Recap

For those of you who have recently joined me in this "9 month journey," I thought I would put together a simple little recap, if you have missed anything or don't really feel like reading from the start.

August: I had an annual TB screening, and had a positive PPD skin test. From there, I had a chest exam to show the severity of my exposure. Turns out, my immune system walled off the TB exposed area from spreading, which would mean I have what is referred to as latent TB. I am not contagious and have no active TB symptoms.

September (very early): My dad saw the movie Julie and Julia, and thought it would be SOOO original to make a blog, documenting my treatment, for 9 months. I figured, why not, with the hopes of entertaining his request, and maybe educate and inform some people along the way.

September (early): I have baseline blood work done, to make sure my body can handle the treatment, Isoniazid (INH). It is mainly because the INH is toxic to the liver, so the nurse practitioner wants to make sure I have a healthy liver to start.

September (mid): I started taking the 9 month TB treatment medication, as a preventative measure of developing active TB. Those with latent TB have a 1 in 10 chance of developing active TB. By taking the preventative medication (INH), the chances of developing active are cut by 75%.

October (early): I had my first monthly meeting with the nurse practitioner, to make sure my body is taking to the preventative medication. The INH can be pretty toxic to the liver, so she just checks to ensure I am not having any sort of organ failure. Seems silly to see her every month, but at the end of the day, I appreciate it.

October (mid): The nurse practitioner suggests I start taking multivitamin supplements. I guess taking INH can result in a lack of vitamins being absorbed into the body, so it is suggested people take supplements. My Centerium multivitamins are chewable, orange flavored, and gross.

November (early): I had my second monthly meeting with the nurse practitioner. Same as the first meeting, I haven't had any adverse side affects.

Today: Today is day 66 and I have yet to miss a day of taking my INH.

Well, that is about it. There have been some education sessions along the way, but so far, I am staying on top of it.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."~ Jim Ryun
In this case, pretty much.

I'm out!

Monthly Check-Up

Good morning, loyal, faithful, good looking readers! I just got back from my 2nd monthly appointment with the NP. If this NP sounds familiar, but you can't quite pin it, she is the one that so artistically relayed TB and its symptoms to me in this little something.

This was just a check-up to make sure I'm not having an adverse effects of the medication. It is pretty standard when being treated with INH. When asked if I had missed any treatment doses, she was visibly shocked when I told her I hadn't. Really, NP, you're shocked?! I'm not building a rocket that requires daily intricate recalibration or anything. I am just taking an INH pill and a multivitamin. I didn't tell her that! To be honest, I think someone like me, with things pretty together, shocks her. Her head is all over the place sometimes.

Anyway, all is well and I can only hope the same for you all, readers.
Out.

Day 52

Day 52. Time flies! I am scheduled tomorrow for my 2nd appointment with the NP, to make sure everything is still A-OK.

I still haven't missed any days and am still not drinking much alcohol, if any. This weekend, though, I had a little more than I have since I started this treatment. In the back of my mind I was slightly worried about drinking so much, but then calmed down when I figured 2.5 glasses of wine isn't THAT much. It wasn't like I was a Catholic priest or anything ( saying that will probably piss my grandma off).

I don't really have anything new to report on today. I am very close to having completed 20% of the treatment. Time flies!

A Regular Day

Nothing to really report on today. I went to visit the family this weekend and made sure to pack my medication. I never missed a day.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with my nurse practitioner (NP) to make sure everything is going smoothly and I am not having an adverse side effects, like fatigue or tingling in my hands and feet. I do get dizzy spells when I stand up, but I think it is from doing it too fast. Nothing crazies.

I will make sure to fill you all in.
Wonderful, healthy Tuesdays to all!