Re: IL-2 in response to Jane Doe

June 18, 2001

When I was on the IL2, it cost my insurance co. $5000 a month. The IL2 dosage

is much weaker than when you have cancer. It has to be diluted and made in a

hood. Monthly blood tests are necessary to calibrate the exact dosage. The

cost of that is included in the $5000. It is not covered by insurance since

it is experimental.. My insurance company covered it for 2 years " by mistake "

they said. If it will work on you or not is determined in the lab. Your blood

is cultured with it, and then the t cells and CD8's are assayed. If it works

in the lab, it works for you. I no longer have it, but it saved my life. It

has the same side effects as chemo, but it was well worth it. It's side

efects include nausea, vomiting, sweats , low grade fevers, headaches, some

hair loss, and brittle hair. Not a big deal compared to what we already

suffer with , and it was well worth it, knowing it would work. Side effects

are NOT the same symptoms as CFIDS. Long term use of it can also erode the

optic nerve. As a result of it, I now need glasses for reading and distance,

but not a big deal..

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