Re: I'm kind of confused, but that's nothing new - LOL

[Guest guest]

Hi . I understand why you're hesitant to go with treatment again if

you feel so much better. Have you had a liver biopsy? This is really the

landmark to go by when considering treatment. If your biopsy shows little

damage, then you can drag your feet in regards to treatment. If it shows

damage-moderate to severe, then you should consider treatment-even if you

don't respond, treatment will slow progression of liver damage, even help it

heal during the treatment. Some doctors will prescribe low dose, long term

interferon treatment for that purpose only. Either way you go-you will be

mostly supported here-we have all agreed to disagree now and then.

gail

I'm kind of confused, but that's nothing new -

LOL

Hi Everyone. I haven't used this forum before, but I must have

signed up to be a member because I'm getting emails from this group

now (I'm GLAD to be).

I am hoping this note (my first here) will post, and I'll get used to

using this support forum, too. I've got chronic Hep C, have had it

for about 27 years, began treatment in Oct 2003 but didn't do well

due to rapid drop in wbc's and platelets (but not low enough to start

Neupogen). Since there was a risk of overwhelming infection due

to " underlying peridontal disease " that flared up two weeks into Hep

C treatment, my GI doc decided to stop treatment " temporarily " , get

my peridontal disease treated, and then attempt treatment again.

I went under the care of a periodontist in November and had my

periodontal disease (which was termed " silent " peridontal disease)

treated. I have since begun feeling 100% better, and although I want

to try the Hep C treatment again (Pegasys / Copegus combo), I'm

still undecided if I want to go through it again.

Anyhow.... I look forward to being a part of this group! Good luck

and hugs to everyone.

[Guest guest]

HI.Welcome to the group .You.ll find a lot of support and knowledge

here,frome novices to old troopers,from Canada to Holland.Good Luck,Willem.

I'm kind of confused, but that's nothing new -

LOL

Hi Everyone. I haven't used this forum before, but I must have

signed up to be a member because I'm getting emails from this group

now (I'm GLAD to be).

I am hoping this note (my first here) will post, and I'll get used to

using this support forum, too. I've got chronic Hep C, have had it

for about 27 years, began treatment in Oct 2003 but didn't do well

due to rapid drop in wbc's and platelets (but not low enough to start

Neupogen). Since there was a risk of overwhelming infection due

to " underlying peridontal disease " that flared up two weeks into Hep

C treatment, my GI doc decided to stop treatment " temporarily " , get

my peridontal disease treated, and then attempt treatment again.

I went under the care of a periodontist in November and had my

periodontal disease (which was termed " silent " peridontal disease)

treated. I have since begun feeling 100% better, and although I want

to try the Hep C treatment again (Pegasys / Copegus combo), I'm

still undecided if I want to go through it again.

Anyhow.... I look forward to being a part of this group! Good luck

and hugs to everyone.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I don't know how I got signed up on this list either. Is

there someone out there signing folks up for your list

anonymously?

Sally Hines

shines@...

I'm kind of confused, but

that's nothing new - LOL

Hi Everyone. I haven't used this forum before, but I must

have

signed up to be a member because I'm getting emails from

this group

now (I'm GLAD to be).

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Initially this was a group where anyone could sign in and become a member.

Sometime ago I made the membership approval mandatory and forgot all about it.

So when I saw that there were many memberships pending for the past 3 months, I

approved them now. I think at sometime you must have asked for the membership

and forgotten all about it as no response came your way.

I apologise for the delay and if you do not need to be a member anymore , please

unsubscribe yourself.

Otherwise welcome aboard.

With best wishes,

Dr Sharat Misra MD, DM, FACG

Consultant Gastroenterologist

I'm kind of confused, but

that's nothing new - LOL

Hi Everyone. I haven't used this forum before, but I must

have

signed up to be a member because I'm getting emails from

this group

now (I'm GLAD to be).

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the explanation. I do need to be on the list.

Brain fog being one of the banes of HCV, I suffer greatly. I

also have intense senior moments. <grin> I did have a spell

of joining lists a few months back.

