Tatezi

May 20, 2001

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> Claudine....

>

> How long did it take for your viral load to drop

> back down after you had

> the cortisone injection?

Actually, I have no idea - I never have had it

rechecked! I had one injection, and then some pills

(the same corticosteroid but oral form) that I took

for a week, decreasing the dose each of those days. My

viral load test was done about a month after that, and

it had gone from it's usual under 200,000 up to over a

million - don't know exactly how much, the lab quit

counting at 1 million. I just am not really too

concerned about it, I know from all my research that

viral load really doesn't have any bearing on damage

to the liver. When I stopped treatment after a year

in Jan. 1999, never responding (my viral load went

from a pretreatment level of 110,000 down to 50,000)

my viral load shot sky high, then gradually returned

to 'normal' levels for me - under 200,000. This took

about 1 1/2 years! But my biopsy in March showed no

fibrosis, so it obviously didn't harm me, and this

goes along with what I've read too. I have no idea if

there is any 'average' length of time for viral load

to drop back down, and my doctor didn't say anything

except not to have the injections too often. I will

have to be in severe pain to do that again, though,

just to be safe. Although the injection/pills

certainly worked - my ankle hasn't bothered even once

since then, so maybe it was a necessary evil!

Claudine

__________________________________________________

May 20, 2001

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> Claudine....

>

> How long did it take for your viral load to drop

> back down after you had

> the cortisone injection?

Actually, I have no idea - I never have had it

rechecked! I had one injection, and then some pills

(the same corticosteroid but oral form) that I took

for a week, decreasing the dose each of those days. My

viral load test was done about a month after that, and

it had gone from it's usual under 200,000 up to over a

million - don't know exactly how much, the lab quit

counting at 1 million. I just am not really too

concerned about it, I know from all my research that

viral load really doesn't have any bearing on damage

to the liver. When I stopped treatment after a year

in Jan. 1999, never responding (my viral load went

from a pretreatment level of 110,000 down to 50,000)

my viral load shot sky high, then gradually returned

to 'normal' levels for me - under 200,000. This took

about 1 1/2 years! But my biopsy in March showed no

fibrosis, so it obviously didn't harm me, and this

goes along with what I've read too. I have no idea if

there is any 'average' length of time for viral load

to drop back down, and my doctor didn't say anything

except not to have the injections too often. I will

have to be in severe pain to do that again, though,

just to be safe. Although the injection/pills

certainly worked - my ankle hasn't bothered even once

since then, so maybe it was a necessary evil!

Claudine

__________________________________________________

May 20, 2001

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> Claudine....

>

> How long did it take for your viral load to drop

> back down after you had

> the cortisone injection?

Actually, I have no idea - I never have had it

rechecked! I had one injection, and then some pills

(the same corticosteroid but oral form) that I took

for a week, decreasing the dose each of those days. My

viral load test was done about a month after that, and

it had gone from it's usual under 200,000 up to over a

million - don't know exactly how much, the lab quit

counting at 1 million. I just am not really too

concerned about it, I know from all my research that

viral load really doesn't have any bearing on damage

to the liver. When I stopped treatment after a year

in Jan. 1999, never responding (my viral load went

from a pretreatment level of 110,000 down to 50,000)

my viral load shot sky high, then gradually returned

to 'normal' levels for me - under 200,000. This took

about 1 1/2 years! But my biopsy in March showed no

fibrosis, so it obviously didn't harm me, and this

goes along with what I've read too. I have no idea if

there is any 'average' length of time for viral load

to drop back down, and my doctor didn't say anything

except not to have the injections too often. I will

have to be in severe pain to do that again, though,

just to be safe. Although the injection/pills

certainly worked - my ankle hasn't bothered even once

since then, so maybe it was a necessary evil!

Claudine

__________________________________________________

May 20, 2001

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> Claudine....

>

> How long did it take for your viral load to drop

> back down after you had

> the cortisone injection?

