post treatment...

It has been about 3 weeks since my 5th and final Lemtrada treatment and to be honest and pardon my French here, but I feel like total shit. The good news is this is normal. Within a week of therapy I found myself in bed all day, which is not as good as you would imagine. The simple task of getting out of bed to use the restroom seemed impossible. Once I finally made it to the restroom and back to bed I felt like I just got done running a marathon, feeling that it took just as long as a marathon as well. 

I was relieved after speaking with my doctor that I should feel like “I was hit by a bus”. Well guess what?! That is exactly how I feel! So in a weird way, I was glad/almost happy to hear I felt so horrible. Like I knew the drug was doing what it was supposed to do. Completely destroying my immune system. 

Yesterday I made the trek to my MS doctor to talk about blood work and other testing I had done. The good news (that doesn't sound like good news) is that the medication did exactly what it was supposed to do... I no longer have an immune system. My levels were so low in fact that the hospital lab called my doctor to inform her that I am anything but healthy, and that my immune system was no longer functioning.

So why is this a good thing? Well the whole point of this treatment was to wipe my immune system clean (my white blood cell count is none existent) so that my body will hopefully re program its self to stop attacking my nervouse system. Thus the term autoimmune disease. 

So as of right now I am under a sort of quarantine as I try to avoid any type of virus. I should be a hermit, but I am really struggling with the thought of never leaving my house. The only problem is that when I do try and venture out, my entire day and body is completely wrecked. 

Over the next 12 months my body will be working on rebuilding the white blood cells and their ‘subsets’. 

My doctor reassured me that in about 3 weeks I should start feeling like myself again. Even though I will defiantly still be dealing with the effects of MS. It wont be for about 3 months I will finally start noticing the positives from this treatment. 

So until I am clear to join society again, I will try my best to rest and let my body learn how to act properly again.