I have HCV, probably for at least 45 years. I have early

cirrhosis, have had combo treatment once, and relapsed

immediately. I also have diabetes, with very difficult to

control bg levels, and neuropathy.

I've been out of work for over 2 years, just started a new

job 2 weeks ago. The hours and demands are a bit of a shock

to my system. Exhaustion is a real problem.

Good to be brought into the list.

Sally

Re: I'm kind of confused, but

that's nothing new - LOL

Hi all,

Initially this was a group where anyone could sign in and

become a member. Sometime ago I made the membership approval

mandatory and forgot all about it. So when I saw that there

were many memberships pending for the past 3 months, I

approved them now. I think at sometime you must have asked

for the membership and forgotten all about it as no response

came your way. I apologise for the delay and if you do not

need to be a member anymore , please unsubscribe yourself.

Otherwise welcome aboard.

With best wishes,

Dr Sharat Misra MD, DM, FACG

Consultant Gastroenterologist

[Guest guest]

Hi Gail. Yeah.... it's tough thinking about " doing it again " , but I know

I've got to muster the inner courage and strength to try again because I believe

in the " power of belief " LOL! I gotta keep saying to myself " you can do it

; you will make it ; you will pull through it and reach SVR one day " . My GI

doc talked to me (at the time of diagnosis and prior to beginning tx), about

how some of his Hep C patients remain on maintenance therapy, and we talked

about the fact that even if I don't make it to the 12 week mark, my liver would

" appreciate " the treatment. Well, as I said earlier, I did two whopping

weeks of it. Honestly, though -- other than the excruiating pain on account of

the " underlying peridontal disease " (that the Peg / Cop only magnified) -- I

actually felt that I would do OK on treatment because (other than the pain) I

didn't have the typical " bad side effects " (yet).

And regards the biopsy -- yes..... I was biopsied in June (Friday, June 13,

at that - LOL) and was found to be Grade 3 / Stage 2, which isn't all that

" bad " (but then I had to consider my age, too, as I didn't want to wait and

possibly HAVE to do treatment years later when my liver would be " worse off " .

My

" workup " labs at that same time showed slightly elevated LFT's (ALTs)

decreased wbcs, rbcs, and platelets (clotting factor was still OK for biopsy).

I

did have some unusual bruising back then, too, and some other signs of " heppy

feeling " , i.e. fatigue beyond belief, depression, change in cognition,

sleeplessness, night sweats, spider nevi coming up all over my neck, face, upper

arms,

etc., and so......... I was READY to treat back then once I knew why I was

feeling so bad!

Feeling " good " now (and in fact almost back to normal), it's difficult to

think about attempting again, BUT -- I'm gonna! Just gotta get myself psyched

back up!

Big sigh! LOL. :)

Thanks for the support and your words of encouragement. I hope you're doing

well and feeling OK.

Bye for now.

In a message dated 1/13/2004 2:50:58 PM Eastern Standard Time,

samples@... writes:

>

> Hi . I understand why you're hesitant to go with treatment again if

> you feel so much better. Have you had a liver biopsy? This is really the

> landmark to go by when considering treatment. If your biopsy shows little

> damage, then you can drag your feet in regards to treatment. If it shows

> damage-moderate to severe, then you should consider treatment-even if you

> don't respond, treatment will slow progression of liver damage, even help it

> heal during the treatment. Some doctors will prescribe low dose, long term

> interferon treatment for that purpose only. Either way you go-you will be

> mostly supported here-we have all agreed to disagree now and then.

>

> gail

>

[Guest guest]

LOL. Hi Sally. Someone must be looking out for me during all my " confusion "

lately because I was kind of " shocked " to start getting mail from this forum,

but I am SO GLAD I DID!!! So far, I have really enjoyed the articles I've

read that some have put here.

I hope you're doing OK. ANd as far as someone else signing us up ? ? I

have NO idea! LOL! This cyberland stuff can be cool (yet sometimes scary,

too).

Hang in there.

