oh yea C, i'm willing to part ways with the gb if it's gonna just be a toxic relationship

i'm sure it will be awhile before i get in but at least i didn't waste time by seeing the doc just to send me; i'm on my way now.

i'm not sure what they'll do for eval. , but no dye in the veins that's a for sure on my end..... prob another ultrasound to make sure it didn't cure overnite; but the discomfort is not something i want to just go along with till they think i'm sick enough. 

so yea, we'll see what they decide for me , i'm not doubled over since i eat so strictly but this chronic discomfort is no joy

5,

Ditto (what everyone else said) - that we all hope it does not take long to get the GB thing figured out. So, you have been having "troubles" for a while, your last U/S images (Apr) confirmed (again - from a year ago) that you were showing stones, and as well, that your GB was "chronically inflamed", and, you were continuing to have more of these what we think are GB "attacks" or at least GB distress episodes as well.

The writing does "seem" on the wall, but ... we all have to wait for the new docs ideas on things ... but in this interim, have any of your docs said you should maybe go have some further (additional) imagings of your GB done? (other than just the U/S imaging - the latest as of Apr) - just an idea. It used to be they would often do GB pictures with dye and stuff i recall? But ... maybe that was in the ole days. Still, it might be worth asking if you should go ahead and have some further imaging (other than just U/S's) done while you are waiting for this new doc assessment. 

I like your cute rendition of "breaking up is hard to do" (in regard to your longstanding but now perhaps tedious/tenuous relationship with your GB!), if it turns out true what you said, that your GB maybe "does not want to live with you" anymore, then it's good to know you are brave enough to part ways if and as required. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbad22CKlB4

: )  C. 

thanks OBs  and Harry

Awww 5  

I certainly hope they get your naughty gb sorted for you and dont make you wait too long. Smart getting the liver dr to recommend/refer you.  Your body needs to heal from that bloody virus and the treatment...you so do not need to be suffering anymore! I hope its dealt with quickly  

harry...

i sure do hope that your Dr. gets your nerve /disc damage figured out and you start getting some relief from your symptoms.  (any word on an apt with the specialist?)

thanks tig and harry, yep i'm on the path to more wellness and for sure i will chk in with you guys for anything you might know when it happens.

harry, i don't read those things very well either ,  took me a long time to even recognize my own gb symptoms... i guess the big fear is them saying our situation isn't bad enough for them to take care of . i do hope someone can figure it out. And yes, cold wet weather makes my feet hurt more too. 

i'll update again when the referral goes thru and i get my evaluation.

tig that is great news about how efficient they are now days.

Hey 5-0,

Not to worry! They are so good at doing these gallbladder removals now, you will be amazed at how well it goes. They do 90+% by a laparoscopic procedure. Three tiny incisions that you won’t even notice once things heal up. The improvement to my health was immediate. I was back to work in no time! You won’t regret it. If you have any questions, I’ll try to fill you in.

So! my gallbladder is still causing me enough discomfort that i agree with the liver doc that i need to see the surgeon for evaluation. i asked he liver doc to please recommend me to one to get the ball rolling and he did! , i didn't have to wait to see him in person since i said in my email to him that i didn't want to postpone getting well or have to worry about a medical crisis.

so now i just wait for my referral to go thru and make my appt. i think i'll chk with my primary doc and see who she recommends since they didn't specify a doctor.

here i go.....but i'm so tired of not feeling well and at least i'll have the intake with them and be ready to go in case i need it. 

i'm mentally ready for this now since the discomfort never ends.....

annie, i agree..... keep moving, and i use magnetic braclets and wraps and magnetic dots that stick on [amazon]. i live life with my magnets on

Wow!  Those were some big spills, Harry and Obs.  Painful just thinking about it.  No wonder you have pain now.  Harry, I hope this new doctor has some good answers for you.  And 5, arthritis is an awful thing.  Glad you've found something to at least help with the pain and numbness.  My chiropractor keeps telling me I just have to keep moving, even just gentle moving :)

I loved that horse...we used to go for great long trail rides in the forests and farmlands in  Quebec...no matter the weather...it was a badge of pride for all the girls to do a 3 hour ride in 15 or 20 below...

my horse got snowballs clumping in her feet..she was excited to get through the tunnel because that was a homeward bound landmark... I was dawdling due to her snowballs, we were behind the others...they started to trot up the forest path outside the tunnel..she got excited and took off... well tried to..

