Impressions after 21 days taking valproic acid for Mcardle disease.

The following results no longer measurements and assessments on an individual and therefore can neither intended to replace medical findings and conclusions.

Important:  . These are the effects that I noticed after 21 days taking valproic acid, the first 7 days taking 250mg a day and then another 14 days taking 500mg a day.

With 21 days taking 500mg of test results have continued to improve relative to the Measurements made ​​with 250mg (7 days) and 14 days with 500mg. They have also continued improvements in other aspects observed.

Breathing

In plain

Before the minimum who was suffering from a strong fatigue. Respiratory distress before treatment was very pronounced.

• The improvement was immediate directly after taking the first dose of 250mg.Fatigue began to be mild. With 500mg fatigue was disappearing, and now there are no signs of fatigue when walking. No matter the distance, no matter if they are 100, 500 meters to 3 kilometers, no fatigue. Even walking fast no signs of fatigue.

• You can walk and talk at the same time without any symptoms of fatigue.

Climbing stairs
with 250mg respiratory distress problems are down to climb stairs at home, ramps or tours of the platform and the subway stairs. I've noticed that when I get ladders (one can climb one floor and maximum average) does not miss me much breathing.

• With 500mg and 21 days of treatment I climbed three flights of stairs with some fatigue, but not like before.

Heart rate (beats per minute)

Palpitations strong beat as have never happened. Remember that Mcardle's disease when performing exercise and pulse rise to great heights is due to an emergency response agency to force us to stop and not cause damage.

• The pulses are within normal limits. Despite my low level of previous years keystrokes regained normal with the drug.

• You can walk at a very fast pace with throbbing considered normal.

• I managed to climb the stairs three floors (above 1 and a half) to 120ppm.

Figure 1. Average heart rate.

As observed in measurements of the graphic heart rate has dropped to levels of a normal person as was taking the drug and the days passed. The average heart rate for a distance of 300 meters with 250mg was 110ppm, whereas with 500mg finished in 95ppm, 15ppm a noticeable difference.

Pain and stiffness in muscles of legs

Walking
've noticed an improvement first and then with 250mg 500mg. Before taking the drug walked at a slow pace and now I can walk at a normal pace considerate of 4.16 km / h fast and also unlimited distance. With 250mg was improving distance walked appearing pain until the recent days to 300 meters. The pain came to an average painful but bearable degree, and took longer to reach seizure. Seeing the results with 500mg were improving my state and could walk away before the onset of the pain I had to extend the distances traveled to continue monitoring and measuring progress. Now half of the time the pain occurs very smoothly from the 300 meters and the other half of the tests have not been aches and walked normally.

• Walk. With 500mg pain when walking has disappeared in most cases. You can walk at a very high speed without problems. There are very few times when there is pain, is very short and is very lightweight. With pain is very difficult seizure unless there rises at the beginning of a long journey or force the pace, and always would be minor injuries. The improvement was constant over the days. Distances before the pain begins were getting longer and sometimes no pain occurred. If the pain was appeared for a few tens of meters and slowing or making a small stop for 15 or 20 seconds or less is enough to make the pain go away. The pain is very mild, tolerable, no wincing in multiple punctures face or micro-breakages. If you continue walking with pain can just disappear or be forced to make a stop before the seizure being measured. It is preferable to make a short stop and continue painless and well paced.

In the graph you can see the improvement in walk distance and occurrences of pain. We also observe that pain episodes lasting less and less. And changes to "second wind" you can see that the pain lasts a few meters.

Gray : resting heart rate.

Green : No pain or stiffness. There may be a very slight strain.

Orange : average pain bearable. Walking slowly if necessary. There may be light seizing the end.

Red : Walk slow or stop to avoid stiffness and severe damage.

Blue : the second breath ("second wind") occurs. You can walk on level normally.

Figure 2. Measurements: drug dose, walked meters, heart rate and symptoms. 

