Gruner’s ALS Blog

First Lumbar Puncture stem cell transplantation

January 7th, 2009

The first injection (IV = intra venues) I got on the 31 Dec 2008. It was not a big thing. A port was set in the morning and in the afternoon two bag of fluid, one previous water and second the stem cell fluid dropt into the port. It needed one hour and then it was done. The day after the treatment I felt more powerful in my mind and I got no bad influences. But to think you can fly is a fault because this kind of treatment needs time to grow up. My first lumbar puncture I got on the 5 Jan 2009. I was a little bit scare about the LP but it is easier like it sounds. So the same procedure likes IV starts. First the port was set in the morning. Then you have to stop eating and drinking 3 hours before treatment. One hour before injection you get the first bag of previous fluid. Then you are going upstairs (lying in bed) to the special room. Everyone is nice, polite and nice music is playing. You get some small injection true the port first and feel a little bit sleepy. The point on your back for injection is now prepared by the doctor and get disinfect. This dismayed me more then the injection itself. You get a little amount of stem cells like turbo boost directly in your back and the rest is drop by the port after the injection on your own room. Also the rest of the previous fluid will be finished. The injection procedure needs 20 Minutes and it is easy going. When your are back at your room, you have to lie flat on bed for 6 hours and that is really a long time. During this time I have to pee 2 times and I have not drunken so many before. I guess it depends on the previous fluid. Now, the day after I feel quit tired in my muscles and my head is a little bit foggy. I did my exercises (Physio therapy) and I walk over a line with hurdles without close help. Last week when I started I would have break my neck, so something is going one. Today I sleep a lot in the afternoon but now I could not sleep and so I write down my impressions. When I lay in my bed the part with the powerful muscles hurts me again (bum, thigh, calves). I think that is a good sign because these parts are the first one who gets new impulses by the nerves (hopefully). After one hour also this little pain was gone. I think after the lumbar puncture you have to be careful working on for e.g Laptop. After a wile I get headache in case of the injection. But this is also temporary and will disappearing soon.

Entry Filed under: als,Story of treatment