Post Treatment - Vasculitis or not?

Life has been treating me well the last 2 months. Hair has stopped falling made me a happier person. Generally speaking, I am overall contented with this vast improvement. No more painkillers, with intermittent aches but bearable.  Most of all, I am back in good health.  I will try to get back into shape and hopefully the years that I lost in that six months of therapy. I will be reminded always that health is so precious because when you have lost it, you cannot get it back.

Health is precious, so is life

Treasure it ... love it

Make the best out of it

Do not abuse your body

but pamper with tender loving care

Taking up scuba diving has also made me a different person in a whole new world. Physically, my bone health have improved. Psychologically, my overall perspectives have changed. I could feel the difference when I am out on a diving trip compared to daily routine back home. I realized that inactivity and stress has been giving me lots of aches and pains and sleeplessness. That is how I feel when I am not diving. When I am on a diving trip, lack of sleep or rest do not make me lazy or tired which I do when I am back to work. Mindlessness? Yes, I am no longer uptight when work supposed to be done is not executed spontaneously. If the management is not at all excited about it, why should I? Take things easy! Moreover, I have not been rewarded or compensated accordingly to my recent hard work during my months of sickness and sacrifice of my health. 

The aftermath I am experiencing now is the chronic ulcer on my legs since my Open Water Certification in Thailand. It takes more than a month to heal and recurred on every diving trip. So, the sea water brought it back. I have just been treated with Cochicine for a week now and the prognosis is good. No joint pain, side effects or any major issues. The sores from my scratching have almost healed completely though the cuts from the corals still prevail. Today, I attended the meeting at the hospital with a group of Dermatologists, professors and pathologists, where my doctor presented my case. It will be discussed and I will know the conclusion on my next appointment this Friday.

After weeks of my personal analysis, I can almost conclude that even without the pathologists report of vasculitis, my blood vessels are damaged and inflamed from the battle  between he Interferon/Ribavarin and my immune system. It could be kind of Leukocytoclastic vasculitis or drug-induced vasculitis. Wound, cuts or sores take months to heal and recur without a reason. Even a simple squeeze of an open pore would aggravate the skin and leave a red spot. My hope is not another therapy for me ... oh Jesus please help ...  All I wish is continuing with the current medication or Dapsone as recommended on PubMed for vasculitis. 

Post Treatment - 60 days

On this 28th day of January 2013 has been 60 days since finishing my treatment therapy. Most of the side effects are gradually lessen but some of those lingering seems to last forever, namely: dry/irritated eyes, Tinnitus, feverish syndrome, Vasculitis, irritable bowels etc.  I am glad Alopecia has stopped.  Recently snapped a shot for my PADI certification and oh ... my forehead widened. Pre-existing conditions before starting therapy remain no change, still tired and feeling like a 100 year old every morning, Raynaud's Phenomenon and Livedo Reticularis no improvement.  I shall be patient for another year and see if things get better.