...

[Guest guest]

: I'm sorry to hear you are not feeling well!

Get lots of rest, get off the computer, :> and I will

pray that you are on your feet fast! Take care! Sherry

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi , I found this statement most telling, and a bit unsettling: "I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling." You say you trust Western Medicine, yet you agree that it's driven by profits. And you say you are treated no differently than anyone else, and that this is a nice feeling. I believe that wherever you put your trust, whether it be medicine, (Eastern or Western) another person, or your god, that entity will have a much better chance of helping you, or in this case your husband. We also have socialized medicine here. The big difference is that the traditional medical treatments are given equal respect.

Respect I feel is justified by the fact that they have a history about twenty times longer than Western medicine. Nobody keeps doing something for 6000 years if it is not working. But here everyone is not treated the same. Everyone is treated as an individual, and moreover, like a family member. And every aspect of your life is weighed for its possible impact on your illness. A "wholistic" approach. There are probably 20 major hospitals in Shenzhen. By major I include those that treat more than 2k people per day. The biggest is Beijing University Medical Center. The hospital I go to, Shenzhen Traditional Medicine Hospital is the second biggest. Both use state of the art equipment in the laboratories, surgical suites, Xray depts, etc. These devices, in both hospitals, are used to confirm the doctor's findings and diagnosis, not the other way around. Doctors of both fields,

Western and Eastern, consult with each other. There doesn't seem to be the rivalry that exists in the West. The idea that one MUST be better than the other. Just the desire to give every patient the best chance for healing. This open acceptance of different views is very appealing to me. You might like reading the books written by a top US neurosurgeon, Dr Bernie Siegel. He knows about real miracles, and has documented many in his books. My best to you and your family, Eat well, sleep well, believe! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya I'll expalin a little more about my husband, he's been a marathon runner since I can remember...full marathons..and he could finish them in 1 hr 50 minutes, and this was only 4 years ago. Two years ago he started slowing down, but we thought age, he will be 57 this November. In 2005 he got a cold he couldn't get rid of. This man has blood pressure of 110/70...he could get his heart rate up to 160 and breathe like

he just was walking. This is how excellent his health was, all along not knowing he had Hep C. When he got the cold they did bloodwork, that's when they discovered it. It has done so much damage to his liver that it's not capable of healing, this we have heard from numerous doctors. I'm from the United States Originally, he's Canadian. I wanted the best doctors we could find, so we traveled to the Mayo clinic in Minn. They determined exactly what the doctors here have. They cannot do a biopsy because of bleeding out, he has platelets of 33,000, it is extremely dangerous, along with the fact that he has this spot, if they do a biopsy they are extracting cells and could possibly spread the bad cells if they are at all bad. They will NOT take that chance as HCC is prevelant in last stage liver disease. He also has gallstones which they said is far to risky to operate. He's an excellent canidate for transplant as we live agood

life without abuses to any substances whatsoever. Ice cream is our biggest downfall...and if that's it we feel we're doing very good. He has varicies, this is a complication of advanced liver disease. I'm not talking about 2 varicies, he's had 13 bands done and going in for more on Thursday. They are huge varicies along with portal hypertension that they can see on his MRI's. His hypertension in his portal vein is now controlled to the extent that more varicies are not forming. As I think back to his heart rate in 2004 marathons I cringe at the thought because they could have ruptured. We are well aware of the extent of damage this disease has done to his liver, he's had every piece of scientific machinery scan his body...with dyes, radio active nulcesides etc. Our doctors who I trust and can call upon when need be are well informed and part of The University here which has an entire wing dedicated to research. I don't know

your situation as far as liver damage...but I would have questioned any surgeon removing my gall bladder for no reason, but they can remove my ovaries...lol...and I wouldn't care...LOL. I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling. Right now, my husband is quite healthy in mind and spirit, we have options which we feel we'll make together which will benefit him. He has energy and is home on permanent long term dissability, he worked for the same company for 26 years. He has a woodshop in our basement that keeps him happy and busy, I say...go to the basement...lol. So...that's just a bit about us and this rotten diease they call HepC...Thanks for sharing with

