Clinical Trial

mate of mine had done one in the past, and I heard the money was pretty good. So I thought I’d check it out and see what’s on the market in the pharmaceutical world!!

Well I found one that suits me to the tee. New form of drug for those who suffer from osteoarthritis, for me I was like Jackpot. I get paid and get a form of Botox injection into the knee area. However downfall was it’s a double placebo.

Initially I passed the question test, then I was full medical, ECG, bloods, drugs, wee, temp etc… you name it was being tested. Lucky the results came back clear; I made it to the 2^nd round.

My eyes were opened up to the medical world of what goes on behind the scenes. Round 2 involved more testing and long ride in a taxi to ‘Harley Street’ now those who are not aware but this street is the high end of medical examinations form radiology, physio etc…. I feel very very fancy getting my X-ray on my knees. Now to past this test I had to have arthritis show up on the results, I made to admission day.

 

This was quite a process, but I passed and I was going in for admission. Mind you all of this time I had to not drink for 72hours or 48hours before each visit. Some visits fell on a Monday which meant not drinking on the wkend. (Clearly I survived).

 

Wednesday was D day, by this time was still a lil nervous however start to build rapport with the staff, so kinda put me at ease. Now bare in mind clinical trials means your body is on the line.

Routine check-up, ECG, bloods etccc… now I am getting used to all of this and for someone who gives plasma every 2wks is not really scared of taken blood, however one of the assistant who took my blood sprayed my blood everywhere, I was lying down but when you feel warm blood on your arm and faces staring of ‘oh god’, you kinda panic.

 

After all the testing was done and food came it was chillax time. The ward reminded me of the movies during the war, all the beds lined up in one big line. It was time to meet my fellow guinea pigs, there was some doing Botox on their crow’s feet and brow line, as same as me.

There was Buddhist nun, prison warden, film director, and many others, however I was next to these people, and we got moved around a lot that night was 11:30pm in position for who was going first, and guess who got pot luck!! The youngest duck of the bunch by 20years plus.

 

After the injection I was heavily monitored with over 8 ECGs and lots of sleep

This is where the nerves kicked in, however I got through it. Over the last 6wks I have had follows ups and have my last one this wk. but I have to say my time and experience through this trial has been amazing and I think I got the drug as my knee hasn’t felt this good in over 8years. Mind you all is just a drug to supress the pain, so if I went and ran a marathon I’d still do damage to the arthritis, so sorry to disappoint but that won’t be ticked off my bucket list just yet. But I do feel superwomanish.