A Turn for the Worse

[Guest guest]

It’s hard to believe right now that just a few weeks ago I was going to work

each day, going to yoga 3 times a week, walking the dog, taking care of the yard

on the weekends, etc. Right now I really can’t do any of those things.

I have extreme fatigue, and aches and pains. Not due to Tx; I haven’t even

started treatment yet. I now walk real slow, whereas at work I was always

walking so fast people would get out of my way to avoid being ran over. I’m not

even sure I could make it from where I park to my office.

Here are my biopsy results and LFTs:

Moderate Chronic Active Hepatitis

Grade3+Inflammation; Stage3+ Fibrosis

Increased Iron Stores (2+)

My ALT, AST and bilirubin levels have been elevated for the last 12 years. Last

ALT=196, AST=95, total bilirubin 1.7.

I went to work last week every day save one, and I went on Monday, but not since

and not likely to. Thursday I see my new gastro doc. I have been planning on

starting treatment asap after seeing him.

I also have these pains in my ribs. Someone else mentioned that as well. The

worse place is in my left back. I also have it in the front, just under my

chest.

One other weird thing, not hep related I don’t think, is that my left jaw is

numb. My Dr thought this was from herpes. Apparently the herpes virus attaches

itself to this nerve that runs through the jaw and is causing the numbness. I

have had genital herpes for a long time and have had very little problems with

it, and never anything like this. I’ve been taking high dosage zovorax for a

couple of seeks now and it still hasn’t gone away.

I suppose it’s either stress or the hep messing up my immune system that is

responsible for this condition. It’s not much fun but I suppose it’s the lesser

of my worries.

I had hoped to hit the ground running so to speak, when I started my treatment.

In good physical shape, all caught up on things at work and in my personal life,

etc. Now it’s more like I’m ready to hit the ground, period! I’m pretty anxious

to get some lab work done, and see what my LFTs are up to.

Ok, so if anyone has any suggestions lay them on me! I’m even thinking about

trying some acupuncture for misery relief. Or just, you know, turn me into a

voodoo doll and put me out of my misery! (humor at 3am, not sure if it’s all

that funny though!).

Ray