I could circumvent much of my misery by taking hydrocodone and tramadol, but honestly it scares the bejesus out of me.
Hi Timothy, welcome to the forum. I feel the same way about opiates. I had a problem with them 14 years ago, can't go near them.
I had to use the abbreviation list many many times. Hang in there.~Bob
tonib said
Aug 16, 2013
Welcome to the forum Timothy! And don't worry about me with any medical terminology, I have trouble with some of the letters they use...so the words from me are plain ole English....lol Good luck.....and yes I am sick almost every day.....some days I may have a few good hours here and there, but then its the same ole same ole....Hey your almost done right! Good luck with your continued therapy!
Cinnamon Girl said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi again, Tim, just wanted to mention that I can change your user name for you if you like, although actually it`s fine and very descriptive of how a lot of us have felt at some time during treatment!
Just let me know if you`d like me to help with that. ~ Jill
rotting to the core said
Aug 16, 2013
Thank you!!!!
mallani said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi Timothy,
Those are great numbers, and your Hb and WCC are holding up well. The mental stress of Rx wears anyone out, particularly when it's for 48 weeks. You've got every reason to be optimistic about SVR, so dig deep and tough it out. I managed without any meds but understand some require them. Best of luck mate.
rotting to the core said
Aug 16, 2013
mallani,
Here are those results from 7-10-2013
WBC 3.70 GRAN % 60.0
RBC 4.27 LYMPH % 31.1
HGB 13.2 MONO % 7.9
HCT 40.3 EOS% 0.8
MCV 94.4 BASO% 0.2
MCH 31.0 ABS GRAN OR ANC 2.2
MCHC 32.8 ABS LYMPH 1.2
PLATELET 172 ABS MONO 0.3
MPV 10.2 ABS EOS 0.0
RDW 14.0 ABS BASO 0.0
I understand these are all great numbers and I am very lucky my body is fighting the good fight. Just so tired of being sick and tired. basically I refuse to take any opiates even though they are here, my knowledge of self causes me to fear that stuff, quite possibly I could circumvent much of my misery by taking hydrocodone and tramadol, but honestly it scares the bejesus out of me.
rotting to the core said
Aug 16, 2013
Cinnamon Girl, Really since rotting to core is not my name but truly descriptive of how I feel I will keep it for now. There really was no pun intended. Thank you Jill.
PS Been looking at some of the information made available here, now I see where so much comes from.
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 10:46:49 PM
mallani said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi Timothy,
Don't worry about your platelets. 171 is fine. Mine dropped to 38 at EOT. Low platelets really don't cause any symptoms, but you shouldn't play with sharp knives.
I can't help you with the 48 week question. If you had a VL at 8 weeks and were Undet., you would have only done 24 weeks. I guess your doctor has his reasons.
Usually feeling like crap on SOC is related to anaemia. How is your Hb, haematocrit and WCC holding up? The good part is being Undet. and you've got every chance of staying that way. Cheers.
mallani said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi and welcome from me too, Timothy.
Your name describes my teeth after 48 weeks of the Victrelis triple. For me, Interferon just rots my teeth away. Sorry you're having a rough time, but many of us have had the same ride. Is there any reason why you're doing 48 weeks with Geno 3? It would be great if you could post your Viral Loads. Treatment is no picnic, but the end result is worth it. Keep trucking! Cheers.
rotting to the core said
Aug 16, 2013
I have had the virus, as close I can estimate, for 22 years. That was the last time I subjected myself to the possibility that I know of, blood to blood contact. I first new I was positive in 2003. With all the horror stories about treatment then I waited until it got easier,LOL. In May of 2012 I found myself in the ER for chest pains, after a night there I was told my heart was okay, need to take a couple of b/p meds to control it....but my liver not so good, AST 393, ALT 499 the Doc. told if I didn't do something I would not live to see two more birthdays. So this journey began. I did get to see my 55th birthday last month....HOORA!!! On 8-22-2012, I had my first visit with my Hep C Dr. He ran 22 different test plus an ultra sound. GT3a VL 514,000 or Log 5.71 AST 230 ALT 400 Started treating 11-30-2013 Week 4, 12-7-2012 VL 130 or Log 2.7111 AST 47 ALT 79 At this time the decision was made to treat for 48 weeks, no VL test until week 12 by which time was UND and have stayed that way so far. I have no idea when I became UND, but I was responding. Tonight I do my 38th injection. My platelets started at 371 and at my last blood test, 7-10-2013 had dropped to 171, that being a 200 drop I was thinking that might be why I feel like crap...no response, just I am doing fine, on target to finish 48 weeks. I keep asking why, from what I have read SOC is 20 weeks after UND, trying to get out of this anyway I can...no such luck. Tim
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 02:56:43 PM
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 02:59:19 PM
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 03:25:05 PM
Bloomster said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi Timothy, welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear you're having such a bad time with meds. You have definitely come to the right place with very supportive and knowledgeable people. All the best.