Actually, I have no idea - I never have had it

rechecked! I had one injection, and then some pills

(the same corticosteroid but oral form) that I took

for a week, decreasing the dose each of those days. My

viral load test was done about a month after that, and

it had gone from it's usual under 200,000 up to over a

million - don't know exactly how much, the lab quit

counting at 1 million. I just am not really too

concerned about it, I know from all my research that

viral load really doesn't have any bearing on damage

to the liver. When I stopped treatment after a year

in Jan. 1999, never responding (my viral load went

from a pretreatment level of 110,000 down to 50,000)

my viral load shot sky high, then gradually returned

to 'normal' levels for me - under 200,000. This took

about 1 1/2 years! But my biopsy in March showed no

fibrosis, so it obviously didn't harm me, and this

goes along with what I've read too. I have no idea if

there is any 'average' length of time for viral load

to drop back down, and my doctor didn't say anything

except not to have the injections too often. I will

have to be in severe pain to do that again, though,

just to be safe. Although the injection/pills

certainly worked - my ankle hasn't bothered even once

since then, so maybe it was a necessary evil!

Claudine

__________________________________________________

November 21, 2001

Tatezi,

Inflammation is one of the bodies immune responses to

any type of infection or injury. Just like if you cut

your hand and it gets infected and gets red and

swollen. That is an immune response. It helps to kill

whatever is causing the infection. Unfortunately

chronic inflammation results eventually in the death

of the infected cell, and scar tissue results. (That's

kind of simplified and generalized, but that is

basically it.) And the liver, being the amazing organ

that it is, keeps trying to repair itself by building

new healthy liver cells, which eventually get infected

too, resulting in more inflammation and eventual

formation of more scar tissue (fibrosis), until there

is so much scar tissue built up that eventually blood

flow through the liver and function is impaired, and

that is when you are said to have the disease called

cirrhosis. Doc could probably explain it better, but I

think that sort of explains what is happening. As for

that brain fog - if you look at the recent research

into the affects of HCV on the brain, it looks like

HCV itself may be causing the problems with memory,

confusion, depression, etc., that so many of us have

been complaining about for years. It's NOT just the

interferon, and it's not just people with advanced

cirrhosis either. So since you are a non-responder

too, you still have HCV to deal with. However, it

might still get better, it's only been a couple of

month. Also, don't you have hypothyroidism? That can

cause the same type of 'brain fog' problems. If my TSH

get above 2 I start feeling worse, poor memory, more

depressed, easily confused, tired all the time - also

dry skin, dry hair, all those signs of hypothyroidism.

I don't care what the lab says is normal, for me I

need to keep my TSH around 1 to feel really good. Over

2 is asking for trouble!

Good luck!

Claudine

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> You are so wonderful, Claudine....thanks for getting

> back so quickly.

>

> That's what it was...I guess during the rebetron

> brain fog I forgot <g>

> But I've been off treatment a couple

> months....shouldn't my memory be

> coming back to me?

>

> If fibrosis is scar tissue what exactly does liver

> inflammation mean or

> rather what exactly is inflammation?

>

> Tatezi

>

> claudine intexas wrote:

>

> > Did he maybe say stage 2 fibrosis, and stage 2

> > inflammation or grade 2 inflammation, or

> histology?

> > They usually score two things: how much

> inflammation,

> > and how much scar tissue (Fibrosis).