Harry...You get it! Of course I still loved her and her big brown eyes...and rode her as soon as I could...but the injury certainly plagued me for decades.

5...thats great that ice and heat help you! I use those alternating on fresh muscle/nerve injures but never thought to use them on old injuries.

Harry, how long until you see the specialist? It is so great that you have found a caring Dr.

i can attest to the neck trouble blues.

i've had arthritis in my neck for years so am a big fan of ice and heat; when i do that regularly i have fewer numb hands and toes. lucky my numbness goes quickly when i change my position or ice my neck.

this maintenance is for the birds! but i'm def happier since being cured of HCV

i look forward to hearing what your new doc says too harry,

and Obs! wow, that sounds like an awful thing to go thru 

Harry, you got a new Doc!!!  Glad to hear it.  I'm eager to hear what the specialist has to say.  Hang in there keep an eye out for silver linings.

Oh harry, 

I sure hope the specialist can help you get some relief. 

Physios and Cairos are a bit of a crap shoot...Ive had good and bad...

I had a horse slip on ice in a tunnel under the highway when I was a teen and landed right on me and broke my shoulder quite badly(just above the wing bone)...   I had to ride her home being led while I held my shoulder..anyhoo it healed kinda but is a real weak spot ... for 25 years I had headaches that came from that spot and the chiropractors and physios all said they could fix it...they didnt. So I do know just what you mean about old injuries that flavour our whole life.

The nervous system sure does play a big part in digestion etc. 

Is there any way you could get massage? I find regular massage is very good for overall nervous system, lymphatic system and arthritis too.  

My husband and I trade acupressure foot massages at least once every month...and more often if the other person is in a grumpy or weepy mood... 

Our weather here is crazy...no rain in March, then a couple of weeks of ferocious rain/wind then a summer like heat wave for a week now cool and rainy (which is actually my favourite) 

my garden is very confused..

Hi , everyone got results back from my Dr yesterday ,I fell off my daughter s horse 20 or so years ago, lucky not much damage done, few MTHS later my shoulder had ceased up very painful,went to different drs I was told it was tennis elbow arthritis old football injury ect no one could really tell me,except load me up with codein ect few yrs later went to a Dr in Thailand who went strait to my neck and told me I had nerve damage in neck,he was also blind,!! Had steroid injection s when I got back to Oz ,a local Dr has been treating me,and it does seem lot better these days,I'm in mid 60s so got to expect few pains,well after finishing Epclusa IV noticed numbness in 4 fingers on r hand plus a few toes,I know this is mild compared to other friends on this forum,well my results came through showing pinched nerve in C5 c6 plus build up of arthritis in neck area with severe nerve damage,my new Dr was concerned and has made appointment for me to see neurologist up in Queensland 200 miles away closest one to where I live ,bugger ,my Dr also told me that if nerves are getting plnched it can cause digestive issues ,constipation,bad moods head aches ect,,she also told me something should have been done years ago about it,she admitted she was confused to what to do that's why she made app for me to see specialist hopefully soon,she even said it can make breathing harder when you have emphasemia as. I have.so I guess I will keep taking my meds this cooler weather doesn't help ,she even said the Liver Dr I saw pre treatment instead of spending 7min with me should have checked out my previous med history, as sometimes these new D.A.A can have an effect in nervous system.sorry for this long rave,but I think nerves in neck can make condition bit complicated also the phisios IV been sent to over the years have done more harm then good.. ps ,5,larger socks seem better cheers Harry.

Thanks 5,great advice,I was really getting impatient for the hot summer to finish ,but now it's starting to get cold ,I don't know what suits me best maybe somewhere in between lol,glad you're starting to improve guess it's just another waiting game.take care of yourself ,from Harry

Harry, 

I rarely wear socks ....they make my feet feel like they are going to explode.... I have some comfy wide slippers I wear at home in the winter and when I have to (like in my boots) I also wear large socks.. spring summer and autumn Im usually barefoot or in slip on shoes..

I am convinced that the DAAs affected my neuropathy ... I had had one or two minor minor episodes of pain in the last 5 years before treatment

but during and after treatment the stabbing burning in my feet (or on the tops of them) was almost constant very debilitating and frustrating.  The neurologist I saw said diseases and or some medications can affect the peripheral nerves. I didnt really follow up with her so Im sorry I have no other info to share with you. 

In my case the pain has mostly subsided, and only happens when Im not feeling well...like when I get a little flu bug or a cold or something..

