Monday, February 4, 2008

My current plan . . .

It's been quite a while since I last posted. As was obvious, I was pretty upset when I last posted and it's been a while getting out of it. I don't have answers to my questions, however I do have a renewed desire to move forward with my life. I am still on Tysabri. I think that it's better than what I have had previously. I'm also taking glucosamine (the "joint pain" pills that you see advertised in all the stores.) and omega-3 fish oil. I'm also taking a multi-vitamin (centrum) and Celexa. Every morning it's a pill extravaganza as I choke them all down but I think at least some of them help so I keep it up.

My sister in law sent me a link that suggested wearing copper to reduce joint pain. I think it's really only for arthritis and even then, it's probably quack medicine. Just the same, I thought it would be fun to make so I bought some copper from a manufacturer and made a copper arm band (think Egyptian style - my wife calls me Ra when I wear it despite my continued assurances that I'm cooked.) It's fun to wear even if it doesn't do anything.

My fatigue is on and off. Sometimes I think things are all better and then I have a weekend like last weekend when I slept most of Saturday and all of Sunday except church. The results of my last two blood tests indicated that I was slightly Anemic and that may be contributing to the fatigue. My wife has me on a new diet with lots of meat. I really enjoy meat so I'm not complaining. Last night it was barbecued beef, potatoes and vegetables. It was delicious. If my tests come back not anemic in the future, I'm not sure that I'm going to tell her.

My 5th Tysabri treatment is coming up next week. The nurse at the infusion center told me that she had attended a conference where there was apparently some evidence that the efficacy increases until about the 14th infusion and then levels off. I'm looking forward to more treatments in hopes that I can have a little less fatigue.

2 comments:

Jody said...

Hi Troy,

I'm Jody and I am about to start Tysabri. You're MRI is interesting. Apparently mine is "textbook". Lovely! My only concern with the Tysabri is the risk of infertility. Does MS play a part in your ability to adopt?

Jody

Troy said...

Jody,
We adopted our three boys after I had already been diagnosed with MS. I don't think it makes a significant difference in that part of our plans. Mainly we are thinking about the future in terms like "let's make sure that we can find a way to support ourselves when I'm confined to a wheelchair" or "The next home that we buy will need to have all the essentials on the ground floor so that stairs are not a problem." I have heard or read enough about people who had a disabled parent to believe that their experiences can be just as rich if not more so in some circumstances as those who have active and healthy parents. I think spending time with your kids and helping them realize what things are truly important make or break your success as a parent.

Good luck on your Tysabri, I hope that all goes well. I know that each time I go I think of PMI at least a little bit and wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I've had more energy and been able to participate more in life since starting Tysabri so I think it's been and will continue to be a good choice. Keep me updated as to your situation.