me.... Hugs, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Dear , Your post gives me more information than I can absorb. I can not disagree with the idea that you put forth: "It's been a HUGE learning experience, but education on this disease is the key element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with each other and doctors." But perhaps I can add to it, or give you a different perspective. I came to China and started taking medicines given me by a doctor that I could ot even understand. This was faith. I let her run whatever test she wanted, and followed her instructions (through a translator at first) without question. I had had a biopsy in the states before coming, and the doctors there had given me 5

years before I'd need a transplant. They also removed my gall bladder telling me I didn't really need it. My doctor does not agree. She says she can keep me healthy for 50 more years. She tells me that almost nobody loses thier gall bladder here, because there are herbs that can heal it. I've had three ultrasounds since I got here. The first showed exactly the kind of damage that the biopsy and ultrasounds in the US showed. The second one looked much better, and my last one looks like a perfectly healthy liver. Whether I healed myself out of faith in my doctor, or the herbs I've been taking healed my liver and rid me of HCV, or God just loves me, which I doubt, since I don't really believe she helps any of us. The point I'm hoping to make is that just as you know you should always get a second opinion, you might also think about getting that second opinion from someone in another field of medicine. Doctors are just

people. They make mistakes, and none of them knows everything. Strange things happen all the time. Try not to put too much faith in Western medicine. If I had put all my faith there, I'd be in a hospital today waiting for a liver. Intelligence is not blind to possibilities. I believe there are things in this world that can help heal even a liver as damaged as your husband's. I'm not trying to sell you anything. Not on buying herbs, and not on any one idea. I just hope your husband finds what he needs. Wishing you both the very best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya Actually we do eat very healthy, fruits for snacks, lots of vegetables and grains etc. My

husband is a big man...6'4"..220lbs. Not fat in any sense of the word. He's maintained his weight throughout treatment, as far as liver health is concerned, I'm not sure if you'd read my posts but this disease has progressed to 4th stage liver cirr. He has 25% liver function, although every other organ is working just perfectly, he does have an enlarged spleen sometimes due to the work it has to do to maintain the floow of blood that is often re-routed when you are in this stage of cirr. We see the hepatologist weekly, he also has a liver surgeon, we have a Gastroenterologist and a Psychiatrist we see once a month. Funny thing is the psychiatrist says this is not a good time to quit smoking, he isn't a heavy smoker anyhow. We are not drinkers at all, I can't even tell you the last time we had a glass of wine, he takes no otc medications at all, everything he takes is prescribed. They take his blood weekly, one week is just CBC's and then the

following week is everything, so it rotates weekly. From the beginning his platelets were only at 65,000...his hemoglobin has always stayed around 150,000, his INR is perfect...his alt and ast's are a bit elevated, his AFP's are normal, and his WBC is sometimes low...1.90, his Neutrophils are a bit low at times too, but they are part of the WBC, so we watch for people with colds etc. It's been a HUGE learning experience, but education on this disease is the key element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with eachother and doctors. I attend every visit, am there every step of the way. We have seen the liver surgeon twice and will see him again in April at some point to discuss further actions with this spot. He gets 90 day MRI's as they cannot do biopsy's on him for fear of bleeding and many other complications that can arise. The spot on his lver is in a very bad position, very

close to main artery, so they will not radio ablate nor just operate to remove. It's either re-section or transplant. Re-section doesn't have the positive outcomes that transplants do, so when we see the surgeon in April, we may be reccommended for transplant evaluation. I hope this gives you a bit of info on our situation and I certianly thank you for asking.... Hugs, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Hi , I guess the good news so far is that he gets a break from treatment. I'm wondring if his doctors do anything to promote liver health. Have they given him any suggestions on eating better, what to eat and what not to eat. I assume they have told him to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, drink lots of water. But anything else??? Are there any

prescription drugs, or OTC stuff that his doctor suggests? I know there are lots of things out there, but I'm currious if his doctor knows/believes/reccomends anything. My best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya group, Well, my husband is a non-responder, so they're giving him a few months to re-build his blood and get all of the drug out of him, re-test him for viral load again and introduce him to Pegasys. Same darned drug yet one is alpha 2a...one is alpha 2b. He was detectable at 24 weeks...yet at 12 weeks he had over a 2 log drop. So...here we go again, but at least we are prepared for sides etc. He undergoes his 3rd Gastroscope for varicies on Thursday,

