Day 1: Drug Day Afternoon

Today's Schedule

I knew today was going to be the worst day, I was given the schedule last night, they had to make the font smaller so they could fit everything on.

Other than a bit of a runny nose I'm not really feeling any symptoms of the flu virus I was given yesterday, I'm putting the special tissues they gave me to good use, I need to keep them all in a special bag which is collected ever day to be analysed.

The nasal swabs (extra long earbud stuck further up your nasal cavity than you thought possible then twisted round 360 degrees) have been added to my daily routine now three times a day. 

Just before lunch a doctor came in with two cannula's, one for each arm.  I've never had a cannula before and I assumed that the needle was left in your arm but I found out that they remove the needle and just leave a small flexible tube attached to your vein.  The first one went in no problem, although, when he tried to flush it with salt water my body had a little freak out and I nearly fainted.  The doctor said it was quite common and just made me comfortable, then left me to sort myself out.  He came back in a couple of minutes later and had to clean away the sweat that I was drenched in.  The second one went in and was flushed fine but the doctor recommended that I try and have a nap before the dosing team come round to give me the drug/placebo.

I was told not to bend my arms which I took a bit too literally when lunch came and the sight of me trying to eat a baguette and bag of crisps without bending my arms more than 90 degrees was probably quite funny for he nurses outside my room.  

Nice guy Chaz popped in to take some pre-dosing blood samples then the dosing team came in to connect me up to a drip for an hour which was pretty painless although there was a problem with the drip machine at the end, I think it lost pressure and some of my blood started to go back up the tube but the nurses were very good and sorted it out quickly.

That's about it, I've got a few more blood samples tonight before they take the cannula's out then I'll just have to sit and wait over the next seven days to see how sick I get. My days are going to get a lot quieter from now on.

Day 0: The Infection

I was wide awake at 5 am feeling strangely nervous.  Not about the fact that I might be infected with a virus more that I would be sent home and all the preparation, trips to London and taking time off work would be in vain.  

Compared to yesterday, today's schedule card is crazy.  It started like yesterday with a temperature and symptoms diary then another physical exam by a doctor (at least I think she's a doctor because she seems to be the only one who does the physical exams).

  

Then it was a tense couple of hours as I watched people walking past my window with suitcases being sent home.  The nurses station really started to go weird, people were pacing and standing around full of nervous energy in what they call their 'space suits'.  I guess virus inoculation day must be a big deal for them.  Eventually a nice Scottish nurse came in to take some blood and told me I was staying which was a huge relief. Nice guy Chaz also came round just to double check my date of birth again.

 

Then the fun began, we all had to move our beds so that our heads where sticking out of the door. As I'm next to the nurses station I can watch all the preparation that's being done.  All the staff had to read out exactly what their role would be, then as a group of about eight they started to administer two drops of the virus to each nostril one volunteer at a time. It was like a machine of eight people going up and down the corridor. It was all very serious and professional.  It took about thirty minutes to get round to me and as I watched them approach it felt a little bit like the start of a zombie movie.

It was all over in about two minutes and I had to lie still for ten minutes then sit up with a peg on my nose for another twenty. I kept catching the eye of the lad opposite me and we'd laugh at each other. I was told not to blow my nose or sneeze for he next couple of hours so that the virus has a good chance of infecting me. 

 

Things calmed down a lot after that and I even managed a nap before nice guy Chaz was back to do an ECG (pads all over my chest measuring my heart) and that's been it for the afternoon.

I've been given my schedule for tomorrow and it looks non stop. Lots of tests and examinations then I'll be given the drug or placebo in the afternoon via a cannula can't wait! 

Day -1: 1/3rd of us are going home.

Chicken curry dinner (it tasted nicer than it looks)

Dinner came round at 18:00 last night, it looks like the main dinner is just microwave meals but it tasted fine.  Not long after dinner we were all asked to put our face masks on and meet in the area just outside my room.  I was surprised at just how many other people there were, I don't think anyone was expecting the meeting as it looked like a couple of people had just come out of the shower and others were in pyjamas and dressing gowns.  I'd guess that I'm probably the oldest one on the trial, everyone else looked like they were early - mid twenties but it was a bit difficult to tell with everyone wearing masks.

We were given the basics do's and don'ts, most of them common sense.  We were also told that there are 32 people in quarantine and only 21 places on the trial so 11 of us will be excluded on Wednesday morning, leaving early and only getting £200 compensation rather than the £3750 if you are given the virus.  That annoyed me a bit as the only info I'd had about being a reserve was in the info pack I got which said:

"We usually have additional ‘reserve’ volunteers on standby. If you are asked to be a ‘reserve’ volunteer you would attend Quarantine and stay only until the final decision on subject numbers has been made. You would be paid for your time up to that point and may be able to join another study if appropriate".

So I was under the impression that as long as I was well and clear from any virus on the first two days then I'd be doing the trial.   

I went to bed in a bit of a grump because of that but there is nothing I can do about it so I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens on Wednesday.

I was woken up at about 05:30 by a nurse who told me that there was a problem with my blood sample and they needed to take another one. At 06:00 another nurse came in to do blood pressure, temperature and fill in a symptoms card. Once I've been given the virus I think that the temperature, symptoms card and nasal swab will be done three times a day until I'm discharged.