> > C

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

November 21, 2001

Tatezi,

Inflammation is one of the bodies immune responses to

any type of infection or injury. Just like if you cut

your hand and it gets infected and gets red and

swollen. That is an immune response. It helps to kill

whatever is causing the infection. Unfortunately

chronic inflammation results eventually in the death

of the infected cell, and scar tissue results. (That's

kind of simplified and generalized, but that is

basically it.) And the liver, being the amazing organ

that it is, keeps trying to repair itself by building

new healthy liver cells, which eventually get infected

too, resulting in more inflammation and eventual

formation of more scar tissue (fibrosis), until there

is so much scar tissue built up that eventually blood

flow through the liver and function is impaired, and

that is when you are said to have the disease called

cirrhosis. Doc could probably explain it better, but I

think that sort of explains what is happening. As for

that brain fog - if you look at the recent research

into the affects of HCV on the brain, it looks like

HCV itself may be causing the problems with memory,

confusion, depression, etc., that so many of us have

been complaining about for years. It's NOT just the

interferon, and it's not just people with advanced

cirrhosis either. So since you are a non-responder

too, you still have HCV to deal with. However, it

might still get better, it's only been a couple of

month. Also, don't you have hypothyroidism? That can

cause the same type of 'brain fog' problems. If my TSH

get above 2 I start feeling worse, poor memory, more

depressed, easily confused, tired all the time - also

dry skin, dry hair, all those signs of hypothyroidism.

I don't care what the lab says is normal, for me I

need to keep my TSH around 1 to feel really good. Over

2 is asking for trouble!

Good luck!

Claudine

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> You are so wonderful, Claudine....thanks for getting

> back so quickly.

>

> That's what it was...I guess during the rebetron

> brain fog I forgot <g>

> But I've been off treatment a couple

> months....shouldn't my memory be

> coming back to me?

>

> If fibrosis is scar tissue what exactly does liver

> inflammation mean or

> rather what exactly is inflammation?

>

> Tatezi

>

> claudine intexas wrote:

>

> > Did he maybe say stage 2 fibrosis, and stage 2

> > inflammation or grade 2 inflammation, or

> histology?

> > They usually score two things: how much

> inflammation,

> > and how much scar tissue (Fibrosis).

> > C

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

November 21, 2001

Tatezi,

Inflammation is one of the bodies immune responses to

any type of infection or injury. Just like if you cut

your hand and it gets infected and gets red and

swollen. That is an immune response. It helps to kill

whatever is causing the infection. Unfortunately

chronic inflammation results eventually in the death

of the infected cell, and scar tissue results. (That's

kind of simplified and generalized, but that is

basically it.) And the liver, being the amazing organ

that it is, keeps trying to repair itself by building

new healthy liver cells, which eventually get infected

too, resulting in more inflammation and eventual

formation of more scar tissue (fibrosis), until there

is so much scar tissue built up that eventually blood

flow through the liver and function is impaired, and

that is when you are said to have the disease called

cirrhosis. Doc could probably explain it better, but I

think that sort of explains what is happening. As for

that brain fog - if you look at the recent research

into the affects of HCV on the brain, it looks like

HCV itself may be causing the problems with memory,

confusion, depression, etc., that so many of us have

been complaining about for years. It's NOT just the

interferon, and it's not just people with advanced

cirrhosis either. So since you are a non-responder

too, you still have HCV to deal with. However, it

might still get better, it's only been a couple of

month. Also, don't you have hypothyroidism? That can

cause the same type of 'brain fog' problems. If my TSH

get above 2 I start feeling worse, poor memory, more

depressed, easily confused, tired all the time - also

dry skin, dry hair, all those signs of hypothyroidism.

I don't care what the lab says is normal, for me I

need to keep my TSH around 1 to feel really good. Over

2 is asking for trouble!

Good luck!

Claudine

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> You are so wonderful, Claudine....thanks for getting

> back so quickly.

>

> That's what it was...I guess during the rebetron

> brain fog I forgot <g>

> But I've been off treatment a couple

> months....shouldn't my memory be

> coming back to me?

>

> If fibrosis is scar tissue what exactly does liver

> inflammation mean or

> rather what exactly is inflammation?

>

> Tatezi

>

> claudine intexas wrote:

>

> > Did he maybe say stage 2 fibrosis, and stage 2

> > inflammation or grade 2 inflammation, or

> histology?

> > They usually score two things: how much

> inflammation,

> > and how much scar tissue (Fibrosis).