we're thankful we've had NO episodes with the varicies, just banding. We should hear this week about his spot as they did the gamma scan which was negative and then they did the angiogram with Lipidol, so we're waitng for the scan to return. Please keep your fingers crossed as that is a 2cm spot on his liver. Just thought I'd give an update on us.... Hugs, Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. It's a pleasure having you join in our conversations. We hope you have found the support you need with us. If you

are using email for your posts, for easy access to our group, just click the link-- Hepatitis C/Happy Posting Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hiya What I meant by saying that we are all treated the same is that in the US you are sometimes treated differently depending upon your insurance carrier, I was not pointing about any types of medical treatments etc, whether it be holistic, western, eastern...I was just stating a fact in that reference. Of course medicine is driven by profits, I'm not talking about the medical profession although you must admit making 300,000 a year for being a doctor...just an off the wall quote isn't a shabby livlelyhood. Drug companies profit with marketing and research, look at the out of control drug prices in the US. Peopel can't afford their medications if they meet a certain criterias. But, I'm getting off the subject here...all of what I wrote meant...I beleive in the treatments my husband is receiving although I know that drug companies do profit from this illness. Thanks,

Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Hi , I found this statement most telling, and a bit unsettling: "I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling." You say you trust Western Medicine, yet you agree that it's driven by profits. And you say you are treated no differently than anyone else, and that this is a nice feeling. I believe that wherever you put your trust, whether it be medicine, (Eastern or Western) another person, or your god, that entity will have a much better chance of

helping you, or in this case your husband. We also have socialized medicine here. The big difference is that the traditional medical treatments are given equal respect. Respect I feel is justified by the fact that they have a history about twenty times longer than Western medicine. Nobody keeps doing something for 6000 years if it is not working. But here everyone is not treated the same. Everyone is treated as an individual, and moreover, like a family member. And every aspect of your life is weighed for its possible impact on your illness. A "wholistic" approach. There are probably 20 major hospitals in Shenzhen. By major I include those that treat more than 2k people per day. The biggest is Beijing University Medical Center. The hospital I go to, Shenzhen Traditional Medicine Hospital is the second biggest. Both use state of the art equipment in the laboratories, surgical

suites, Xray depts, etc. These devices, in both hospitals, are used to confirm the doctor's findings and diagnosis, not the other way around. Doctors of both fields, Western and Eastern, consult with each other. There doesn't seem to be the rivalry that exists in the West. The idea that one MUST be better than the other. Just the desire to give every patient the best chance for healing. This open acceptance of different views is very appealing to me. You might like reading the books written by a top US neurosurgeon, Dr Bernie Siegel. He knows about real miracles, and has documented many in his books. My best to you and your family, Eat well, sleep well, believe! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya I'll expalin a little more about my husband, he's been a marathon runner since I can remember...full marathons..and he could finish them in 1 hr 50 minutes, and this was only 4 years ago. Two years ago he started slowing down, but we thought

age, he will be 57 this November. In 2005 he got a cold he couldn't get rid of. This man has blood pressure of 110/70...he could get his heart rate up to 160 and breathe like he just was walking. This is how excellent his health was, all along not knowing he had Hep C. When he got the cold they did bloodwork, that's when they discovered it. It has done so much damage to his liver that it's not capable of healing, this we have heard from numerous doctors. I'm from the United States Originally, he's Canadian. I wanted the best doctors we could find, so we traveled to the Mayo clinic in Minn. They determined exactly what the doctors here have. They cannot do a biopsy because of bleeding out, he has platelets of 33,000, it is extremely dangerous, along with the fact that he has this spot, if they do a biopsy they are extracting cells and could possibly spread the bad cells if they are at all bad. They will NOT take that chance

