At the clinic

Hi,
I'm sitting here at the clinic and just took my first dose, the Gilead drugs, Riba and interferon shot.
I'm in the loop,,,,, I dont know why I feel a little light headed, I think its psychological.
I had a bunch of blood draw, EKG 3 times and I have more tests this afternoon, I am in a sub study, so I am under the eagle eye. Yeah.
I am officially in the treatment club now.

[Bill1954]

There you go; you’re on your way now! If you haven’t already, it might be a good time to pop a couple of Tylenol just in case you feel a bit under the weather later on in the day. Remember to remain hydrated, and to take the pills on time and all that. Let us know how you feel tomorrow; some of us are fortunate and get though this relatively unscathed, Mary.

Good luck and take care-

-Bill

[nygirl7]

Yes you are being a bit paranoid but believe me you aren't the first one to do that :D  

Definitely take the tylenol and keep drinking water - remember at least half your body weight in ounces a day it will help a lot, even though it sounds so silly!

Good luck.

[willbb]

Hey Mary....the lightheadedness is prolly all in your head!  Sorry..couldn"t resist.  In all seriousness tho,,,you will probably be fine... some time today  a good idea to start pounding back the waters,and welcome to the tx.club!


Good luck  

WILL

[Mary4now]

These studies are so precise, they even had my breakfast figured out in terms of fat/ calories, etc and I had a Jimmy Dean egg sandwich, 1/2 bagel w/ cream cheese, coffee, and OJ,   I havent had real sausage in 30 years.  I never eat that much salt, but I have to look at my eating differently now.  no more low fat yogurt,
The Nurse Practitioner said to stick with Advil and the reason Tylenol is a last choice is because its in a lot of other things and easier to get to much of it.  So I'm going back to Advil for the duration.
I sure hope I got the PI's.
I'm taking 1000 mg of riba and then the 2 other study drugs, and of course the little sticker 1x p/wk.  
Later all you gaters, be well,
Love,
Mary

[Kathy73]

Be well too Mary! I'm rooting for you and I know you're going to be a real trooper. Like everyone else said, time to start the waterworks! I usually had two to three plastic cups with water in them at any given time on my desk at work. My co-worker said she thought I had "a drinking problem".

[Susan_1a_CC]

Best of luck Mary!  You're pioneering the future - how about that!

[HectorSF]

Glad you have taken that big step to treat. I hope the Gilead meds are safe and effective. Good luck and wishing you UND very soon.

Hang in there. You'll be a pro in no time!

Hectorsf

[Mary4now]

Thanks, its nice to hear from you,  I signed up for the sub study, didn't quite realize all the blood draws, but its only a couple of weeks, and I get to know everyone at the clinic better.
It was definitely a clinic day, I'm still scared of the meds, but I will swallow them.
Me to hope they are safe and effective........
talk w/ you soon, be well, be happy,
Mary

[Mary4now]

Do you think drinking 10 - 15 glasses of water a day is good?

[Bill1954]

I don’t know if you were addressing a question to anyone in particular? As you go along, I think it’s important to keep in mind these meds can dehydrate you, and drink water accordingly. Any quantities you read about in here are only suggested guidelines, Mary.

Personally, I tried to remember to keep hydrated and let my thirst guide my fluid intake. Just don’t let yourself dry out; I believe sufficient water helps maintain kidney function, electrolyte balance, etc. I *wouldn't* make myself uncomfortable trying to achieve unrealistic goals.

Be well,

-Bill

[Isobella]

Congrats to you on getting started!!!

I tended to gauge my water intake on how I felt also.  If I wasn't getting enough, I would get a headache.....as soon as I was well hydrated I felt much better.  I just toted around a big thermos cup and drank as needed.  It probably added up to the formula above but I never measured it out.

I wish you all the best and light sides!!!!

Isobella

[Mary4now]

Hi again,
I had the worse hemmerhoids in the world one time and I did a clean diet etc. and I drank 8 ozs of water every hour and it was miraculous.  I think the more you drink the more you want to drink and the less you drink the less you want to drink.  I've heard that by the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.
I guess I'll start with 60 ozs. a day and see how I'm doing, it will be more than I drink now.
thanks for the good wishes and sending them right back to you.

[blondie717]

     Hey Mary, Good luck, I've followed all of your posts and your study sounds very promissing..I will be looking forward to hearing UND from you....I dont know what a sub study is but..I think alot of us have had blood draws every hr 4 hr, and then every 2 hrs.....Hey did your study provide that fantastic breakfast??? Some of us had to bring our own snack???? Good luck Mary , hope your TX is as easy as mine has been, thus far....Ginger

[R Glass]

Best Wishes. May your SX be few and SVR around the Corner.

