Re: low platelets, appointment with specialist to start t...

August 19, 2004

You know, in the hep c chatrooms I moderate, I talk to several people on

treatment who take Procrit while on treatment for hep C.

It doesn't have to be FDA approved for Hep C/treatment to be given it for hep

C/treatment, only FDA approved for something.

Neurontin isn't FDA approved for migraines, and it is prescribed for migraines.

Zonnegran isn't approved for weight loss, it is prescribed for weight loss.

The list goes on.

just as a note: The anemia listed on the treatment brochure (Schering) is not

iron anemia. I'm cooking or I'd go look up the correct terminology. Anyway,

they list the type of anemia that treatment may cause and it's not the type that

can be helped by taking iron or iron supplements.

Yall may have already discussed this but I'm behind on emails. My roof leaked

during getting the roof redone, attic flooded, ceiling crashed in the living

room, kitchen, hall and one bedroom. Soaked carpet and ceiling tile and made a

BIG mess! So we've been cleaning cleaning cleaning.

Alley

August 19, 2004

{{Shshonee <shshonee@...> wrote:

just as a note: The anemia listed on the treatment brochure (Schering) is not

iron anemia. I'm cooking or I'd go look up the correct terminology.}}

The word you are looking for is " hemolytic " , and it means an anemia being caused

by the destruction of red blood cells for one reason or another, and no, iron

won't help.

{{Yall may have already discussed this but I'm behind on emails. My roof leaked

during getting the roof redone, attic flooded, ceiling crashed in the living

room, kitchen, hall and one bedroom. Soaked carpet and ceiling tile and made a

BIG mess! So we've been cleaning cleaning cleaning.

Alley}}

Boy do you have my deepest sympathy! Sounds like a disaster!

C

August 19, 2004

In a message dated 8/19/2004 6:24:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

shshonee@... writes:

You know, in the hep c chatrooms I moderate, I talk to several people on

treatment who take Procrit while on treatment for hep C.

It doesn't have to be FDA approved for Hep C/treatment to be given it for

hep C/treatment, only FDA approved for something.

I don't know whether the insurance companies take a difference stance on

this than Medicare, but I do know that Medicare bounced the Procrit for the Big

Sis because Procrit is approved for cancer and chemo treatments, but not HCV.

And this is recent -- like two weeks ago. Makes no sense to me, but that

is Medicare's position.

(aka the Little Sis)

August 19, 2004

In a message dated 8/19/2004 6:24:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

shshonee@... writes:

You know, in the hep c chatrooms I moderate, I talk to several people on

treatment who take Procrit while on treatment for hep C.

It doesn't have to be FDA approved for Hep C/treatment to be given it for

hep C/treatment, only FDA approved for something.

I don't know whether the insurance companies take a difference stance on

this than Medicare, but I do know that Medicare bounced the Procrit for the Big

Sis because Procrit is approved for cancer and chemo treatments, but not HCV.

And this is recent -- like two weeks ago. Makes no sense to me, but that

is Medicare's position.

(aka the Little Sis)

August 20, 2004

If someone has created a " supplement " containing iron, it is just that...a

supplement. It is not the same as eating a spinach salad or iron fortified

cereals, etc. Anyone who knows anything about Hep C KNOWS that we cannot take

supplements containing iron. This person is trying to sell you on this

supplement but obviously doesn't have any knowledge of HCV...and if others with

HCV are taking it, they should be made aware of the effect of iron supplements

in folks with HCV.

Stay away from " blends " and research each and everything you are thinking of

taking...not just the pros and cons of that specific supplemnt, but how it

interacts with other supplements, etc. You can do serious harm by taking herbs,

supplements, etc. without thorough research.

It is always better to error on the safe side than to error when standing at the

edge of a cliff. And the key to everything is always moderation.

Tatezi

Hi Everyone,

I am wondering if anyone has ever heard of, or has any experience with

something called Reliv. It's a nutritional supplement that I was going to

try until I read the label. It has 18 mg. of iron. If I took it 2X a day

that would be 36 mg fr iron. They (people who use it) are trying to tell me

1) that it's food so if I eat spinach I can take this and 2) that people

with HepC take it.

The iron is a ferrous fumerate but they didn't know it's source.

Of course I have a call in to my doctor but haven't heard back yet.

Also, about Procrit; when I was on treatment my hemoglobin started dropping

about the 2nd month. They put me in a study for Procrit at Beth Israel

Hosp. in Boston. They study wasn't to see if Procrit helped, they knew it

did. It was to collect data so the FDA would approve it for HCV as well as

the already approved use for cancer. And they said we needed FDA approval

so the insurance companies would pay for it. It was an attempt to close a

loophole that gave the insurance companies the opportunity to refuse

payment. Don't know where the process is at the moment. Glad to hear that

some insurance companies are paying anyway. Amazing!

Pam in Maine

>Tatezi

>

> Re: low platelets, appointment with specialist

>to start t...

>

>Tat, has been invaluable. Anne

>

August 20, 2004