Oh, Dr I'm In Trouble...

Well, Goodness Gracious Me...(reference to an old comic song performed by Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren for anyone unfamiliar)

Well, I'll try and keep things reasonably brief. I saw my Consultant today...well, not exactly. My Consultant popped in to see me and discuss my condition and treatment. I was however, seen by a Dr who works within my Consultant's department and with him. I assume. He had to check what treatment I should be given and both discussed between them the correct course to take. The Dr may be being trained to become a consultant himself and may for all I know in time takeover some of my Consultant's workload.

He was very pleasant and polite. He shook hands upon us entering the examination room and when leaving(I understand as he left the hospital and walked past my Mum who was with me)he crossed his fingers and gave her a smile. He also throughout being given information gave her as much reassurance as any Dr can or would dare to. Of course he cannot say the treatment will work or I'll be cured(no one can say that but they have to understandably be careful of saying something that a patient or relative can come back and sue them.

The upshot is I am back on full treatment. He explained everything so clearly and calmly and detailed(perhaps more than my own Consultant)and as I had looked up the information myself on the internet lately I knew what I was being told matched what I know. He also answered any questions I had.

If I am fortunate...the problem might go away.

If I am fortunate I may have to have treatment and they can stablise the problem and keep it for worsening.

Unfortunately, sometimes no matter what they do they cannot halt the condition and I'd rather not go there. That's the worst case scenario.

My consultant says that I probably will respond and improve and not to panic yet. As it worked before there is every reason to hope it will work again.

My immune system is attacking the kidneys. The longer they leak protein the more damage is caused. So having waited until now hopefully the delay hasn't caused too much damage. Otherwise I'd have wished that I had started sooner.

So it's back on the steroids to try and get rid of the inflamation. Back on the Immune suppresents(to dampen down the part of the immune system that is bad)but this also means the good part is affected so I am likely to catch infections. This particular drug can affect the Liver function so we're playing one organ against another. The immune system is attacking the Kidney's believing it's doing good but it's having the opposite affect. It's a bit like catching a cold or a Flu virus and the body is trying to get rid of it as though it's an infection.

My bones can be affected so I have been given a new tablet that will replace lost Calcium(I have to take that once a week)and when I take it I have to sit upright in a chair for 30 minutes and not lie down. Apparently lieing down can result in it coming back up the gullet and damaging me in some way(a bit like reflux I guess)Otherwise I may get brittle bones and the joints may be affected.

That might explain why over the last period of treatment my legs started to hurt and my knee joints have deteriorated hence my needing a walking cane. So maybe that's why I was given this drug this time. Of course these could be new drugs that were not around back then or available to the NHS.

I have to take 12 steroid tablets and if possible altogether. Morning has been suggested as if taken in the afternoon, I may not get a good night's sleep.

I have another new tablet that must be taken to try and stop any stomach irritation(or the possiblity of ulsers)

And I still have to take my water tablets and blood pressure tablet daily. The water tablets are keeping the retention down by as much as a stone but today when the Dr pressed my legs, there was retention still. But for the past three weeks I have been checking daily and that wasn't a problem. Or so I thought.

For pain I have access to Co-Dydramol.

My diet as yet has not been restricted and for now it is not believed to that will make much if any difference to my loss of protein.

So I suspect if the treatment works I will see an increase in weight, my face will balloon again and I may suffer mood swings.

The good news is that the treatment may/will work...that is the hope.

The blood pressure is good(that is something that is still ok)

I have to drink liquid to take the tablets and enough so I am not thirsty but restrict my intake.

I'm on for another blood test and being seen by my Consultant in a fortnight(but am out in a few minutes hoping to catch my own Dr to tell him what has happened)I haven't an appointment but my Mum has and if I am there my Dr sometimes allows me a few minutes(unofficially)and I'll fill him in as to what has happened.

Now all I can do is wait and see what happens. And remain positive.

Oh and it was Mum's birthday today...what a way to spend it...