[Trish77]

Another pioneer. :)   This seems like an excelllent trial, Mary and I'm glad for you that this opportunity has come your way.  Hoping for great results for you.  

Oh...and what R Glass said. :)

All the best!!!!!

Trish

[fretboard]

Glad to hear you started your trial!!  As far as Tylenol goes, I can tell the difference when I've taken it and so can my liver.lol  I had a heck of a time drinking water but you gotta drink at least a gallon a day and hopefully a gallon and a half.  It's good to hear that Gilead is moving ahead with their new drug products.  Are you on the GS 9256 trial,?  It's good to hear about a California based company moving up the ladder to a cure.  take care and drink that water!!

http://www.gilead.com/pr_1489408
  

BOSTON, Oct 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced data from a Phase IIa study showing that its investigational compounds GS 9190 and GS 9256, used in conjunction with current standard of care therapies, produced substantial suppression of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) within 28 days of treatment. The findings are being presented Monday, November 1, during a latebreaker oral session (#LB-1) at the 61st annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (The Liver Meeting 2010) in Boston.


"Patients with chronic hepatitis C urgently need new and better treatment options, particularly combination therapies involving antiviral drugs that employ multiple mechanisms of action to eradicate the virus," said the study's principal investigator, Stefan Zeuzem, MD, JW Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany. "The data presented today support the continued clinical evaluation of GS 9190 and GS 9256 in combination with other hepatitis C therapies and provide additional clinical insight into the effect of ribavirin in the absence of interferon."

  

[paen53]

Hope your first day after your shot is going OK. You've made that huge first step.

Hang in there and may your sx be light....Pam

[Nomadpixie]

Best of luck from me Mary, I will be thinking about you....Lots of love..PXX

[GoofyDad]

I'm impressed that you were able to get your computer down to the Dr office and they let you plug it in. I suppose I should get one of those flat panel monitors one day, what do they call them, an LSD display?  It must make hauling your computer around a whole lot easier!  

[paen53]

I'd like to try the LSD display, but the "trails"  onscreen muight be distracting after a while. Wouldn't lose as many brain cells, that for sure........

[can-do-man]

Fret...." I had a heck of a time drinking water but you gotta drink at least a gallon a day and hopefully a gallon and a half"

Yikes, to much water is not a good thing.

Mary hope things are going well.

Goof, an LSD monitor? Bet the color is really good.

[Mary4now]

I'm beginning to think life is enough of a trip, thank GAWD for the thing they call sleep and its accepted to lay in a nice cozy bed for 8 hours, cover up and enter the other realm.
I really do have to up my water thing, is it week 16 yet?
I tried to bribe them into making sure I got into the study med arm, but they thought I was kidding.  
So its up in the air.  At least I get to eat fat, I have been a fat phobe for years.
thanks for stopping by and saying hello... I appreciate it, and wish you all good health, wealth and most of all happiness.
Love,
M

[Trish77]

I could never drink a gallon of water in a day but that's me.  To up your consumption is definitely important.  Watch your body for signs of excessive dehyrdation - your urine getting too dark, nails getting dried out, that kind of thing.  Urine was my main checkpoint...too dark, drink more water.  Nice light urine, I'm doing okay.  If you notice signs of dehyrdration and headaches (which are sometimes caused by dehydration), etc...up that water.  

[Susan_1a_CC]

Mary said:

"At least I get to eat fat, I have been a fat phobe for years."
_____________________________________________________________________________

Your / everyone's brain is primarily fat, so not good to avoid it but do choose healthy fats especially omega 3's which most of us don't get enough of.

[Mary4now]

Oh I really have not been doing well on the Omegas, I think I mostly get my fats from nuts, avocado, I rarely eat fish, because I dont know how to cook it, and I did some commercial fishing and was freaked out by the death of the fish,,,,,
I used to grind flax seeds and put them in my yogurt,,, I just really dont know what to do anymore except moderation,- and try to choose healthy less salt, trans fats, etc.
right now I'm munching on p-nut butter/crackers, yum,

[lapis]

One of my staples on tx was whole-milk yogurt, especially Yobaby, Stoneybrook Farms, in banana.  It's supposed to be for babies but it sure worked for me, always easy to get down, soothing and yummy.  A great thing to take your Riba with!

[Mary4now]

I almost forgot to take my meds, 1 hr. late and I scarfed down some whole milk yogurt and granola, then I put one of Trader Joes mini quiches in the nuker for added substance,
They are so good, cheap and quick.  I will eat half and save the rest for tomorrow.
hope for the best,

[Kathy73]

Yeah Trader Joe's is great for quick easy snacks and meals.