I work on keeping my whole nervous system as balanced as I can...diet,exercise and sleep 

take care Harry 

Thanks 5 will give large socks a try !take care.Harry

socks are the worst harry!

try plus size socks for men.. big and tall? and thin socks

Observer,I can relate, I'm finding it really hard to buy socks that don't cut off circulation,I don't know if the DAA s have anything to do with neuropathic problems, I'm trying to find out, without much luck ,I feel sorry for Canuck driving all that way ,then having to talk with a retired neuro surgeon, I can relate know one IV spoken to over here has been much help, at least VL has gone so far ,my Dr rang me yesterday wants to talk to me on Friday about recent imaging I had done on my pinched nerves hopefully may have some clues regarding my numbness in hands feet,sick of dropping my coffee, try stay well

good to hear you made it back C

what a journey; i hope this leads to something helpful for you.

Well, I just got back home again from my visit to the neuro guy.

Hey, ya, i kinda live in the middle of nowhere (not really, but sorta) I am a good 4 hours++ from the big city of Vancouver (depending on route and weather/time of year - but even on a really GOOD day, I (personally) have NEVER got myself to vancouver in under 4 hours!) - some folk can seem to do it - not me tho!) The trek to the next city centre to us (with fuller hospital and imaging services) is a 2 hour drive away. So, unless it is just a family GP you need or a simple xray, we travel for just about everything else.

Turns out the fellow I got referred to today is a retired neuro"surgeon", NOT a "neurologist" (I thought it WAS a neurologist I was supposed to be seeing today - but no - oh well). This neuro-surgeon has been retired from surgery for some time, he just assesses people now and (if required) he then refers them out again to a surgeon OR to a neurologist. 

We go over my not so good looking lumbar xrays, and my complaints - he is a bit hard to understand, both accent-wise and in his explanations - I come away with not a lot of understanding - I have a req. for a MRI (might take a couple months to get it done), and a referral to a neurologist, no idea how long that wait will be. I left his office today with the feeling that I have no good reason or explainable reason for the icy/cold/numbness sensation - so ... it must just be my imagination I guess! God I hope it just goes away. It had been consistently there but fluctuating some. We'll see where this goes - like BEGONE I hope!

If it has anything to do with the degenerative disc disease noted thus far on my xray, I just blame it on the wear and tear over some 60+years (not HCV), but I wondered and asked about the wisdom of what to do and what not to do - continue some anti-inflammatories?, take some gaba?, increase the gaba?, take nothing? GP gave me scripts, this fellow today said I did not need to take anti-inflammatories or anything or do anything or avoid anything! Boy this thing better get better, fast. I'll keep going to yoga classes, i guess, but cripes that's where it started one day!

He did leave me confused - but, hopefully, this problem will just completely disappear,quick, and/or, if not, then maybe the MRI will spell out something more clearly for me? 

Cheddy (on your topic of digestion) my very long standing/very chronic constipation slowly has cleared up (really quite dramatically) since cure, much to my relief! And 5 (on your topic of swollen ankles) my swollen ankle problem has virtually all but disappeared since cure, also a dramatic improvement and a change (almost exclusively) to the good.

I'll keep ya's posted on my shiver-me-timbers syndrome!  C.

Our GI docs have divorced themselves from guessing or theorizing about anything that might be connected to the HCV or the treatments.

we only have ourselves to work it out. 

so.... we play it by ear and see other doctors who can help us with symptoms and support.

Do you think the nerve stuff is related to HepC?  

I don't know how long I had it, but the aches and pains I had went away after treatment and my digestive stuff has returned to normal - finally!

I'd like to know more about this.

Be safe canuck

our GI dr say they have nothing to do with the side effects

my new allergy spray seems to be working out so far AZELASTIZINE. or something like that. i use less than a spray most days, just dab some in with a qtip.

but the good news for me was my hearing is normal and nothing serious is going on in ears.

still my feet swell and hurt like many of us....but i have old feet and they started hurting about 6 yrs. ago

be well friends

It really gets on my nerves how much fallout we all have to deal with from incubating HCV for a few decades. I mean bad enough with the liver damage, fatigue and digestive issues but why do we all seem to have on going nerve issues? 

Anyhoo Canuck, hope your drive is beautiful...them BC mountains are gorgeous...watch out for wildlife...I saw a video someone took of a grizzly balancing and sauntering along on a concrete highway barrier so have your phone camera out and ready in case. 

I also hope the Dr has some solutions for you.  