In a message dated 1/14/2004 1:46:00 AM Eastern Standard Time,

shines@... writes:

> Hi ,

>

> I don't know how I got signed up on this list either. Is

> there someone out there signing folks up for your list

> anonymously?

>

> Sally Hines

> shines@...

>

> I'm kind of confused, but

> that's nothing new - LOL

>

>

> Hi Everyone. I haven't used this forum before, but I must

> have

> signed up to be a member because I'm getting emails from

> this group

> now (I'm GLAD to be).

>

>

[Guest guest]

Big hugs to you Sally.

Now I guess we both know a little more about each other and who was looking

out for us! LOL! When I was first diagnosed, I signed up for A LOT of

forums (I was new to computers, too, and didn't really know what I was doing,

not

to mention my head was spinning from the diagnosis and my brain wasn't

working too good). The " delay " , though, in approval for membership

hasactually

been " right on time " for me because I was at the point of feeling like giving up

hope.

Just when you think there's none -- here it comes :) :)

You hang in there.

In a message dated 1/14/2004 5:02:30 AM Eastern Standard Time,

shines@... writes:

> Thank you for the explanation. I do need to be on the list.

> Brain fog being one of the banes of HCV, I suffer greatly. I

> also have intense senior moments. <grin> I did have a spell

> of joining lists a few months back.

>

> I have HCV, probably for at least 45 years. I have early

> cirrhosis, have had combo treatment once, and relapsed

> immediately. I also have diabetes, with very difficult to

> control bg levels, and neuropathy.

>

> I've been out of work for over 2 years, just started a new

> job 2 weeks ago. The hours and demands are a bit of a shock

> to my system. Exhaustion is a real problem.

>

> Good to be brought into the list.

>

> Sally

>

> Re: I'm kind of confused, but

> that's nothing new - LOL

>

>

> Hi all,

> Initially this was a group where anyone could sign in and

> become a member. Sometime ago I made the membership approval

> mandatory and forgot all about it. So when I saw that there

> were many memberships pending for the past 3 months, I

> approved them now. I think at sometime you must have asked

> for the membership and forgotten all about it as no response

> came your way. I apologise for the delay and if you do not

> need to be a member anymore , please unsubscribe yourself.

>

> Otherwise welcome aboard.

>

> With best wishes,

> Dr Sharat Misra MD, DM, FACG

> Consultant Gastroenterologist

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sally, welcome to the list

I'm Alley, I'm 48, have hcv and hbv, live in Texas and don't work,

did treatment once, relapsed, won't do it again, once was enough lol.

I have mild fibrosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, depression. The

last three made worse by the treatment. Actually, I didn't have

depression before treatment at all. Wierd huh?

Nice to meet you You'll find a lot of good info here.

Alley

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/13/2004 12:41:29 PM Eastern Standard Time,

jtwagers7@... writes:

> I went under the care of a periodontist in November and had my

> periodontal disease (which was termed " silent " peridontal disease)

> treated. I have since begun feeling 100% better, and although I want

> to try the Hep C treatment again (Pegasys / Copegus combo), I'm

> still undecided if I want to go through it again.

>

> Anyhow.... I look forward to being a part of this group! Good luck

> and hugs to everyone.

>

Dear ,

I'm getting ready to consider restarting myself. My original treatment was

in the late 90's moderately, but not completely successful. Sides were most

" unfun " . Glad your gums are better. Take VitaminC. that might prevent future

probs.

Anne

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/13/2004 12:41:29 PM Eastern Standard Time,

jtwagers7@... writes:

> I went under the care of a periodontist in November and had my

> periodontal disease (which was termed " silent " peridontal disease)

> treated. I have since begun feeling 100% better, and although I want

> to try the Hep C treatment again (Pegasys / Copegus combo), I'm

> still undecided if I want to go through it again.

>

> Anyhow.... I look forward to being a part of this group! Good luck

> and hugs to everyone.

>

Dear ,

I'm getting ready to consider restarting myself. My original treatment was

in the late 90's moderately, but not completely successful. Sides were most

" unfun " . Glad your gums are better. Take VitaminC. that might prevent future

probs.

Anne