as HCC is prevelant in last stage liver disease. He also has gallstones which they said is far to risky to operate. He's an excellent canidate for transplant as we live agood life without abuses to any substances whatsoever. Ice cream is our biggest downfall...and if that's it we feel we're doing very good. He has varicies, this is a complication of advanced liver disease. I'm not talking about 2 varicies, he's had 13 bands done and going in for more on Thursday. They are huge varicies along with portal hypertension that they can see on his MRI's. His hypertension in his portal vein is now controlled to the extent that more varicies are not forming. As I think back to his heart rate in 2004 marathons I cringe at the thought because they could have ruptured. We are well aware of the extent of damage this disease has done to his liver, he's had every piece of scientific machinery scan his body...with dyes, radio active nulcesides

etc. Our doctors who I trust and can call upon when need be are well informed and part of The University here which has an entire wing dedicated to research. I don't know your situation as far as liver damage...but I would have questioned any surgeon removing my gall bladder for no reason, but they can remove my ovaries...lol...and I wouldn't care...LOL. I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling. Right now, my husband is quite healthy in mind and spirit, we have options which we feel we'll make together which will benefit him. He has energy and is home on permanent long term dissability, he worked for the same company for 26 years. He has a woodshop in our

basement that keeps him happy and busy, I say...go to the basement...lol. So...that's just a bit about us and this rotten diease they call HepC...Thanks for sharing with me.... Hugs, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Dear , Your post gives me more information than I can absorb. I can not disagree with the idea that you put forth: "It's been a HUGE learning experience, but education on this disease is the key element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with each other and doctors." But perhaps I can add to it, or give you a different perspective. I came to China and started taking medicines given me by a doctor that I could ot even understand. This was faith. I let her run whatever test she wanted,

and followed her instructions (through a translator at first) without question. I had had a biopsy in the states before coming, and the doctors there had given me 5 years before I'd need a transplant. They also removed my gall bladder telling me I didn't really need it. My doctor does not agree. She says she can keep me healthy for 50 more years. She tells me that almost nobody loses thier gall bladder here, because there are herbs that can heal it. I've had three ultrasounds since I got here. The first showed exactly the kind of damage that the biopsy and ultrasounds in the US showed. The second one looked much better, and my last one looks like a perfectly healthy liver. Whether I healed myself out of faith in my doctor, or the herbs I've been taking healed my liver and rid me of HCV, or God just loves me, which I doubt, since I don't really believe she helps any of us. The point I'm hoping to make is that just as

you know you should always get a second opinion, you might also think about getting that second opinion from someone in another field of medicine. Doctors are just people. They make mistakes, and none of them knows everything. Strange things happen all the time. Try not to put too much faith in Western medicine. If I had put all my faith there, I'd be in a hospital today waiting for a liver. Intelligence is not blind to possibilities. I believe there are things in this world that can help heal even a liver as damaged as your husband's. I'm not trying to sell you anything. Not on buying herbs, and not on any one idea. I just hope your husband finds what he needs. Wishing you both the very best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya Actually we do eat very healthy, fruits for snacks, lots of vegetables and grains etc. My husband is a big man...6'4"..220lbs. Not fat in any sense of the word. He's maintained his weight throughout treatment, as far as liver health is concerned, I'm not sure if you'd read my posts but this disease has progressed to 4th stage liver cirr. He has 25% liver function, although every other organ is working just perfectly, he does have an enlarged spleen sometimes due to the work it has to do to maintain the floow of blood that is often re-routed when you are in this stage of cirr. We see the hepatologist weekly, he also has a liver surgeon, we have a Gastroenterologist and a Psychiatrist we see once a month. Funny thing is the psychiatrist says this is not a good time to quit smoking, he isn't a heavy smoker anyhow. We are not drinkers at all, I can't even tell you the

last time we had a glass of wine, he takes no otc medications at all, everything he takes is prescribed. They take his blood weekly, one week is just CBC's and then the following week is everything, so it rotates weekly. From the beginning his platelets were only at 65,000...his hemoglobin has always stayed around 150,000, his INR is perfect...his alt and ast's are a bit elevated, his AFP's are normal, and his WBC is sometimes low...1.90, his Neutrophils are a bit low at times too, but they are part of the WBC, so we watch for people with colds etc. It's been a HUGE learning experience, but education on this disease is the key element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with eachother and doctors. I attend every visit, am there every step of the way. We have seen the liver surgeon twice and will see him again in April at some point to discuss further actions with this spot. He

