question

January 15, 2000

Hi-see if you can download Layman's Guide to Hep C Viral Load - part 2 in

series. This was best thing I ever read explaining in " dummy " terms what is

going on. Good luck. Vickie

January 15, 2000

To GI-World-Hepatitisonelist

Please take me off this list. I " m flooded with to much mail signed

marey@...

VJannell@... wrote:

> From: VJannell@...

>

> Hi-see if you can download Layman's Guide to Hep C Viral Load - part 2 in

> series. This was best thing I ever read explaining in " dummy " terms what is

> going on. Good luck. Vickie

>

> ---------------------------

March 2, 2000

That would be incredibly sad should anyone on this list or in the dwarf

community discriminate against someone because of their height.

However, with any crowd of people their will be a few. I can only speak for

myself when I say, height doesn't matter. Helen's quote about the package

speaks volumes.

Karin (who gained an inch and a quarter with her hip surgery and is now 4'4

1/8 " ).

>From: ABritt1041@...

>

> I have a question for anyone who is willing to help set my mind at ease.

my

>son who is now 17 months old has been diagnosed as being hypochondroplasia

>and I wonder about something. Didn't I read that the LPA is for 4`10 " and

>under? If so where does this leave him if he were to be on the taller end

of

>the growth scale? Will he not fit in with the people of LPA and also not

fit

>in with the average size folks? I just fear the possibility of him falling

>between the cracks so to speak. Also anyone who is hypo ,any input you can

>give me about your experience growing up as far as ant medical problems

would

>really hepl me know should a problem come up that I may not be aware of

that

>would need attention. We are still new to LPA and are trying to learn all

we

>can.

>Thanks

>Angie

>

March 2, 2000

Many years ago LPA starte rephasing the membership height issue for the

very reason you are asking.

Most of the time the current literature and thinking goes something like

this.

.. . .4' 10 " or less or a medical diagnosis of dwarfism.

Marge

March 17, 2000

Dear Hoppy,

There is supposedly a certain percentage of people who get it and it

does NOT turn chronic. What bothers me about this is that there can be an

undetectable viral load, and really there is still virus lying dormant in

the liver and eventually it will start multiplying. This is still such a

" new " disease and so much is still being learned about it. I don't think it

is safe for anyone to consider themselves cured, not at this point. It is

safer to assume you might be contagious and it could turn active/chronic.

(My opinion)

CC

>From: " Weiss " <hoppyweiss@...>

>Reply-Hepatitis Conelist

>Hepatitis Conelist

>Subject: Question

>Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 20:48:11 PST

>

>Asking for your thoughts. My mother was told a month ago she had hepatitis

>C. Now she is telling me her doctor told her she fought off the virus and

>no longer has it. I am concerned that she has shut us off from her

>problem.

> If it is possible for the virus to be eliminated by the immune system

>please let me know.

>

>Hoppy

>______________________________________________________

>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

>

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March 17, 2000

<<I don't think it is safe for anyone to consider themselves cured, not at

this point>> I agree

alley/

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March 18, 2000

Hi ,

I was told the exact same thing from my doctor. They told me that sometimes

happens. I don't buy that unless I have proof supporting that. I need to get

a second opinon w/ tests supporting their findings whatever they may be. I

just haven't done that yet. For some reason I just keep putting it off. I

would probably get a second opinion. For at least to put hers and your own

mind at rest. Good luck to you and keep us posted.

March 18, 2000

Hoppy yes it is possible to fight it off... about 15% of people do with hep

c.. the only way to know that is to have a PCR (viral load) test and if it

is negative she MAY have fought it off (the test measures at best down to

200). Has she had a pcr and liver biopsy yet? those are to me the absolute

minimum for hep c antibody pos person.