> > C

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

November 21, 2001

Tatezi,

Inflammation is one of the bodies immune responses to

any type of infection or injury. Just like if you cut

your hand and it gets infected and gets red and

swollen. That is an immune response. It helps to kill

whatever is causing the infection. Unfortunately

chronic inflammation results eventually in the death

of the infected cell, and scar tissue results. (That's

kind of simplified and generalized, but that is

basically it.) And the liver, being the amazing organ

that it is, keeps trying to repair itself by building

new healthy liver cells, which eventually get infected

too, resulting in more inflammation and eventual

formation of more scar tissue (fibrosis), until there

is so much scar tissue built up that eventually blood

flow through the liver and function is impaired, and

that is when you are said to have the disease called

cirrhosis. Doc could probably explain it better, but I

think that sort of explains what is happening. As for

that brain fog - if you look at the recent research

into the affects of HCV on the brain, it looks like

HCV itself may be causing the problems with memory,

confusion, depression, etc., that so many of us have

been complaining about for years. It's NOT just the

interferon, and it's not just people with advanced

cirrhosis either. So since you are a non-responder

too, you still have HCV to deal with. However, it

might still get better, it's only been a couple of

month. Also, don't you have hypothyroidism? That can

cause the same type of 'brain fog' problems. If my TSH

get above 2 I start feeling worse, poor memory, more

depressed, easily confused, tired all the time - also

dry skin, dry hair, all those signs of hypothyroidism.

I don't care what the lab says is normal, for me I

need to keep my TSH around 1 to feel really good. Over

2 is asking for trouble!

Good luck!

Claudine

--- Tatezi <tatezi@...> wrote:

> You are so wonderful, Claudine....thanks for getting

> back so quickly.

>

> That's what it was...I guess during the rebetron

> brain fog I forgot <g>

> But I've been off treatment a couple

> months....shouldn't my memory be

> coming back to me?

>

> If fibrosis is scar tissue what exactly does liver

> inflammation mean or

> rather what exactly is inflammation?

>

> Tatezi

>

> claudine intexas wrote:

>

> > Did he maybe say stage 2 fibrosis, and stage 2

> > inflammation or grade 2 inflammation, or

> histology?

> > They usually score two things: how much

> inflammation,

> > and how much scar tissue (Fibrosis).

> > C

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

November 21, 2001

Claudine said <<hypothyroidism? That can

cause the same type of 'brain fog' problems. If my TSH

get above 2 I start feeling worse, poor memory, more

depressed, easily confused, tired all the time - also

dry skin, dry hair, all those signs of hypothyroidism.

I don't care what the lab says is normal, for me I

need to keep my TSH around 1 to feel really good. Over

2 is asking for trouble!>>

I concur (sounds so professional doesn't it?) I got that way too on

treatment, the higher the number on my thyroid tests went the worse I felt.

My tests said 6 was the high limit and I got up to 5.75. If 6 is the upper

limit I'd hate to find out what 7 felt like!

And there's a lot of info on thyroid on about.com and a newsletter.

hugs tat!

alley

November 21, 2001

Getting laid off is probably affecting how you feel a

great deal. Mom, who was an executive with USAA and

due to retire, also got laid off with hundreds of

others, mostly people close to retirement age! She got

'early' retirement, but had only 3 weeks time left to

get full benefits. Her boss was laid off too. It's

happening everywhere. And even though she had been

wanting to quit, or retire early because her job had

been so stressful, it was still devastating to her. It

took several weeks for her to adjust mentally. I'm

sure it will take some time for you too. That is just

normal, to be expected. So go easy on yourself.

It will probably take at least a few weeks before you

are really able to tell if the increased dose of

thyroid medication is going to do the trick. I bet it

helps. 5 is way too high for most women I think.

Well, I really should get to bed, busy day tomorrow!

Claudine

__________________________________________________

November 22, 2001

Now that you did mention it, it was a good 6-8 weeks before I started to

feel better when I first went on synthroid....but then my TSH was at 110

when I started. Just kept blaming all those symptoms on the rebetron. It

was only when I couldn't swallow my vitimins any longer that I finally

went to the doctor.

It's pretty tough realizing how many people are out of work these days.

