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[labellementeuse]

I mentioned, I think, that in order to avert a probable splenectomy I was going to try a treatment for my ITP while I was up here called rituximab or mabthera. The idea behind rituximab (which is usually used in post-chemo lymphoma patients, ironically enough) is that it targets the B cells which produce the antibodies that attack platelets, causing low platelet count blah blah boring blah. Anyway, I had four IV treatments, one a week for four weeks, and saw my platelet count come way up - like, 253, which is the highest it has ever been, as far as I know. Certainly the highest since last January. I didn't say anything here at the time because I'm paranoid and in some studies, although nearly all patients saw a dramatic increase, for about a third of them their count came right down again. However, I halved my prednisone intake and yesterday I had another test and my count... is still 253 (basically a fluke, being the same number, but hey.) So I halved it again, I'm now on 15mg every two days and I am just so relieved, guys. No splenectomy for me, nuh-uh! :)

The other health thing that I've been explicitly avoiding mentioning is that I've been on a sort-of diet, if you can call cutting all the crap out of my diet and going to the gym twice a week a diet. Whatever since mid-November I've lost 11 kilos and made my short-term goal (80 kilos. Yeah, I was 91 kilos, no, I don't really want to talk about it.) So, basically... I feel really great and totally capable of meeting my long-term goal (~65kgs) by May, June at the latest.

To top it all off? I got given six pairs of socks for Christmas and I still have five matching pairs. \o/



Now I have to find a final flatmate. Yeah, one of my flatmates dropped out. Yeah, I am kinda getting deja vu from last year. *rips out hair gently*

Comments

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

it's not as big a deal as it sounds... really the only problem with it has been the side effects of the prednisone, which have indeed been hellacious even without causing me to put on 15kg in the past year that I've been taking them. (which is where my goal weight comes from, btw; I wasn't happy with my weight last summer when I was 75. it's really not as light as it seems, especially for a girl. interestingly, a guy my height would be expected to weigh slightly more than I do now, whereas 65 is pretty much bog standard for a girl my height - 170 cm, about five foot six and a half.)

Yeah, you've mentioned the ME. :-/ My best friend's mother and brother have both got ME quite seriously (and I'm deeply concerned about the same friend developing it, after a recent very bad bout of glandular fever and the fact that she gets absolutely every disease coming down the line...) so I do know a little bit about what a mess it can make. I'm just relieved that this has been fixed up and I have really high hopes for being able to come off pred - the last time I was on an equivalent dose my count was significantly lower, 60-80, so I'm confident that I'm not just being supported by the steroids now. which is really a big relief to me. it's difficult for me to be reall happy about it because one of my best friends' partner is very seriously ill right now... I don't want to talk about my health improving, I feel guilty I guess. so yeah, it's a relief.