Thursday, April 22, 2010

Out of blood?

Well, I got my ferritin down to 284 ng/ml this week, but still need more phlebotomies to get down further to 50.  Doctor's new order is to let blood every two weeks, but it is getting slower.  Over the last 8 weeks the rate of reduction has dropped to 24 ng/ml per week.  It was a 55 drop per week during the previous 8 weeks and 76 before that.  Assuming an average drop of 5% per time, it will take me another 34 times or over year to get down to the target 50 ng/ml.  The rate is dropping at an ever lower difference since it is .95x.95x.95...the more I have taken out the less is taken out.  A point of comparison is that the average daily consumption (and elimination) of iron is 50 mg per week, I have about 2500 mg in my body and I have been having 24 mg per week removed.

Then on top of this, my hematocrit of 37.3% was too low to take blood today.  It has to be at least 38%.  My blood pressure was 94/57 which is low as well.  Maybe I am running out of blood!  Actually, my hematocrit was 39.3 on Tuesday at the Dr office so it may just be a variation in measurement or maybe I drank more before my appt this morning than I did on Tuesday.  I have another phlebotomy scheduled for next week so will see how everything holds up.

I also had a special T-cell test this week with a reported Absolute CD4 of 682 which is supposedly good.  This means that I no longer need the Pentamidine nebulizer treatment this month or hopefully in the future.  Because I do not fluid retention problems,  I get to reduce my Spironolactone pills to one each day.  Still taking 9 different pills a day plus an insulin injection.  I have a liver Dr appt on May 11 and will see what he thinks about all these changes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you can reduce at least one treatment and medication.
Ken Brandt

Anonymous said...

I guess having fewer treatments and pills is good. Glad you have retained your sense of humor.
Ken Brandt