In the graph you can the early days with 500mg and observe the observed change on the "second wind". The first few weeks it was necessary to downshift to slow pace for 100 or 200 meters to get the "second wind". As the days passed with 500mg was no need to search the "second wind" because the pain was very soft and you could keep a good pace walking. In the last 5 days when I walk (green) is observed, pain (orange) shows up and keep walking without stopping (green). If pain lasts appears so little that it is not necessary to reduce almost up and so do not call it "second wind". That is the reason because after the pain (orange) still use the green color. 

Important: On December 31, 2014 to mark the dinner and New Year's celebration did not take the medication (0 mg) to prevent any interaction of alcohol (wine and champagne) with valproic acid. It is observed that the January 1 December 2015 during exercises results quickly deteriorated during the day. If you want to know more about the duration of the effects of valproic acid'll explain in "Duration of effects of valproic acid for McArdle disease" .

Second Wind or "Second Wind"

I always had serious problems getting the second breath. A few meters appeared pains, I seized up and when I passed and I started to walk again returned pains and stiffness. When getting the "second wind" was walking at an extremely slow pace for a while but not always succeed. I could then walk normal or even faster pace for miles without problems.

• After 21 days when pain occurs only have to reduce the rate or make a short stop for a few seconds until the pain is reduced too quickly or completely disappears. If pain is much smoother. If I continue walking 100 to 200 meters muscles can bind and having to make a short stop. Then to walk again comes the "second wind" and can walk normally even in normal ups.

Sprint
The last ten years could not run more than 25 meters, sometimes not even that. . It appeared the pain very fast and stopping was completely stiff and very tired I waited to reach the 21 days of taking the drug for testing: a sprint (run fast) of 60 meters.

• 60m Sprint: No unusual fatigue. I have to stop because your legs get tired. Noto slight pain in the form of pins at the end that disappears in a few minutes.

Climbing stairs

Regarding up ramps and steps have not yet noticed no improvement regarding pain and stiffness, if change in breathing. Up supposed floor and pass through 100 to 130 beats per minute. Even if he continued making stops soared up to 160 with pounding. With 250 mg I climbed the stairs at home, first floor without problems. The next half had to stop.

• With 500mg and 21 days of treatment I uploaded 3 floors with minor pain and stiffness immediately notices and 120ppm. You may not post 2 or 3 rungs without suffering a severe seizure.

You squat. Bend down and getting up
is a critical point. I have suffered many serious stiffness to squat and squat stand up to me have prevented move for hours. The pain was very intense and dark urine. When I got up I always do very carefully and I have to help me with arms for not having a severe seizure.With 250mg I did not realize evidence in the form of repetitions. I only tried it once and felt severe pain. Now I tried to bend down and get up 5 times helped with his hands. A 6 once appeared pain and 7 had to help hands to not seriously agarrotarme. The urine within 24 hours hours left colorless. With 500mg, 13 days after starting treatment, I made ​​back squat exercises. I managed agarcharme and getting up 7 times in a row helped with his hands. 8 A time came the pain and failed the exercise. On day 20 of treatment repeated the exercise and got to perform 9 repeat until the pain appeared.

• With 21 days of treatment I've only had to stoop seize remarkable. Email to stoop down and talk with my 3 year old niece. I felt my muscles agarrotaban and rose gently helping her arms. I was very careful and seizure was mild. The discomfort lasted me all day. And the urine was normal within hours. It must have been a severe injury, of which end up in the hospital. I guess the seizure was mild to be no saturation muscle glycogen due to valproic acid. 

Pain and stiffness in the arms and hands

While I do exercises at home are very soft and therefore does not allow me to draw any conclusions. I have not tried forces with arms and hands so I can not judge anything about it.Later I will do some testing. The hands have always suffered. The seizure by straining to pick up objects such as shopping bags, carry bag laptop or cooking tasks like cutting onions, peel potatoes left me aching hands out stiff and in many occasions.

• The stiffness in wrists and fingers to carry shopping bags less than 1 kg have disappeared. In carrying shopping bags 2 or 3 kg when I noticed slight pain and slight stiffness in the hands and fingers.

• I've tried has performed pushups, I could only make 3 with risk of severe seizure.