gets 90 day MRI's as they cannot do biopsy's on him for fear of bleeding and many other complications that can arise. The spot on his lver is in a very bad position, very close to main artery, so they will not radio ablate nor just operate to remove. It's either re-section or transplant. Re-section doesn't have the positive outcomes that transplants do, so when we see the surgeon in April, we may be reccommended for transplant evaluation. I hope this gives you a bit of info on our situation and I certianly thank you for asking.... Hugs, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Hi , I guess the good news so far is that he gets a break from treatment. I'm wondring if his doctors do anything to promote liver health. Have they given him any suggestions on eating better,

what to eat and what not to eat. I assume they have told him to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, drink lots of water. But anything else??? Are there any prescription drugs, or OTC stuff that his doctor suggests? I know there are lots of things out there, but I'm currious if his doctor knows/believes/reccomends anything. My best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya group, Well, my husband is a non-responder, so they're giving him a few months to re-build his blood and get all of the drug out of him, re-test him for viral load again and introduce him to Pegasys. Same darned drug yet one is alpha 2a...one is alpha 2b. He was detectable at 24 weeks...yet

at 12 weeks he had over a 2 log drop. So...here we go again, but at least we are prepared for sides etc. He undergoes his 3rd Gastroscope for varicies on Thursday, we're thankful we've had NO episodes with the varicies, just banding. We should hear this week about his spot as they did the gamma scan which was negative and then they did the angiogram with Lipidol, so we're waitng for the scan to return. Please keep your fingers crossed as that is a 2cm spot on his liver. Just thought I'd give an update on us.... Hugs, Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a

breeze. It's a pleasure having you join in our conversations. We hope you have found the support you need with us. If you are using email for your posts, for easy access to our group, just click the link-- Hepatitis C/Happy Posting Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

, I will not go into the numbers of Canadians who, like yourself believe in Western medicine, and when they can afford it, come to the US for treatment. People from all over the world fo the same thing, and if I recall, you said you had made a similar trip. This tells me that many people believe the US has the best doctors/technologies. (Maybe they just have the biggest advertising budgets.) The point I'm trying to make is that US doctors (the AMA) lobby the government, and do everything they can to promote themselves, and discount any entity that is not a member of the very elite club. I don't understand how anyone can put all their faith in an organization that has a monopoly in place. The monopoly is being challenged in recent years, but is still strong enough to crush any competition. I believe in science, but I also beleive in things western science does not understand. There is science in much of

Chinese traditional medicine. The science is based on what works, not what sells, and does not always require complete understanding of the processes. "If it works, why ask why?" "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." Western medicine is offering your husband a very expensive surgical proceedure, with the best possible outcome of graft acceptance, and immunosuppressive therapy for the rest of his life.(also not cheap) I don't know that my doctor could help your husband, but I feel she could. I do know that she was stunned when I told her I had had my gall bladder removed. She could not believe that the US, a country very much admired by most Chinese, didn't just heal the gall bladder. I'm not happy at making the strong statements I make here about Western medicine, but I want you to hear. I lost my father to lung cancer. He would not hear me either. I recently recieved email

from two US citizens who have loved ones being treated in Taiwan and the Philipines, after being given no hope in America. I hope they have successes like mine. And I hope they go on to tell others their stories. One email was from a father who's son has had treatments in Taiwan. He said that his son could not walk due to back pain when he went to Taiwan, and today he is walking and running. He did not go into details of the treatment in this first email, but I suspect he was recieving accupuncture. Bottom line: I know I can lead all the horses to water... but some will not drink. If you want the opinion of a very respected Chinese doctor, while your husband still has a choice, I'll copy the information you've written here and take it to my doctor. This will cost you nothing, and may give you other options. Like I said, I don't know that she can help at this late stage, I just know she helped me,

