7 more of the 24 weeks left for me. Past half-way and then some. Judging by the tone of your writing here, I'm going to guess that you'll do fine in the treatments. Keep that positive attitude and a healthy sense of humor. You can get mature later. Stay young as long as you like. Best, T.

Good luck on saturday!  did you pick that particular day of the week to start?  and why?  just wondering how this all goes...

tinsnip:  could i ask you where you are in tx? are you through it?

thanks for all your tips.  i am going to check on a hormone patch because i thought i would try to deal w/my hot flashes before tx.  i called today and am having my son's biopsy report sent to me.  you have done your 2nd shot...how are you doing?

Wow you guys, I'm going to turn 52 on August 13. 52!!!!Whodathunkit!!!I always thought when I reached my 50's I'd be mature. What happened? Especially w/ this disease, I better get mature or I'm going to have problems. Don't worry, I'm still not all up on all the abbreviations, I get by though. So youre turning 52 in August too? I get easily confused, ha! My addy is ***@**** if you ever want to reach me, if not, that's okay too. I'm easy. You guys take care and don't get too nervous.

Hi you guys, I should be starting in Oct-Nov. So you'll be a few months ahead of me. Please keep us all posted on your experiences. HepCinLA - I'm from los angeles too, if that's what your screen name indicates! Good luck.

Yup, I'm in the South Bay.

Soon as I get my VL, I'll post my profile which will include my email address and other stats.  

Where are you going for treatment?  I'm doing the ideal study thru Cedars.

HI.  AS I recall from a previous post you have a young child and had concerns about how you were going to do tx and care for your child.  Congratulations on your decision to go forward with treatment.  In the long run you will be a much more energentic mommy because of the treatment.  

As I said above, I am just a couple of weeks ahead of you.  No sides so far except a loss of appetite.  I'll be watching for your posts.
Kathy

Thanks for all the encouragement.  I'm sure you all know how much that means.  I have had a biopsy and it showed stage 2-3.  does that make sense?  my reg dr told me he read it as stage 2 fibrosis.  I really need to learn more about the terms but it gets so freaky sometime.  My son has also had a biopsy and they said his liver is functioning perfectly and there is no need for treatment now.  they said there is no damage to his liver.  i was so worried and felt so badly about giving it to him that i sort of dropped the ball on myself.  I assume i will be starting treatment when i see my hepatologist.  do the meds always get mailed to you or do you get it at the pharmacy (interferon)?  I admire all of you for getting together on this site.  I have mostly kept to myself & family but you are all so comforting,  Guess we are all in the same boat, huh?  I am hoping if my son needs treatment in the future that there might be some oral treatment.  I was diagnosed almost 1 year ago but then I had my family tested & found out about my son.  I was waiting for  his results because I wanted to go through treatment with him, but now, thank God, he doesn't have to do it  I am trying to feel so grateful because my other children & husband don't have it, but feel devastated about my son...thank you all for being here & I hope to be as supportive to all of you as i have felt you be to me.  thanks again

I think you need copies of both biopsy reports - especially your son's. Who knows who will be treating him in years to come, and you really should have this one as a baseline.  Also, you should request copies of all tests done.  Just start a little notebook or something.


I get my meds at the pharmacy but a lot of folks here get them in the mail.  Since I would have to have them delivered to my office (since the peg must be refrigerated) and I am "in the closet" here, that is not an option.  It may depend on your insurance company or the study you are in.

we are the same age, i am 52 in aug.  i am type 1a also, and very happy to have found everyone here.  we obviously have a lot in common!

Forseegood:  I love your name and it gives me courage.  thank you for your kind words.  i do feel at home here.  need to get used to all the terms, though, probably be a pro in no time, huh?

Hi, so youre from the south bay huh? I lived in Torr ance for a couple a years when i was a teenager. Used to hang out at Hermosa Beach. Glad to meetcha! I go to Cedars too (and UCLA, long story) though I won't be on any study, that I know of?!? ha! I have heard of the ideal study. Please let us know how it is going for you. Maybe we can correspond since we're angelenos going through this together. I have heard of many mothers who have taken this treatment w/ kids in tow, and they have cleared and all is well w/ them.

2Irish, you'll get to know more and more about all this as you research it. From all that I've read and heard, biopsies are not "always" read the "exact" same way, sometimes a doctor will read it more conservatively and grade you a little up, or down as the case may be. Youre still mid-level, and you can maybe reverse that a little once you do the meds. Good luck on this, I'll be right behind you!

I'm in Redondo.  We can def. correspond since I'll need all the support I can get.  As soon as my VL # comes back, I'll post a profile that'll include my email address so be on the look out.

Whose your dr at Cedars and UCLA?  

Welcome to the forum. I too am new. I will be starting tx this Saturday so we will be pretty much running the course together. The people here are GREAT and very informative.Have you found out your genotype yet? I am a 1a and will do treatment for a year. I am a 52 year old female also (well I keep sayin 52...I will be in sept so I am preparing myself..lol.)Best of luck.

Love Redondo!, your kids must love it there too. Off the subject but a friend of mine lives in Santa Monica, he told me what really helped him during treatment was going into the sea everyday...must of been a little bracing in the winter, yikes!

As weird as that sounds. Said it really helped w/ the itchies, etc. Said it helped better than any of the various ointments he used. Not that you'll have that. Interesting info anyway.

definitely watch out for your addy. talk to you soon.

You are right!!  I do have two young children.  Initially I thought of putting treatment off til the boys were older but then I realized it would never be the right time.  When they start school, they'll be a whole new set of responsibilities that I'll have to deal with while I'm on treatment so I thought it best to get it out of the way now.  

Hi, I'll be starting treatment around the same time.  Maybe we can help each other thru it.  I'm a 38 yr old female my ALT is 70.  Don't know what my viral load is yet b/c test isn't back yet.  I'm a 1B.

I'm also wigging out about having to start treatment.  In fact, I'm on my way out to pick up my prescription for Lexapro.  I have a lot on my plate and am not looking forward to the sides so hopefully an anti-depressant will help to take the edge off.

Anyway, keep checking the board and post every once in a while to let us know how you're doing.

the thread for the HRT was 07/18/05 and called "Any natural, liver friendly treatments for use in Estrogen Replacement Therapy"

I too was so anxious before treatment, I could hardly stand it.  Believe me, once you start, that is gone.  About all you can do is check in here and ask lots of questions, and get yourself well informed.

Although the 8 million VL is a scary number, I have learned on this forum that it is not a predictor of amount of liver damage or success of treatment.
You do need to get a liver biopsy to see the amount of damage to your liver.  Request that if you have not.

I don't know about HRT if that is what you are asking about for the hot flashes.  There was a thread just a few days ago on that that was excellent.
I wasn't sure what you meant about your child. Has he already had a biopsy and does not need to treat?
Keep us posted with your lab results and biosy results and hang in there.

I remember the time before I started. It was very scary when I thought about it. Lots of the time it wouldn't seem real, like it must be a mistake. And when I did focus on it, so much of the information I found made me frightened of both having the disease, and undergoing the treatment.

For me, the reality of the treatment turned out to be so much better than what I was led to believe. It seems as if people's experiences do vary and the combination of side effects is different for everyone. I'm hoping you sail through with a minimum of problems. But if you don't, this is a good place to hang and discuss it with others.

As for hot flashes, can't say I experienced anything like that. But I did go through a phase where I blamed every health-related symptom on the Hep C. But not everything is related. Maybe your regular physician could help sort that out for you.