They do the older folks first because they can offer them early

retirement, then the people who have either high paying jobs or have

been with companies so long they are making more money then what they

would have to pay young recruits out of college. Then they start hitting

everyone. I thought as a secretary I was pretty safe. LOL....secretaries

aren't safe when there is no staff left to support. Our economy is

falling apart around us right now and it's darn frightening, isn't it?

Thanks for your support and enjoy your turkey day.

Blessings

Tatezi

> Getting laid off is probably affecting how you feel a

> great deal. Mom, who was an executive with USAA and

> due to retire, also got laid off with hundreds of

> others, mostly people close to retirement age! .....It

> took several weeks for her to adjust mentally. ...It will probably

> take at least a few weeks before you are really able to tell if the

> increased dose of thyroid medication is going to do the trick.

--

If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy we cannot afford to

be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.

~Mahatma Ghandi~

November 22, 2001

First where do you live? Tatezi

__________________________________________________

April 13, 2002

Willem...

Sent it to you offlist a while ago....

willem landstra wrote:

> HI.Send me yr e-mailadres.Willem.

>

April 13, 2002

Willem...

Sent it to you offlist a while ago....

willem landstra wrote:

> HI.Send me yr e-mailadres.Willem.

>

April 26, 2002

Tat...it all comes down to politics....Holland is very advanced, I have

a friend from there too....they are allowed personal time off

work....men get maternity leave...and on and on. Oh how I wish I could

live there too. Here in Canada, everything depends on who is in control

at the time...we change political parties so often....most people don't

change their socks that often LOL. Now the nazi liberal party in my

province is going to cut people off who are on disability....or so they

are trying too. Looks like I might just have to up and move to another

province....even though I was born and raised here. Even when I went to

vote it was a choice between the gun or the knife, no one to vote for.

I'm pretty fed up with Canada right now!! My vent for the night.

Huggggggs

Carol

Tatezi wrote:

> I have a friend in Canada who has a rough time with their medical

> care

> also. She's not a hepper but has serious candida.

>

> I'm pro socialized medicine but I think that it needs a lot of

> improvement. But at the same time, I believe that every person should

> have the right to some form of medical care...it should not be a

> privilege that only those with money or insurance can have.

>

> I think, and Willem will need to confirm this, that Holland has worked

>

> out the kinks in socialized medicine. My friend from Holland who lives

>

> here now, has never had a bad word to say about their medical program.

>

> But Canada has a lot of problems with their socialized medicine and I

> don't know why they can't get it worked out.

>

> blessings

> Tatezi

>

> Carol wrote:

>

> > Exactamundo Alley. You stated that properly. Went to GI Doc,

> Canada

> >

> > has approved the peg....BUT, not the funding....the government won't

>

> > pay

> > for it, at least not yet. Dr. said if I had $50,000 to pay for it,

> he

> >

> > could write me a prescription right now. So the government decides

> > who

> > lives and dies? Not right. Not at all.

> >

> > Oh yeah, we don't do viral loads in Canada anymore either....guess

> it

> > was too costly. Now my only option is getting on a serious sedative

>

> > from my pcDoc, then try the standard combo again and see if it helps

>

> > the

> > speedy sides. Dr. did say that feeling like I was on speed is

> > definitely not a normal side effect. I'm not a happy camper today

> :-(

> >

> > Hugggggs

> > Carol

> >

> > wrote:

> >

> > > , true, but then we aren't turned down for specialists and

>

> > if

> > > we ask

> > > for treatment we get it, etc (if we have insurance that is). If I

>

> > > lived in

> > > Canada, my normal liver enzymes wouldn't have even warranted a

> > biopsy

> > > or

> > > genotype, maybe not even a viral load, much less treatment. From

> > what

> > > I

> > > hear, a lot of Canadian doctors give no options for treatment,

> > because

> > > the

> > > gov controls the restrictions. And the last thing I want in my

> life

> >

> > > is the

> > > gov controlling what meds I can or can't have. That'd be worse

> than

> >

> > > HMO.

> > >

> > > I don't mean to pick on Canada. It's just the people I know are

> from

> >

> > > there.

> > >

> > > alley

> > >

April 26, 2002