alley/

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March 19, 2000

Hoppy............that could definitely be true...for some reason some people

CAN fight off HCV. She will probably be watched and tested every so often

(RNA PCR Qunatitative) to make sure she DOES NOT have circulating virus. If

her PCR is undetectable and remains that way..she has indeed been able to

fight HCV with her own immune system. It happens. She is most likely being

honest with you....and in case she's not, you'll have to respect how she has

decided to deal with this...love, mzg

" We can do no great things; only small things with great Love. " Mother

March 19, 2000

Hoppy............that could definitely be true...for some reason some people

CAN fight off HCV. She will probably be watched and tested every so often

(RNA PCR Qunatitative) to make sure she DOES NOT have circulating virus. If

her PCR is undetectable and remains that way..she has indeed been able to

fight HCV with her own immune system. It happens. She is most likely being

honest with you....and in case she's not, you'll have to respect how she has

decided to deal with this...love, mzg

" We can do no great things; only small things with great Love. " Mother

March 19, 2000

Hoppy............that could definitely be true...for some reason some people

CAN fight off HCV. She will probably be watched and tested every so often

(RNA PCR Qunatitative) to make sure she DOES NOT have circulating virus. If

her PCR is undetectable and remains that way..she has indeed been able to

fight HCV with her own immune system. It happens. She is most likely being

honest with you....and in case she's not, you'll have to respect how she has

decided to deal with this...love, mzg

" We can do no great things; only small things with great Love. " Mother

March 19, 2000

Hoppy............that could definitely be true...for some reason some people

CAN fight off HCV. She will probably be watched and tested every so often

(RNA PCR Qunatitative) to make sure she DOES NOT have circulating virus. If

her PCR is undetectable and remains that way..she has indeed been able to

fight HCV with her own immune system. It happens. She is most likely being

honest with you....and in case she's not, you'll have to respect how she has

decided to deal with this...love, mzg

" We can do no great things; only small things with great Love. " Mother

April 15, 2000

Give the Prozac time to work, it can take several weeks, and you may

need a dose increase too if it is only a small dose. My son was on both

Wellbutrin and Prozac together for a while and it worked great for him.

Don't give up on it yet.

I stopped treatment for 2 weeks once before starting high dose, and I

was going camping in a very remote location where refrigeration/ice would be

a problem. The depression was worse those 2 weeks, not better. I actually

felt better when I came home (early due to my extreme grouchiness) and went

ahead and got started on the high dose! Maybe it was the anticipation making

me feel so awful, I don't know. But I don't think stopping for a week will

help at all. The medication wouldn't even work out of your system that fast

I don't think. It would give the virus a chance to rebound though!

I know how you feel, the depression was so awful. I was either crying

or bitching. I would go around looking for something to complain about! I

even knew I was doing it, and I wanted to stop, but I just couldn't! So

that made me feel even worse. I was miserable, and sometimes all I wanted

to do was wallow in my misery! I had a perpetual pity party going for a

while there! I am so lucky my family put up with me, because I sure took a

lot out on them. My husband would walk around saying 'it's just the

medicine, it's just the medicine', like some kind of chant! He must have

wanted to strangle me, and looking back, I don't blame him!

I still have my down days even though I'm not on combo any more. One

thing that I've found that really helps is writing to friends I've made on

my e-mail support groups like this one. It doesn't even really matter what

response I get, I think it's more just that writing it all out seems to take

it OUT of me, and ON (in?) to the computer!

Hopefully the Prozac will start to kick in soon. I'm almost positive

it took about 3 - 4 weeks for it to really be helping my son.

I hope things get better for you soon. Take care, and you can write to me

anytime if you want to.

Claudine

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April 15, 2000

The Wellbutrin and Prozac will cause you to have no

interest in sex. I was on antidepressants and I quit

them and did not tell Dr I felt more depressed on

them. By any chance did you get Fibromyalgia also? I

have it and it makes you ache bad....Connie

I also have insomnia. They prescribed 100 mgs a night

of Amitryptilimine (Elavil) for the Fibromyalgia.

--- kalidurga@... wrote:

> I am in my eight month of the combo and most of the

> physical side

> affects are gone, except being tired, and having

> sore arms if i sleep

> too long on one side at night. I was on Interferon

> alone in 1993 and i

> did it for six months, so i didnt know what to

> expect after the six

> month mark this time.