• When you perform repetitive hand gestures as cutting onions, peel potatoes and similar things I've noticed less pain, but the hand muscles get tired.

• Al dress has reduced the pain and fatigue of the arms. I've only ever noticed a slight muscle fatigue.

Pain and stiffness in the back.

Before suffering from pains in the muscles of the back to make small efforts with repetitive motions like filling the dishwasher, clothesline, etc, tasks that had almost stopped performing.Heavy lifting could leave my back completely stiff.

• I tried to fill the dishwasher and I have not had any binding or slight discomfort in the back.

• I got up and carried bags of food from the supermarket less than 1kg without back problems. In weights of 2 to 3 kg for 200 meters I did not notice back problems.

Spontaneous seizure (seizure cramps).

I lost on this.
Over a week used to have several spontaneous seizure in the legs without any exercise. In arms and hands just once a year. I normally occurred while lying in bed, sitting on the couch or just move one leg to another position. These were extremely painful stiffness.

• After 21 days of treatment I have not had any episodes of severe stiffness and strong spontaneous pain. They have completely disappeared these episodes.

Fever and dizziness.

When walking above my ability long distances, make some specific physical exertion such as climbing stairs, go to the nearest bus stop, take the bus stand, take the subway, or spend much time standing had fevers and dizziness taking between 10 and 30 minutes to recover. I always drink a sugary drink or blister glucose before to avoid or reduce this problem, and I drink one after to help recover glucose levels and recover before the dizziness. When the fever comes and dizziness is a strong feeling of discomfort, it is impossible to lift my head and I have to lie down immediately or even sit on the floor if I go by public transport, as there is an imminent risk of falling.

• Since taking the medication I have not had any episodes of fever and dizziness.Nor have I perceived symptoms that I send news in advance of these episodes.

Urine.

During these days I walked even with pain, I have conducted exercises squats and stairs (the most dangerous). The distances traveled were getting longer and urine was colorless at all hours and all days.

Side Effects.

Remember that the Dicorate ER 250 is an extended-release drug, meaning that valproic acid gradually released throughout the day and therefore significantly reduces the chances of suffering any side effects.

• In 21 days taking valproic acid (the last 14 days 500mg / day) I have not noticed any of the side effects of this drug.

Pending the results of an analysis performed on the second day you start taking valproic acid and other analytical within two months. 

Conclusions Results after 21 days taking valproic acid. 

Major improvements

• Improvement in heart rate until normal levels during exercise and other efforts.
• Fatigue in breathing has virtually disappeared. You can walk fast and talk at the same time without fatigue.
• Most times I walk no pain. If pain is very mild and only have to slow down for a moment or make a short stop.
• The pains are now mild in most cases.
• If they get tired muscles recover very fast (15-30 seconds).
• I have not suffered episodes of fever and dizziness.
• I have not suffered episodes of spontaneous seizure (cramps).
• Easier and faster to get the "second wind".

Slight improvements

• Improvement to bending and lifting. Takes longer in pain and stiffness occur is less severe.
• Hands seize up less and less pain when cutting potatoes, cut bread, cut onions, etc.
• The hands do not seize the lifting grocery bags weighing less than 1kg.
• Improvement in beats, fatigue and distance to climb stairs.

My experience with valproic acid has been very positive. Since taking the drug I've improved every day considerably. Normality in my day to day is almost complete. 

My life has changed dramatically. Before you go anywhere was an ordeal, now I'm looking forward to going outside to walk, shop, etc. I can go anywhere without worry. If I notice some slight pain I know in a few seconds will pass so slow road or stop a moment. In all I have to take care is to bend, climb stairs and stronger efforts or lifting weights. But still pains take longer to arrive, signal muscle effort and better tolerated when it arrives is not as severe nor as severe seizure.

 Also my muscle loss by disease and this should be borne in mind that you did before many exercise at work and at home. Possibly the greater exercise tolerance of the drug bound to an exercise program would help increase muscle mass and muscle capacity to make efforts to acceptable levels.