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MedHelp Member's Question

Hep c and xanax half-life

by crazyhorse1660, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
I have just started taking Xanax .5mg. I used to take it quite awhile ago.

Ive noticed that(and im finding it hard to believe) that the effects stay with me for more then 1 day!

I cannot take it as prescribed or I will be a zombie.



My question is, can Hep C prolong the half-life of this drug to the point of only being able to take one dose a day?
Member Comments (23)

by NYgirl, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
Maybe your liver isn't filtering it out as efficiently if you have a ton of liver damage?



I haven't ever heard of anything like this, I would think that the doctors would caution us IMMEDIATELY on something like this - if drugs were acting that way they could very well be toxic even in small amounts...but just because I haven't heard of it doesn't make it not possible.



Hope you get a "real" answer.

by mycoldfeet, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
Some people have a very low tolerance to drugs, I take 3 10mg valium a day, and no problems. Talk to your Doc but I slowed down the last couple weeks and only take them when I start to stress. the least amount of drugs through the liver the better,(but I believe xanax is eliminated through the kidneys not the liver so is better than valium)

by merlino, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: NYGirl
Could really use some advice from you. I am starting tx 10/6. Am so so scared. FLGuy told me you and I are similar as far as weight. My Dr. is starting me (last appt b4 tx 10/3)on 3 Riba's in am and 2 in pm. Thats about 1000mg. Is that what you started on? How hard was it at first? I know you say its doable. I am getting really scared as its getting closer. I NEED to work. I know I am being pretty much a winey winey baby.

by sfbaygirl, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: rev/merlino
It only took 3 weeks for my ANC, WBC to drop 5pts. I was anemic and felt awful. I wasn't expecting it, but there it was. I have heard lots of people here say they were hit with anemia around week 3, so watch those labs and how you feel.

by merlino, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: Rev/Sfbaygirl
Thanks for your response. I know both of you having been where I am right now know how terrified I am. FLGuy told me these next 3 weeks till tx (10/6)would be tough and he was so right. I guess I am asking questions that no one can answer for me till I start. I am going to try and stay away till day of my first shot. Myabe I will calm down some. Thanks again.

by NYgirl, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: MERLINO


Hey!  Stop worrying so much so you don't make yourself CRAZY like I did ok?  (Did you think I was always like this?  LOL)



I was always tall and thin but tough (even though I am the whiniest crybaby on the block).  I read a lot of stuff and saw that the "hit it hard and fast" approach seemed to make the most sense to me. I am a geno 1A and also 1B so I didn't know if it would matter but I liked what Jim had to say and I asked my doctor to increase me from the recommended 800 to 1,000.



It really DID mess with my hemo levels big time...it wasn't easy.  BUT it was hard for me to get to UND and I am CONVINCED that if I hadn't done it for so long I wouldn't have gotten there at all and now it would be a moot point.



Cut a deal with the doc that you WILL take the 3/2 like I did BUT if you have trouble with the anemia and CANNOT tolerate it that AFTER THE FIRST TWELVE WEEKS you will consider dropping one?  It is really CRUCIAL to get as much into you and hit it hard and fast that you can and you CANT DECREASE DOSAGE in the first 12 weeks.  That is SO important.



I had the anemia really bad but I ONLY missed 2 days work. I don't know how looking back that I did it (cause when I went to stand up I would faint - for real) and it would take me 15 minutes of stopping and starting so I could just walk into the building here --- but through sheer determination I got here. My whole goal was just to get to my desk. I figured as long as I showed up I was A-OK.



I took a nap every lunchtime from 12 - 1.  I even had a little blankie and pillow here.  As stupid as that sseems - I got a promotion (thank GOD I hated my old boss so so so much) and didn't get fired.



I coudln't stop work either - there is no option.  So I just decided I'd whine and cry on line to my friends and then have them push me with support...and they did.



I felt like giving up a bunch of time - but these guys just kept me going.



We can do it for you too if you have it bad.  But you MIGHT NOT AT ALL ANYWAY~!



If I can do ANYTHING to help you - you just let me know.  I know how overwhelming the whole thing REALLY is.



It ain't fun but you CAN DO IT.



(If I can anybody can!  ;)



Debby

by sfbaygirl, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: Merlino
Yep, the waiting was the worst for me. I was SO glad to finally start. My stress was so much less, for a minute! LOL Not knowing what to expect can be really hard to deal with. The sx's at the beginning werent' so bad, until the anemia. But the waiting to see what would happen was brutal! You're almost there. Enjoy yourself, go shopping, etc.

by merlino, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: NYGirl/Safbay
Thank you both. NYGirl, I am short and skinny!!  Now I am sitting here crying like a total a$$. I am letting this get the best of me today. I will be back with probably a hundred questions on my shot night. I know between me having a good caring Dr. and good caring people here I will be OK.Talk to you all soon!

by NYgirl, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: MERLINO
How has your doctor come to 1,000 a day of Riba if you ARE short and skinny?  I mean I'm tall and skinny - and weight based for me would only have been 800.  Why is he even asking you to do this much if your "weight based" would only be 800?  It doesn't really make sense to me.



Did you ask him WHY he wants you on so much Riba?



