Are there any really young and/or particularly small people in tx here?

I am 4 10", 96lbs, and 23 years old. I started tx Wednesday. I am really nervous about what toll this will take on my body. Is it possible for someone this small to get through all this? I gained 15 pounds for treatment, completely unaware of the requirement to eat 60 grams of fat or more a day with the incivek. I am getting very concerned about the physical side effects of all of this. I was just wondering if any other small, young people have been through this and what sort of experience they had with it.

[HectorSF]

The younger and the less time you have had hep C improves your chances of success. Most of us have had chronic hep C for many decades so it has caused a lot of damage and then being older be are less robust than a younger person who can bounce back much more quickly. I would say that if you don't have other health conditions you have a great chance of getting through treatment in good shape.

Being small is not an issue. There are many woman here in San Francisco who are Asian women who have treated with no issues related to size or weight.

"Take Incivek within 30 minutes after eating a meal or snack that contains about 20 grams of fat. Always take Incivek with food. Examples of snacks that contain about 20 grams of fat include: A bagel and cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, 2 ounces of American or cheddar cheese, 2 ounces of potato chips, a half-cup of nuts or trail mix, or 1 cup of ice cream."

Good luck.
Hector

[ziffy1]

HI,I would say what my nurse tell me about been small.I'm on just interferon and ribavirin and she tell me that I coul lose some weight and that been smal incease tha chance to SVR.I lose 3 klg in 4 week.good luck

[Advocate1955]

Hi OlympiaPanics.  I agree with the others.  You are young, healthy, you've only had Hep C for one year, and your medications are dosed based on your weight, so you should be just fine.  Don't worry too much about gaining more weight by eating more fat.  Some people are gaining weight, some are not.  What's most important is your health and clearing the Hep C virus before it damages your liver.  Being small is actually an advantage because people who are also overweight can develop what's called fatty liver disease, which makes it that much harder for your liver to function.  Just try to eat healthy, eat the 20 grams of fat before your Incivek, drink lots of water, and hang in there.  Best wishes, and keep us posted on your progress.
Advocate1955

[orphanedhawk]

I'm not as small as you but definitely petite. My doctor told me to gain weight prior to beginning treatment.
The reason is some people lose weight during treatment.

Are you hyper sensitive to meds? I've often had to stand up for myself and say," one size doesn't fit all."
For example, I have to take neupogen. The first shot was 300mg and overwhelmed me with intense side effects. So, I asked my doctor about lowering the dosage. He cut it to 150, which I find tolerable and works as well, I think for me, it works even better.

Be careful. Doctors will have you taking the same dosages as guys who are 260lbs if you don't remind them. At least ask.

Otherwise, I believe like the others, your youth is on your side.
Size doesn't really make much difference.

Good luck,
OH

[OlympiaPanics]

Thank you guys so much for your responses! I am feeling much calmer today after reading this. I really appreciate it. I will keep you posted! Thanks again!