Can I drink a beer?

[jphits]

I just finished a 24 week treatment for Hep c,- interferon, ribiviron, amantadine, folic acid.  I have type 2 and the virus has been cleared and I feel great! -as of now.  Normal liver function, etc.  For the last year I have stayed away from drinking anything.  So is it ok to have a beer?  My doctor has really hedged when I ask him.  Any thoughts?

[Willy50]

Thanks for the kind words.  I saw this earlier but was working and just got in.  It's a great compliment especially when there are so many great writers here.  I also only want to mention that there is truth and validity in every single post in this thread.

best wishes,
willy

[Forseegood]

just wanted to say, that your "Im A Guy" post was one of the most insightful, and brilliantly worded posts I have ever had the pleasure of reading, you summed up so many issues  (polemics aside) with true wisdom and courtesy. I think this is an emotional and controversial topic for a reason, or reason(s), but you managed to state your views in a way that didn't offend anybody (and that's saying something with this particular topic). Bravo.

[Willy50]

By the way, I happen to like your posts; you can stay.  : )

None of us are doctors.  We are all just offering what we do or offering up our opinions.  In some cases that may have some real value.  Many doctors aren't obsessive enough to do all the research that we do.  Much of what we think we know is very current.  For example, I had to tell my doctor what a Fibrosure Test was.  I had to tell the local hospital what the Vertex trials were about when they called me up to ask if I wanted to go on an Albuferon trial.  Some of you guys have access to world class doctors and I think you can take what they tell you "to the bank".  You'll have to admit that it is not the case for all of us and that seeking on line responses is also a good option to round out our thinking or information.

All that I was trying to do was inject the notion that there is uncertainty in this equation given the information available today.  It's certainly appropriate to post studies; they are the best information we have today.  It's the drawing hard conclusions that I resist.  Sometimes the correct answer is I don't know, or it may not be known.

I've got a friend that's a mechanic.  Sometimes he makes mild fun of some of his customers.  Their criteria for whether to fix the car or not is; "Will it make it to New York?"  LOL.  I don't know if Vishnu or the Buddha knows if the car will make it to New York.  : )  

The question; "Can I drink?" has a similar honest and refreshing simplicity to it.   It's the answer to the question that leaves us feeling a little like my mechanic friend.  Some of the livers will not make it to New York.

Thanks for the rebuttal.

Willy

[jmjm530]

My understanding was that you were booted because you trashed MH publically for a name change of something or another. And you did it more than once.

But yes, you were one of the more vocal ones standing up for me, and I truly did appreciate that. That "***Devil" post of yours is a true classic :)

And you know I appreciated your support  because I conveyed that message to you. And because of that, I do regret even more our recent disagreements which I did not start, because we once were "pals" here.

I can only assume it's because my opinions re Watch N' Wait are hard to swallow when one is treating. Unfortunatly, MH doesn';t have a separate section (like some other boards) where those treating and those thinking about treating have more defined spaces. But this place is what it is.

Anyway, obviously things have changed between the two of us. You have your strong opinions and I have mine. I'll write the rest of the stuff you wrote about me to the ribavirin, but whatever, it doesn't matter. Hopefully, folks here will be able to extract a good mix of points of view from all the name calling nonsense.

-- Jim

[PSP-n-Me]

thank you I would appreciate that - and the reason I was "booted" off in the past was becasue I stuck up for YOU!!! but of course you neglected to mention that

[jmjm530]

First, that wasn't an insult to your doctor. I think my doc is "over the moon" just like you do yours.

As to being "rude and argumentative" anyone who has been here awhile should appreciate how funny that is coming from you. I'm not the one who has been booted off of MedHelp for being rude and argumentative  in the past. You were.

Recently, when you've posted, I've tried to offer some advice in terms of your treatment, but obviously it's not appreciated. Good luck moving foward, I will not post to you again.

-- Jim