Pinnacle Clinical Research
I met with Dr. Gunn today. She seemed really nice. I wasn't sure what to expect. I guess I was imagining it like some mini hospital, with lots of labs. I've watched too many sci-fis because this was just an office building and it barely looked like a doctor's office. I got there really early. An hour early. I was driving from Round Rock, I wanted to make sure I got there on time. Now I know leaving at 7:30 in the morning is too early. I also now know the toll lane is, like, $10 that early in the morning.
The appointment consisted of a lot of papers to sign; more than a regular doctor visit, less than buying a new car. Including a tax form for the $50 payments I get for each visit. Cha-ching! They took down weight, height, waist measurement (remember, poochy belly is one of the hallmarks of this), and urine. They also took 8 vials of blood. Thankfully with a nice tiny needle because I'm about done with getting stuck right now. I have a pretty nice sized bruise from my wrist IV during the epi steroid.
Dr. Gunn said my fibroscan typically shows I might fall somewhere between stage 1 and stage 2 of fibrosis. Which is better than what they said on the phone. If the biopsy shows stage 1 I don't enter the trial. But, that's not a bad thing, because it means I don't really need any kind of intervention, except eat a lot less of the white foods. What are those? Everything delicious, just go with that. If it falls into stage 2 I enter the trial and am randomly assigned whether I get the drug. They will call me soon with if I passed the screening. I asked what would fail the screening, but the coordinator said there wasn't much that fails. It was a really well done non-answer. I'm going to assume as long they don't find drugs or some virus like HIV it's a go? I already know I don't have the Hep, Dr. Ziebert tested for both. Feeling confident on the HIV as well. She pointedly asked about the time I had C-Diff. I got to explain the back to back antibiotics, because I'm me. Briefly questioned me about chronic pain, and I got to explain my neck and how I'm just lucky this way. I wonder if I should have warned her I'm an outlier? Nah, she'll figure that out soon enough lol!
So, then after today's tests comes back they schedule the biopsy, about four weeks out. It's outpatient, and she said most do experience some discomfort. That's a bit cringey, but ok. I got the just take ibuprofen spiel, yeah yeah, carry on. The interesting part on this is my sample gets sent to France, for the super expert guy who leads the entire study to personally examine the specimen, and give the results. I'm going global. A piece of my liver will have visited Europe before me. God speed, liver! It did sound like the biopsy results will take the longest of this whole process.
Lastly, before I left Dr. Gunn told me not to do any drastic change in diet or habits until after the biopsy. Because I'm not obese, and I'm younger than a lot of the participants, any change may have a greater impact to how my liver reacts. Which they are totally fine with, after the biopsy. They want to track it all. Today I fully expected the here's a list of foods to stop eating now, so imagine my delight! Therefore, I stopped at Starbucks on the way home. I mean, if you're going to force me to continue my wicked ways, I will.
The appointment consisted of a lot of papers to sign; more than a regular doctor visit, less than buying a new car. Including a tax form for the $50 payments I get for each visit. Cha-ching! They took down weight, height, waist measurement (remember, poochy belly is one of the hallmarks of this), and urine. They also took 8 vials of blood. Thankfully with a nice tiny needle because I'm about done with getting stuck right now. I have a pretty nice sized bruise from my wrist IV during the epi steroid.
Dr. Gunn said my fibroscan typically shows I might fall somewhere between stage 1 and stage 2 of fibrosis. Which is better than what they said on the phone. If the biopsy shows stage 1 I don't enter the trial. But, that's not a bad thing, because it means I don't really need any kind of intervention, except eat a lot less of the white foods. What are those? Everything delicious, just go with that. If it falls into stage 2 I enter the trial and am randomly assigned whether I get the drug. They will call me soon with if I passed the screening. I asked what would fail the screening, but the coordinator said there wasn't much that fails. It was a really well done non-answer. I'm going to assume as long they don't find drugs or some virus like HIV it's a go? I already know I don't have the Hep, Dr. Ziebert tested for both. Feeling confident on the HIV as well. She pointedly asked about the time I had C-Diff. I got to explain the back to back antibiotics, because I'm me. Briefly questioned me about chronic pain, and I got to explain my neck and how I'm just lucky this way. I wonder if I should have warned her I'm an outlier? Nah, she'll figure that out soon enough lol!
So, then after today's tests comes back they schedule the biopsy, about four weeks out. It's outpatient, and she said most do experience some discomfort. That's a bit cringey, but ok. I got the just take ibuprofen spiel, yeah yeah, carry on. The interesting part on this is my sample gets sent to France, for the super expert guy who leads the entire study to personally examine the specimen, and give the results. I'm going global. A piece of my liver will have visited Europe before me. God speed, liver! It did sound like the biopsy results will take the longest of this whole process.
Lastly, before I left Dr. Gunn told me not to do any drastic change in diet or habits until after the biopsy. Because I'm not obese, and I'm younger than a lot of the participants, any change may have a greater impact to how my liver reacts. Which they are totally fine with, after the biopsy. They want to track it all. Today I fully expected the here's a list of foods to stop eating now, so imagine my delight! Therefore, I stopped at Starbucks on the way home. I mean, if you're going to force me to continue my wicked ways, I will.