I sure do hope everybody gets their nerve issues worked out.  I'm so glad you are looking into it to see what can be done. 

C, where the heck do you live that requires these treks to the docs?  Are your nearest neighbors Osos Canuckiosos?  Safe travel, dear.

We do seem to experience more than our fair share of nerve dysfunction. Certainly more than enough arthritis and joint pain to go around, too. Safe travels, Chuck and tell your driver, H, to keep it under 100 mph (that‘s a lot of those kilometer thingies)! We want you back, safe and sound! 

I hope all is going well...  

Harry, I am glad you are getting some imaging done. These things should be looked in to. Me too, I (having things looked in to) I am off tomorrow, a 2 hour drive away, over to the next bigger little city to see a neurologist for his opinion on my back xray which said my lumbar discs looked not so good, I would like it if there were NOT icy, shivery numb areas down my leg and into my foot - I think of you and Iris (and some others) of late, when it comes to unwanted symptoms of nerve things! I'll let yas all know how I make out - fingers crossed for all of us. :)  C. 

Hey Harry, I wanted to chat with you but not over on Tanners thread. You were asking about your (prior) high VL? We have had others around here who have had high VL's, I recall one fellow I can think of right off the bat, who was up around 20 million as well. Lots of people get high viral loads, lots of people get low to middling VL's., and VERY often one's own VL can and WILL fluctuate, both up AND down, often fluctuating up and down many times when you have had hep c for a long time. This was something I never knew when i found out i had hep c, it wasn't until i came here to this website that i found out about fluctuating VL's. Your body is in a constant battle, trying to fight off and down the viral foe when you have chronic hep c and sometimes you win a bit, then the virus re-gains ground and replicates again for a while, then your immune system tries to beat the virus back again - the war can go back and forth, on and on like this and your VL can potentially go up and down for as long as long as you have the hep c - for some people who have had hep c for a long time AND know about it and get VL's drawn all along, they can see do not fluctuate much, others see that they do get back and forth higher and then lower loads - it just depends. Some people see-saw, others seem to hold a pretty steady load all along. A high load really doesn't mean too much nowadays with the likes of most of these new powerful DAA's - the new drugs seem to be having no problem killing off the virus whether the VL was 20 million or 20,000. Nor does a high VL necessarily qualify you to be considered "sicker" than a person with a lower VL, if you are chronically infected with the virus (no matter how high or low your VL is), you are equally ill and infected (period) as the next person who also has chronic hep c. Now, that is not to say that the longer people carry the virus, the sicker they are, that can very well happen - being chronically infected for years/decades can harm your liver longer of course and set you up for increased fibrosis/cirrhosis and other long term effects can make you sicker than the next guy with chronic hep c. Chronic hep c is a seriously bad disease to have, no matter how high or low your VL is. Good you are rid of it.

You are now free of that HUGE burden that the chronic infection was having on your poor liver and body - you now have a chance to heal up your liver and recover from a long period of infection. Even though you are still not feeling 100% improved, believe me, your liver and body is very happy and thanking you for relieving them of this work of fighting this chronic infection all the time. I hope you will start to feel better and better pretty soon. Meanwhile, celebrate, that you are no longer packing this chronic health robbing hitchhiking virus around anymore. One less HUGE thing.  : )  C.

Harry, 

I have quite a low voice and a very old bluetooth earpiece, and between those things, my phone simply cant understand me at all, when I am out walking or sometimes driving and want to send a text message to my kids or my sister, the autocorrects are astoundingly funny and occasionally inappropriate....one time I was saying Jon doesnt have time and the phone sent John doesnt have balls  and once I told my sister something about a pregnant car.  Its a family joke trying to decipher what I actually was saying  

anyhoo...you certainly dont have to apologize to me for spelling mixups. 

And I think its awesome that you were such a good support looking after your wife while she recovered . 

Observer suppose to be a month not math,,,sorry I'm a dinasaur bad typer

Observer re my wife's hip op ,think it was about a math apart maybe bit longer ,whatever it was it wasn't much fun ,all seems ok now ,modern medicine pretty awesome ,take care.

Oh my friends that nasty virus was mutating inside of us for decades..changing and damaging our cells nonstop. The fact that we are alive and virus free is such a blessing despite our continued health issues. 

After many years of terrible, crippling arthritis, it turned out I have developed an allergy to beef and pork...I nearly slapped the Dr when he told me...beef is my favourite (and I have sooooooo many good recipes) but..i stopped eating them both and guess what? My arthritis is only about 20% of what it was... some days I dont even have any.

