Pegasys in December

[Snowflake]

 Hi, This is my first time on the board, I have been reading the board since Aug.2005. It has been a good source of information. I am going to start Pegasys in December. I was told in 1997 i had Hep.C and i tried the interferon 3 shots aweek but had trouble giving myself the shots and my doctor could have cared less, so i ended up stopping. At that time i was a stage 1 without geno type,that wasn't done untill later. I had a Fibrospect test done it came back F-2 to F-4, not conclusive. It is suppose to tell what stage your liver is in. My viral load is 18,400,000 million, my geneo is 2b,I have high carbon dioxiod,protein,ast,alt,alkaline,hcv,mcv,mch and liver emzymes 236 very high. I have all the aches and pains of therapy and more so i am very scared to start Pegasys, but i don't know what else to do. I do take supplements, they seem to help for awhile, back and forth. But my body is getting so tried of this.

Snowflake

[Helen]

Hi Snowflake,
Glad you found your way here.  
None of us can tell you what to do as you well know, but we can try to help in any way we can with our own experiences, you say you had the Fibrosure and its inconclusive, if your unsure about tx. I would suggest you get the biopsy for a more accurate result, it might make your decision easier to make, your liver could be in better shape than you think and you may be able to hold off on tx. if you arnt ready to do it yet..... if ever.
OR if your liver isnt in such good shape it may make you realize that you really need to try treatment, its a hard call without the proper tests, in my opinion of course.  
Your V/L has nothing to do with it, its just really a treatment indicator, the lower the load the better the chances of svr, and of course they will test your V/L periodically to see if your responding , but it has no bearing on how much, if any damage there is.
Whatever you decide to do, keep us posted, I have never done tx. but alot of people here have and can
help you thru. We'll be here for you.  

Take care, Helen

[eskimogirl]

Hi Snowflake..welcome in..
I haven't tried tx either but that doesn't stop me from offering my support in whatever you decide..I hope you find the info you need right here with us..
God Bles and keep posting!
Cheryl

[countrygirl]

Hi Snowflake!

Welcome in!

I echo Helen's thoughts that perhaps in light of your fibrospect results, a liver biopsy might be they way to go to get a clearer picture of the status of your liver damage. That and the fact that you are feeling poorly.

Testing and treatment has changed dramatically since 1997 and continues to do so. Like Helen, I have not undergone tx as of yet, so feel ill-equipped to advise you to do so, tho for a 2b, the duration of tx and prognosis is encouraging.

I hope to see you continue to post and share your journey with us. We're all walking the same path, Pam

[Snowflake]

 

[casaja3]

Hi Snowflake...Welcome!!

I am new to this as I only got diagnosed in August. I do not know much about any of it...I am learning slowly. I hope your treatment goes well and that you start gaining some of that wieght back. Are you a small person to begin with ( like short and small boned I mean )? 97 lbs is awfully little.  

I too just bought a juicer last week. It is great so far...we will have to share recipes!! I find, so far, that by adding two or three strawberries to just about any kind of veggie drink...it takes away any of the tartness and makes it wonderfully sweet tasting.

Tracy Lee

[Snowflake]

 

[Helen]

Your welcome Snowflake,  

Tx = Treatment.
dx. = diagnosis.

Im so glad you found us, one thing I wanted to say was that you STILL may not have progressed, theres only one way to know and bottom line, its the biopsy.
But if you feel your ready to go for tx.   then you should, I might also add that your geno type is the easiest to treat, and yes I have heard of the therapy
being shortened to 16 weeks, but I believe thats if you reach the 2 log drop after 4 weeks. Ill check around and see if I can find some info.  

Take care, Helen

[Helen]

Snowflake, this link may help you out.

http://www.hcvanonymous.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=emerging;action=display;num=1119645470

[MikeBoston]

Helen is right.....a biopsy is good.  

I didn't even feel it.  It was a "non-event" except that I had to hang around the hospital for four hours afterwards laying on my right side.  If your nervous, just tell the doctor, and they'll give you a large valium......then, you'll have your biopsy, and then you'll go home.  No sweat.

A biopsy is the only TRUE look at your liver.  It's a GOOD thing.

[MikeBoston]

(and like I always say) one more thing....don't sweat the treatment either.  I did the combo for 48 weeks and it worked.

In a summary - I HATE PAIN - but like most Hep C people, I came up the HARD ROAD, and like most of you, I'm pretty tough.  The treatment is easy.
If you've ever experienced a bad hangover, coke crash, meth crash, or heroin withdrawl.....the treatment will probably be a "cake walk" for you.  This is light weight stuff compared to what most of us have experienced - all I'm saying is - for most Hep C people, don't make a big deal out of it, just do it!  It's easy!  Einstein said, "Nothing happens until something moves"

 

[19Dragon52]

Snowflake,

You do what you have to for yourself and we will be right behind you on whatever decision you make.

I was diagnosed in the Fall of 2003.  My doctor didn't suggest anything to me except to take a muti-vitamin since I was always feeling tired.  I proceeded to get involved with this group and did everything I felt was good for me in the line of Supplements & Vitamins.  I also found a ton of support and friends.

When I moved back to Niagara Falls, NY (my native city) I found ALL of my doctors to be more proactive.  I had a liver biopsy and decided it was time for TX.  The results were Grade 2 Stage 2.  I have one shot a week and 1200 mgs of Ribavirin a day.  Just like you...I can't seem to give myself a shot which I find quite ironic but I've also been dealing with a broken Pivot bone in my right arm.  My girlfriend comes from across the border every Monday night to help me.  My husband has been watching in case there comes a time when he will have to give me my shot.  Who knows, I may even get brave enough to do it somewhere down the road!

I have my 4th shot this Monday and so far the sides have been quite manageable.  I actually feel a bit more energetic than I have in a l-o-n-g time.  I will sometimes take an hour nap but I am no longer sleeping what seemed to be "around the clock."  Everyone is different, though.  I am also a 1a (non-responder) so I do the footwork and will leave the results up to God.  Meanwhile my liver gets a rest and more drug studies are taking place.

I welcome you here.  Trust Me...this is a GREAT group of people!  

[Ikiru]

Good luck with your tx in December Snowflake.  I hope this round goes much better.  With your genotype you should soon be hcv free.  If you can do it in 16 weeks that would be great.  I think that's only if you are undetectable by the 4th week and I believe most geno 2s are.   I did 24 weeks of pegasys and didn't find it too bad.  Hope it goes mild for you as well.

Don

[Snowflake]

 
    

[19Dragon52]

(((((Snowflake)))))

I wish you LUCK...LOVE and PRAYERS.