Green Light From Shrink

This will be a short posting. I even thought of waiting until I had more to report, but then thought better. I had my appointment with the Psychiatrist yesterday but did not feel up writing anything until tonight. The psychiatrist (with his intern and student observing) decided that he could see nothing that would prevent me from being treated. So he is sending a recommendation to my Hepatologist that I can begin treatment right away. He is also asking the Hepatologist, my family doctor and HIV specialist to keep an eye on me and report and changes in my mood or behavior. He has also recommended that if I need to go on an anti-depressant that they try one called Ciprolex. According to him, this drug is one that is easier to come off of after the treatment is finished.

It was a relatively painless process. Of course there is no physical pain. I have had several procedures done that were high on the physical pain scale. These intakes with psychiatrist and counselors always entail reliving and opening old wounds though. Fortunately because I had just gone through an intake with another agency I had just opened those wounds a few weeks ago. It made this intake a little less painful. There are some events that are pretty big, like the incident that lead to my PTSD. Recounting that episode is always on the difficult side. Although because I had recently recounted it, I had an easier time with it. It was like I was on automatic pilot. I got through it without my voice breaking and having to stop and breathe. I hoped that they did not take from that, that I was free from emotions.

It would have been a great day, passing one more obstacle towards treatment, but I became incredibly ill after getting home. I have what feels like a chest infection. I had my H1N1 shot last Tuesday and then the following Friday I started feeling like I had a chest infection. I had pneumonia three times last year and with the end of the year so close I was hopeful that I'd get through this year without developing it again. So on Monday when I got home I was feeling pretty bad. I was going to try and make a video entry but I just felt too sick. I checked my temperature and I was a high 40 degrees Celsius. I wasn't sure what to do with all the news stories about H1N1. Did I not have enough time to develop immunity to it and was exposed, or is it something else. As luck would have it, I woke up this morning in drenched clothing but with no fever and my appetite was back. I've checked throughout the day and the fever has not come back. So I guess that it broke while I slept. Ironically I felt as though I was getting a preview of treatment. Most people have told me to expect to get chills, sweats and a fever soon after the injections. So I found having these symptoms at this time very ironic.

In two more days I see the Hepatologist to get the treatment for my Hep C rolling. I am hoping that I shake this bug before then since I believe that they won't start the treatment if I am ill. I am anxious about starting treatment, but also anxious to get the treatment started. The sooner I start the sooner it will be over. I most likely will not make another posting until after I see my Hepatologist on Thursday. Till next time.

David McHep C