and I think it was a gift that I should share. I appologize to you, and the group if I have offended. My best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya What I meant by saying that we are all treated the same is that in the US you are sometimes treated differently depending upon your insurance carrier, I was not pointing about any types of medical treatments etc, whether it be holistic, western, eastern...I was just stating a fact in that reference. Of course medicine is driven by profits, I'm not talking about the medical profession although you must admit making 300,000 a year for being a doctor...just an off the wall quote isn't a shabby livlelyhood. Drug companies profit

with marketing and research, look at the out of control drug prices in the US. Peopel can't afford their medications if they meet a certain criterias. But, I'm getting off the subject here...all of what I wrote meant...I beleive in the treatments my husband is receiving although I know that drug companies do profit from this illness. Thanks, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Hi , I found this statement most telling, and a bit unsettling: "I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling." You say you trust Western Medicine, yet you agree that it's driven by profits. And you say you are treated no differently than anyone else, and that this is a nice feeling. I believe that wherever you put your trust, whether it be medicine, (Eastern or Western) another person, or your god, that entity will have a much better chance of helping you, or in this case your husband. We also have socialized medicine here. The big difference is that the traditional medical treatments are given equal respect. Respect I feel is justified by the fact that they have a history about twenty times longer than Western medicine. Nobody keeps doing something for 6000 years if it is not working. But here everyone is not treated the same. Everyone is treated as an individual, and moreover, like a family member. And every aspect of your life is weighed for its possible impact on your illness. A "wholistic"

approach. There are probably 20 major hospitals in Shenzhen. By major I include those that treat more than 2k people per day. The biggest is Beijing University Medical Center. The hospital I go to, Shenzhen Traditional Medicine Hospital is the second biggest. Both use state of the art equipment in the laboratories, surgical suites, Xray depts, etc. These devices, in both hospitals, are used to confirm the doctor's findings and diagnosis, not the other way around. Doctors of both fields, Western and Eastern, consult with each other. There doesn't seem to be the rivalry that exists in the West. The idea that one MUST be better than the other. Just the desire to give every patient the best chance for healing. This open acceptance of different views is very appealing to me. You might like reading the books written by a top US neurosurgeon, Dr Bernie Siegel. He knows about real miracles, and has documented many in his books. My best to you and your family, Eat well, sleep well, believe! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya I'll expalin a little more about my husband, he's been a marathon runner since I can remember...full marathons..and he could finish them in 1 hr 50 minutes, and this was only 4 years ago. Two years ago he started slowing down, but we thought age, he will be 57 this November. In 2005 he got a cold he couldn't get rid of. This man has blood pressure of 110/70...he could get his heart rate up to 160 and breathe like he just was walking. This is how excellent his health was, all along not knowing he had Hep C. When he got the cold they did bloodwork, that's when they discovered it. It has done so much damage to his liver that it's not capable of healing, this we have heard from numerous doctors. I'm from the United States Originally, he's Canadian. I wanted the best doctors we could find, so we traveled to the

Mayo clinic in Minn. They determined exactly what the doctors here have. They cannot do a biopsy because of bleeding out, he has platelets of 33,000, it is extremely dangerous, along with the fact that he has this spot, if they do a biopsy they are extracting cells and could possibly spread the bad cells if they are at all bad. They will NOT take that chance as HCC is prevelant in last stage liver disease. He also has gallstones which they said is far to risky to operate. He's an excellent canidate for transplant as we live agood life without abuses to any substances whatsoever. Ice cream is our biggest downfall...and if that's it we feel we're doing very good. He has varicies, this is a complication of advanced liver disease. I'm not talking about 2 varicies, he's had 13 bands done and going in for more on Thursday. They are huge varicies along with portal hypertension that they can see on his MRI's. His hypertension in

his portal vein is now controlled to the extent that more varicies are not forming. As I think back to his heart rate in 2004 marathons I cringe at the thought because they could have ruptured. We are well aware of the extent of damage this disease has done to his liver, he's had every piece of scientific machinery scan his body...with dyes, radio active nulcesides etc. Our doctors who I trust and can call upon when need be are well informed and part of The University here which has an entire wing dedicated to research. I don't know your situation as far as liver damage...but I would have questioned any surgeon removing my gall bladder for no reason, but they can remove my ovaries...lol...and I wouldn't care...LOL. I understand your thoughts on drug companies and I do whole heartidly agree that it's a profit thing along with a bit of propaganda...but I truly trust western medicine as I've seen the miracles it can produce. We have

