So it’s one week into the new year. I guess I can say my only resolution is to do everything I can to pass this year. I returned home from university about 3 weeks ago, and have since been working as a phlebotomist part time. Whilst this no doubt provides me with valuable experience and money I so desperately need to actually fund my education, I haven’t really found the time to do much medical work. Take today for instance, this has been my first day off work in ages, and I’d meant to write up some notes, but here I am, nearly 7pm and I’ve done nothing, nada.
It also doesn’t help that in the last few days I’ve been struck down by a cold which has no developed into a chest infection. I sound like I’ve got COPD! The azathioprine probably isn’t helping me fight this, to say the least. And I’m due the second swine flu vaccine next week. I really don’t want to head for the doctors though, because that will no doubt involve high dose steroids which I really really wish to avoid.
However, in more vaguely positive news, my steroids are now down to just 7.5mg! It’s actually amazing how different I feel. My sleep has vastly improved, but I doubt it could be referred to as normal. I tend to slip off about 1-3am now instead of the usual 3-5. I’m sure this will have a huge impact on my performance at uni. However at the moment, having to start work at 8am, and it being a bus ride away, I do have to get up at 6:30, a good hour and a half earlier than at uni, so I shall probably feel the full impact of this when I head back. I have also found my appetite much more within normal ranges, and whilst I doubt with Christmas binges I have lost any of the weight I had amassed, I don’t think I’ve gained any either.
A negative side of this is within the last month, I began to feel symptoms of my asthma and polyps returning, as I had not been bothering with the extra nasal and inhaled steriods whilst on such a large systemic dose. It did kind of shock me the first time I became wheezy, when I hadn’t had any symptoms for over 6 months, so I’d almost forgotten what it was like.
Another strange occurance woke me up a couple of days ago. I was still half asleep when I ran to the sink and started drinking from the tap because my throat was on fire. The only reasonable thing I could think of is I had acid reflux, but still it hurt like a bitch, and I still haven’t got my voice back.
I have to say overall things have improved, but having not really had any academic work in over 3weeks, I won’t really be able to tell until the pressure is back on.
I’m going to start dieting and posting how I’m doing. My aim is at first 8st 7 (119 pounds), but I’m normally 8st (112 pounds), let’s see how it goes! Weights will normally be measured first thing Monday.
Current weight: 9 st 10 (136 pounds)
Weight lost so far: 0 pounds
BMI: 26.6
Weight still to lose: 17 pounds by April
Patient Reflections 