Kellie said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi Timothy, Welcome to the forum. You should find a great variety of responses from all kinds of kind folks. I understand your need for easy and your moniker. I'm 1a on my 18th week of a 24 week treatment. Right now I'm on riba and pegasys. I've had or have just about every sx there is, so I can commiserate and lend you support. The treatment is very difficult. You're almost at the finish line. You can vent all you want. That's why we're here. Bring it on
rotting to the core said
Aug 16, 2013
Sorry for the name will try to change it, !!! Not sure how to navigate here yet but will work on that too. I am a 55 year old man. Have been treating with interferon-alfa2a/ ribavirin for 37/38 weeks. Headed to 48, if I can tolerate it. I have been really sick most of the time and don't understand why. My blood work has been holding it's own, but I have lost 40 lbs and .....I only hope to find others here who talk at a level that does not become so complex I feel I should have a degree in medical terminology.
Cinnamon Girl said
Aug 16, 2013
Hi Timothy, you`re very welcome here, I`m glad you found us!
A long stretch on treatment is exhausting for most people, these are very powerful medicines but they do take a toll on us, physically and mentally, so I`m not surprised at how you`re feeling at this point. You`ve also lost a lot of weight which doesn`t help either. Nausea and loss of appetite are common side effects and most of us have struggled with that at some point, and I hope the weight loss has levelled off for you by now.
Do you know what your latest blood results were? You`ve almost certainly got some degree of anemia caused by a drop in your Hgb level (a side effect of ribavirin), and that will be making you feel very tired.
Please do keep in touch, we understand what it`s like and you`re with friends here!
Best of luck! ~ Jill
PS - You`ll soon get used to using the forum and the basic terminology we use here, I know it seems complicated at first, but don`t let that put you off! Here are some links you might find useful...
Hi Timothy, welcome to the forum. I feel the same way about opiates. I had a problem with them 14 years ago, can't go near them.
I had to use the abbreviation list many many times. Hang in there.~Bob
Welcome to the forum Timothy! And don't worry about me with any medical terminology, I have trouble with some of the letters they use...so the words from me are plain ole English....lol Good luck.....and yes I am sick almost every day.....some days I may have a few good hours here and there, but then its the same ole same ole....Hey your almost done right! Good luck with your continued therapy!
Hi again, Tim, just wanted to mention that I can change your user name for you if you like, although actually it`s fine and very descriptive of how a lot of us have felt at some time during treatment!
Just let me know if you`d like me to help with that. ~ Jill
Hi Timothy,
Those are great numbers, and your Hb and WCC are holding up well. The mental stress of Rx wears anyone out, particularly when it's for 48 weeks. You've got every reason to be optimistic about SVR, so dig deep and tough it out. I managed without any meds but understand some require them. Best of luck mate.
Here are those results from 7-10-2013
WBC 3.70 GRAN % 60.0
RBC 4.27 LYMPH % 31.1
HGB 13.2 MONO % 7.9
HCT 40.3 EOS% 0.8
MCV 94.4 BASO% 0.2
MCH 31.0 ABS GRAN OR ANC 2.2
MCHC 32.8 ABS LYMPH 1.2
PLATELET 172 ABS MONO 0.3
MPV 10.2 ABS EOS 0.0
RDW 14.0 ABS BASO 0.0
I understand these are all great numbers and I am very lucky my body is fighting the good fight. Just so tired of being sick and tired. basically I refuse to take any opiates even though they are here, my knowledge of self causes me to fear that stuff, quite possibly I could circumvent much of my misery by taking hydrocodone and tramadol, but honestly it scares the bejesus out of me.
Cinnamon Girl,
Really since rotting to core is not my name but truly descriptive of how I feel I will keep it for now. There really was no pun intended. Thank you Jill.
PS Been looking at some of the information made available here, now I see where so much comes from.