socialized medicine here so we are not treated any different than anyone else, which is a nice feeling. Right now, my husband is quite healthy in mind and spirit, we have options which we feel we'll make together which will benefit him. He has energy and is home on permanent long term dissability, he worked for the same company for 26 years. He has a woodshop in our basement that keeps him happy and busy, I say...go to the basement...lol. So...that's just a bit about us and this rotten diease they call HepC...Thanks for sharing with me.... Hugs, Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Dear , Your post gives me more information than I can absorb. I can not disagree with the idea that you put forth: "It's been a HUGE learning experience, but education on this disease is the key

element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with each other and doctors." But perhaps I can add to it, or give you a different perspective. I came to China and started taking medicines given me by a doctor that I could ot even understand. This was faith. I let her run whatever test she wanted, and followed her instructions (through a translator at first) without question. I had had a biopsy in the states before coming, and the doctors there had given me 5 years before I'd need a transplant. They also removed my gall bladder telling me I didn't really need it. My doctor does not agree. She says she can keep me healthy for 50 more years. She tells me that almost nobody loses thier gall bladder here, because there are herbs that can heal it. I've had three ultrasounds since I got here. The first showed exactly the kind of damage that the biopsy and

ultrasounds in the US showed. The second one looked much better, and my last one looks like a perfectly healthy liver. Whether I healed myself out of faith in my doctor, or the herbs I've been taking healed my liver and rid me of HCV, or God just loves me, which I doubt, since I don't really believe she helps any of us. The point I'm hoping to make is that just as you know you should always get a second opinion, you might also think about getting that second opinion from someone in another field of medicine. Doctors are just people. They make mistakes, and none of them knows everything. Strange things happen all the time. Try not to put too much faith in Western medicine. If I had put all my faith there, I'd be in a hospital today waiting for a liver. Intelligence is not blind to possibilities. I believe there are things in this world that can help heal even a liver as damaged as your husband's. I'm not trying to sell

you anything. Not on buying herbs, and not on any one idea. I just hope your husband finds what he needs. Wishing you both the very best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya Actually we do eat very healthy, fruits for snacks, lots of vegetables and grains etc. My husband is a big man...6'4"..220lbs. Not fat in any sense of the word. He's maintained his weight throughout treatment, as far as liver health is concerned, I'm not sure if you'd read my posts but this disease has progressed to 4th stage liver cirr. He has 25% liver function, although every other organ is working just perfectly, he does have an enlarged spleen sometimes due to the work it has to do to maintain the

floow of blood that is often re-routed when you are in this stage of cirr. We see the hepatologist weekly, he also has a liver surgeon, we have a Gastroenterologist and a Psychiatrist we see once a month. Funny thing is the psychiatrist says this is not a good time to quit smoking, he isn't a heavy smoker anyhow. We are not drinkers at all, I can't even tell you the last time we had a glass of wine, he takes no otc medications at all, everything he takes is prescribed. They take his blood weekly, one week is just CBC's and then the following week is everything, so it rotates weekly. From the beginning his platelets were only at 65,000...his hemoglobin has always stayed around 150,000, his INR is perfect...his alt and ast's are a bit elevated, his AFP's are normal, and his WBC is sometimes low...1.90, his Neutrophils are a bit low at times too, but they are part of the WBC, so we watch for people with colds etc. It's been a HUGE learning

experience, but education on this disease is the key element along with good medical treatment in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with open communication with eachother and doctors. I attend every visit, am there every step of the way. We have seen the liver surgeon twice and will see him again in April at some point to discuss further actions with this spot. He gets 90 day MRI's as they cannot do biopsy's on him for fear of bleeding and many other complications that can arise. The spot on his lver is in a very bad position, very close to main artery, so they will not radio ablate nor just operate to remove. It's either re-section or transplant. Re-section doesn't have the positive outcomes that transplants do, so when we see the surgeon in April, we may be reccommended for transplant evaluation. I hope this gives you a bit of info on our situation and I certianly thank you for asking.... Hugs, Chris

