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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Meds ... meds... and meds...

Been a while since I last wrote about my meds for SLE.
My WBC (white blood count) has been yo-yo"ing" on me for the past three months. Sometimes I get above minimal reading of 6 (which is good!) , then borderline, then it dipped further to a "low" reading, though not critical or panic "low".

First Doc said, "I think it must be AZA (short for azathioprine, or Imuran) causing your low WBC (as that point, it was about 2.6), since clinically you look fine. So, let's take off AZA and increase your Preds (aka "the wonder steroid") to 20mg."

Two weeks later, my WBC were up to 6 point something ... very good.

Next appointment, different doc, Doctor No. 2 then said, "I am tapering down your steroid, let's restart AZA on a lower dose ... (er... yikes?)"
So, Preds down to 15mg, AZA restarted at 75mg.

Two weeks later, another blood test. WBC was recorded at 4 point something ... normal.

Doctor No. 2, "OK, taper down Preds to 10mg ..."

Then, two weeks later, another appointment with Doc. No. 3, noted that my WBC is down to 3 point something, borderline.
Dr. No. 3 said "It must be AZA, to be sure, I am taking you off of AZA (again??), steroid remains at 10mg."

It has been two weeks since I am off of AZA, with no other steroid sparing drugs. Preds is 10mg. How do I feel? Don't know really, have not recorded any fever. Except for the occasional "out-of-energy" symptons, I am, otherwise, fine!

Tomorrow, I am going for my blood test (again!) ... so let's hope that the numbers are great and within the "normal" range!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

with all the blessings from many many meow kids (mine, blackie's, Zee's and many more), it will be just fine!! Hugz!

lupie said...

My 7 days in GH, 21 days in Selayang hospital, cockroaches encounters (in GH), daily blood tests and one bone marrow aspiration is enough to put a young chick like me (ahemm... arrhemmm) in constant paranoia!

Drunk On Books And Adventure said...

hahaha, young chick, huh?? never mind...i like to think of myself as a young chick, too, until i see those really young chicks at the mamma mia preview screening.

went home feeling a bit depressed le...kept asking hubby how old i looked...he said "24", hehe, for once he was being nice...or sarcastic?? i know i don't look 24. :(

but keep up the spirit...i'm sure u'll be ok.

Anonymous said...

u are sooo a "BIg Guinea Pig"