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 10:46:49 PM
Hi Timothy,
Don't worry about your platelets. 171 is fine. Mine dropped to 38 at EOT. Low platelets really don't cause any symptoms, but you shouldn't play with sharp knives.
I can't help you with the 48 week question. If you had a VL at 8 weeks and were Undet., you would have only done 24 weeks. I guess your doctor has his reasons.
Usually feeling like crap on SOC is related to anaemia. How is your Hb, haematocrit and WCC holding up? The good part is being Undet. and you've got every chance of staying that way. Cheers.
Hi and welcome from me too, Timothy.
Your name describes my teeth after 48 weeks of the Victrelis triple. For me, Interferon just rots my teeth away. Sorry you're having a rough time, but many of us have had the same ride. Is there any reason why you're doing 48 weeks with Geno 3? It would be great if you could post your Viral Loads. Treatment is no picnic, but the end result is worth it. Keep trucking! Cheers.
I have had the virus, as close I can estimate, for 22 years. That was the last time I subjected myself to the possibility that I know of, blood to blood contact. I first new I was positive in 2003. With all the horror stories about treatment then I waited until it got easier,LOL.
In May of 2012 I found myself in the ER for chest pains, after a night there I was told my heart was okay, need to take a couple of b/p meds to control it....but my liver not so good, AST 393, ALT 499 the Doc. told if I didn't do something I would not live to see two more birthdays. So this journey began. I did get to see my 55th birthday last month....HOORA!!!
On 8-22-2012, I had my first visit with my Hep C Dr. He ran 22 different test plus an ultra sound.
GT3a VL 514,000 or Log 5.71
AST 230 ALT 400
Started treating 11-30-2013
Week 4, 12-7-2012
VL 130 or Log 2.7111
AST 47 ALT 79
At this time the decision was made to treat for 48 weeks, no VL test until week 12 by which time was UND and have stayed that way so far. I have no idea when I became UND, but I was responding. Tonight I do my 38th injection.
My platelets started at 371 and at my last blood test, 7-10-2013 had dropped to 171, that being a 200 drop I was thinking that might be why I feel like crap...no response, just I am doing fine, on target to finish 48 weeks.
I keep asking why, from what I have read SOC is 20 weeks after UND, trying to get out of this anyway I can...no such luck.
Tim
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 02:56:43 PM
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 02:59:19 PM
-- Edited by rotting to the core on Friday 16th of August 2013 03:25:05 PM
Hi Timothy, welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear you're having such a bad time with meds. You have definitely come to the right place with very supportive and knowledgeable people. All the best.
Hi Timothy, Welcome to the forum. You should find a great variety of responses from all kinds of kind folks. I understand your need for easy and your moniker. I'm 1a on my 18th week of a 24 week treatment. Right now I'm on riba and pegasys. I've had or have just about every sx there is, so I can commiserate and lend you support. The treatment is very difficult. You're almost at the finish line. You can vent all you want. That's why we're here. Bring it on
Sorry for the name will try to change it,
!!! Not sure how to navigate here yet but will work on that too. I am a 55 year old man. Have been treating with interferon-alfa2a/ ribavirin for 37/38 weeks. Headed to 48, if I can tolerate it. I have been really sick most of the time and don't understand why. My blood work has been holding it's own, but I have lost 40 lbs and .....I only hope to find others here who talk at a level that does not become so complex I feel I should have a degree in medical terminology
.
Hi Timothy, you`re very welcome here, I`m glad you found us!
A long stretch on treatment is exhausting for most people, these are very powerful medicines but they do take a toll on us, physically and mentally, so I`m not surprised at how you`re feeling at this point. You`ve also lost a lot of weight which doesn`t help either. Nausea and loss of appetite are common side effects and most of us have struggled with that at some point, and I hope the weight loss has levelled off for you by now.
Do you know what your latest blood results were? You`ve almost certainly got some degree of anemia caused by a drop in your Hgb level (a side effect of ribavirin), and that will be making you feel very tired.
Please do keep in touch, we understand what it`s like and you`re with friends here!
Best of luck! ~ Jill
PS - You`ll soon get used to using the forum and the basic terminology we use here, I know it seems complicated at first, but don`t let that put you off! Here are some links you might find useful...
These are the abbreviations we use..
http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t51085702/forum-abbreviations/
And here are a few pointers on using the forum...
http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t53391584/posting-on-the-forum-faq/