Hunter <us2china2@...> wrote: Hi , I guess the good news so far is that he gets a break from treatment. I'm wondring if his doctors do anything to promote liver health. Have they given him any suggestions on eating better, what to eat and what not to eat. I assume they have told him to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking, drink lots of water. But anything else??? Are there any prescription drugs, or OTC stuff that his doctor suggests? I know there are lots of things out there, but I'm currious if his doctor knows/believes/reccomends anything. My best, Eat well, sleep well, be well! Wolfgang <ifonlyouknew@...> wrote: Hiya group, Well, my husband is a non-responder, so they're giving him a few months to re-build his blood and get all of the drug out of him, re-test him for viral load again and introduce him to Pegasys. Same darned drug yet one is alpha 2a...one is alpha 2b. He was detectable at 24 weeks...yet at 12 weeks he had over a 2 log drop. So...here we go again, but at least we are prepared for sides etc. He undergoes his 3rd Gastroscope for varicies on Thursday, we're thankful we've had NO episodes with the varicies, just banding. We should hear this week about his spot as they did the gamma scan which was negative and then they did the angiogram with Lipidol, so we're waitng for the scan to return. Please keep your fingers crossed as that is a 2cm spot on his liver. Just thought I'd give an update on us.... Hugs, Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. It's a pleasure having you join in our conversations. We hope you have found the support you need with us. If you are using email for your posts, for easy access to our group, just click the link-- Hepatitis C/Happy Posting Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments. Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I don't know how to contact you privately. I did want to ask you something in

regards to donating to the i.s.o.p. My 12 year old plans on pitching to his

school principal a " wear a hat " fundraiser with the funds going to the i.s.o.p.

It wouldn't be much money as it would just be $1.00 for every student who wants

to wear a hat that day. I don't know if the principal will go for it or not,

but I was hoping to find information to prove that the i.s.o.p. is a non-profit

501c3 organization. I think that MIGHT help. I know in the spring/summer (once

the weather is warmer) he wants to have a " major yard sale " with all the

proceeds going for awareness.

[Guest guest]

This is a great idea. I have really good connections with the principal of our local school and i could easily ask if he would let us do the same thing. I will have take into school tomorrow and ask if he will let us do something similar. Also I know when we worked there the teacher's could pay money to wear jeans for a whole week, we could do something like that too.Beth RettingerMother of In Seventh Cast From SLCFrom: suzy12771 <suzy3333@...>Subject: ...infantile scoliosis treatment Date: Monday, January 10, 2011, 11:46 AM

I don't know how to contact you privately. I did want to ask you something in regards to donating to the i.s.o.p. My 12 year old plans on pitching to his school principal a "wear a hat" fundraiser with the funds going to the i.s.o.p. It wouldn't be much money as it would just be $1.00 for every student who wants to wear a hat that day. I don't know if the principal will go for it or not, but I was hoping to find information to prove that the i.s.o.p. is a non-profit 501c3 organization. I think that MIGHT help. I know in the spring/summer (once the weather is warmer) he wants to have a "major yard sale" with all the proceeds going for awareness.

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzy,

Thats so awesome! Please tell your son how much ISOP appreciates that!

Please email me at isop06@... and we can figure out how best to get

you our Fed Tax I.D. #, which proves we are a charity. Also, please ask

him if I can help in any way? Can I send you some brochures,, or

anything?

Please let me know.

Sincerely,

HRH

> I don't know how to contact you privately. I did want to ask you

> something in regards to donating to the i.s.o.p. My 12 year old plans on

> pitching to his school principal a " wear a hat " fundraiser with the funds

> going to the i.s.o.p. It wouldn't be much money as it would just be $1.00

> for every student who wants to wear a hat that day. I don't know if the

> principal will go for it or not, but I was hoping to find information to

> prove that the i.s.o.p. is a non-profit 501c3 organization. I think that

> MIGHT help. I know in the spring/summer (once the weather is warmer) he

> wants to have a " major yard sale " with all the proceeds going for

> awareness.

>

>

>

>