Kyle
Right now, I'm running into a stubborn vet.
I'm sorry to be blunt Kyle, but I think you're going to have to find yourself another vet. Look for a veterinary hospital with an internist on staff, or at least on call. Writing a letter or applying to the FDA on your own won't do you any good. Michelle just re-posted the necessary requirements for application procedure and it has to go through a vet. We all have to pummel our vets with questions and suggestions, find yourself a vet that isn't threatened by that. My vet actually told me she appreciates all the investigative work I do for her! IMO Brissle's life is on the line here and you don't have time to waste trying to figure out how to best approach your vet. Find a more knowledgeable vet, if not in the treatment of FeLV, at least someone more cutting edge that is willing to look into innovative treatments and procedures. I love my "GP" vet, she's a wonderful older lady that I trust, but she's not up to helping me with anything out of the ordinary.
Nina
Melbeach wrote:
It was extremely thoughtful for Michelle to share. I was surprised to say the least! Hopefully I can return the favor to someone one of these days. Right now, I'm running into a stubborn vet. I gave him Nina's vet's info on Monday and he still hasn't called her. I think he's just overwhelmed and doesn't want to admit it. English isn't his first language. So I think he might have problems with the FDA letter. I'm going to have to compose the letter myself.
As of now, we haven't started the VO yet. I was wondering at first if 1 round of 5 shots would help Brissle, because the protocol calls for 3 rounds of 5. We've concluded that it could only help and it looks like Paolo had results from 1 round. So I want to go ahead, but again I'm running into a stubborn vet. So far, I've been popping up with one medicine after another, hitting him with questions he can't answer and I think he's overwhelmed by that too. I don’t think he realizes that the VO trumps the others.
After the transfusion 12 days ago, Brissle has been doing great. She's back to normal habits, gaining weight. She hasn't refused food yet. I'm confused about this. With HCT of 9.7% and HGB of 3.1 two weeks ago, she should have crashed again by now. We've been combining Immunoregulin plus human Interferon. Could that actually be working? My vet thought a false positive on the FeLV Elisa test was unlikely because the test detects antigens, not antibodies. Don't know about that. A hemobart test wasn't done. Well I know the anemia is real. She still licks the patio and her nose is only light pink. Much better than day one though. Her nose was completely gray then! She hasn't lost any color since the transfusion.
So right now, my vet wants to wait for the 7 day off cycle of the human interferon to end before starting the VO. That would be next Friday and that just ain't gonna happen. I have to demand that we start in the next couple days. I know it's best to start while the cat is healthy.
I've thought about getting a different vet too. But something tells me I would run into the same thing. So far I've directed the whole show, so maybe he feels threatened. It's almost like child psychology. I have to leave something up to him so he feels like he's doing his job. I feel bad because he used his own personal cat for Brissle's blood transfusion. So I know his heart is there. He's a really nice guy. I just have to get him in gear. Any advice for a stubborn vet?
Thanks for listening. I'll keep everyone posted on Brissle's progress.
-Kyle
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> To: <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org <mailto:felvtalk@felineleukemia.org>> Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 7:35 PM Subject: Re: Feline Interferon
> Dear Michelle:
>
> How thoughtful of you to share some of your VO with Kyle. Is it helping?
>
> Stockpiling the stuff is a good strategy, would that I could afford to do so.
> For now it is all I can do just to afford the immune-boosting supplements.
> Now if I could win that pie in the sky lottery (but can't afford to buy
> tickets for that, either) I could buy stock in the company, or maybe bribe someone
> in the FDA. I keep hoping and praying if and when my two remaining positives
> may need some, I will be able to afford it and one of you less financially
> challenged listmembers may have some on hand to spare that I could buy.
>
> They really need to do some more studies to determine if this is a reliable
> treatment for helping an FeLV+ cat in stage 1-4 to seroconvert. And what it
> can and can't do to reliably benefit those cats who are already stage 5 and
> persistently viremic, or stage 6 and crashing. I've been told it IS possible to
> determine which subgroup of virus cats are infected with, but this is only
> germane in a research setting. And it is possible using the ELISA and IFA tests
> to determine which cats are still in the very early stages of infection or
> already have it settled in their bone marrow. Do you think we could find someone
> at a vet institution who would be interested in monitoring some home trials?
> Lord knows we have an ample supply of study candidates on this list. I don't
> suppose the company would be willing to provide the VO at a reduced cost, by
> any chance? Dream on.
>
> lSally in San Jose
>
>
