[Panorama]

I had my second course of IVIG Thursday and Friday. The last course of IVIG ended 30 days ago in the hospital during my MG crises. I got 5 days of 50 grams (10 percent Immune Globulin) each day.

As an outpatient this time, I got 2 days of 55 grams (10 percent Immune Globulin). Each day started slow, 50 mL/hour, then 100 mL/hour, eventually getting to 350 mL/hour. It took 5 or 6 hours each day.

I had no adverse side-effects. My blood pressure at the beginning was 125/70. It was lower in the middle, and still lower at the end, something around 115/55. The RNs expected my blood presser to rise during treatment. They seemed pleased that it did not.

I started my second Prednisone taper two weeks ago, 60 mg per day, down to 55 per day. I originally planned to go down 6 mg per day every two weeks, but it is difficult to deal with so many 1 mg Prednisone tabs. Much easier with 5 mg intervals.

I will have been on 5 months of 1500 mg of Cellcept by the time I get down to 15 mg of Predisposition each day, sometime around the end of December. Last time I ran into trouble at the 20 mg every other day step. I also was not taking an immune suppressor during the first taper.

I had my blood work done while I was at the Infusion Center. My vitamin D and vitamin B12 were good. I will be seeing my neuro in a week. I'll find out then about the other tests.

-Mark-