If it is bothering you this much I would certainly have a talk with him.  Tell him that you understand the weight based dosage is what most all doctors go on and that for your weight - it's not 1000.  Tell him you are very concerned about having to stop treatment because of the side effects of anemia - what IF Procrit does not work in your case (and hey will he even prescribe it?)



One of the most common reasons people quit is they can't handle the anemia and he has to know that.  I'm actually confused as to why he wants to push it so far.



What are your stats again?  Things like that go in and out of my head and well...there is a lot of air in between my ears!

by FlGuy, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: Merlino -Rocker
There are a few things that you can do, think about, ask your doc about.  A lot of folks, before tx, deal with their anxiety chemically in advance of tx start and for you tx is just one of the many boulders on your pile.  1000 mg is probably going to turn out to be right for you.  There are very few people who are not impacted by hgb to some extent. Not all require procrit but a lot of folks scrape the bottom of the enegry barrel.  When you see the doc on 10/3 walk away with a plan to treat the hgb. When you hit that pre-determined level get the doc to act quickly. To do so, you'll need a pre-tx cbc to get a baseline number and then fairly frequent cbc's early (I'll have them weekly til week 10 or so then bi-weekly) in tx to get a handle on how hgb will react.  It may be helpful to have the doc inquire of you insurance co if approval a specified level/reading is a concern.  You've read here that procrit/epo/aranesp can take a couple of weeks to kick in and if you're impacted by low hgb/anemia those are a couple of weeks you're going to feel it while you continue to swallow the riba until the calvary arrives. And, procrit is not usually a one-shot deal.  If you get anemic ther's a balancing act to get to the right dose and frequency to modulate hgb against tx.  Maybe you won't get slapped with anemia, but have a plan with the doc in case.  It's important not to respond with a riba/ifn dose reduction - especially early in tx.   Maybe Rocker, or others, have some ideas for nutritional enhancements for hgb levels.  I think I remember a thread on beets, for example.  A lot of this stuff is in your head now but in just a few short weeks it's going to migrate to the more southern parts of you.  Overall, to quote NYG, it is doable.

by FlGuy, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: Merlino
I looked at the Roche and Shering perscribing information.  When I read Roche's it appears 1000 mg is the dose, Shering's looks like 800.  If you consider 15 mg per kg (at your weight)it's 800. Although we'd like tx to be an exact science, it's not and we are all different.  A funny thing (maybe not so funny) happened at my tx doc's this am.  I brought him the recommendation from the the big liverhead and nice, neat little spreadsheet that showed tx weeks, pcr schedule, cbc schedule, dosage for both peg and riba. A nice neat package.  He said he also wanted periodic TSH and LFT's.  I thought great we'll get the whole 48 weeks mapped out and he started writing all the rx's right there as we talked and went through the 48 week calendar.  Then, he pulls out this neat little laminated wheel thing (Shearing logos all over it) and turned it to week 2 in the window, then week four, week 8 and so on.  As he did, he was scribbling the rx's for the blood work all according to the little wheel provided by Shering.  Point is, if I hadn't gone to see the big liverhead to get a plan 'personalized' this guy would have just been spinning his wheel and maybe mine too.  At some point, you'll get to a place where you are comfortable and the only thing left is to shoot, swallow, roll up your sleeve and just try to make it through the best that you can. Unless I'm missing something the only open item is 800 or 100 riba per day.  You're just about ready for launch - you'll be fine.  By the way, I drove up north this weekend and saw the shuttle launch and that was waaay cool. You're next on the pad.

by GoofyDad, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: FLguy
You're the man, dude!

by FlGuy, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: goof
Great whale watching off Maui around February.  Did you let 'lil Goof eat all that great junk at the ballpark?  When we go to the games the conversation in the car on the way goes something like "I'm gonna get, then I'm gonna get..." And then the kids start in too.

by merlino, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: FLGuy/NYGirl
Any chance the two of you can come with me on my next appt? I have added all this to my list. NYGirl, I didn't question my Dr when he told me about the Riba, figured he knew best, plus I was such A nervous wreck I forgot so many things on my list of questions.  It was just a few days ago I was reading someone else's post and started to question it. I am A Genotype 1 -VL 4Mil - didn't have a biopsy just a fibrosure which showed high inflammation no fibrosis. I can't wait for newer drugs. My Ex has ESLD. My kids need a well mom. FLGuy - I will make sure my Dr has me well prepared for the worst. Now,if I can just calm down some. I have myself such a mess. Not good.

This is a good lesson for newbies. Ask lots of questions. If you don't you will have yourself confused and really scared like me.

by merlino, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: FLGuy
Just read your second post - thanks - also made me smile - "shoot, swallow and roll up your sleeve". Sorry for being such a sissy girl. Know others here (including you and NYGirl) have been at this point, went through a lot and still here to help others. You too Mr. Beagle. This disease not only affects my body but at times I allow it to invade my soul. Need a few days to find a little peace of mind. Thanks all!

by FlGuy, Sep 12, 2006 12:00AM
To: Merlino
If you can get a sooner doc appt, the tx meds and do some magic with the kids - maybe you can start sooner and get rid of some of the waiting angst.