Re: My TX Bio -

[Guest guest]

~~

How wonderful to hear from you!! I have really missed you and want to say a special thank you for all the encouragement and help you had been to me over the times. I hope things are going well for you and that we get to hear from you more often.

Hugs,

[Guest guest]

To

those that are considering tx, please re-read what said. I want to

reinforce that. Although tx is a personal choice and everyone is not

medically able to do it, I believe that everyone whose doctor will allow it

should try it. The short term (6 months to 1 year) inconvenience &

side effects of tx is a very small price to pay to avoid the long term effect

of ESLD, which is painful & ugly and horrible for the caretakers as well as

the patient. You can’t count on a transplant because there aren’t

enough livers to go around and you may not even qualify by the time you need

one because of other medical issues caused by the hep or the liver failure.

Suppose you were an

idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I

repeat myself.

-Mark Twain

My TX Bio -

…

I pray

all that are on tx now are able to clear the virus successfully. To

those that are considering tx be sure to listen to those that have had

complications as a result of Hep C and those that are in End Stage Liver

Disease (ESLD) as you are making your decision. This is a serious

illness and should be taken seriously.

All the

best to everyone,

[Guest guest]

Thanks.

I’ve missed you, too. I’m glad you’ve finished tx and

are still clear. I knew you’d make it. I can’t wait for

you 6 months post results! I didn’t truly celebrate until my 2

years post results though, but there’s more research now that suggests we

can be comfortable with the 6 month test.

Hugs

& blessing,

Suppose you were an

idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I

repeat myself.

-Mark Twain

Re:

My TX bio -

~~

How

wonderful to hear from you!! I have really missed you and want to say a

special thank you for all the encouragement and help you had been to me over

the times. I hope things are going well for you and that we get to hear

from you more often.

Hugs,

[Guest guest]

I forgot to mention one more thing about my tx. At a couple of weeks into tx my RBC (red blood count) dropped low. They put me on Procrit which was another shot that I gave myself. The frequency would range from one week, to every five days, and sometimes skip a week. This was determined by a CBC blood test that I did very frequently. When my RBC would drop low I would be even more fatigued and short of breath. This would get better after the shots. I'm glad that I was able to take the Procrit so they wouldn't have to cut back on the dosage of the meds or pull me off tx.

[Guest guest]

I have no intention of letting this go to the point I am a burden or

sick all the time. I will not suffer to the end

>

> To those that are considering tx, please re-read what said. I

want to

> reinforce that. Although tx is a personal choice and everyone is

not

> medically able to do it, I believe that everyone whose doctor will

allow it

> should try it. The short term (6 months to 1 year) inconvenience &

side

> effects of tx is a very small price to pay to avoid the long term

effect of

> ESLD, which is painful & ugly and horrible for the caretakers as

well as the

> patient. You can't count on a transplant because there aren't

enough livers

> to go around and you may not even qualify by the time you need one

because

> of other medical issues caused by the hep or the liver failure.

>

>

>

>

>

> Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of

Congress....

> But then I repeat myself.

> -Mark Twain

>

>

>

>

> My TX Bio -

>

>

>

>

> .

>

> I pray all that are on tx now are able to clear the virus

successfully. To

> those that are considering tx be sure to listen to those that have

had

> complications as a result of Hep C and those that are in End Stage

Liver

> Disease (ESLD) as you are making your decision. This is a serious

illness

> and should be taken seriously.

>

>

>

> All the best to everyone,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi mary, welcome to the group. I have not been online much and am new. I go wednesday and get the results of all of the first blood tests and had pretty much decided that I cannot go threough tx. and all cause I don't even feel sick but reading your post makes me think twice. I am so happy you are doing good. I just barley get by financially and even though I know there is help out there, it still seems unreal to me sometimes. thanks again. something to think about. brzy

From: B. <bestofmarys57@...>Subject: My TX Bio - "Hep C Support Group For Dummies" <Hepatitis CSupportGroupForDummies >Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 10:33 PM

Hi Folks ~~

I was first diagnosed with Hep C in April 2002. I had used IV drugs one time in 1992 so it is likely where I contracted it. The Hep C was discovered in a routine physical and came as a shock. I did have a little familiarity with it as I have two brothers that have it as well. I am genotype 2 and my liver functions have always been normal. I had an ultrasound, which showed a normal size liver, and then a liver biopsy. The biopsy revealed that I was a stage 0 grade 1 and had a "perfectly healthy liver." As a result of this, fear of the tx, and not wanting to tell my family about it since they already had two kids with it, I decided to just wait and see what happened. They recommended a followup biopsy in 5 years which I did in 2007. This biopsy revealed that I was a stage 1 grade 2 so the damage to my liver had progressed, although it is still mild damage. Now, I

feared the disease more than the tx. I did quite a lot of research and also joined this group which helped me decide to go forward with tx.

