Checking In

Hi everyone how's it going?  I've missed this forum soooo sooo much.  I just moved and lost my internet connection for three weeks.  I was hoping I didn't miss much and everyone's healthy.

I stopped tx in September and wanted to tell you that I feel GREAT.  I am very happy that my chubby cheeks/hair are coming back.  My family is telling me that I look and sound wonderful.  I actually feel sexy - can you believe that.  Although, I still have bone aches/pain in my hips and knees.  

I just wanted to tell you guys that are on tx that you will be feeling better.  Hang in.

Lori

[quak]

Sorry i wrote this twice...

[Bodie]

quak:Tha's OK. I'll just use the thread for another question.
Howdy y'all. Well the delerium has lifted and I have started to go over what all the doc said in my mind.
He dropped my Copegus to 4 pills a day and said that he will do another count next time I am in and see if it comes back up. If it does, he's going to give me a "drug holiday" and then come back later with full strenght shot and pills and Neupogen and Procrit. My red count had dropped this time is why he said he dropped the pill count to 4.
I am just now remembering some of the stuff he said cause when he said I was SVR, I freaked. I never thought I would have a one log drop, let alone a negative on my count cause I was on half dose Peg.
Anyone else on half dose and what are your counts?
I'm confused now. If it is working, why lower the dosage? Won't that make it easier to relapse?
I'd appreciate your thoughts on this
Thanks
Bodie

[Foreign girl]

Hi Quak,

I am very happy you feel great. I am done as well and hopefully will have my energy back shortly. I need it!

Foreign girl.

[pearse]

Hi Lori,I stopped in Sept also, Glad to hear your feeling so good, me to.I have the same pain in my hips and joints, I also see white spots sometimes,my Doc said they will go in time. I have gained 13 pounds since then, I joined a gym and try to get there 4,5 times a week. Wish me luck! Everyone coming close to the end, keep your eyes on the goal! It will get soooo much better!

[MajNeni]

If your blood count numbers are very low, they might give you reduced dosage for a while; but I'd resist LONG drug-vacations in mid-tx.  
Neupogen (for low WBW/ANC) and Procrit (for low RBC/Hemoglobin/ Hematocrit) will usually help enough to keep you on therapeutic doses.  For Riba, that would be 4 or more pills (800 mg.)  Neupogen works pretty quickly; Procrit kicks in after a couple of weeks.  
TX drugs are more or less hard on each of us.  If your WBC/ANC is very low (ANC around 750 or lower), you should be extra careful to wash hands a lot, etc., and stay away from sick people; although tx-induced "neutropenia" is not as likely to lead to infections as neutropenia (low Neutrophils) from other causes.  Interferon can slow down the production of new cells in the bone marrow,  causing mostly low WBC/ANC.  (These new blood cells are made there from Stem Cells in the bone marrow.  Heard of them before, right?)
If your RBC/HGB/HCT are low, you'll very feel tired, weak, etc.  
Ribavirin can kill off too many RBC's too fast; they take the HGB and HCT with them; this is the cause of anemia.

Sounds like your doc is handling things.
Maj Neni

[MajNeni]

Sounds like you are both in a good place.  Congratulations!
Can I get to the end and not regain the weight, please?  I've lost half of my excess baggage.  I promise to work out when this is over, and firm up!  I'm counting down to January 23.
Maj Neni

[cindee]

Hi! When my hubby and I took a very late honeymoon in Oct. I was still on tx. my liver doc said I could skip the riba for a wk and be fine...but I choose not too. The trip was mostly staying in the condo. We made 3 walks to the beach and that's all I could stand. We never went out to eat or shopping, but it was good to get away...for my hubby any way! I don't think your doc would do anything to hurt you, so hang in there. Prayers to you and all. Cindee

[Bodie]

Thanks for the post. I have been going over it and over it and I was afraid he was setting me up for relapse. But, I must be responding more than he ever thought I would. He said I had a 30% chance of clearing and now it is 60%. I thought that was cool. Doubled my odds, when I knew I would be on this stuff for over a year anyway cause of the half dose
Thanks again for the pick-me-up
One other thing and I am sure that it has been on here, but don't have time to find it... Do we get a certain amount of protection from the riba from the flu?
Can't get a shot and son has a real case of it, I'm afraid.
Thanks
Bodie

[jonihs]

Could you please explain Deieria, Which was talked about in the 1st thread. I'm not sure what platelettes, WBC, and RBC can cause deleria or dementia?

[ashleesmom]

I'm 49, female, started tx last October.  My weight then was 140 lbs. I lost 20 lbs (I needed to).  I had no nausea, but food tasted like cardboard, and I had no appetite.  I have been done with tx for two months now and my appetite is back and food tastes very good, but I'm struggling now to keep OFF the weight.  Good luck to you.

[hph5477]

I'm at 9/48; type 1b.  Lost 5 lbs in the first 10 days due to bad sx.  The sides have lightened up considerably and I now make a point to eat enough food to maintain my weight.  I started at 121.6 lbs and weighed in this morning at 115.6 lbs.  I weigh myself daily and if I catch myself dropping lbs, I tend to go for the cheesecake and maybe a cookie or two or at least eat a little more for a couple days.  
My appetite is pretty much back to normal now.
My 2 cents - don't try to lose weight; just maintain if you can.

[MajNeni]

I've lost 25, pretty gradually; could lose another 20 and be about right.  For me, it is the diminished apetite; on tx, it is so easy for me to "just say No."  I do take a multivitamin without Iron to cover the bases, and take antioxidants to help my liver.  

I think if you lose weight and want to keep it off after tx, the challenge is:
1) don't go back to old ways of eating
2) do exercise at the right times and levels to boost your metabolic rate.  I'm not up to #2 yet, but as someone who tends to be sedentary, this is a really important to me after tx.  Now I've got some loose areas I want to firm up...

I have not weighed this little since my son was born, 2o+ years ago.  It's the silver lining in this tx, if I can keep it off.  
Maj Neni

ps: I'm waiting 3 months post tx to buy new clothes...