149 sats \ 13 replies \ @lv99_slacker 27 Jun 2022 \ on: Daily discussion thread
On my to do an outpatient visit in Dallas for a clinical trial.
I've been a lab rat for pharmaceutical companies since 2011. I do this for a living. AMA! 😆
Do you have another job outside of this too? Or is it your fulltime?
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This is my only means of income.
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And what do you do for fun if you don't mind me asking? I'm assuming the trials are not much time consuming, so you have probably quite a bit of time? (is that correct?)
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I have a lot of down time in and out of studies, and, because I'm a home body, my activities in and out of studies are hardly all that different. I'm not an exciting person. Lol.
In studies: I usually sign up for studies where the in-house stay is, at least, 20 days. In between the usual procedures of vitals (blood pressure and temperature), blood draws, and EKG's, I'm online watching M-F shows on the crypto/bitcoin industry, politics, and current events, listening to podcasts, playing games on my laptops, or lurking/posting in message boards. Shows include: Coindesk shows, The Gentlemen of Crypto, Simply Bitcoin, Bitcoin Magazine.
Out of studies: The only difference is me riding my e-bike around town. I ride an orange RadWagon 4. Hope I can get an Onyx RCR, Spark Works Bandit or maybe even a Super 73 S2 by the end of next year. The RadWagon 4 is a nice car replacement for inner city travel, but something sexier would be nice. I also hit up movie theaters...usually by myself, because I'm a bit of a lone wolf.
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You say you're boring but the way you live your life is fascinating. I love it.
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Thanks, man. 👍
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what's the pay like?
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Varies year to year. I make anywhere from $25k - $50k. Made $50k last year.
The study I'm doing the outpatient for in Dallas (Covance/LabCorp) paid $13k. Stayed at the facility for 31 days straight. The study I did before this (Icon - formerly PRA Health Sciences) also paid $13k.
Most of these facilities list the studies open for recruitment, the compensation, and time commitment involved.
Here's an example: PPD in Austin TX
This website lists every clinical trial company in every US state:
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Worst side effect you've ever had from a treatment?
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I can't do opioid med studies, not because I can't handle them, but because of the "blocker" medication (like Naltrexone) that's usually given beforehand. Blocker meds cause me to throw up within 15min.
Back in 2011 though, I almost passed out while showering. The drug for that study was an anti-depressant.
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Knocking people unconscious is an interesting approach to anti-deppresion
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Are you not afraid of irreparable damage?
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A little. There's some studies I won't do just based on word of mouth experiences of other participants. I won't do any studies where the medication is treating Alzheimer's, and I'm a bit wary of those treating Parkinson's and schizophrenia. Had a roommate who did a study at Celerion in Arizona who did an Alzheimer's where most of the participants in her study, including her, became pretty sick. The med lowered their white blood cells, and they caught something. This was several years ago. In another instance, a woman in her 60s told me that the Alzheimer's med she took caused her to almost forget where she lived.
Oh, yeah. I absolutely won't do anything that has lumbar punctures where they take some of your spinal fluid. Those are rare to come by though.
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