I know we are all different but if you are still suffering from arthritis after UND, it might be worth it to try to get tested for allergies and see if that could be contributing to your arthritis.

Gall bladders...poor 5...they can cause some terribly painful pain when they go bad like that. 

Cheddy...you are living the dream girl and I am so delighted for you..you deserve every healthy moment.

Canuck...your poor back poor you  what do they do to ease your discomfort? 

Tig, are they re-doing 8 vials worth of tests?

harry... glad your wife is gb free and has new hips...i cant believe she only had a month between surgeries...quite astounding really.

Yep 1   was enough we have to go up 15 steps ,must have look pretty strange trying to get up down stairs.lol

good to know harry, glad she didn't have both hips done at once

C, , the suitcase stayed home!! at least you had your house coat , i'm glad you are safe at home and that your suitcase was there and not out on the road somewhere.

i only had gallstones for over a year but something is going on in there with the chronic inflamation.... not sure how they found that out since there was no word of it last time except for the stones.

i'll see the doc in june, till then i'll just be real careful. i suppose an endoscopy is in my near future  , then decisions.

i've had  way too many stomach probs so maybe the gb doesn't want to live with me anymore

if i have another actual attack likei did on monday i will call for help to the doc; or meet him at the hospital., the attack lasted about 4 hrs and i did have too much to eat at once the nite b4; so here's hoping my carefulness will help .

Hi Harry here, 5,gall op wife was getting around a bit after few days,hip ops were about a mth apart ,took few weeks with walking stick , still has to take bit easy with hips ,been over a year.so we had to put hoola hoops away lol. Anyway we are ok glad virus is gone..got a craving for Easter egg dam shops 10miles away .take care all.

Hey everybody,

I'll have some of what Cheddy is having please! Sounds good.

Weird Tig that your lab disappeared like that, one time i looked and looked and looked and waited and waited and waited for a test result to return, and until i really pressed the situ - i did not find out that the result was NOT lost, but rather, that they had simply neglected to draw the dam tube in the first place, (they had drawn the rest of what was ordered, which were LOTS of tubes, but missed one important one!) I had to go back and sit down again in lab for another stick, to draw the tube they had missed!

Harry, DDD = degenerative disc disease. Wow, i thought they only did one hip replacement at a time, your wife actually had both hips done at the same time? Glad to hear your gal felt better after her GB was out - there is hope for 5 too then, if she too ends up having to get hers yanked out. 

5, Were there no other details about your GB?, if it is inflamed with stones, how long has it been like that?? Did you say any of your prior imagings showed the same thing? Does not a image of a GB like that automatically prompt/cause the doc to call you in for a consult?

Brain fog/gas or just farts? I packed all my undies, socks, PJ's, housecoat and bathing suit in one bag, in the second bag was my arsenal of soaps, creams, body wash, a billion necessary toiletry articles, in a third bag i neatly folded several very nice dressier clean pant outfits/tops (lovely basic blacks) for my Alberta visit, I got to Alberta wearing my oldest thread-bare soft and loose and comfortable jeans (garden work clothes really) - I get to Alberta and realize my neatly packed good clothes are right where i left them, suitcase at home inside the door! I did have lots of clean socks and underwear to wear throughout my visit though.

Later, C.  ; )

thanks harry, i was thinking about mick jagger too.hahahahahha

that's good news that your wife is feeling better after gb op. was she in the hospital long for that one? and how soon did she get up and moving after they removed it?

i'm sure the hip replacements took awhile to get moving....wow,, what a trooper she is. And you had to care for her during all of this. That had to be wearing on your stress and your stamina. 

yes, i hope you have a wonderful easter with the grands; just don't try to keep up with them

i'm now thinking it would be nice to be rid of this chronic stomach trouble; i was hoping once i was cured it would go but i guess the gallbladder is mad as hell  now.

so you only have about 6 months eot then? yep it takes awhile for every gear to shift into betterment for us... patience is our middle name now. But look how patient we were with the virus, as you said

we can enjoy life easier knowing that HEPC isn't in there killing us anymore

i mostly get around pretty good myself, moderation for me

i got my ultrasound report.

gallbladder is chronically inflamed w/stones. but no mention of my liver

i have an appt witn the real Doc in june to discuss anything and everything...... till then i hope my litle gallblader calms down. 

labs next week.

5