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Amped on Ampligen

Treatment #6
amped+lighteing.jpg

I promised I would tell the good, the bad and the ugly of this journey so today's post will have two out of the three Let me get the bad out of the way first, because the most amazing thing happened to me after my last treatment I'm bursting to tell you about it.

First, let me set the stage.
As my prior post indicated, I was expecting to feel the "bad" side effects of the full 400ml of Ampligen after my treatment on Monday, and as predicted, I did. By Monday night by glutes and legs were aching so much, I had to take three hot baths in the evening just to distract me from the extreme flu-like body-aching symptoms. Additionally, my left thigh muscle was twitching like it was hard wired to the electrical outlet for about 36 hours. It didn't keep from sleeping, but it was, quite frankly, a little weird. It seemed to be shaking my thigh at about 100 beats per minute, but not in rhythm or good timing, sort of like a bad 60's song like Inna Gadda da Vida. But knowing that Ampligen is an immune-modulator, and that most research shows a connection to the body's nervous system, I just decided to ignore it. By Tuesday afternoon it had pretty much subsided.

But the greatest news was what happened on Wednesday. Now two days after the Ampligen had been in my system, I woke up normally, did my usual 20 minutes of light exercise, and decided at exactly 11:00AM that I had enough energy to get a haircut. The haircut took way longer than I would have liked, but incredibly, I was neither impatient about the delay, nor in any pain after sitting in that chair from hell main of imported Danish wood! It was 1:00PM, I had no headache, I had no muscle aches, and I still had energy. Now THIS was something! Very rare for me.

So I decided to push it- to test the waters so to speak. "Let's see if this Ampligen stuff is really making a difference" I said to myself. So I called a car dealer with whom I had spoken earlier in the week about "maybe coming out to test drive a used car" and told her "I'm coming."

Now here's the amazing part. For me,over the past many years, just the thought of buying a used car would have been too much to even process mentally. Knowing that it would involve not only the decision about the car itself, but also endless paperwork and brain-energy to get it licensed, titled, insured, inspected, etc. would have sent me over the edge. But yesterday, as I drove to the car lot, I found myself feeling something strange; something I hadn't felt in a very long time... peace.

Exactly ninety minutes after I had arrived, I kid you not, I was driving my "new" used car off the lot! Complete with plates, title, registration, and car insurance! This was even more astounding to me because I have not lived in the USA for 7 years and had NO car insurance in this country. But I have to give kudos to CARMAX, they really make it easy for the neophyte to get through this paperwork easily.

What I really had to say to my friends and family after I got home was, I have to give credit to the Ampligen. I could actually feel my "old self" returning for a few hours yesterday- cognitively, physically, emotionally, and even in the humor department. It was as if this drug was restoring my personality as it restored my body. One of my business partners of over 20 years actually commented and said, "you sound like the medicine is working!"

Now as I write this laying on my bed with my laptop warming my thighs, I'm getting ready for the side-effects of the treatment I just had this morning. But I'm smiling, thinking about my new car, glad I'm not paying for taxi fare to and from the clinic, and almost looking forward to Inna Gadda da Vida playing on my leg.

I am now "amped on Ampligen," and I like it.

As always, your comments and questions are welcome.

Comments

Thanks for your comments friends...it encourages me to keep posting, even when it's difficult to do so!
 
Sweet stuff Kevin - like Algernon you rise out of the muck for a few short hours - may it grow and grow.

Isn't that something - those aches and pains, that inability to sit still, that unwanted irritability that seems to rise out of nowhere - all the time sometimes - disappears for awhile when the bodies immune functioning, apparently, is set straight.

I wish you the best (and hope to God that Ampligen gets approved). Meanwhile thanks for sharing your story so vividly.
 
Kelvin,
this is really, REALLY exciting news.
I am so pleased for you.
Look forward to the next post.......(& hope that it is just as positive).
Do we dare hope that this is the beginning (of the end)?
Victoria
 
damn. this is good. i wonder what it would be like to feel like "me" after 18 yrs. i forgot what i am even really like. congratulations to you.
 
Thanks for the encouragement, friends. Sometimes I wonder if anyone really reads these things, but I'm committed to document the journey and my experience after every treatment. Today is Saturday, I'm watching the Olympics, and I guess my body is in "rebuilding mode" because I actually fell asleep on the couch in the middle of the skating finals. That could be because of the Ampligen, or, candidly, because I was sort of bored...not sure which! I mean, it's not like NFL football action is it? More next week. Thanks again.
 
Kevin

What can you tell us about the cost of Ampligen per treatment or over the course of treatment? How many treatments are you planning on taking, and over how many months? What if any is the end point indicator or are you having a set number of IV's? Are you receiving treatment in the US or Canada or where? Does your insurance cover Ampligen? Are you in a trial for Ampligen?
Is your health expected to stay better once treatment ends?

You blog is a bright spot in my fatigue filled days, and I appreciate you taking the time to let us know how your treatment is progressing.
Keep feeling better and get well- may you be much healthier befe year end! Good Luck.
 
So Kelvin - how did you get this drug? I assume that you're in a trial? I know its not easy to find Ampligen. Are you in the states or Canada or ?
 
Wow! Great questions! Probably can't answer all of them within the confines of this commentary box, aepalisades and Cort, so I think what I'll do is include those details in one of my posts this upcoming week. Not trying to put off your answers, but you've raised a lot of important issues and I want to have time and room to give you as much detail as possible. I try to post right after my infusions every Monday and Thursday. Thanks for all your support!
 
Thanks so much, and take your time, make sure you rest. We appreciate all the information you are providing as each of us live vicariously through your experiences and those of others as well. We all understand how limited energy supplies can prevent us from doing the things we wish we could, and we extra appreciate your excerpts.
 

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Kelvin Lord
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