Apology and Update

First off, I must apologize to future generations who will read this - at some time. As no one is following this blog now, I don't feel too guilty - and no, I don't have delusions of grandure either. I can't have that because I don't even think I spelled it correctly, although I know it's possible to have many conditions that you can't spell. (how's that for a run-in sentence)? My English teachers are all dead now - one benefit of getting old.

Now for the update. In the last month my treatment protocol has gone through several different things - most with positive results. They tested me for heavy metal exposure/toxins, and it came back negative. Very pleasant surprise with all they have said about the fillings in your teeth, fish we eat etc. Then they tested for neurotoxins which I fully expected to come back positive, but did not. With all the brain fog (editorial comment) - the hardest part about CFIDS is seeing you slowly become a shadow of your former self earlier than should be necessary. You feel like 75 when you're 45. Makes you not want to feel what 75 is going to be like.

So, the neurotoxin test came back negative, which I am VERY thankful for, because the treatment is something called Questran, which requires huge doses of Vitamin C to keep your body operating normally. Once a week, you have to take enough Vitamin C to force a flush - like prepping for a colonoscopy, only using Vitamin C. I hate Colonoscopies enough not to get them at all (which is utterly stupid, because my mother died of colon cancer at 55) - so needless to say, I was not looking forward to this treatment protocol. Thank God I don't need to go through a few months (or more) of this.

The last test was a Thrombotic Marker Panel, a measure of the thickness of both the blood and the blood vessels. Many CFIDS patients have blood several times more thick than normal people - when they do a large number of blood tests on me, after about the 4th or 5th vial, the blood slows to almost nothing. Certainly not normal. The effect on the blood vessels is to increase the thickness of the walls, which makes absorbsion at a cellular level much more difficult. Treatment is self injection of Heparin 2x/day. This is not as bad as it sounds, like anyone who gives themselves insulin would attest to. I have had side effects from this that indicate my tolerance for Heparin may be very low - something I need to speak to the doctor about at my next visit.

Again, sorry for no posts in a month. When no one is following, you get the feeling it just doesn't matter. If this makes me feel better it's good. If it could help someone else to feel better, I'd be much more dedicated to it.