Breakfast

Other than the flurry of activity first thing it's been really quiet today. There's only about a third of the staff that there was yesterday which is really nice as I've been able to nap on and off all day and watch movies.  I could get used to this.

Today's schedule

Day -2: First Day in Quaranitine

My alarm went off at 05:20 so I could jump in the shower and get to the station to catch the 06:22 train from Long Buckby to Euston.   I was very grateful to Louise who also got up at an unearthly hour to save me the cost of a taxi and get me to the station on time.

The journey down was fine, the tube was rammed and it wasn't much fun wearing a backpack but I managed to get to Flucamp 10 minutes early where I was asked to put a mask on and sign some forms before being escorted straight to my room.  Not long afterwards a nice guy called Chaz went through my bag to check for drugs, alcohol and other naughty stuff.  

It looks like someone has copied my date of birth down wrong which has resulted in people having to come back about seven or eight times just to double check they have got it right.

Half an hour in and a doctor came in to do the same medical checks as last time, then nice guy Chaz was back for urine, ECG, temperature and spiros (blowing in a tube) tests.  

Breakfast

Straight after Chaz had finished with his tests I was handed a brown paper bag full of goodies for breakfast, I didn't even realise I was getting breakfast so that kept me happy for the rest of the morning.

The room I'm in is nice and comfortable.  I've got a hospital bed, en-suit bathroom, 32" smart tv, playstation, a chair, a table and bedside cabinet.   The internet is fast enough to be able to stream iPlayer and Netflix so I should be able to keep myself entertained for the next 10 days.  The only negative is that I'm really close to the nurses station and they really like a laugh so I'll have to get used to sleeping through the noise. On the other hand it's quite interesting watching them work. I'm currently watching them do the drugs testing and I think someone has tested positive for opiates and they are discussing if it could just be from poppy seeds or not.

Surprisingly comfy bed

Lunch was about 12:30 which was just a wrap, crisps, granola bar and yoghurt.  I was also asked to fill in my food order form from a menu for rest of the week.  There's no way I'm going to remember what I've asked for so it'll be a surprise every day.

Later on in the afternoon I had a doctor come in and do a nasal swab which involves sticking what looks like an earbud quite far up the nasal cavity where it does a 360 degree twist. It's not pleasant. This is to test for any cold or flu viruses I might have brought in with me, if they find anything then I'll be sent home but will probably be able to come back on another trial soon.  I also had some blood taken by a very nervous nurse who messed it up a bit and had to get some help.

View of the nurses station from my room

So that's it so far.  My first day of Flucamp has been relatively painless, I don't really feel like I can fully relax into it until I know that I'm definitely going to be staying which I won't know until Wednesday morning (day 0).  

Day -3: The Night Before

So I'm starting this medical trial tomorrow at Flucamp which is part of Retroscreen Virology Ltd.  To put it simply I'm going to be put into quarantine for around ten days so the safety and effectiveness of a drug can be tested against a flu virus.  I'll be in an individual room with a playstation, tv and 24 hour high speed internet access to keep me entertained whilst I'm poked, prodded and stabbed with needles all for the advancement of medicine and profits of the major pharmaceuticals.

This story started back in September when a guy from work said he'd heard an interview on radio 2 asking for volunteers to be tested on in exchange for up to £3,750 in compensation. I did a bit of research and worked out that most people don't get through so thinking that it would never happen I signed up through the website.  

A couple of days later I got a call from them where I was asked some basic health questions and asked to go down to London for the first screening. This is just a simple blood test to check if you have the right level of antibodies and a chat with someone to check you understand risks involved. At this stage you get paid £20 for your troubles no matter where you came from. Apparently about 80% of people don't make it through this part.  I got an email about three weeks later saying I was suitable to go on to the next stage.  It did start to feel like a reality show competition.

It took a couple of months and a few tweets from me but I eventually got a call asking me to go back down for the second (study specific) screening.  This is a much more involved process I was there for 2-3 hours, during which time I had a full medical check up, more blood tests, an ECG and a lung test. They also asked my permission to check my medical history with my doctor.  From this point on you get travel expenses paid up to £25 every time you have to visit.  Another 50% of people are dropped at this stage.

Another couple of weeks passed and I got a phone call from a doctor who wanted to clarify something from my medical history and confirmed that I was all good to take part in the trial.  It took another week for someone to call me and invite me onto the trial as well as give me a huge list of things I had to avoid (drugs, alcohol, cigarette smoke, exercise etc.)

So that's where I'm up to today providing I don't develop any flu symptoms in the next two days I'll be  given a flu virus and kept in quarantine for the following eight days.  I tried to do as much research as I could into what is actually involved but struggled to find much in the way of first hand accounts so I thought I'd do my own to help anyone else who is thinking of taking part.  I did find one blog that was useful http://emilyjoychapple.blogspot.co.uk/ but not much else. 

I'm all packed and I've got my seat booked on the 06:22 train from Long Buckby tomorrow (I splashed out on a first class ticket for a whole £1 extra) so I guess the next blog post will be from quarantine.