my next to last Chemo this coming Monday and my last Chemo at the end of January, well that was the plan of treatment set out in August.
I was informed when I had my last Chemo three weeks ago my white blood count was up and my Kidney function had dropped to 48%, it was 52% when I was discharged from hospital at the end of August, so that came as a blow.
There is no cure for this illness but you can go in to remission and that is the aim of the treatment, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my last two remaining sessions of Chemo.
So that's about it for now will post again soon
Bye for now
Sorry for my lack of posts since September I have just been getting on with coping with my illness. It doesn't feel like five months since all this started the time has gone so fast.
Since the beginning of August I have been having Chemotherapy every three weeks with a blood test ten days later, all done at the Royal Liverpool.
I have also been on Steroids since August and have gained over two stones in weight which I hate, I have the typical "Moon Face" Its like a stranger looking back at me in the mirror its horrible.
And the side effects have been horrendous, shaking, dizzy, no power in my legs.
I was started off at 80mg dose and have weaned down now over the period of five months to 7.5mg thank god, although this dose is indefinite classed as a maintenance treatment. Thankfully the horrible side effects have gone apart from the loss of power in my legs which makes climbing stairs difficult, unfortunately my doctor has told me this is likely to be permanent caused by the steroids.
I have my next to last Chemo this coming Monday and my last Chemo at the end of January, well that was the plan of treatment set out in August.
I was informed when I had my last Chemo three weeks ago my white blood count was up and my Kidney function had dropped to 48%, it was 52% when I was discharged from hospital at the end of August, so that came as a blow.
There is no cure for this illness but you can go in to remission and that is the aim of the treatment, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my last two remaining sessions of Chemo.
So that's about it for now will post again soon
Bye for now
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