Day +838 : Follow-up

My Blood Count Today: - Readings in square bracket [] are result from previous test.

Red Blood Count (HB) = 140[148] (Normal 130-180)
Platelet = 196[209] (Normal 150-450)
White Blood Count (WBC) = 5.7[7.2] (Normal 4 - 11)
Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) = 2.394[4.4] (Normal 1.5 - 8.0)
ALT = 44[53] (Normal 30 – 65)
AST = 21[23] (Normal 15-37)
GGT = 52[77] (Normal 15-85)

I am fine today.

I went to do my post transplant follow-up today. The blood test result is excellent :-) All readings are within the normal range. Doctor cut down Prednisolon (steroid) from 5mg (1 tablet) per day to 5mg alternate day. Hopefully the dosage can be further reduced or stopped altogether during next follow-up, which is another 6 weeks from now.

After stop taking Prednisolon, the dosage of another anti-GVHD drug, Ciclosporin, will be reduced or stopped. And after this, I no longer need to take Penicillin and Bactrin anymore. Penicillin and Bactrin are antibiotics. They are needed to protect me against infection as the anti-GVHD drugs Prednisolon and Ciclosporin suppress my immune system. I took these antibiotics after bone marrow transplant until now; about 800 days :-(

Another two drugs that I take are Famotodine, to protect my stomach,and Forlic Acid, as a booster to red blood cell production.

If everything goes well, I believe I can live a “drug free” life very soon, perhaps at the end of this year or early next year :-)

See you next post :-)