> well beside having NO interest in sex, which is fine

> with me, I have

> been getting depressed alot. I am on Wellbutrin,

> because of my history

> of depression, and now my psychiatrist just started

> me on a low dose of

> Prozac also. I havent told me specialist or primary

> care, because they

> said they would never have put me on it, unless was

> on meds for the

> depression. now that the depression seems to be

> hitting me stronger, i

> dont want them to pull me off the meds. My viral

> load and labs are good.

> Im genotype 1b and need to stay on for 48 weeks.

> My question;

>

> is it wise to take a week or so off to take a rest

> from the drugs? will

> that take away from the depression if i do take a

> week or so off? Or

> would that be dumb, and not be good for my liver?

>

> The depression just was starting to bother me the

> day after the shot, i

> do mine at 9 pm, so the next morning i am pretty

> wiped out and down. but

> now it seems to have a mind of its own. it just hits

> me. i could be

> laughing with a friend, or watching tv, or someone

> might say something

> and 'pow', i literally feel myself falling into a

> depression. i hate it,

> because i reminds me of when i was a child.

>

> i know a side affect is depression from the combo,

> but as anyone else

> actually stoped the combo for a short while? and if

> so, did it help?

>

> i am 31 years old and have not been this depressed

> since my teenage

> years. i have always worked ALOT and i am known for

> my energy, which

> bothers me now since i have none, i am a vegetarian

> and eat healthy,

> dont drink or smoke or do drugs. i am not working,

> which i think makes

> me feel isolated, but sometimes i am wiped out, i do

> get out and walk my

> dog 1 to 3 hours a day, i live near a fenced dog

> park in the city and i

> socialize alot there, that helps.

> but i a so sick of the ups and downs. this is how i

> know its the combo.

>

> i hate to vent, i dont post much. i have joined many

> onelist groups,

> ones for; hep, depression, loneliess and i was

> hoping that would help.

>

> the two hep support groups here in boston are once a

> month, and i was

> told they are basically medically orientated, and

> not like a support

> group to talk about emotions.

>

> if anyone has any suggestions PLEASE get back to me.

> i want to fight

> this awful disease. i just had a frend who had a

> kidney transplant, his

> sisters gave him one, WOW!!!, and it really hit home

> to what may lie

> ahead.

>

> im open for suggestions.

> Thanks.

>

__________________________________________________

April 15, 2000

kalidurga@... wrote:

>

> . . . is it wise to take a week or so off to take a rest from the drugs? will

> that take away from the depression if i do take a week or so off? Or

> would that be dumb, and not be good for my liver?

I'm so sorry that you are having such a rough time, darling. Please

just try to hang in there.

I do know that after four weeks on the combo, my Big Sis was pulled off

because her system was crashing. She had two transfusions, and after a

week of rest, jumped in there again -- starting with just the

Interferon. Ten days of just Interferon, and she is just now easing

into the ribarivin (2 pills a day -- not 5, as is recommended).

She was telling me that it is much rougher in some ways adjusting after

taking a week or two off.

But again, everyone responds differently. It may be that you need a

week or so off. But just be prepared for the fact that if you do take

off, getting back on may take you back to the place you were at when you

first started the combo. If it wasn't that bad for you (and God

willing, it wasn't), then it may not be too bad.

I'm anxious to read the others responses. I'm curious.

Warm hugs,

April 16, 2000

I don't know much about treatment except what I read and what others have

said. It is known that interferon causes depression. I know what you mean

tho about not telling gp. My gp told me to do aerobics last time I mentioned

I was so tired and could he help with it. <sigh> My gastro put me in Celexa

(after trying zoloft which made me rather blah all the time) and asked if I

could have my gp start writing the scripts for that and the Celebrex. I said

yes I'll ask, but he isn't up on hep and I try to educate him as much as I

can. So I go in to see doc yesterday (sat) and he had the day off, his doc

assistant was there. I may just fax him a letter as I can never talk to him

on the fone, he's a great guy, at least he listens when I make him listen

hahaha. Anyway, big hugs to you and I'm not sure you should stop a week on

the combo. I hope you can just to take a break. Let us know what happens

Best to ask your specialist/gastro.

alley/

ICQ 12631861

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April 16, 2000