Four Weeks Post TX

From sitting like a blob for 72 weeks I have found that now that I am a tad active with just shopping and doing very minor things around the house I feel like I have been tumbled in the clothes dryer at the end of the day. My unused muscles are screaming with fatigue and soreness and the joints are just giving me supreme attitude. I am pretty sure it’s just from getting back into life. My liver is actively trying to clear the drugs and is giving me a good old knowing throbbing ache. I don't want to take any Tylenol unless I absolutely have too as I want as little stress on the liver as possible. Taking extra drugs will just add more stress it. I will take something if I need a break, but I can stand it for now. I nearly wanted to take a Tylenol yesterday during a shopping trip to the city as it was really acting up, but I suffered through it. Must not have been in enough pain to need a pill so I’ll preserve.

One thing about post tx that I noticed is that some sides I had throughout tx have continued and some have really became annoying. I always had itchy skin and some problems with my eyelids. Upon stopping tx I have been battling extremely dry itchy sore skin around the eyes and on the lid itself. I want to use a mild cortisone cream, but it is not recommended to use it around the eyes. I have been using a lot of moisturizer, but I don’t think this is going to work. It never goes away and it gets very sore, red and flaky. It looks like my lids are scalded. I had this intermittently throughout tx and it would subside (to a degree) and resurface with a vengeance from time to time.

The other noticeable thing is that I have started to notice bruises, especially on my legs. I have no idea what I did to cause them and do not remember bumping the area. My platelets stayed OK throughout tx. They weren’t great, but they were never in the danger zone.

Also, I always had minor nose bleeds on tx, but since stopping I am assured to have one in the morning.

I expect that it’s the hemoglobin and other blood issues trying to “right” themselves following the long term depression of the bone marrow.

I have noticed that my riba rage isn’t so rage “y”. I get irritated and do push it down; however, there were times on tx my behavior was shameful. It just wasn’t me. I would like to think that I don’t dwell and obsess about stupid stuff now as much as I did not tx. It’s still there, but I shut it down when I realize I’m going there.

I did take a dip a couple of days last week. I am on an anti-depressant and that has helped me through tx and the last few weeks. However, the body is so suppressed on tx drugs that since coming off those drugs the anti-depressant has given me the side of a choking, lump in your throat kind of feeling. I am not keen to come off the anti-d so quickly so I have tried a reduction. 10 mg (full dose) one night – 5 mg (half dose) the next night for a while. If that doesn’t work I’ll try 5 mg every night. Not sure if this will work, but I am hopeful to stay on the meds until at least six months post tx. Wait and see on that issue.

These are minor things.

On the very positive side of completing tx is that my breathing has improved the last few days. I can nearly take a full breath and feel like I’m alive. I can sustain some thinking tasks and have noticed a tad more clarity with my reading and figuring out minor problems. There seems to be more order in my thinking. It’s not back up to the way it was prior to tx, but it’s only four weeks post tx.

My appetite has improved and I seem to crave nutritious foods. It’s an amazing thing regarding the body, if it’s deprived it seems to be able to tell you what it’s missing.

The most positive thing is that I have hope that I’ll actually feel better once the drugs purge from my system.