Just Like A Pill

Yup, I'm quoting a totally awesome song by Pink for my blog post.

For almost 20 years (aka: more than half my life) I've taken or still take the following anti-rejection or prescribed drugs:

Cyclosporine~anti-rejection, no longer on it, took it for almost 10 years
Imuran~anti-rejection, no longer on it, took it for almost 10 years and was briefly on it last year while recovering from surgery
Prograf~anti-rejection, been on it for just over 9 years
Prednisone~anti-rejection, forever on it hahaha!
Rapamune~anti-rejection, been on it for just over 9 years except for that brief moment when I was back on Imuran
Enalapril~for blood pressure, no longer on it (YAY!!)
Mag-Ox~on it the first few years post-transplant, then taken off, then put back on for almost two years, for low magnesium
Septra/Bactrim~forever on it, to prevent UTIs and infections
Tricor~since....I can't remember, for my Triglycerides because I do enjoy food (no, I'm not a pig but I do enjoy my meals)
Pravachol/Pravastatin~ also for Triglycerides because my numbers can be kinda funky sometimes
Protonix/Pantoprazole~ YAY FOR HAVING ACID REFLUX!!! How many of you are surprised that I have developed this over time?

**crickets chirping quite loudly**

Nobody?  Alrighty then! Onto the rest of the medicine list!

NPH~Insulin that I have to inject (usually my belly) before breakfast and it gives me a MAJOR case of the munchies, like I'm back on a high dose of Prednisone.  WOW does it drive me bonkers sometimes.
NovaLog~Insulin that I inject before lunch. I have to give myself a small dose to keep my blood sugar levels in check.

Out of ALL of these drugs, the ONLY one that hasn't given me a weird reaction (either physical or internal or something else) is Septra/Bactrim.

The one who's given me THE WORST side affects?  PREDNISONE!!

The above image is funny but oh-so-true. I remember when I was still in the hospital  out of the ICU, but still recovering in a room. I had horrendous paranoia and insomnia--lousy combo for someone who has always had an over-active imagination. I wouldn't fall asleep until 2 or 3 in the morning because I saw a skeleton in the corner of my room!!  And to add insult to injury, every few hours a nurse would come for this, that or the other thing. Heck, even now I sleep poorly!!

Another "lovely" side affect from Prednisone is the infamous "moon face".....here are some pictures pre transplant and about a month post-transplant to illustrate my point.

March, 1996~roughly three months pre-transplant.

July, 1996~not even a month post-transplant and I've already got the Prednisone moon face

Thankfully, the doctors tapered the dosage and soon, I went back to being "new normal" Kimmy. Unfortunately, in 2006 (three months shy of my 10-year anniversary), I was diagnosed with rejection and to fight it, the doctors blasted my body with steroids.  Unfortunately, I developed steroid-induced diabetes that wasn't diagnosed until two years later (I think I have a blog post around here mentioning my diabetes...once I find it, I'll link it). 

In January of 2009, I started a nighttime insulin called Lantus. Unfortunately, within six months, my endocrinologist and I discovered that that medicine wasn't working so after a bit of a switch up, we eventually learned what type of insulin works best for me. 

Now, onto another medicine or rather, two meds at once: Cyclosporine vs Prograf! 

Cyclosporine: totally stinks (literally!) BUT one awesome advantage for me was......super curly hair! Growing up, my hair was straight and thin and suddenly, it was thick and curly. The thickness was a pain (as was the access hair growth!) but having curls (like my sisters) was awesome! After being on it for nearly a decade, I had to stop taking it because of the fact that I was now immune to it! (Note: I know there is a picture around here of me with curly hair. I'll find it and upload.)

Prograf: Oh how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways.... The plus side, is, of course, by the time I experienced rejection, a drug was available for me to take so that my doctors didn't have to scramble around. The downside? Hair loss was the main physical side affect from taking this medicine and while it seems vain, please understand that I went from thick, curly, healthy hair to having to wear wigs due to the severity of the loss of hair on my head. 

While I've been doing a lot of venting (and I mean every word of it), please know I'm eternally grateful to those who created these crazy drugs that've kept my friends and me alive! 

So very true!!