Membranous glomerulonephritis. Round 2. Week 2.

End of week 1 on meds. Tired and swollen.

Week 2:

Medication: 150mg cytotoxins (Cyclosporin), 64mg cortisone and other assorted goodies.

Week one was spent learning the effect my medication had on me. When to eat, when to sleep, when to think. I wake up energetic, but get sick and weak 1,5 hours after the meds, and it lasts for a few hours, longer if I don't eat regularly. After that I crash, and nap for about 2 hours. The nap works wonders. I wake up to some energy and a clearer head. Pretty soon it will be time for meds again, and the hamster wheel goes round and round...

Week two came with its own challenges. My taste buds started changing; Ketchup without added sugar now tastes sweeter than chocolate, and all kinds of soda tastes metallic. This will mess with your eating habits and screw your eating patterns up further. I've found that high protein, modest fat and low salt serves me best. Small portions, but more often, and I add carbohydrates for an extra boost as needed. 

One of the seriously bitching side effects of cortisone is swelling, and it gets bad as you'll see from my pictures. From Round One I've learned that all the different stages of swelling will give me a new problem to deal with. This time I really started to feel the swelling during week 2. It starts in the face and then slowly ascends over the throat, neck, shoulders, back and upper half of the abdomen. By the end of the treatments I know I will look like Quasimodo from the Ringer of Notre Dame, face and hump and all, but there's nothing to do about it.

For me, the inability to concentrate, is so far the most disappointing thing about all this. For a super organized, highly efficient person, like I used to be, that’s frustrating as hell. Think 'high as a kite and dumb as a door nail . That's me, right now anyway. I get spurts of manic energy, overdo it and then crash, all with the attention span of a three year old. Needless to say, I try not to drive any more than necessary, and I know from experience that this is not the time to make any long lasting decisions.

Tip: Beware of overeating when your taste buds go haywire. The low levels of energy had me aching for energy drinks, which normally tastes metallic and artificial to me, but now tastes like canned heaven. Problem is, they, like any soda, also add to the swelling, and leave your mouth dry. Besides, the effect really doesn't last that long, and only makes you crash that much harder later on. Find healthy snacks to boost your energy, and don't feel bad if hardcore carbohydrates is the only thing that'll do. Listen to your cravings, your body knows what it needs. It's better to feel a bit like yourself than worry about your weight. Weight can be gained and lost, but feeling like shit will stay with you and eventually drag you down so badly you'll get depressed. So eat, and be happy. Also, fishoil is supposed to be good for your kidneys, so you might want to get some of that. I know it is consistent with the type of cravings I've been having, so I'll be picking some up.

By now you'll want to make sure you have a good pair of tweezers, sufficient lighting in your bathroom and plenty of shaving gel. Hairier days are coming. Also, visit your local pharmacy for some basic but high quality moisturizer, you're gonna crave it.
High quality bed linen, as soft as you can get them, and seamless underwear will be good purchases. Skin sensitivity is around the bend.

Sincerely,
Pepsi-Mama