I started tx in January 2008. I experienced a lot of naseau and it took lots of ginger (in many forms) and trying three different medications before it was under control. Depression became a problem and this required an adjustment in my mental health medication. I had the typical fatigue and hair loss. I went to college but missed quite a few days and worked from home but less than usual. As time went on I did less and less away from the house and spent a lot of days in bed or on the couch. Even with these things, I didn't experience sides with the severity that many others talk about or even that the Hepatologist said might happen for which I am very grateful. The hardest part for me was the mental stress. Thankfully, at 9 weeks I was undetectable. They retested at 12 weeks and I was still undetectible. I completed 24

weeks of tx on June 10th and at 6 months have still remained undetectible. Next week I will go for a check up and they will retest my viral load. Then they will test again in December. The doc says that this one will be the important one because all the meds will be out of my system by then. At that time if I remain undetecible they will officially say that I have cleared the virus.

I'm glad I made the choice to treat and that God blessed me with good results. I'll keep you posted on how things go along.

I pray all that are on tx now are able to clear the virus successfully. To those that are considering tx be sure to listen to those that have had complications as a result of Hep C and those that are in End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) as you are making your decision. This is a serious illness and should be taken seriously.

All the best to everyone,

[Guest guest]

Thanks . The more I read the posts tonight, the more it makes sense to me. brzy

From: Motley <dmotley@...>Subject: RE: My TX Bio - Hepatitis CSupportGroupForDummies Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 8:14 AM

To those that are considering tx, please re-read what said. I want to reinforce that. Although tx is a personal choice and everyone is not medically able to do it, I believe that everyone whose doctor will allow it should try it. The short term (6 months to 1 year) inconvenience & side effects of tx is a very small price to pay to avoid the long term effect of ESLD, which is painful & ugly and horrible for the caretakers as well as the patient. You can’t count on a transplant because there aren’t enough livers to go around and you may not even qualify by the time you need one because of other medical issues caused by the hep or the liver failure.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I repeat myself. -Mark Twain

[Hepatitis CSupportG roupForDummies] My TX Bio -

…

I pray all that are on tx now are able to clear the virus successfully. To those that are considering tx be sure to listen to those that have had complications as a result of Hep C and those that are in End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) as you are making your decision. This is a serious illness and should be taken seriously.

All the best to everyone,

[Guest guest]

Thanks . The more I read the posts tonight, the more it makes sense to me. brzy

From: Motley <dmotley@...>Subject: RE: My TX Bio - Hepatitis CSupportGroupForDummies Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 8:14 AM

To those that are considering tx, please re-read what said. I want to reinforce that. Although tx is a personal choice and everyone is not medically able to do it, I believe that everyone whose doctor will allow it should try it. The short term (6 months to 1 year) inconvenience & side effects of tx is a very small price to pay to avoid the long term effect of ESLD, which is painful & ugly and horrible for the caretakers as well as the patient. You can’t count on a transplant because there aren’t enough livers to go around and you may not even qualify by the time you need one because of other medical issues caused by the hep or the liver failure.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I repeat myself. -Mark Twain

[Hepatitis CSupportG roupForDummies] My TX Bio -

…

I pray all that are on tx now are able to clear the virus successfully. To those that are considering tx be sure to listen to those that have had complications as a result of Hep C and those that are in End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) as you are making your decision. This is a serious illness and should be taken seriously.

All the best to everyone,

[Guest guest]

Brzy ~~

You're right to consider your choices carefully...we each have to do this. Your blood tests will likely shed some light on where you are and help you with your choices. Now would be a good time to research the financial help that is available to you as a part of the consideration on whether you would want to do tx. If paying for the medications would be a problem the drug manufactures often will help people and provide them with the medication. In the information section of our group home page you will find a link that will help you check it out. Good luck in making this difficult decision.

Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.

Blessings,

From: Brzynite <breezynite08@...>Subject: Re: My TX Bio - Hepatitis CSupportGroupForDummies Date: Sunday, August 31, 2008, 10:16 PM

Hi mary, welcome to the group. I have not been online much and am new. I go wednesday and get the results of all of the first blood tests and had pretty much decided that I cannot go threough tx. and all cause I don't even feel sick but reading your post makes me think twice. I am so happy you are doing good. I just barley get by financially and even though I know there is help out there, it still seems unreal to me sometimes. thanks again. something to think about. brzy