Back in 2017 I
wrote an impassioned article for Alpha Laboratories, Autumn Winter addition of
Perspective, which was published with the headline ‘IBDoc will
change people’s lives but only, if patients can monitor instant results’. I had been
prompted to write the article on hearing of the inflammatory detection system
via Calprotectin being developed as a home testing kit called IBDoc. If you follow my blog you’ll know that I
have been successfully using IBDoc since then.
I guess I’ve been somewhat evangelical about IBDoc; I still can’t believe how fortunate I’ve been to be allowed to trial
it and to write about my experiences of using it in the field.
In my previous blogs, I’ve expressed that IBDoc is one part of the tool kit I use to deal with my Crohns disease. It’s
at the centre of my Crohns universe with all the other tools orbiting around
it, making them more than the sum of their parts. IBDoc is a consistent
level control which gives me a snapshot of where I am at any one time.
To give the results some context: last October I had an MRI of the
small-bowel, the results from the MRI came back as clear, zero inflammation.
Out of interest I did a test using IBDoc on the morning of the scan, the
results of that test (50ug/g) were consistent with the MRI scan result, zero
information.
Having the ability to self-test has many positive outcomes not least to
pose the question, is the medication I’m on working? If so how well is it
working?
For reference I have been having
monthly infusion of Vedolizumab since November 2016.Vedolizumab works by preventing an excess of white blood cells from entering into
the GI tract. This helps to control inflammation and symptoms of ulcerative
colitis and Crohns.
So what’s the conclusion? Well, armed with two years
of IBDoc data, I know, undoubtedly
that the monthly Vedolizumab infusions keep my Calprotectin levels below 100 ug/g.
When I do go off diet, on holiday as an example, eating what I want (I know, how
dare I) the Calprotectin levels will increase up to 400ug/g. Pre Vedolizumab my Calprotectin levels would
sometimes peak around 1000 ug/g.
And that’s why I can safely say. “The drugs do work”