Journey Back to Health, Week 8
Well, I had a post-treatment visit to Dr. Scott today. It was short and sweet.
He basically asked how I was doing and checked my lower legs. I've been off the prednisone for a couple of weeks now, which he prescribed for the edema and cellulitis, as well as the knots. He also asked about my "stamina" and general well-being. I told him I no longer was short of breath, but was still having trouble sleeping.
At any rate, he cut me a script for blood work, including a viral load, to be done after March 15. So, we'll see.
Grace and peace ...
He basically asked how I was doing and checked my lower legs. I've been off the prednisone for a couple of weeks now, which he prescribed for the edema and cellulitis, as well as the knots. He also asked about my "stamina" and general well-being. I told him I no longer was short of breath, but was still having trouble sleeping.
At any rate, he cut me a script for blood work, including a viral load, to be done after March 15. So, we'll see.
Grace and peace ...
2 Comments:
Hi Buzz
Good to hear you sounding so positive and prolific too. Sounds like the after-effects of treatment aren't too bad for you and I'm glad.
All the best with the viral load test - you deserve a negative outcome. (I'm sure that sounds bad to anyone without HepC knowledge but of course it's a good outcome to have)
Wishing you well
Ron
Buzz,
Maybe your blood work should include Vitamin B12 assays. Not just
serum B12, but other markers like methylmalonic acid.
I recognize that other markers like methylmalonic acid don't necessarily indicate what the clinical response might be, but they still would be useful to get:
haematologica 2006;91:231-234
The limited value of methylmalonic acid, homocysteine and holotranscobalamin in the diagnosis of early B12 deficiency
http://www.haematologica.it/journal/2006/2/231.html
Blood, 1 February 2005, Vol. 105, No. 3, pp. 978-985.
Cobalamin-responsive disorders in the ambulatory care setting: unreliability of cobalamin, methylmalonic acid, and homocysteine testing
http://www.bloodjournal.org/cgi/content/full/bloodjournal;105/3/978
Why bother?
J Am Board Fam Pract. 2005 Nov-Dec;18(6):567-9.
Successful treatment of chronic erythema nodosum with vitamin B12
http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/full/18/6/567
It turns out that erythema nodosum is related to overexpression of an inflammatory cytokine called tumor necrosis alpha:
Acta Derm Venereol. 2001 Jan-Feb;81(1):18-21.
Tumour necrosis factor-alpha promoter polymorphism in erythema nodosum.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11411907
In cases of B12 issues, there is an over expression of tumor necrosis alpha.
Exp Neurol. 2005 Apr;192(2):463-79.
Cobalamin (vitamin B(12)) in subacute combined degeneration and beyond: traditional interpretations and novel theories.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15755562
Something to consider, particularly if you may have a viral issue, which may impair B12 metabolism.
The best form to take is methylcobalamin (oral sublingual -- available in vitamin stores now -- or shots), not cyanocobalamin, the usual form found in multi-vitamin pills.
Robert
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