Vicky Phelan: I need to start seeing  results soon in order to make this hardship worth it

Vicky Phelan gave an update on an extremely difficult few days. Picture: Instagram

Activist Vicky Phelan updated followers on Thursday night from her temporary base in Maryland, America. 

Phelan is taking part in a clinical trial of the drug M7824, which is being directed by Dr Julius Strauss at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Maryland, and has been experiencing debilitating side effects over the last number of weeks. 

"I have been very, very sick," she said, of the last week. "I became very ill, very suddenly on Saturday evening and it escalated very quickly into being unable to bring down a raging temperature."

She spent three nights in hospital as her medical team tried to find a diagnosis for her symptoms, which are a side effect of M7824. "The drug, M7824, can cause inflammation in any part of the body. I developed Bell's Palsy (inflammation of the facial nerves) last week and then this week, the inflammation went to my sinuses which were all extensively inflamed and which led to me getting so sick on Saturday."

Now on antibiotics, Phelan says she feels a bit "more human."

With her focus on returning home in July and seeing her family and friends, Phelan says that her visit home is giving her cause for optimism.

"I still have to go back to hospital tomorrow for my treatment because I was too sick on Tuesday to have it. While I dread the thought of having treatment tomorrow, the ONLY thing keeping me going is the knowledge that this is my LAST dose of treatment before I go home next month."

This, she says, is part of the great unknown of taking part in a trial such as this.

"This is the reality of taking part in a clinical trial. It has been a very, very low week for me and has made me think long and hard about whether I will continue on this in the long run. I need to start seeing better results soon in order to make all of this hardship worth it."

She will be putting any decisions on hold when she returns home next month, instead focusing on spending time with her family and friends. 

"I am looking forward to a break from it all for a month and to spending time with my kids and my family and friends. Big decisions can wait until I come back."